SoCal Food Group Adds Refranchised Del Taco Restaurants To Its Portfolio

Del Taco has refranchised all ten of its company-operated restaurants in the San Diego, California market. The new deal is with SoCal Food Group, headed by Omar Boukai and the Boukai family, a company with extensive food service and real estate experience. Under terms of the agreement, SoCal Food Group will also develop as many as 21 additional Del Taco restaurants over the next seven years, primarily in the San Diego market.

SoCal Food Group is experienced in the quick-service restaurant industry where the company currently operates 50 restaurants in two other QSR concepts.

"We welcome them to the Del Taco system and are confident that they will be great partners in operating these ten San Diego restaurants and developing up to 21 additional restaurants," said John D. Cappasola, Jr., president and chief executive officer of Del Taco.

In a statement, Del Taco said it had been executing a portfolio optimization strategy to help stimulate new franchise restaurant growth and to drive operational and financial benefits. The company has now completed the refranchising of restaurants in San Diego, Reno, Nevada, and Los Angeles.