Happy Belly Food Group Inc. reports developments tied to its multi-brand restaurant platform and strategy of acquiring and scaling emerging food brands. The company’s recurring updates focus on quick-service and fast-casual concepts, franchise growth, real estate secured for new locations, corporate restaurant openings, and brand-level expansion across Canadian markets.
News for HBFGF commonly covers Heal Wellness, iQ Food Co., Yolks Breakfast, Rosie's Burgers, Via Cibo Italian Street Food and other portfolio brands. Updates also include area development agreements, multi-unit franchise relationships, QSR systemwide sales, audited results, and corporate acquisition activity within franchised and asset-light restaurant concepts.
Happy Belly Food Group (HBFGF) signed a 45-unit area development agreement for its recently acquired Ghost Taco brand in Ontario.
The deal covers the rollout of new franchised Ghost Taco locations across the province and follows Happy Belly’s acquisition of a 50% interest in the fast-casual taco concept. Ghost Taco currently operates in Ontario markets including Newmarket, Kingston, Whitby, Peterborough and Barrie. Happy Belly states that this agreement aligns with its asset-light, franchise-based growth strategy of partnering with experienced area developers to scale emerging restaurant brands.
Happy Belly Food Group (HBFGF) has signed a definitive agreement and closed the 50% acquisition of the Ghost Taco fast-casual restaurant chain via a joint venture in 2026.
The parties formed a joint venture company (JVCo) for franchise expansion, with Ghost Taco’s owners transferring the brand IP and other intellectual assets to JVCo for 50% of its common shares. Happy Belly subscribed for the remaining 50% of JVCo shares and obtained an option to acquire the other 50% of the business in future. Ghost Taco operates an asset-light franchised system with five Ontario locations in Newmarket, Kingston, Whitby, Barrie and Peterborough and is described as debt free and cashflow positive.
This transaction is Happy Belly’s first acquisition of 2026 and becomes part of its accelerated M&A program, supporting a dual expansion strategy combining franchised growth with targeted corporate store openings.
Happy Belly Food Group (HBFGF) announced that its Heal Wellness quick-service restaurant brand has secured a new real-estate location in the Seton neighborhood of southeast Calgary, Alberta, for its Western Canada multi-unit franchisee.
Seton is described as a growing mixed-use urban district with more than 2.5 million square feet of office and retail space and major regional amenities, which the company views as well aligned with Heal’s active-lifestyle, better-for-you menu offerings. The new site is part of Heal Wellness’s continuing expansion across Canada and into the United States.
Happy Belly Food Group (HBFGF) has opened its 20th Rosie's Burgers location at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia. The new restaurant, located at 110 - 6015 University Blvd, CRU 8, is the second Rosie's opened under a five-unit development agreement with an experienced multi-unit franchise operator, whose first Rosie's launched in April 2026 in Abbotsford.
UBC's Vancouver campus hosts approximately 60,300 students plus faculty, staff, and visitors, providing a large daily customer base. Rosie's now has 20 locations open as of September 5 and more than 109 additional units secured under multi-unit and area development agreements across several Canadian provinces, supporting a dual strategy of franchised growth and targeted corporate store openings.
Happy Belly Food Group (HBFGF) has opened the 50th and 51st locations of its Heal Wellness quick-service restaurant brand, with grand openings held on September 5, 2026.
The 50th store is at 255 King St, Unit 6, Waterloo, Ontario, near Wilfrid Laurier University and University of Waterloo, and was opened by a franchise group led by Alex Rechichi and Bedford Park Capital under a 45-unit multi-franchise deal. The 51st store is at 327 Chemin du Bord-du-Lac Lakeshore, Pointe-Claire, Québec. The company said Heal now has 51 locations open and more than 157 in development across its system.
Happy Belly Food Group (OTCQB: HBFGF) announced that its Heal Wellness quick-service restaurant brand has secured a new real-estate location in Belleville, Ontario, for a multi-unit franchise group led by Alex Rechichi and Bedford Park Capital. This site is part of Heal’s previously disclosed 45-location multi-unit franchise agreement across Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, targeting markets with strong local demographics and student populations, including Loyalist College’s Belleville campus.
Happy Belly Food Group (OTCQB: HBFGF) announced the grand opening of a new Heal Wellness quick-service restaurant on August 29 at Unit D1-4, 3956 Shelbourne Street in the University Heights development in Saanich, British Columbia. The site is Heal’s first location on Vancouver Island and the first of five committed units from an experienced multi-unit, multi-brand franchisee for that market, supporting Happy Belly’s asset-light expansion strategy across British Columbia and Western Canada.
Happy Belly also granted 1,000,000 stock options to Chief Financial Officer Ian Thomas, exercisable at $2.00 per share, with performance-based vesting and an expiry date of October 2, 2030.
Happy Belly Food Group (CSE: HBFG, OTCQB: HBFGF) reported record Q2 2026 system-wide QSR sales of $28.4 million, up about 75% year over year and 47% sequentially. The company operated 95 restaurants at June 30, 2026, versus 62 a year earlier, reflecting network expansion and organic growth.
Total operating revenues, services, interest income and rebates reached a record $8.5 million, up roughly 57% from Q2 2025 and 42% from Q1 2026. Product sales were $6.4 million, while royalties and franchise fees rose to $1.6 million, approximately 129% above the prior-year period, consistent with the franchise-led, asset-light strategy.
Adjusted EBITDA was $0.7 million, compared with $0.5 million a year earlier. Cash and cash equivalents increased to about $12.0 million at June 30, 2026, from $3.0 million at June 30, 2025, which Happy Belly said enhances its flexibility to fund organic growth and support ongoing operations.
Happy Belly Food Group (OTCQB: HBFGF) announced the grand opening of a new Heal Wellness quick-service restaurant in Sylvan Lake, Alberta, on Saturday, August 22, at 5003 Lakeshore Drive. The store is owned and operated by an existing Heal franchisee expanding as a multi-unit partner.
The opening supports Heal’s asset-light growth strategy, targeting Alberta’s urban and suburban markets. Heal Wellness offers smoothie bowls, açaí bowls, smoothies, and other superfood-based menu items aimed at health-conscious, busy, and active consumers.
Happy Belly Food Group (CSE: HBFG, OTCQB: HBFGF) announced the grand opening of a new Rosie's Burgers location on August 15, 2026, at 1800 Rue Notre Dame O in Montreal's Griffintown neighbourhood. The restaurant will be operated by Carma Hospitality, marking Carma's second of ten committed Rosie's locations in Quebec under its franchise commitments.
According to the company, Griffintown offers dense residential demand and strong daytime traffic. Rosie's has 19 locations open as of August 15 and more than 111 locations secured under multi-unit and area development agreements across several Canadian provinces, supporting Happy Belly's broader restaurant brand consolidation and franchise expansion strategy.