The Flynn Restaurant Group L.P., the world’s biggest franchisee gets a $300 million investment budget from the pension fund of Canadian Teachers. The group is the operator of the famous food chains Taco Bell and Applebee’s. This budget raises the organization’s worth up to more than $1 billion.

Bell American Group didn’t need long to become one of Taco Bell’s largest operators. The subsidiary of Flynn Restaurant Group has acquired the 62-unit Gateway Bells out of St. Louis from Don Ghareeb. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The acquisition gives Bell American 138 locations, and adds $80 million in sales, making Bell American Taco Bell’s fourth largest operator. The deal also gives Bell American a dominant position in a market, St. Louis, that is just three hours away from its Indianapolis headquarters. Charlie Brown, president of Bell American, will oversee both markets along with his director of operations, Sarat Koneru, said Greg Flynn, CEO of Flynn Restaurant Group.