Executive Spotlight: Ali Dhanani, President & CEO of Haza Group (2027)
Ali Dhanani is the president and CEO of Haza Group, a Houston-based franchisee of Wendy's and Taco Bell. The group operates as Haza Foods (Wendy's) and Haza Bell (Taco Bell). Restaurant Finance Monitor says he bought 34 Wendy's restaurants in the Houston area in February 2013, and a 2013 Wendy's sale announcement shows the group adding 30 Austin-area restaurants that December. The company's website now lists several hundred restaurants across the two brands.
This page covers public professional information only, drawn from a trade-press speaker page, a 2013 sale announcement, local news and the company's own website.
Current role and company
Restaurant Finance Monitor (August 2026) calls Dhanani the owner, president and CEO of Haza Foods and headlines him as CEO of Haza Group. A 2013 sale announcement names him president and CEO, and 2023 local news calls him CEO of Haza Foods, so the exact wording of his title varies by source.
- CompanyHaza Group, a Houston, Texas franchisee (What Now, 2023). Haza Group's website says it began in 2013 with 34 Wendy's restaurants in the Houston area.
- TitlePresident and CEO (franchising.com release, 2013); owner, president and CEO of Haza Foods (Restaurant Finance Monitor, 2026).
- BrandsWendy's through Haza Foods and Taco Bell through Haza Bell, per the company website.
- FootprintTexas is the group's base. Local news in 2023 reports new Wendy's restaurants in Texas communities including Lockhart, Mont Belvieu and Humble.
Career path
The pages read for this profile do not describe his education or his jobs before Haza, so this page does not guess at them. What they document is the growth of Haza Foods under his leadership:
- February 2013. Restaurant Finance Monitor says he acquired 34 Wendy's restaurants in the Houston market, which became the Haza Foods franchise.
- December 2013. A franchising.com announcement dated December 30, 2013 says Haza Foods, then described as Austin-based, bought 30 Wendy's restaurants in the Austin area. It says the group already ran 31 Wendy's in greater Houston and three in the Waco and Temple area. The sale was part of Wendy's plan to sell company-operated restaurants.
- By 2015. Restaurant Finance Monitor says Haza acquired 19 more restaurants and completed seven new builds, reaching 89 locations. The page's own figures add to 90, and it does not explain the gap.
- 2023. Local coverage describes Haza Group building new Wendy's restaurants in Lockhart, Mont Belvieu and Humble, Texas, and opening what it called the third Next Gen prototype restaurant for Wendy's, after the first in Beaumont.
- 2026. Restaurant Finance Monitor describes Haza as one of the largest Wendy's franchisees in the system, with more than 400 locations and still growing.
What he is known for
- Roll-up growth in Wendy's markets. Haza grew from 34 Houston restaurants to a presence across Texas by buying restaurants Wendy's sold to franchisees, then adding new builds.
- Operator reputation. In the 2013 announcement, Wendy's then-CEO Emil Brolick described Dhanani and another buyer, Craig Horn, as "terrific operators with a strong customer orientation."
- Adding a second brand. The group's website lists Haza Bell, a Taco Bell operator, alongside Haza Foods. The pages read do not say when Haza Bell began, so this page does not date it.
- Modern restaurant formats. A December 2023 What Now report says Haza Group opened the third Next Gen prototype globally, a design the article says may serve as a blueprint for future Wendy's locations.
Leadership style and philosophy
The pages read for this profile contain only one remark from Dhanani. Speaking to What Now in March 2023 about a planned Lockhart restaurant, he said, "We want to bring a brand like Wendy's to a community like Lockhart. It's a good investment, both for the community and us." This page does not claim a wider philosophy than that comment.
Key numbers
Figures below come from the company's website and trade press, each with its date where one is given. Counts change and the sources differ, so check the company for current numbers.
- 201334 Houston-area Wendy's bought in February; 30 Austin-area restaurants added in December; the group also ran 31 Houston-area and three Waco/Temple-area restaurants at that point (Restaurant Finance Monitor; franchising.com).
- 201589 locations after 19 acquisitions and seven new builds (Restaurant Finance Monitor, 2026 page).
- 2026 (trade press)400 or more locations (Restaurant Finance Monitor, August 2026).
- Company websiteHaza Foods 402 restaurants, Haza Bell 156 restaurants, and a combined 581 restaurants with more than 16,000 employees. The site's figures do not sum exactly and it gives no date for them (company-reported).
Questions people ask
Who is Ali Dhanani?
He is the president and CEO of Haza Group, a Houston-based franchisee that operates Wendy's restaurants as Haza Foods and Taco Bell restaurants as Haza Bell.
What is Haza Group?
Per its website, Haza Group began in 2013 with 34 Wendy's restaurants in the Houston area. It now describes itself as two companies, Haza Foods and Haza Bell, among the nation's largest restaurant franchisees.
How many restaurants does Haza operate?
Restaurant Finance Monitor reported more than 400 locations in August 2026. The company website lists 402 for Haza Foods and 156 for Haza Bell, undated. Counts change, so check the company.
Where is Haza Group based?
A 2023 What Now report calls it Houston-based. A 2013 announcement described Haza Foods as Austin-based, so the description has differed over time.
Which Wendy's restaurants did he acquire in 2013?
Restaurant Finance Monitor says 34 in the Houston market in February 2013. A December 2013 announcement says 30 more in the Austin area, in a sale tied to Wendy's plan to sell company-operated restaurants.
Is his full name Mohammed Ali Dhanani?
The pages read for this profile use the name Ali Dhanani, so this page does too. Check with the company for his formal name.
Sources
- Restaurant Finance Monitor: Ali Dhanani, CEO, HAZA Group (speaker page, Aug 2026) · Title, 2013 and 2015 growth, 400+ locations; portrait whose image file name identifies him
- Franchising.com: Wendy's Sells 30 Austin and 19 Sacramento Restaurants (Dec 30, 2013) · President and CEO title, Austin purchase, Houston and Waco/Temple counts, Brolick comment
- What Now Austin: Haza Group to Debut Wendy's in Lockhart (Mar 2023) · Houston-based, CEO of Haza Foods, direct quote
- What Now: HAZA Group Expands Wendy's Presence With Innovative Next Gen Prototypes (Dec 2023) · Mont Belvieu and Humble openings, Next Gen prototype
- HAZA Group company website · 2013 start, Haza Foods and Haza Bell restaurant counts
Facts were read from the linked pages on November 1, 2026. Titles and counts are as of the dates shown and may have changed. The hero photo is a portrait of Dhanani alone, the only image on the Restaurant Finance Monitor speaker page, and its file name names him. It is centered on a page-format card because the original is small. This page covers public professional information only.
Top photo: Restaurant Finance Monitor