Multiplatinum recording artist Drake joined actor Samuel L. Jackson and retired NFL player Michael Strahan as an investor in Dave’s Hot Chicken, a Los Angeles-based restaurant chain specializing in Nashville hot chicken.
"I tried the food, and it was amazing," Drake said in a company press release. "After meeting the founders and hearing their story I jumped at the opportunity to invest."
Drake’s most recent album, Certified Lover Boy, released last month, selling 613,000 copies in the U.S. in it’s first week. In addition, the rapper has 33 million followers on Twitter and 92 million on Instagram.
The terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but the owners of Dave’s Hot Chicken called it “significant,” according to Eater.
More about Dave’s Hot Chicken
Dave’s Hot Chicken began as a parking lot pop-up concept in 2017. In 2019, the chain’s founders, Arman Oganesyan, Chef Dave Kopushyan and brothers Tommy and Gary Rubenyan, inked a deal with Wetzel's Pretzels co-founder and former CEO, Bill Phelps, and movie producer John Davis to franchise the concept throughout the U.S. and globally. More than 500 franchise locations in the U.S. and Canada have been sold.
The fast-casual chain specializes in Nashville-style hot chicken tenders and sliders with a choice of seven different spice level. Dave’s Hot Chicken currently has 22 locations – the majority of which are in California – and plans to open an additional 25 units in markets such as Chicago, Orlando and Houston by the end of the year.
“As we were looking at other [quick-service restaurant] and Fast Casual concepts to expand our portfolio, we started seeing a lot about Dave’s Hot Chicken and their growth in news headlines. It piqued our interest, so we had to see what was so special about this brand,” said Scott Strahm, who will open 15 locations in the Orlando area.
“After doing our due diligence, we knew we couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to grow with such an exciting concept and started making plans to bring Dave’s Hot Chicken to Orlando.”
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