Ghost Taco and Heal Wellness advance in Atlantic Canada

Happy Belly Food Group has announced two agreements expanding its franchise plans in Atlantic Canada. On 21 September 2026, the group unveiled a development agreement for 25 Ghost Taco outlets across the region’s four provinces. The following day, it announced Heal Wellness’s first franchise agreement in New Brunswick, for Moncton. These announcements concern development commitments, not outlets that have already opened.

Ghost Taco: 25 outlets planned across four provinces

Ghost Taco’s regional development agreement covers New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. According to Happy Belly’s press release distributed by Newsfile on 21 September, it provides for new franchised outlets across all four provinces.

The agreement brings the number of Ghost Taco outlets covered by regional development agreements to 120 across seven Canadian provinces. This total therefore reflects the scale of the commitments announced by the group. It is not a count of restaurants currently trading.

Zonebourse’s coverage of the announcement notes that development will involve selecting franchise partners and identifying strategically located premises, supported by Happy Belly’s operational infrastructure. These are two key next steps to watch when assessing how the announced programme takes shape on the ground.

The available information does not specify how the 25 outlets will be distributed among the four provinces or when they will open. At this stage, it is therefore not possible to assign a number of restaurants to any particular town or city, or to set a date for the brand’s local arrival.

A programme that builds on Ontario and Western Canada

The Atlantic Canada announcement follows two other Ghost Taco development agreements reported in September. An agreement for 45 outlets in Ontario was announced on 15 September, followed by a deal for 50 outlets in Western Canada on 16 September.

Together, these three programmes — 45 outlets in Ontario, 50 in the west and 25 in the Atlantic provinces — account for the 120 outlets under development agreements cited in the 21 September announcement. This series of agreements gives the brand’s expansion plans a multi-province reach.

For those in the franchise sector, the distinction between announced territorial coverage and a network of trading outlets remains essential. The published information establishes the number of outlets covered by the agreements but does not indicate how far each has progressed. Franchisee selection, confirmed locations and openings will therefore be points to check in subsequent updates.

Heal Wellness signs its first agreement in Moncton

On 22 September, Happy Belly announced that Heal Wellness had signed a franchise agreement for Moncton with an experienced operator of multiple quick-service restaurants. According to the group, this is the brand’s first franchise agreement in the province of New Brunswick.

This announcement is more localised than Ghost Taco’s: it identifies a city and reports an agreement with an operator. However, it does not confirm an opening. The information provided includes no precise address, opening date or investment figure.

The news report carried by Zonebourse presents the signing as another step in Heal Wellness’s expansion in Atlantic Canada. It also notes that the brand continues to develop in Canada and the United States as part of Happy Belly’s portfolio of foodservice brands.

The two announcements therefore represent distinct commitments: a regional programme covering four provinces for Ghost Taco, and a first agreement in New Brunswick, tied to Moncton, for Heal Wellness.

What prospective franchisees should take away

These announcements give those following the Canadian franchise market two concrete developments to monitor in the Atlantic provinces. However, they do not yet provide all the information needed to assess a potential outlet, particularly costs, available locations and timescales.

Key takeaway: before considering an application, ask the franchisor which territories remain available, how the search for premises is progressing and what financial terms apply. A development agreement signals a structured intention to expand; it does not replace due diligence on a specific local opportunity.