Wahi Brands Scales Cheba Hut Growth with Grassroots, Community-First Playbook

# What happened Wahi Brands, a franchisee group led by CEO Isaac Montoya, opened its eighth Cheba Hut location and is advancing a multi-state rollout that began with a 10-unit Virginia deal signed at the end of 2024. The group also has a 10-unit agreement for Michigan in progress and has stores spanning four states. Montoya anticipates adding three more Virginia units by the end of 2027 and targets 14 stores in the Wahi portfolio by then.

# Why it matters

# How Wahi is driving growth Wahi's approach is intentionally grassroots and community-focused rather than purely digital or national-media-driven. Specific tactics cited by Montoya include:

• Product sampling at school and college campus events to introduce the food to local consumers.
• Distributing store coupons and handing out food at community gatherings.
• Quarterly partnerships with local nonprofits and charities to feed people facing food insecurity.
• Activating general managers and assistant managers to engage directly in the communities they serve.

Montoya frames product sampling as the most effective method for brand awareness: getting the product into people's hands converts curiosity into repeat business. He also notes that while Cheba Hut's core demographic historically skewed toward college students, his locations are capturing more families and suburban customers, which opens additional white space beyond campus-focused sites.

# Background on Montoya and Wahi Brands Montoya's relationship with Cheba Hut began in 2012 when he worked as a crew member while studying business at the University of New Mexico. He moved into general management within six months, became an equity partner at that first New Mexico location, and later founded Wahi Brands. He also operates restaurants outside Wahi Brands, including Dave's Hot Chicken and Prince Street Pizza, and has prior experience with Anytime Fitness.

# The pipeline and near-term targets Wahi Brands' growth plan includes the Virginia 10-unit agreement and a Michigan 10-unit deal. The broader system shows nearly 20 Cheba Hut stores in development. Wahi's stated goal is to reach 14 stores in its portfolio by the end of 2027, with three additional Virginia openings targeted before that deadline.

# What this means for franchise strategy Wahi's results suggest a playbook for mid-sized franchisees pursuing regional scale: prioritize unit-level economics and local marketing execution, deploy store leaders as community ambassadors, and combine charity partnerships with product sampling to build sustained traffic. The approach attempts to translate strong single-unit performance into repeatable expansion metrics.

# Bottom line Wahi Brands is expanding Cheba Hut into new states while relying on low-tech, high-touch tactics to grow brand awareness and sales. The group's AUVs outpace the system average, and management is using community engagement and product-first marketing to reach broader demographics beyond college campuses.