May 24, 2013

Women in Foodservice

Industry News
Krystal Flies South

Brand heritage is important, but Krystal president and CEO Doug Pendergast was thinking about practicality when he decided earlier this month to move the hamburger chain’s headquarters from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Atlanta. The move, which is scheduled to take place by early 2013, is part of a strategy to redefine the Krystal...

Read Full Story // read more about: Krystal, Burgers, Human Resources
Industry News
Submit Your Info for the 2013 Global 30!

In February 2012, QSR debuted a new industry study called the Global 30 . The report offered a guide to expansion for domestic companies looking to grow outside U.S. borders, and also provided a directory of the world’s strongest brands for potential international franchisees looking to tap into a perfected system.

Read Full Story // read more about: Growth
Menu Innovations
Winging It

It would seem strange these days to attend a Super Bowl party that didn’t have chicken wings available on the snack line. Wings are America’s “party food,” showing up at all manner of celebrations, from tailgating to graduation parties. But now that party is extending to the quick-serve industry, with wings...

Read Full Story // read more about: Checkers, Rally's, Wing Zone, Wingstop, Menu Development, Competition, Consumer Trends
Emerging Concepts
One to Watch: Smiling Moose Deli

Smiling Moose Deli’s average unit volume is up almost 40 percent this year, and for that, president and founder Kevin Sloane has women to thank. “When we first started, all we had were hearty New York–style sub sandwiches,” he says. “Now we do a custom chopped salad bar where guests can pick all of their...

Read Full Story // read more about: Smiling Moose Deli, Marketing, Sandwiches, Menu Innovations, Franchising, Growth
Industry News
No Fan of Soda Ban

New York City has been a trendsetter in health regulations the last few years, from its ban on trans fats to its restrictions on sodium. But many in the foodservice industry are hoping that the sugary beverage ban scheduled to take effect in March remains a New York specialty only.

Read Full Story // read more about: Auntie Anne's, Healthy Menus, Legal, Consumer Trends
Executive Insights
The Fight for America

With gloves off and the days ticking down to November 6, the two contenders for the most powerful position in the world—reigning President Barack Obama in one corner and challenger Mitt Romney in the other—are prepped and ready to compete in the battle of a lifetime.

Read Full Story // read more about: White Castle, Legal
Industry News
The Profit is Right

The economy may still be sputtering, but the Franchise Business Review’s (FBR) 2012 annual report, “Top 40 Food Franchises,” found that profitability is up for many foodservice brands. Average franchisee profitability at the top 40 food brands increased 5.8 percent year-over-year in the last 18 months, according to the...

Read Full Story // read more about: Franchising, Growth
McDonald's Lists Calorie Counts

In this newscast: Red Robin debuts Oktoberfest milkshakes, McDonald's post calorie counts on U.S. menuboards, Domino's introduces Handmade Pan Pizzas, and more.

Industry News
Dole Unveils Winners of Fruit Flash Mob Contest

This past fall (August 30-December 31, 2012), Dole challenged schools nationwide to create videos that promote healthy eating and incorporate fruit consumption in a school foodservice setting. Packaged Foods LLC is pleased to announce the grand prize winner of this 2nd annual DOLE Fruit Flash...

Read Full Story // read more about: Healthy Menus, Food & Beverage, Promotions
Industry News
NRA Teams Up With Mopro to Offer Online Business Building

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) is announcing an official partnership with digital media company Mopro, an organization with extensive expertise in helping restaurants build their businesses online.

“We all know the impact the Internet has had on the restaurant industry,...

Read Full Story // read more about: Design, Online & Remote Ordering, Technology
Industry News
Blaze Pizza Announces Expansion to NJ

Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza announces that Green Brook, NJ-based AMPAL Group has signed an agreement to develop ten franchise stores in Central and Northern New Jersey. The first New Jersey restaurant is expected to open later this year in a location that has not yet been announced.

Read Full Story // read more about: Blaze Pizza, Pizza, Growth, Expansion
Industry News
McCormick Fires Up the Grill with Barbecue Flavor Forecast

McCormick has released its McCormick Grill Mates & Lawry’s Flavor Forecast 2013: Grilling Edition. From a global leader in flavor, this grilling report identifies the top tastes, trends, and techniques that will be inspiring backyard cooks all season long.

Smoke and spice...

Read Full Story // read more about: Menu Development
Industry News
Whataburger Hits Instagram to Celebrate Nat'l Burger Month

Whataburger Restaurants, known for custom-made, always-fresh burgers, will celebrate National Burger Month by hosting an Instagram photo contest.

Fans will be able to enter to win one of four weekly prizes, including Whataburger for a year—a free Whataburger each week for an entire...

