{"id":5338,"date":"2015-09-17T10:50:42","date_gmt":"2015-09-17T10:50:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newsroom.chainstoreguide.com\/?p=5338"},"modified":"2015-09-17T10:50:42","modified_gmt":"2015-09-17T10:50:42","slug":"industry-updates-restaurant-foodservice-september-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chainstoreguide.com\/offthechain\/2015\/09\/industry-updates-restaurant-foodservice-september-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Industry Updates: Restaurant & Foodservice \u2013 September 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

Personnel Update<\/strong><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Another Broken Egg of America, Inc.<\/strong>\u00a0announced the addition of Tom Petska as the Director of Franchise Sales.<\/p>\n

Applebee’s<\/strong>\u00a0President Steven Layt resigned and\u00a0DineEquity<\/strong>\u00a0CEO Julia Stewart will serve as Interim President.<\/p>\n

Arby\u2019s Restaurant Group Inc.<\/strong>\u00a0named Greg Vojnovic Chief Development Officer, a newly created position, effective 9\/8\/15.\u00a0Vojnovic previously held the same position at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Back Yard Burgers<\/strong>\u00a0hired\u00a0Angela Murray as the company’s Controller, Lorraine Brenner has been elevated to Director of Human Resources and Field Training from her previous role as Human Resources Manager, and Robert Fuller has been tapped as Back Yard Burgers\u2019 VP of Operations and Supply Chain.<\/p>\n

Bob Evans Farms, Inc.<\/strong> named Douglas N. Benham to the new position of Executive Chair. The company further announced that Mark Hood, CFO, Mike Townsley, President of BEF Foods<\/strong>, John Fisher, Executive VP and Chief Concept Officer, and Colin Daly, General Counsel and Secretary, would comprise an Office of the Chair, reporting to Mr. Benham.\u00a0This new leadership structure, which became effective 8\/27\/15, replaces the Office of the Interim CEO, which was established in December 2014, and will continue until a new CEO is named.<\/p>\n

Boston Market\u00a0<\/strong>appointed four new members to its management team:\u00a0Jim Brandon joins the concept as VP of Finance;\u00a0Daryl Still was named VP of Supply Chain;\u00a0Jason Lessman was promoted to the newly created role of VP of Human Resources; and\u00a0Dan Ledgard was promoted to the newly created position of VP of Operations and Licensee Services.<\/p>\n

Church\u2019s Chicken<\/strong>\u00a0promoted Jennifer Chasteen to Senior Director of Brand and Product Strategy.<\/p>\n

Cinemark Holdings, Inc.\u00a0<\/strong>announced Mark Zoradi has been named to succeed Tim Warner as CEO effective 8\/24\/15. Mr. Warner, after a nearly 20-year career at Cinemark and more than a 50-year career in the movie theatre industry, has been named as Cinemark\u2019s Executive Vice-Chairman. Mr. Warner will work closely with Mr. Zoradi and the management team to facilitate a smooth transition. Mr. Warner has also agreed to provide consulting services to the company after the expiration of his employment agreement.<\/p>\n

Darden Restaurants, Inc.<\/strong>\u00a0announced that Bill Lenehan has been named CEO of Four Corners Property Trust, Inc., the real estate company that is expected to be separated from Darden later this year in a spin-off, split-off or similar transaction. \u00a0Four Corners is expected to elect to be subject to tax as a real estate investment trust, effective 1\/1\/16. \u00a0Until the separation, Lenehan will report to Darden CEO Gene Lee. \u00a0Lenehan’s appointment as CEO of Four Corners is effective immediately.<\/p>\n

Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc.<\/strong>\u00a0announced that Michael R. Shutley joined the company as VP of Federal & State Government Affairs. Reporting directly to Karen Raskopf, Chief Communications Officer, Mr. Shutley will work closely with senior management to develop and implement the company’s legislative initiatives and to advocate for Dunkin’ Donuts<\/strong> and Baskin-Robbins<\/strong> franchisees at all levels of government, both domestically and internationally. Additionally, Dunkin’ Donuts\u00a0announced that Suzanne DeChant has been appointed as Regional VP for the Philadelphia \/ Baltimore \/ Washington (PBW) region and upstate NY.<\/p>\n

Farmer Boys Restaurants<\/strong> named Larry Rusinko to the position of Chief Marketing Officer.\u00a0Rusinko replaces Karen Eadon, Farmer Boys\u2019 former CMO, who was promoted to President and COO in May 2015.<\/p>\n

GRILLiT, Inc.\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0Ghazi Hajj, CEO of\u00a0Healthy & Tasty Brands Corporation<\/strong>, of which GRILLiT is a signature brand, announced effective 8\/12\/15, Mr. Hajj has resigned as CEO and has been replaced by Mr. Henry L. Klein as his successor. \u00a0Mr. Hajj will remain with GRLT as an advisor.<\/p>\n

