What was the outcome of the merger between Bojangles', Inc. and Walker Parent, Inc.?
Bojangles Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Our indirect parent company is Bojangles', Inc. (successor by name change to BHI Holding Corp. and successor by merger to BHI Intermediate Holding Corp.), a Delaware corporation, which also shares our principal business address. Bojangles', Inc. has never offered franchises in any line of business, does not operate any Bojangles Restaurants and does not provide any services to our franchisees. Bojangles', Inc.'s parent is Walker Parent, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Walker Parent"), which has its principal business address at 107 Grand Street, 7th Floor, New York, New York 10013. Walker Parent has never offered franchises in any line of business, does not operate any Bojangles Restaurants, and does not provide any services to our franchises. On January 28, 2019, Bojangles', Inc. completed its merger with Walker Parent and Walker Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walker Parent ("Merger Sub"). Upon completion of the merger, Merger Sub merged with and into Bojangles', Inc., and Bojangles', Inc. continued as the surviving corporation and continued its existence under the law of the State of Delaware.
Source: Item 1 — THE FRANCHISOR AND ANY PARENTS, PREDECESSORS AND AFFILIATES (FDD pages 7–11)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bojangles' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, on January 28, 2019, Bojangles', Inc. merged with Walker Parent, Inc. and Walker Merger Sub, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walker Parent. After the merger, Walker Merger Sub, Inc. merged into Bojangles', Inc., with Bojangles', Inc. continuing as the surviving corporation under Delaware law. This means that Bojangles', Inc. remained the legal entity after the merger, continuing its existence and operations. Walker Parent, Inc. became the parent company of Bojangles', Inc.
This type of merger is often done for various business and financial reasons, such as restructuring ownership, simplifying corporate structure, or facilitating acquisitions. For a potential Bojangles franchisee, the key takeaway is that Bojangles', Inc. continues to exist and operate, but it is now under the umbrella of Walker Parent, Inc. This change in ownership could potentially influence the strategic direction, financial resources, and overall management of the Bojangles franchise system.
While the FDD specifies the outcome of the merger in terms of corporate structure, it does not detail the specific reasons or strategic goals behind the merger. A prospective franchisee might want to inquire further about the implications of this merger with the franchisor. Understanding the objectives and potential impacts of the merger could provide valuable insight into the future direction and stability of the Bojangles franchise system.