Marco’s Pizza Missouri Expansion Adds Three New Restaurants

Marco’s Pizza Expands in Missouri With Three-Unit Franchise Deal

Marco’s Pizza is growing its presence in Missouri through a new three-unit franchise agreement led by a family ownership group with experience in entrepreneurship, real estate and pizza operations.

Russ Anderson and Betzayda “Betzy” Alvarez-Anderson have signed on as franchise co-owners in Columbia, Missouri. Betzy’s husband, Klayton Anderson, who is also Russ’ nephew, will take the lead on day-to-day operations.

Their first Marco’s Pizza restaurant is expected to open in October 2026 at 911 Rain Forest Parkway in Columbia. Two additional locations are planned as part of the family’s wider expansion strategy for mid-Missouri.

Experienced Operators Lead Missouri Expansion

The new franchise group brings experience from several different areas of business.

Russ Anderson is the founder of Anderson Homes, a major homebuilding company in central Missouri. His entrepreneurial career started early when he purchased his first business at age 19.

He also spent eight years serving in the Army Reserves before building a career that includes construction, real estate development and business operations.

Those skills could prove valuable as the group begins developing multiple Marco’s Pizza locations.

Betzy Alvarez-Anderson brings a different type of experience. She spent nearly a decade working with Domino’s, starting at the restaurant level before moving into management and eventually taking on a corporate role.

Her background gives the ownership group firsthand knowledge of what it takes to operate a pizza business, manage employees and maintain consistency across restaurant locations.

Klayton Anderson also has experience in the pizza industry, including multi-unit management. Before taking on his new operating role, he gained additional experience within the Marco’s Pizza system.

Together, the three partners combine business ownership, restaurant operations and real estate knowledge.

Why the Family Chose Marco’s Pizza

The group considered several restaurant and pizza franchise opportunities before deciding on Marco’s.

One of the biggest factors was the food itself.

Marco’s has built its identity around pizza made with dough prepared in stores and a signature three-cheese blend. The Anderson group believed the product could help the concept stand apart in the Columbia market.

Missouri also presented room for expansion.

Marco’s already has a national presence, but its footprint in Missouri remains relatively limited compared with many larger pizza chains. That gave the family an opportunity to introduce the brand to an area where competition exists but Marco’s still has room to build awareness.

For experienced franchise operators, entering a market before a brand becomes heavily developed can create additional opportunities for territory growth.

Real Estate Experience Could Shape Development

The family is also taking a long-term approach to restaurant development.

Instead of depending entirely on leased restaurant spaces, the group expects to own or develop many of its locations.

Russ Anderson’s background in construction and real estate gives the partnership an advantage in this area. Site development, construction costs and lease economics can all play a major role in restaurant profitability, particularly when an operator is planning multiple locations.

Owning real estate may also give the group greater control over its properties as it builds the Marco’s brand across the region.

The Columbia restaurant will serve as the starting point.

If the first location performs as expected, the remaining restaurants will help create a larger Marco’s presence throughout mid-Missouri.

Marco’s Pizza Continues Multi-Unit Franchise Growth

The Missouri agreement comes as Marco’s continues targeting experienced multi-unit franchise operators.

The company has also introduced incentives designed to encourage qualified franchisees to commit to several restaurants.

Under its development incentive program, qualifying operators developing at least three locations may receive reduced royalty payments during the early stages of restaurant operations, including a period with no royalty fees followed by a reduced rate.

The strategy is designed to help operators reinvest more money into new restaurant development during the early months of expansion.

Marco’s has more than 1,240 restaurants across 35 states, along with locations in Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and Mexico.

The brand was founded in Toledo, Ohio, in 1978 and has increasingly focused on multi-unit franchise development as it looks for additional growth markets across the United States.

According to the company’s 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, the top 25% of qualifying franchised restaurants generated average unit volume of approximately $1.28 million during 2025. Individual restaurant performance can vary significantly, and the figure represents only the top-performing portion of the franchise system.

Columbia Becomes the Starting Point

For the Anderson family, the three-unit agreement is both a restaurant investment and a local growth strategy.

They already have deep business ties to Columbia and believe there is room for another established pizza concept in the market.

Rather than entering franchising without restaurant experience, the group is bringing together people who understand construction, business development and pizza operations.

That combination could help Marco’s build a stronger foothold in Missouri while giving the Anderson family another platform for multi-unit growth.

The first Columbia opening in October will now become the initial test of that strategy as the family begins building what it hopes will become a larger Marco’s Pizza business across mid-Missouri.

Explore more about Marco’s Pizza Franchise opportunities.