Coppler Brings More than Two Decades of Franchising Experience to the Position
PrimoHoagies, an Italian specialty sandwich franchise, has appointed Angela Coppler as senior vice president of development. Coppler leverages her 20-plus years of franchise experience with brands such as The Wendy’s Company and Cousins Maine Lobster to build and execute PrimoHoagies’ growth strategy. Her focus includes strengthening unit-level economics, enhancing franchisee performance and attracting high-quality investors.
“I was drawn to PrimoHoagies by the opportunity that exists for this authentic, family-owned brand,” Coppler said. “The sandwich category is crowded, but not elevated. That’s where Primo wins. Owner, president and CEO Nick Papanier Jr. and his family built this brand on a simple guiding principle: If you commit to doing it right, people taste the difference.
“We’re not competing in the ubiquitous value sandwich category; we’re differentiated through our assortment of high-quality, gourmet Italian deli sandwiches that cross the segment of Italian hoagies, including freshly prepared chicken cutlets and iconic Philly cheesesteaks. I’m here because the brand has a rich family heritage and soul food that brings so much joy to consumers everywhere.”
Papanier said Coppler’s addition to the leadership team reinforces PrimoHoagies’ dedication to national expansion. “She brings a reputation for aligning brand positioning, unit economics and development strategy into a cohesive growth engine — ensuring that new unit expansion enhances, rather than dilutes, system performance,” Papanier said.
From Retail to Food
Coppler spent the early part of her career in retail. Her love of the Food Network and cooking as a hobby influenced her decision to enter the food industry in 2009.
“The romanticizing of food — driven by celebrity chefs like Emeril Lagasse, Alton Brown, Sara Moulton and Masaharu Morimoto — led my family and me to celebrate it in new ways. Food brought us closer together at home as we learned to cook side by side and beyond our kitchen as we explored new cuisines and restaurants around the world,” Coppler said.
“Primo can stay competitive by remaining true to its heritage — the magic is in what the family created,” she said. “The opportunity lies in the work we’re doing now to amplify our brand voice and messaging, launch new units in the right markets with the right sites and maintain a tight footprint and growth engine that is both efficient and highly repeatable, all supported by best-in-class operations.”
About PrimoHoagies
Founded in 1992, PrimoHoagies is a family-owned Italian specialty deli franchise known for its authentic hoagies, premium meats, fresh ingredients and award-winning bread. The brand has expanded to nearly 125 locations across 11 states.
