After opening 40 franchise locations and signing 41 new franchise agreements in 2012, Tropical Smoothie Café is accelerating expansion in 2013 with plans to open 40 new cafés this year across the U.S. The unrivaled brand position of “healthy food with a tropical twist” that Tropical Smoothie Café now firmly maintains has catapulted the company […]
Sonic Drive-In in Valliant, Oklahoma, wants people to know, “Truckers Welcome!” This message scrolls across a large banner in front of the drive-in, and local franchisees, Tommy and Julie Dorries, have gone to great lengths to deliver a unique experience for truck drivers in a town that sees a lot of traffic from semi-trucks, trailers, […]
Smoothie King Franchises, the premier smoothie and nutritional lifestyle center, announced it is targeting St. Louis for franchise expansion. To fuel development, Smoothie King is offering candidates 40 percent off its initial franchise fee for the first 40 agreements of 2013—a savings of $10,000. Since the start of the year, nine new franchisees have taken […]
Dunkin’ Brands, home to two of the world’s most recognized brands, announced the opening of two Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants and one Baskin-Robbins shop at the newly renovated Dallas Love Field Airport. A joint venture led by premier travel retailer Hudson Group will operate the new locations. The first Dunkin’ Donuts opened on March 28 in […]
Starbucks is the top quick service restaurant brand with $166 million of Impact Media Value according to General Sentiment’s Q1 2013 QSR MediaMatch. Taco Bell ($89 million), Chipotle ($51 million) and Kentucky Fried Chicken ($36 million) remained in the top four. Burger King ($33 million) rounded out the top five, moving up one place while […]
Iced tea is one of the most profitable items on menus, and Lipton has made it easier than ever for restaurants to sell more tea by offering a Tea Makeover to chain operators and small independent operators. Lipton is the brand that restaurant patrons prefer 2-to-1, and 72 percent of consumers say they would order […]
PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans (PJ’s) is proud to announce the opening of several new locations in New Orleans and the region. The coffee company opened six new units in 2012, an 11 percent growth since 2011, with a focus on expansion in non-traditional sectors. New retail locations include Stennis Space Center; the New Orleans […]
Autocrat, LCC, a leading supplier of premium coffee extracts to the global food and beverage industry, has announced the addition of natural premium tea extracts to the product selection. More than ever, Autocrat has put an emphasis on partnering with customers, and this additional product offering meets the demand of this fast-growing market segment. This […]
Nassau Candy, the leading manufacturer, importer, and distributor of specialty confections and fine foods, announces its market-wide reintroduction of favorite soda varieties from the early- and mid-1900s. The launch portfolio includes beloved standards such as Dad’s Root Beer, Pop Shoppe, Jackson Hole Soda, Johnnie Ryan Cane Sugar Soda, Mexicana Cola, and Nesbitt’s of California, Moxie, […]
For years, the sales performance of the market for fruit juices and juice drinks has been flat. Between 2007 and 2012, dollar sales of fruit and vegetable juices and juice drinks barely budged, and the volume of juice and juice drinks consumed by households hardly kept up with population growth. Yet underneath this placid top-line […]
In most cases, being two-faced isn’t seen in a positive light. But Joh. A. Benckiser, parent company of coffee brands Caribou Coffee and Peet’s Coffee & Tea, is hoping its latest announcement—and its decision to play both sides of the coin—is an exception. The company announced that it would close 80 underperforming Caribou units this […]
What’s better than eating banana pudding? Drinking it! Capturing the essence of a Southern classic, guests can indulge in the taste of the real thing in Zaxby’s new Banana Pudding Milkshake. It’s just the treat to complement Zaxby’s House Zalad, one of its most popular menu items since Zalads were introduced. To tout the […]
Seattle’s Best Coffee, a division of Starbucks Corporation, partnered with food manufacturer Inventure Foods Inc. to launch a first for the coffee industry: a blend-at-home frozen coffee beverage line. “The blended marketplace is huge and growing; it’s a $4.3 billion category,” says Jennifer Dimaris, vice president of channel brand management for Seattle’s Best Coffee. “We […]
Union Square Events, the events business from Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, is pleased to announce new in-park dining offerings for the 2013 season at the New York Mets’ Citi Field. Returning culinary highlights include beloved burger, hot dog, and frozen custard stand Shake Shack; Belgian-style frites and gourmet hot dog stand Box Frites; […]
