Who Owns Jimmy John's? | ChampSignal
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Who Owns Jimmy John's?

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Explore the ownership hierarchy of Jimmy John's. See parent companies, holding structures, and ultimate controllers.

Ownership Chain

Jimmy John's

Best for consumers
Est. 1983   •  1k+ employees   •  Private

Jimmy John's is an American fast-food sandwich restaurant chain, owned by Inspire Brands, known for made-to-order sandwiches, delivery, and catering across thousands of locations.

Owned by
Image associated with Inspire Brands

Inspire Brands

Best for consumers
Est. 2018   •  1k+ employees   •  Private

Inspire Brands, founded in 2018, is a privately held American multi-brand restaurant company that owns and franchises global chains including Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic Drive-In, Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins.

Owned by
Image associated with Roark Capital

Roark Capital

Best for mid-market companies
Est. 2001   •  201-1k employees   •  Private

Roark Capital is an Atlanta-based private equity firm that invests in consumer and business service companies, with a focus on franchise and multi-location brands.

Major Shareholders

Jimmy John's

Major Shareholders

NameTypeOwnershipVotingAs of
Inspire Brands Jimmy John’s (the franchisor entity Jimmy John’s Franchisor SPV, LLC) is described in its Franchise Disclosure Document as having Inspire Brands as its parent company, and public announcements state that Inspire completed its acquisition of Jimmy John’s on October 18, 2019. Inspire Brands is therefore the direct corporate parent and sole owner of Jimmy John’s; Inspire itself is backed by Roark Capital Group, which is an indirect, not direct, owner of Jimmy John’s.
Corporate100.0%100.0%Mar 2025

Inspire Brands

Major Shareholders

NameTypeOwnershipAs of
Roark Capital Group (affiliated investment funds) Inspire Brands is a privately held restaurant group that is majority‑owned and controlled by investment funds affiliated with Roark Capital Group; public sources describe Roark as the owner or majority owner of Inspire Brands, but no precise equity percentage is disclosed. The Wendy’s Company previously held a 12.3% minority stake in Inspire Brands but sold this interest back to the company in August 2018, leaving Roark‑affiliated funds as the primary owner.
InstitutionalOct 2025

Roark Capital

Major Shareholders

NameTypeOwnershipAs of
Neal K. Aronson Founder and Managing Partner of Roark Capital Group; Forbes describes him as the principal investor behind Roark Capital and states that he remains the firm’s majority owner. The exact equity percentage is not publicly disclosed, and the firm is otherwise privately held with additional minority ownership believed to be held by other Roark partners and employees.
FounderDec 2025

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