Hospitality Management Corporation<\/strong>\u00a0(HMC) named\u00a0Patrick Bajdek as VP of Development.<\/p>\n

Huddle House<\/strong>\u00a0named Christina Chambers as VP of Franchise Development.<\/p>\n

Hyatt Hotels Corporation<\/strong> named Samie Barr as VP of Global Brands. Barr will be responsible for the brand development and management of the Hyatt Regency<\/strong> and Grand Hyatt<\/strong> brands.<\/p>\n

Le M\u00e9ridien Chicago – Oakbrook Center<\/strong>, a\u00a0Starwood Hotel<\/strong>,\u00a0named Michael McDonald Director of Culinary and Executive Chef.<\/p>\n

Logan’s Roadhouse<\/strong>\u00a0CFO James Hagan resigned, just three months after he was named to the position. The company named Edmund Schwartz, former Chief Administrative Officer at\u00a0Pet Supplies Plus Inc.<\/strong>, Interim CFO. There is no word on a search for Hagan’s permanent replacement.<\/p>\n

Lo-Lo\u2019s Chicken & Waffles<\/strong> named\u00a0Greg Cutchall\u00a0CEO and Partner.\u00a0Cutchall is President and CEO of Cutchall Management Co.<\/strong>, which operates several restaurants in Omaha, including Paradise Bakery & Cafe<\/strong>, Burger Star<\/strong> and Rock Bottom Brewery<\/strong>.\u00a0He will open three company-owned Lo-Lo\u2019s \u2014 in Omaha, Dallas and Las Vegas \u2014 by the end of this year as part of the partnership.<\/p>\n

Lone Star Restaurant Supply<\/strong>\u00a0appointed Darren Anderson as President and COO, and promoted Steve Schaefer to Executive VP of Operations.<\/p>\n

Marriott International, Inc.<\/strong>\u00a0appointed Tricia Primrose as Global Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer.<\/p>\n

Metz Culinary Management<\/strong>\u00a0hired Brian Bachman as VP of Purchasing.<\/p>\n

Newk\u2019s Eatery<\/strong> named Robert Nygren CFO and promoted Alan Wright to Chief Marketing Officer.<\/p>\n

Papa John\u2019s International, Inc.<\/strong>\u00a0promoted Robert Thompson to Senior VP of Marketing and Edmond Heelan to Senior VP of North American Operations, Global Operations Support, and Training.<\/p>\n

Red Lion Hotels Corporation<\/strong> announced that its Board of Directors appointed Robert G. Wolfe as Chairman.<\/p>\n

Sauce Pizza & Wine<\/strong>\u00a0named\u00a0Bryan Vincentini as COO.<\/p>\n

Shoney’s<\/strong>\u00a0added\u00a0two new all-stars to its Executive Team: Michael Wozniak as Shoney’s new COO, and Eric Cleveland as Shoney’s new Executive Chef.<\/p>\n

Target Corporation<\/strong>\u00a0promoted John Mulligan to the newly created role of Executive VP and COO, effective 9\/1\/15, and Cathy Smith as Executive VP and CFO. Both Mulligan and Smith will report to Target\u2019s chairman and CEO, Brian Cornell.<\/p>\n

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf<\/strong> named John Fuller, formerly CEO of Johnny<\/strong> Rockets<\/strong>, its next President and CEO.<\/p>\n

The Krystal Company<\/strong>\u00a0announced that Scott Gallagher will be joining the company as its VP of New Assets and Implementation, effective immediately. He will report to CEO Omar Janjua.<\/p>\n

The Wayfarer<\/strong>\u00a0announced\u00a0Chris Shea as Executive Chef.<\/p>\n

Wayback Burgers<\/strong>\u00a0enlisted Chef Dale Miller to serve as a Consultant of Menu Development and Innovation.<\/p>\n

Wyndham Hotel Group<\/strong>\u00a0announced the appointment of Eduardo Cruz del Rio as VP of Operations for Latin America and the Caribbean. Cruz Del Rio will report to Paulo Pena, Wyndham Hotel Group\u2019s President and Managing Director for the region. Additionally, the company appointed Lisa Borromeo Checchio as VP of Brand Marketing.<\/p>\n

