GREENVILLE — A popular North Carolina pizza chain will move into the Upstate of South Carolina.
The owners of King of Fire signed a deal with a father-son duo to bring their pizza to Greenville, Spartanburg and Clemson. Siler and Amber Chapman own the Charlotte-based wood-fired pizza chain.
King of Fire has eight trucks and one brick-and-mortar location in the Charlotte area. They serve a laundry list of events, including neighborhood gatherings, business lunch locations, festivals, breweries, weddings and parties.
The Upstate franchise will be operated by Cory and Rob Parker, who will be based here. They will start with one food truck that will cover the entire region, and they have an agreement to expand to up to six locations.
“It’s giving them the option to find their clientele in the beginning to see what’s going to really be the home run, hit location,” Amber said.
Focus will remain on high-quality ingredients such as flour, pepperoni and pizza toppings, Siler said. By starting with a mobile truck, there are lower startup costs compared to a brick-and-mortar location.
The corporate team, which includes Evan Gentile, was always interested in expanding to the Upstate, so when the Parkers approached them, they thought it could be a success.
That’s due in part to the similarities between the business’s Charlotte customer base and Greenville’s demographics, Gentile said. Interstate 85 provides easy access between the markets, and the expanding population provides ample opportunity for long-term growth.
The Parkers will add an additional unit — either a food truck or brick-and-mortar location — once every six months or each year.
Food trucks create a buzz, Siler said. By starting with a mobile presence, they can learn the market better and understand where customers are concentrated.
“Where’s King of Fire going to be next?” Siler said. “Where are they at? We want their pizza.”
