Store #1000
Sun Holdings CEO, Guillermo Perales, celebrates the opening of his 1,000th location and shares his plans for his recent acquisition, Taco Bueno.
SUN HOLDINGS CEO, Guillermo Perales is one entrepreneur that has hit the ground running. Born and raised in Mexico City. Alumnus from Tecnologico de Monterrey. Perales moved to the US having recently graduated and began to work for Maseca, corn flour and tortilla manufacturer. Throughout his time at Maseca Perales began looking to the other side of the business. Since Maseca sold directly to restaurant chains, Perales was able to catch a glimpse of the ins and outs of the franchise business. To begin his venture into franchise, Perales managed to convince Golden Corral to give him the Mexico market. Mexico then experienced a downfall in the economy and politics, and Perales decided to move his business to Dallas. After settling in Dallas and with five Golden Corral permissions, he dived into serious work. In 1997, he opened his first Golden Corral restaurant. Burger King and Popeyes came after. In the following years, his franchise business began growing exponentially.
But it takes a certain something and someone to understand how the franchise business works. For Perales, he had to understand the economic asset for each of the brands. “Knowing that information gives you the opportunity to demand,” says Perales. “Knowing the numbers and having someone who is supervising, working within the brand and who is dedicated to the brand.” When it comes to selecting his next brand, Perales takes it slow. He has a certain way of thinking when it’s time to decide. “You have to have a brand that you know is successful or is going to be successful.” He recalls how everyone once raved about Popeyes and their food, and for the past 20 years, Popeyes has always been a restaurant that has produced effectively in favor of Perales. So understanding the business, the market, the numbers, and the people is one of the most important elements when it comes to growing your franchise.
Another important factor of the business is knowing how to have a good relationship with the franchisor. “Part of my job is to always put out fires. There is always something going on inside the restaurants.” Perales considers it such a critical partnership in the strength and development of the brand.
All in all, for Perales it has been a bumpy road to success. “The constant battle everywhere for a chance to grow and to have the opportunity is hard.” That hasn’t stopped him. As a minority, discrimination is some- thing quite common, but this has only pushed Perales to get creative with solutions.
Perales’ company, Sun Holdings, also owns Taco Bueno and plans to completely restructure the brand. The purchase was finalized in the beginning of 2019. Perales and team plan to create a new prototype for Taco Bueno. The plan is to remodel locations, enhance customer service and menu, and increase brand initiatives. Just recently, Perales sealed the deal for the acquisition of 51 McAlister’s Delis. To date, Perales and Sun Holdings operate 1000 locations, making him the third largest franchisee in the country.