Yum! Brands, Inc.<\/strong>\u00a0appointed Micky Pant as CEO of Yum! Restaurants China, succeeding Sam Su who announced his plans to retire as\u00a0Chairman and CEO of the China Division. Su will serve as an Executive Advisor through February 2016 and also remain on the Yum!\u00a0Brands, Inc. Board of Directors to ensure a smooth and seamless transition. Additionally, the company promoted Joey Wat and Peter Kao to\u00a0the position of CEO of KFC<\/strong> and Pizza Hut <\/strong>China Division, respectively. Roger Eaton will become CEO of the KFC\u00a0Division outside of China and India.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mergers & Acquisitions<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Food Management Partners\u00a0<\/strong>acquired\u00a0Ovation Brands Inc.<\/strong>, which owns five buffet brands and a casual-dining location.\u00a0<\/strong>With the acquisition of Ovation Brands\u2019 Ryan\u2019s<\/strong>, Fire Mountain<\/strong>, Country Buffet<\/strong>, Old Country Buffet<\/strong>, and Hometown<\/strong> Buffet<\/strong> concepts, San Antonio-based FMP\u2019s portfolio has grown to 500 restaurants and more than $1B in annual sales.\u00a0Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Ovation Brands has more than 300 restaurants in 35 states.<\/p>\n

Frisch’s Restaurants, Inc.\u00a0<\/strong>approved a merger transaction with an affiliate of\u00a0NRD Partners I, L.P.<\/strong>\u00a0valuing the acquisition at approximately $174.5M.\u00a0Following the closing, the company’s shares are no longer trading on the NYSE MKT and the company was delisted on 9\/4\/15.<\/p>\n

MTY Food Group Inc.<\/strong> reached a binding agreement to acquire 60% of\u00a0Big Smoke Burger<\/strong>. \u00a0The consideration for the transaction is expected to be $3M, paid from MTY’s cash on hand. The closing of the transaction is scheduled to happen in September 2015 and remains subject to several closing conditions as well as to standard regulatory approvals. Following the closing of the transaction, the operations will be relocated to MTY’s offices in Richmond Hill, ON. Big Smoke currently has 17 locations in Canada, the United States, and the Persian Gulf region.\u00a0Its founder Mustafa Yusuf will continue to own 40% of the company and continue his functions after the deal close.<\/p>\n

Yum! Brands Inc.<\/strong> sold the two-unit\u00a0Super Chix Chicken & Custard<\/strong>\u00a0concept to its founder and an investment group founder Nick Ouimet, now CEO of Super Chix.\u00a0Terms of the deal were not disclosed.\u00a0Ouimet said the new Super Chix company plans to open two to three Super Chix restaurants in 2016 and three to four units in 2017.\u00a0The first Super Chix opened in the Dallas suburb of Arlington, TX, in April 2014.\u00a0Both restaurants have about 50 seats, with small patio areas.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Financial Focus<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Frisch\u2019s Restaurants, Inc.<\/strong>\u00a0has previously notified the New York Stock Exchange (\u201cNYSE\u201d) about its Special Shareholders\u2019 Meeting. It is the company\u2019s expectation that its shareholders will approve a merger transaction with an affiliate of NRD Partners <\/strong>at that meeting and that a delisting of the Company\u2019s shares should occur effective with the closing of the approved merger transaction.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Industry Updates<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Applebee’s<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0IHOP<\/strong>\u00a0announced the two companies will consolidate headquarters in Glendale, CA, as part of parent company\u00a0DineEquity’s<\/strong>\u00a0larger consolidation effort. DineEquity expects the brands to grow faster with all functions in one place.<\/p>\n

ARC Group<\/strong>\u00a0announced the company will continue to market the\u00a0Dick’s Wings & Grill<\/strong>\u00a0brand at all Jaguars preseason and regular season home football games at EverBank Field.<\/p>\n

Buffalo Wild Wings<\/strong>\u00a0opened its first restaurant in Dubai. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Focus Brands Inc.<\/strong>\u00a0announced the company is rolling out on-demand delivery service for all six foodservice chains in its portfolio, including\u00a0Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, Cinnabon, McAlister’s Deli, Moe’s Southwest Grill<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Schlotzsky’s.\u00a0<\/strong>Focus Brands will kick off delivery service at 34 select locations in Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York City, Portland, and San Francisco.<\/p>\n

Jeni\u2019s Splendid Ice Creams<\/strong>\u00a0announced the company will reopen its production kitchen, but will no longer make its ice cream on site.<\/p>\n

KFC<\/strong>\u00a0announced the company will add 400 locations in Turkey and\u00a0sales are expected to grow more than 10% annually in Turkey, making the country the second-biggest growth market after Russia.<\/p>\n

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc.\u00a0<\/strong>signed a development agreement to open 24 Krispy Kreme shops throughout the country of Peru over the next five years and announced intentions to open in Myanmar.<\/p>\n

McDonald’s<\/strong>\u00a0announced the company is branching out into western Siberia after reaching a new agreement with a franchisee. The Oak Brook-based burger giant already has 500 restaurants in 125 cities in Russia. Now there will be 20 more in the Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Kemerovo, and Altay regions of western Siberia.<\/p>\n

