May 25, 2013
Industry News
Alto-Shaam Appoints New VP of National Accounts, Retail

Alto-Shaam announced the addition of Brian Zornes as the new vice president of national accounts, retail.

Previously the vice president of supermarket sales for CSC Worldwide, Zornes has been in sales for more than 25 years, and continues to advance his career as part of the Alto-Shaam...

Read Full Story // read more about: Equipment, Human Resources
Industry News
Fazoli's Gives One Lucky Mom Food for a Year

May 12 is Mother’s Day, the one time in the year when kids and husbands around the world show their appreciation to the person who holds it all together.

For the third year in a row, Fazoli’s is getting in on the celebration. In each participating market, the Italian...

Read Full Story // read more about: Fazoli's, Promotions
Industry News
Del Monte Fresh Announces 2nd of 4 Weekly Winners

Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A., Inc. (Del Monte) announces its second of four weekly aspiring chef winners of its “Find Your Inner Chef” online contest. Karen Gulkin, from Greeley, Colorado, gets the opportunity to move on to the Cook Off Challenge event that will be held in Miami,...

Read Full Story // read more about: Marketing, Social Media, Promotions
Industry News
New Blaze Pizza Franchisee to Open 20 L.A. Area Stores

Blaze Pizza, a fast-casual, build-your-own pizza brand, announced that LA Metro Blaze Pizza Holding Co LLC has signed an agreement to open 20 franchise stores in the greater Los Angeles area over the next five years. In addition, Blaze Pizza announced that three Los Angeles area restaurant...

Read Full Story // read more about: Blaze Pizza, Pizza, Franchising
Industry News
FROM THE FLOOR: Building a Culture That Works

In an age when culture means so many things that it often means nothing at all, brands are going back to their roots to build a strong organization from the inside out.

Read Full Story // read more about: In the Store, Outside Insights, Human Resources
Industry News
The Gracious Gourmet Rolls Out Trio of New Spreads

The Gracious Gourmet’s award-winning line of spreads, chutneys, pestos, and tapenades are available in 76-ounce foodservice sizes. The more than 20 product options are useful for any application calling for sophisticated flavor and all-natural ingredients.

The latest trio of flavor...

Read Full Story // read more about: Menu Development, Food & Beverage
Industry News
Green Leaf’s Celebrates Salad Month with iPad Giveaway

Green Leaf’s Beyond Great Salads is kicking off salad season and National Salad Month with the launch of iLove Salad iPad Giveaway. Green Leaf’s offers made-to-order ‘Pick-and-Mix’ salads, wraps, grilled Panini sandwiches, and more. 

Read Full Story // read more about: Green Leaf's/Bananas, Marketing, Social Media, Promotions
Industry News
Jake's Gets Beefier, Cheesier for Nat'l Hamburger Month

Jake's Wayback Burgers, with 70 locations, announces it will participate in National Hamburger Month by offering its bigger, beefier, and cheesier Triple Burger ($7.79, with prices varying per location) for the price of a Jake Burger ($5.79, price varies per location) every Monday in May....

Read Full Story // read more about: Jake's Wayback Burgers, Burgers, Promotions
The Boston Fire Department was treated to free meals at Firehouse Subs.
Charitable Giving
Nurturing Boston

As soon as he learned about the April 15th Boston bombings, Dave Tucci, the New England area representative for Firehouse Subs’ DMA, called the Firehouse franchisee closest to the bombings.

Tucci was relieved to find out that all employees at Firehouse’s Copley Square location...

See More
Superfoods like whole grains and oatmeal offer healthy menu alternative.
Healthy Menus
The Other Side of Super

Superfoods have swept the culinary world into a frenzy, enticing consumers with a taste of the exotic and courting them with nutrition and functionality, to the point where restaurants across the country are trying to stake a claim in this fledgling movement.

Quick-service restaurants are...

See More
Women leaders like Flatbread Grill's owners successfully launch new brands.
Back of House
Cleared for Launch

Starting any business can be a difficult prospect, but in an industry where men have historically outnumbered women, the roadblocks to doing so can be even more challenging when you’re female.

For many female foodservice entrepreneurs, being taken seriously as a business owner is...

See More
Corner Bakery's new menu items use fresh ingredients to offer premium quality.
Breakfast
The Corner of Innovation

In a push to distinguish itself from growing competition in the fast-casual bakery-café space, Corner Bakery Café is doubling down on menu innovation.

The 22-year-old, Dallas-based chain recently leveraged its high-quality kitchen equipment and capabilities, as well as more than 40 fresh...

