Pizza franchise operator Marco's Pizza has announced plans to establish a new Operations Centre of Excellence in Orlando, Florida, representing a capital investment of more than $1 million.
The upcoming facility, located at 222 South Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando, will serve as an extension of the brand's primary corporate headquarters in Toledo, Ohio. Spanning approximately 14,030 square feet, the site has been designed to consolidate franchisee onboarding, advanced management training, and corporate operations under a single regional hub.
Construction is currently underway, with the facility scheduled to begin full operations in autumn 2026.
Scale and Training Infrastructure in Florida
The investment in the Florida facility is designed to provide the physical infrastructure required to support the company's expanding franchise network.
The centre will feature a fully operational training kitchen engineered to mirror the exact layout, equipment configuration, and physical workflow of a standard Marco's Pizza retail store. By replicating the retail environment, the brand aims to deliver hands-on, simulated training to minimise operational errors and standardise food preparation techniques before franchisees and general managers assume control of their respective locations.
The facility will accommodate approximately 50 corporate staff members, bringing together regional stakeholders across operations, supply chain management, and corporate education.
Educational Programmes and Operations
The Orlando facility will serve as the primary educational destination for the brand’s global network, structured around several core corporate training functions:
🏫 Marcos University – Providing advanced business management, financial planning, and operational strategy courses for franchisees and store managers.
🍕 Practical Kitchen Simulation – Offering hands-on training in ingredient preparation, oven management, and high-velocity order fulfilment.
🤝 Franchise Discovery Days – Hosting prospective investors and corporate partners evaluating the brand's business model and regional development opportunities.
🚛 Supply Chain Collaboration – Convening regional distributors, ingredient suppliers, and brand leadership to streamline logistics and ingredient consistency.
According to John Meyers, Chief Operating Officer of Marco's Pizza, the infrastructure investment is intended to establish the systems, environments, and capabilities necessary to allow franchise partners to operate with high consistency and precision as the brand scales.
To facilitate the development, the Orlando Economic Partnership (OEP) assisted the pizza chain in navigating regional permitting processes, exploring local incentive opportunities, and establishing connections with regional workforce development and municipal utility partners.
Store Openings
The establishment of the Orlando operations hub comes during a period of active retail footprint growth for the pizza chain. Marco's Pizza is currently targeting more than 80 new store openings across its national and international networks by the end of 2026.
According to the company's latest franchise disclosure documents, the brand’s operational model has maintained steady volume performance, with the top 25 per cent of its franchised stores reporting an average unit volume (AUV) of $1.28 million in fiscal year 2025.
Tim Giuliani, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Orlando Economic Partnership, stated that the decision to build the training facility in downtown Orlando reflects the region's expanding business climate and logistics connectivity, positioning the city as a strategic hub for high-growth consumer brands looking to scale national talent and operations.
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