A Maui Wowi franchisee is headed to the AT&T Center, bringing fresh fruit smoothies and Hawaiian coffee to the popular venue where the San Antonio Spurs play. Miles Erwin, owner of the local Texas franchise, has signed a contract with Aramark and the Spurs Sports Entertainment Group allowing him to operate his mobile tiki hut-themed […]
Living up to its reputation as the “Ultimate Drink Stop” SONIC Drive-In announced the launch of a new line of freshly brewed green iced teas available in thousands of flavors, including five brand new flavor mix-ins: peach, mango, raspberry, blackberry, and mint. The antioxidant-rich sweet and diet green iced teas, along with the five new […]
The first of many new drive-thru locations for Maui Wowi Hawaiian will be coming soon to Riyadh, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The master franchisee, who operates under the name Takween Commercial Investments Co., will be leading the new development alongside new operations director Yasser Zaki, adding to the coffee and smoothie company’s presence […]
Caribou Coffee Company Inc. announced that it is joining forces with Project 7 and its fans this April to make a difference around the world. As the first major U.S. coffeehouse to source all coffees and espresso from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms, Caribou Coffee is equally committed to operating practices that promote sustainability and environmental […]
Starbucks Coffee Company announced it has appointed Sharon Rothstein as global chief marketing officer. Rothstein was previously senior vice president of marketing at innovative specialty beauty retailer Sephora. “Throughout our 42-year history, Starbucks has strived to innovate and exceed the expectations of our customers around the world,” says Starbucks chairman, president, and CEO Howard Schultz. […]
Atlanta Bread has announced that it will be switching all of its cafes' caffeinated espresso beans to Rainforest Alliance, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving biodiversity and ensuring sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business, and consumer behavior. "We are making a great effort to take fresh, sustainable initiatives that support farm-to-table efforts", says […]
Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, Cinnabon has introduced a new minty treat: the Oreo Mint Chillatta. The new specialty beverage is available now at participating Cinnabon bakeries. This creamy Chillatta is a blend of sweet cream, Oreo cookies, mint flavoring, and a ribbon of chocolate sauce, topped with whipped cream and crumbled Oreo cookie pieces. […]
Zaxby’s, a Southeastern favorite for chicken fingers and wings, announced it renewed a multiyear beverage agreement with The Coca-Cola Company. The two Georgia-based companies continue their longstanding partnership together through an extension of a previously renewed agreement in 2006. The restaurant makes the beverage provider its primary soft drink supplier and will continue to offer […]
Global restaurateur HMSHost will welcome travelers with three new restaurants at Raleigh-Durham International Airport as part of the airport’s Terminal 1 Modernization Project. The project is slated to be completed in early 2014. Travelers at Raleigh-Durham will experience the first ever ACC American Café, as well as HMSHost’s own La Tapenade and national favorite Starbucks. […]
The ICEE Company announced the appointment of Steve Every as vice president, eastern zone, of The ICEE Company. He will report to Dan Fachner, president. His appointment was effective January 7, 2013. Every's new job as vice president general manager eastern zone gives him responsibilities over sales growth, account management, and financial strength throughout the […]
Known for their fresh flavors, The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley kicks off the year with a tour to celebrate the company's 25th anniversary. The “Experience Flavor” tour will thank loyal foodservice users and fans by showcasing The Perfect Purée's line-up of 40 flavors – purees, concentrates, and blends for kitchen and bar use. The […]
Tropical Smoothie Café, the fast-growing franchise known for healthy food with a tropical twist, is offering the world a whole new way to consume their fruits and vegetables: drinking them. Available now at all locations, the 332-unit chain is unveiling two new smoothies – the Island Green and Caribbean Carrot – both of which are […]
It’s one thing to revitalize a menu, upgrade unit décor, or take on a new marketing platform. But changing consumers’ perception of a brand entirely is a completely different story, and it’s one Tropical Smoothie Café is trying to tell. The 335-plus-unit chain used to be known as a real fruit smoothie–only destination. However, after […]
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