Read Full Story // read more about: Whataburger, Burgers, Social Media, Promotions
Industry News
Franchise Vet Wins Perkins' Franchisee of the Year Award

Perkins & Marie Callender’s recognized its Franchisee of the Year, Dan Esmond, owner/operator of four Perkins Restaurants & Bakeries in Lawrence, Topeka, Great Bend, and McPherson, Kansas.

Read Full Story // read more about: Perkins, Beverage, Breakfast, Charitable Giving, Franchising
Industry News
CaliBurger Makes Its Way to Hong Kong

CaliBurger announced it has signed a franchise agreement with a group of financial investors to open the first CaliBurger restaurant in Hong Kong. 

“Hong Kong is the financial center of Asia and is home to one of the most diverse populations in the world,” says Charles...

Read Full Story // read more about: CaliBurger, Burgers, Franchising, Growth
Industry News
Maui Wowi Takes Its Show on the Road with New Food Truck

Maui Wowi Hawaiian is hitting the streets of Dallas-Fort Worth with a new mobile food truck to bring the party to the people.

Franchise Owner Jason Sorrells is one of the first to embark on the new business model and has pulled out all the stops to turn his truck into a party on wheels....

Read Full Story // read more about: Maui Wowi, Beverage, Design
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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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....

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Industry News
Mowi Wowi Franchisee Focuses on Environment, Sustainability

A Maui Wowi Hawaiian franchisee in Wimberly, Texas, has recently put sustainability at the forefront of her daily operations. Through her composting program, nothing goes to waste, and the local community benefits with beautiful gardens to enjoy all year long.

"Whether it's at an event or our store location, we always save the used coffee grounds and banana peels so that people who would like to use them as compost can easily come by and pick them up," says franchisee DuAnne Redus.

Read Full Story // read more about: Maui Wowi, Beverage, Green, Women in Foodservice, Sustainability
Industry News
Fazoli's Cathy Hull Recognized as Top Marketing Exec in 2012

Cathy Hull, Fazoli’s chief marketing officer, has been selected by the ranking committee of ExecRank as a “Top Private Company Marketing Executive” for 2012.

The rankings are the result of two years of research and feedback from evaluation committees and top chief marketing officers that yielded an algorithm for how to rank marketing executives based on their performance in 24 key areas.

Read Full Story // read more about: Fazoli's, Marketing, Menu Development, Women in Foodservice, Outside Insights
Industry News
Katherine Schieffelin Joins NRAEF as SVP

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) announced that Katherine Speyer Schieffelin has joined the foundation as senior vice president and chief development officer.

Schieffelin brings more than a decade of experience in management, fundraising, and campaign planning to the NRAEF and will aid in the foundation’s mission to enhance the industry’s service to the public through education, community engagement, and the promotion of career opportunities. 

Read Full Story // read more about: Operations, Women in Foodservice, Human Resources
Industry News
Industry Recruiting Co. Earns WBENC Accreditation

Patrice Rice, CEO and founder of Patrice & Associates Hospitality Recruiting—which helps thousands of managerial candidates find rewarding jobs in the restaurant and hospitality industry—announced that Patrice & Associates has earned accreditation from the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

Read Full Story // read more about: Women in Foodservice, Human Resources
Industry News
Maui Wowi Franchisee Raises $1,200 for Make-A-Wish

An Illinois franchisee of Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffees & Smoothies recently donated more than $1200 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation as part of the Ultimate Gymnastics Tournament that was held November 30–December 2, 2012 at Harper College.

The 13th-annual Ultimate Wish Classic has raised more than $400,000 for the charitable foundation.

Read Full Story // read more about: Maui Wowi, Beverage, Charitable Giving, Women in Foodservice
Industry News
Maui Wowi Surfs into Southern California

Maui Wowi Hawaiian, a tropical island-themed franchise concept serving fresh Hawaiian-grown coffee and all-natural smoothies, embodies the Aloha spirit and laidback lifestyle that its newest franchise operator has lived and breathed all her life.

Maui Wowi welcomes Pa 'Akai Ventures, operated by Jenna Roberts, to join the company's growing West Coast presence as a new franchisee in El Cajon, California, near San Diego.

Read Full Story // read more about: Maui Wowi, Beverage, Women in Foodservice, Franchising, Growth
Industry News
NRA President Recognized for Healthy-Living Initiatives

National Restaurant Association (NRA) president and CEO Dawn Sweeney has been recognized by the Campaign to End Obesity for her work in helping inspire and guide the foodservice industry’s nutrition initiatives.

Sweeney, in recognition of her efforts, received the award at a December 6 awards gala at Discovery Channel Worldwide headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. 

Read Full Story // read more about: Healthy Menus, Women in Foodservice
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