KBP Brands Sonic Acquisition Expands to 164 Units

KBP Brands, one of the largest franchisee organizations in the U.S., just became even bigger.

The 1,100-plus-unit group announced Monday that it acquired 78 more Sonic restaurants across Ohio, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. KBP now has 164 Sonic stores in eight states, making it the fourth-largest Sonic franchisee in the world. It marks the company’s second Sonic acquisition in less than two years.

The latest restaurants were acquired from Sonic, which is part of Inspire Brands, a restaurant group KBP has partnered with since its Arby’s investment in 2021.

KBP’s Sonic business will continue to be led by EVP Mike Everett and COO Matt Hansen.

“We’ve had a successful five-year partnership with Inspire Brands and have seen strong results from our initial SONIC purchase,” KBP CEO Mike Kulp said in a statement. “We look forward to expanding that with a larger footprint and additional operational efficiencies.”

Alongside Sonic and Arby’s, KBP also operates KFC and Taco Bell. The franchisee’s footprint is spread across 32 states and earns approximately $1.5 billion in annual sales.

“Our relationship with KBP Brands continues to grow due to their operational excellence and our shared commitment to guest satisfaction and a culture that champions innovation,” Sonic brand president John Kelly said in a statement. “KBP’s expansion with SONIC demonstrates their dedication to our vision and the brand’s long-term growth.”

Kulp was originally part of Zancanelli Management, which bought five KFC restaurants in the early 2000s and expanded over the next several years. In 2011, Kulp and restaurateur Barry Dubin purchased Zancanelli’s KFC business and renamed it KBP. Since then, the company has been a rocket ship through a series of strategic acquisitons.

KBP reached $100 million in sales and more than 100 stores in 2012. Three years later, it was KFC’s largest franchise. The company bought into Taco Bell in 2019, followed by Arby’s in 2021 and Sonic in 2024.