HOODZ Comes to New York With New Franchise Location Opening

July 01, 2026 // FranchisePR.com // — HOODZ is opening a new franchise location in Syracuse, New York. The commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning service is part of the BELFOR Franchise Group family of brands.

The franchise location will open on June 22, and will be owned and operated by Nicholas Lede. Nicholas is a Navy Veteran, and has extensive experience as a United States Merchant Marine and Marine Engineer. In these roles, he was responsible for mechanical, electrical and hydraulic systems operations and maintenance, including galley equipment and grease traps. In his free time, Nicholas enjoys listening to business podcasts and collecting coins.

“When I first started looking into potential franchise opportunities, I knew I wanted to build a business centered on service, trust, and real value to the community,” said Nicholas Lede, owner of HOODZ of Central New York. “HOODZ stood out to me because it gives me the opportunity to continue serving, now in a different way, by helping local businesses mitigate preventable fire hazards and maintain safer, cleaner, code-compliant kitchen exhaust systems. We also help customers stay ahead of compliance by submitting photo reports through Brycer and other systems where applicable. These reports provide fire inspectors, code enforcement officials, and insurance providers with clear documentation that kitchen exhaust systems are being cleaned in accordance with NFPA 96, ICC, and New York State Fire Code requirements — helping reduce the risk of fires, violations, fines, business interruptions, and insurance complications.”

HOODZ focuses on kitchen exhaust cleaning and maintenance to help ensure compliance with applicable local fire codes and standards. Services include scheduling, inspections, and before-and-after photo reports to document work.

Nathan Willard, President of HOODZ, is committed to honoring the brand’s focus on keeping customers’ kitchen exhaust systems fully compliant with local regulations and fire safety codes: “HOODZ is seeing an increase in demand for overall commercial cooking throughout the U.S., driven by the rise of eating out and food delivery platforms. With that comes a great deal of grease vapors released into the kitchen exhaust system. With our state-of-the-art training and continued focus on quality, HOODZ has positioned itself as a leader and trusted name in the industry. As Nicholas and his team begin providing professional and reliable service across their community, the HOODZ team looks forward to hearing about all the great work they will accomplish.”

Since its founding in 1972, HOODZ has provided kitchen exhaust cleaning and maintenance for various industries, including facilities in the restaurant, health care, and government sectors. Beyond routine cleaning, HOODZ offers full system inspections to help ensure kitchen exhaust systems comply with essential local fire codes and regulations. The organization emphasizes quality service while adhering to NFPA 96 standards.

SOURCE BELFOR Franchise Group