MaLa Project

The vendor opportunity at MaLa Project MaLa Project is a quick-service restaurant concept headquartered in New York. According to its 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document, the brand operates 4 locations, all company-owned. No franchised units are reported. Year-over-year unit growth stands at 33.3%, indicating expansion from 3 to 4 units in the most recent period. For software vendors, the immediate addressable market is small—just 4 units—but the growth trajectory suggests potential for future scaling if the brand begins franchising or adds more company-owned stores. The average unit volume (AUV) is not disclosed in the FDD, and the initial franchise term is not specified, which is common for emerging brands that have not yet sold franchises. Royalty is set at 5.0% of gross sales, a figure that would apply if and when franchise agreements are executed.

Who controls software purchasing With only 4 company-owned locations and no franchisees, all purchasing authority resides at the headquarters level. The FDD lists four executives: Ning “Amelie” Kang (Chief Executive Officer), Christian Castillo (Creative Director), Simona Petrovska (Director of Administrations), and Irene Li (Director of Operations). No dedicated IT or technology leadership is named, so software decisions likely fall to the CEO and the Director of Operations, who oversee day-to-day functions. The small leadership team means that a vendor’s pitch would need to reach these individuals directly. The absence of a franchisee base eliminates the need for multi-unit operator (MUO) persuasion, making this a straightforward HQ sale if the need and budget align.

Mandated and current tech stack The FDD mandates only one system: QuickBooks for accounting. This is listed as a required technology, meaning all units must use it. No point-of-sale (POS), payroll, inventory, or other operational platforms are disclosed as mandated or recommended. For marketing, the brand lists Facebook, Google Ads, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter as platforms it uses, though these are not mandated for franchisees (as there are none). This suggests a lean tech stack focused on financial management and social media presence. Vendors offering complementary tools—such as POS, online ordering, or loyalty—may find an opening if the brand plans to standardize before scaling.

Procurement, renewals, and timing The FDD does not include an extract from Item 8 (procurement obligations) or Item 17 (renewal, termination, transfer), so the formal procurement model and contract renewal windows are unknown. In practice, a 4-unit company-owned chain likely procures software on an ad hoc basis, with decisions made by HQ as needs arise. There are no franchisee contracts to renew, so software contract cycles are not tied to franchise agreement expirations. Vendors should approach MaLa Project with a consultative sale, demonstrating how their solution can support the brand’s growth from a small base to a potentially larger franchise system.

How to read the MaLa Project FDD The 2024 FDD is filed with state franchise regulators and is available in the embedded PDF viewer below. It contains the standard 23 items of disclosure, including the franchisor’s background, fees, obligations, and financial performance representations (if any). For software vendors, the most relevant sections are Item 11 (franchisor’s obligations) where the QuickBooks mandate appears, and Item 8 (restrictions on sources of products and services) which, if disclosed, would outline any approved supplier programs. Because MaLa Project has not yet sold franchises, the document may lack the depth of a mature system’s FDD, but it remains the authoritative source for understanding the brand’s requirements and structure.

For a ranked target list of franchise systems that match your software, including growth-stage concepts like MaLa Project, reach out to FranCloud.