See More
Operators must protect their quick serve business from credit card fraud.
Point Of Sale
How to Prevent Credit Card Fraud

Every merchant that accepts credit and debit cards is required to be compliant with the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standards (DSS), whose next set of standards will be released in October 2013. Yet despite these compliance requirements, the food and beverage industry had the...

See More
McAlisters Deli franchisee says casual dining experience helps in quick service.
Sandwiches
What You Can Learn from Casual Dining

David Blackburn has been in the foodservice business his entire adult life. Since 1979, the McAlister’s Deli franchisee has cataloged more than 25 years of experience in the casual-dining sector, spending 16 of those as regional vice president of operations at O’Charley’s....

See More
Tin Drum Asia Cafe used equity firm investment to stay debt free in growth.
Finance
Striking Gold

Steven Chan’s business was at a crossroads last year. His Atlanta-based fast casual Tin Drum AsiaCafé launched in 2000, sold its first franchise in 2001, and was growing slowly due to Chan’s determination to keep it debt-free. At the beginning of 2012, Tin Drum had 10 franchises in...

See More
Fast casual brands attract customers with alcoholic beverage programs
Beverage
Buying into Booze

Fast-casual restaurants were once able to claim premium food, modern décor, and all-around upscale service as hallmarks of their category. But with more quick-service chains retooling in those areas to compete for post-recession consumers, fast casuals have been left to search for new ways to...

See More
 
Industry News
Barberitos Makes its Way to Cary, North Carolina

Barberitos Franchising Inc. announces the opening of its 31st restaurant location in Cary, North Carolina. The new store will open in February 2013.

Read Full Story // read more about: Barberitos, Operations, Women in Foodservice, Franchising, Growth, Expansion
Industry News
Fish Consulting Expands its Team, Promotes Senior Leaders

Fish Consulting, a full-service national communications firm specializing in franchise marketing and public relations, announces it has promoted several senior leaders and added two new employees.

Read Full Story // read more about: Fish Consulting LLC, Marketing, Women in Foodservice, Human Resources
Executive Insights
Cause and Effect

Everyone in a company has a cause that’s close to his or her heart, but it’s the CEO’s job to select a charitable partner that connects with those who matter most—the customers—while balancing employees’ interests.

Read Full Story // read more about: Arby's, Auntie Anne's, Burgerville, Hungry Howie's, Marketing, Charitable Giving, Women in Foodservice
Industry News
Dylan's to Serve Up Chloe's Soft Serve Fruit Co. Varieties

Dylan's Candy Bar is pleased to announce that it will serve Chloe's Soft Serve Fruit Co., the all-natural, three-ingredient alternative to frozen yogurt and ice cream, in its candy cafe on the second level. Kicking off with four varieties - Dark Chocolate, Banana, Mango and Raspberry - the menu will offer consumers sundaes and smoothies that will include toppings from both Chloe's Soft Serve Fruit Co. and Dylan's Candy Bar, as well as the option of having it served on top of Chloe's very special hot vegan waffle.

Read Full Story // read more about: Chloe's Soft Serve Fruit Co., Dylan's Candy Bar, Desserts, Women in Foodservice, Growth, Emerging Concepts
Industry News
Maui Wowi Hopes It Can Wow More Female Franchisees

Maui Wowi Hawaiian recently initiated an increased effort to draw more female candidates through sharing the success stories of its current female franchisees. Maui Wowi franchise operator Cheryl Kohan is a business owner who knows from experience the type of qualities that lead to success.

Read Full Story // read more about: Maui Wowi, Women in Foodservice, Franchising, Human Resources
Industry News
WFF Opens the Door for Sewell Scholarship Applications

The Women's Foodservice Forum (WFF) is now accepting applications for the second-annual WFF Sewell Scholars Award. The scholarship program, in partnership with Sysco Corporation, offers a grant to a high-potential woman in the foodservice industry to attend the WFF Executive Leadership Program.

Read Full Story // read more about: Women in Foodservice, Outside Insights
Industry News
Papa John's Promotes Caroline Oyler to SVP of Legal Affairs

Papa John's International announced the promotion of Caroline Oyler to senior vice president, legal affairs.

In her new position, Oyler is responsible for the company’s legal functions, including intellectual property, international law, ethics, corporate governance, government contracts and franchising, litigation, and labor and employment matters.

Read Full Story // read more about: Papa John's, Legal, Women in Foodservice, Human Resources
Industry News
PreGel America Promotes Anna Pata, Intros Evolution Glazes

PreGel AMERICA, the U.S. subsidiary of the largest specialty dessert ingredient manufacturer in the world, announces the promotion of Anna Pata, formerly key account manager, to director of sales.

Read Full Story // read more about: PreGel America, Back of House, Back Office, Menu Innovations, Women in Foodservice, Operations