Senior-focused meal delivery franchise brand Heart to Home Meals has signed its fourth U.S. franchise agreement with a new development deal in Durham, North Carolina, strengthening the brand’s expansion across the fast-growing Research Triangle region. The agreement marks Heart to Home Meals’ second franchise in North Carolina following its earlier launch in Raleigh, as the company accelerates its U.S. growth strategy focused on aging-in-place services for seniors.
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Backed by parent company, which generates more than $1 billion in annual global sales and has operated since 1958, Heart to Home Meals officially launched franchising in the United States in 2024. The company currently operates in seven countries across Europe and North America and delivers chef-prepared, medically aligned meals directly to older adults in their homes.
The latest expansion comes amid rising demand for senior support services in North Carolina. According to the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management, one in five residents in the state is now aged 65 or older, with the senior population expected to reach 2.7 million by 2040.
Chris Webb, President of Heart to Home Meals USA, said the company sees North Carolina as a key growth market due to increasing demand from families seeking reliable support services for older adults. “North Carolina has become an especially important market for us because families are actively looking for trusted services that support independence and quality of life for older adults,” Webb said. “The Research Triangle continues to grow, and so does the need for reliable, community-based support for seniors.”
Unlike conventional food delivery operations, Heart to Home Meals positions its service around relationship-driven care. The company’s trained delivery drivers bring meals directly into customers’ homes while also offering regular social interaction and wellness check-ins that help seniors remain connected and independent.
Richard Peroe, Senior Director of Franchise Development, said the brand continues to attract franchisees interested in mission-driven businesses with long-term demographic tailwinds. “One of the things that continues to attract franchisees to Heart to Home Meals is the opportunity to build a business that has a real impact locally,” Peroe said. “Our franchise partners become part of the communities they serve by helping seniors maintain independence while providing families with added peace of mind.”
The Durham agreement follows recent expansion activity in New Jersey and the Chicagoland area, bringing the company’s total U.S. franchise agreements to four. The brand is currently targeting additional franchise growth across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Florida, Texas, Charlotte, and the Greensboro/Winston-Salem region.
