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The Spice & Tea Exchange has announced the signing of five new franchise agreements, expanding its retail footprint across North Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana.
The new locations, spanning Vero Beach, Florida; Southern Pines, New Bern, and Hillsborough, North Carolina; and St. Francisville, Louisiana, build upon the brand's national expansion strategy, targeting high-growth regional markets characterised by strong entrepreneurship and favourable economic conditions.
The commercial expansion reflects broader retail franchising momentum across the US Southeast, where growing population density and consumer demand for experience-driven speciality retail continue to drive new unit development.
The multi-state deal concentrates heavily on North Carolina, which accounts for three of the five newly signed franchise agreements.
According to data published in the International Franchise Association's (IFA) 2026 Franchising Economic Outlook, the Southeast represents nearly 30 per cent of all franchised businesses in the United States, with regional franchise establishments projected to expand by 1.7 per cent in 2026 and generate $274.9 billion in economic output.
In the IFA's state-level rankings for 2026, Florida and North Carolina were named among the top five markets for national franchise growth, ranking second and fifth respectively.
The new store locations will offer the brand's core product portfolio, which encompasses fine spices, hand-blended seasonings, and loose-leaf exotic teas sourced globally.
Alongside its physical store expansion, The Spice & Tea Exchange has restructured its senior leadership team to align sales and operational functions under a unified command structure.
Tatum Crews has been promoted to Vice President of Sales and Franchise Operations. In her expanded role, Crews oversees the complete franchise lifecycle, combining initial partner recruitment and onboarding with store openings and long-term operational execution.
Crews stated that unifying sales and franchise operations is designed to establish operational continuity for new franchise partners, ensuring store openings are backed by structured training, technology platforms, and cross-departmental support.
To support its growing store network, the enterprise is investing in updated franchisee infrastructure, including digital tracking tools, enhanced onboarding programmes, and centralised operational resources.
The latest franchise expansion follows the company's inclusion on the Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing private companies, reflecting sustained multi-year revenue and unit growth.
Amy Freeman, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of The Spice & Tea Exchange, stated that the brand's momentum demonstrates strong consumer demand for experience-led speciality retail, adding that the five new agreements support a disciplined growth strategy designed to scale regional store density across the Southeast.
The business confirmed that additional franchise developments and location launches will deploy across its pipeline as regional onboarding progresses throughout upcoming trading cycles.
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