Jhonny Mercado and Andres Garcia have both been multi-unit restaurant owners since 1998, starting with Wendy’s restaurants in Venezuela. They founded JAI in 2007, and began acquiring restaurants in the United States. In 2014, JAI took a large leap, merging with another franchisee called WenRod to create JAE Restaurant Group. By 2021, JAE owned & operated over 225 Wendy’s restaurants in TX, NM, TN, GA & FL, winning numerous excellence awards from the brand. Jhonny and Andres decided to branch off and keep 61 Wendy’s restaurants in TX, NM & TN. Immediately after this transition, JAI was formed and acquired 10 restaurants in SC plus 20 Taco Bell locations in Atlanta, GA. With currently more than 3,000 employees, JAI is eager to continue growing in the near future.
