VENU+ and Famous Brands International Announce Licensing Agreement to Expand Iconic Retail Concepts into Airports, Amusement Parks, Arcades & Family Entertainment Centers

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NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 19, 2026--

VENU+, a leading provider of experience-enhancing, revenue-generating solutions for the entertainment and attractions industry and a portfolio company of Z Capital Group (“ZCG”), today announced a licensing agreement with Famous Brands International (“Famous Brands”), the international franchising business for globally renowned brands Mrs. Fields® and TCBY®.

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Under the agreement, VENU+ is licensed to incorporate Famous Brands’ intellectual property, marketing assets, and franchised location offerings into bundled commercial proposals tailored for high-traffic, non-traditional environments including airports, amusement parks, arcades and family entertainment centers.

The collaboration positions VENU+ as a strategic growth channel for experiential retail expansion. By combining Famous Brands’s globally recognized consumer brands with VENU+’s established venue network and technology-enabled platform, the companies aim to deliver scalable, revenue-generating retail solutions designed to enhance guest engagement and unlock incremental revenue streams for operators.

Famous Brands provides brand stewardship, franchise training, marketing support, and established supply chain infrastructure, while VENU+ drives venue development, commercialization strategy, and customer acquisition across its portfolio of venue relationships.

“This agreement strengthens VENU+’s branded retail platform and expands our ability to deliver turnkey revenue solutions within experiential destinations,” said John Dunlap, Chief Executive Officer at VENU+. “Partnering with established brands like Mrs. Fields and TCBY enhances our value proposition for venue operators seeking recognizable concepts supported by disciplined operational infrastructure.”

The addition of Mrs. Fields® and TCBY® complements VENU+’s growing portfolio of licensing collaborations, including concepts such as Chevys Fresh Mex, Sol Mexican Cocina, and Solita Tacos & Margaritas, restaurant brands that are part of the recently announced Apex Hospitality platform.

Together, these partnerships expand VENU+’s ability to bring established, high-performing restaurant and quick-service concepts into non-traditional retail environments worldwide, providing operators with structured, scalable expansion solutions and brands with access to experiential destinations beyond traditional storefronts.

About VENU+

VENU+ is the world’s #1 provider of full-service, tech-enabled solutions that generate revenue and improve the guest experience for top entertainment destinations across the globe. VENU+ offers an industry-leading range of solutions, including guest mobility, smart lockers, souvenir coins, photo capture, and entertainment. The company employs more than 400 professionals and operates in all 50 states and across 13 countries and four continents. For additional information, please visit www.VENUplus.com.

VENU+ is a portfolio company of ZCG Private Equity, the private equity arm of ZCG, a privately held global firm.

About Famous Brands International

Famous Brands International is an international franchisor with more than 275 franchised locations worldwide, serving millions of loyal customers through its strong presence in the U.S., Canada, Australia, China, Morocco, Panama, Taiwan, Qatar and the Bahamas.

As a leader in its categories, Famous Brands International is leveraging its iconic brands (Mrs. Fields® and TCBY®) to accelerate franchise expansion, deepen customer loyalty, and unlock new growth opportunities across established and emerging markets globally. For more information, please visit https://www.famousbrandsintl.com/.

About ZCG

ZCG is a leading, privately held global firm comprised of private markets asset management, business consulting services, and technology development and solutions.

ZCG’s investors are some of the largest and most sophisticated global institutional investors including pension funds, endowments, foundations, sovereign wealth funds, central banks, and insurance companies.

For almost 30 years, ZCG Principals have invested tens of billions of dollars of capital. ZCG has a global team comprised of approximately 400 professionals. ZCG is headquartered in New York, with seven affiliated offices, across five countries. For more information on ZCG, please visit www.zcg.com.

You can also learn more about ZCGC, the business consulting services platform of ZCG, at www.zcgc.com, and explore ZCG’s technology affiliate, Haptiq, at www.haptiq.com.

View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260219620090/en/

CONTACT: Nina Zenni

ZCG / Principal, Head of Media & Global Communications

Tel. 212-595-8400

Direct. 646-787-2365

KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA NEW YORK

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY OTHER TECHNOLOGY FINANCE ASSET MANAGEMENT

SOURCE: ZCG

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PUB: 02/19/2026 08:00 AM/DISC: 02/19/2026 08:03 AM

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