Panera Bread Co.<\/strong>\u00a0tapped Charlotte, NC, as its second market for delivery service. The option is now available at 15 Charlotte-area locations, with plans to expand in the near future.<\/p>\n

Pizza Patron<\/strong> stated the company will open the concept’s first standalone location as one of the 12 stores it will launch by end of 2015. The new setup is 1,200-sq. ft. and includes a drive up window.<\/p>\n

PizzaRev<\/strong> signed a franchise agreement to bring PizzaRev to Mexico. The agreement calls for 20 PizzaRev restaurants to be developed throughout Mexico City and the states of Mexico, Nuevo Le\u00f3n, and Coahuila.<\/p>\n

Red Mango<\/strong> announced the company is able to offer frozen yogurt to the high schools through its partner\u00a0Aramark<\/strong>, which provides food services and concessions to school districts.<\/p>\n

Schlotzsky’s<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Moe\u2019s Southwest Grill<\/strong> partnered with Postmates to bring restaurant delivery to select markets.<\/p>\n

Sharky\u2019s Woodfired Mexican Grill<\/strong>\u00a0announced the company is moving forward with a new flagship prototype design that company officials hope will cement the brand\u2019s premium fast-casual positioning.\u00a0The new prototype, which opened in Northridge, CA, in July 2015, is the 23-unit chain\u2019s first freestanding restaurant built from the ground up.\u00a0The 2,800-sq-ft restaurant features different seating areas, including a nine-seat bar, tufted leather booths, a community table, and a communal fire pit on the patio. An open kitchen emphasizes scratch-made cooking.<\/p>\n

Starbucks<\/strong>\u00a0announced the company will sell wine, craft beer, and small plates during evening hours at 24 more locations, increasing the total number of locations in the incremental rollout to 70 across the U.S. The company, which first launched the service in 2010, also applied for liquor licenses at hundreds of other U.S. locations and hopes to expand the program to those stores by the end of the year.<\/p>\n

Studio Movie Grill<\/strong> announced the opening of its 23rd national location and second in CA.\u00a0The 41,311-sq-ft theater will house nine auditoriums and will be part of the 628,000-sq-ft upscale outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment destination also anchored by Macy’s<\/strong>. SMG Simi Valley is slated to open 10\/22\/2015.<\/p>\n

Subway<\/strong>\u00a0announced plans for a major brand overhaul, possibly shifting its focus to redesigning existing stores rather than opening new ones. This could include updates like new uniforms for workers and digital displays. The company may also make updates to its menu, removing fillers, and taking additives out of food.<\/p>\n

Target<\/strong>\u00a0announced starting in October 2015 the company will roll out a new cafe concept,\u00a0Freshii<\/strong>, which will go into nine stores, while Pizza Hut<\/strong> will open restaurants in three stores featuring a limited menu of “artisan” pies. Two Minneapolis stores will get outposts of D’Amico & Sons<\/strong>, a local Italian restaurant.\u00a0About 1,700 out of Target’s nearly 1,800 stores have cafes. In the test markets, the cafes will be replaced with a Freshii, a D’Amico & Sons, or Pizza Hut.<\/p>\n

Texas de Brazil<\/strong>\u00a0opened at Central City in Seoul, South Korea. The new 7800-sq-ft restaurant accommodates 150 guests and features a chef’s table, an open-view grill in the dining area, a signature wine wall, and a bar\/lounge area. Located in Gangnam, the new Seoul location is the company’s 40th restaurant and 5th international location.<\/p>\n

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf <\/strong>announced the signing of an exclusive area development agreement to introduce its premium beverages and innovative brand culture to China.<\/p>\n

The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc.<\/strong> announced its first restaurant in the United Arab Emirates has opened in Dubai. This is the fifth international location for the company, which made its overseas debut earlier this year in Jakarta, Indonesia.<\/p>\n

Villa Enterprises<\/strong>\u00a0announced the company opened two restaurants at SIMON Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, at 498 Red Apple Court Central Valley, NY. The restaurants include a new prototype designed South Philly Cheesesteaks & Fries<\/strong>, and a new Villa restaurant concept, Tony + Benny\u2019s Authentic Brooklyn Pizzeria<\/strong>, conveniently located at the food court.\u00a0Tony + Benny\u2019s new restaurant is named after brothers, Anthony and Biagio Scotto, who came from Italy to the U.S. with their father, Villa Italian Kitchen<\/strong> Founder, Michele Scotto.<\/p>\n

Zaxby’s Franchising Inc.\u00a0<\/strong>opened its 700th restaurant on 8\/17\/15, in Charlotte, NC.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Real Estate<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

American Social<\/strong>, the upscale sports bar and farm-to-table restaurant that originated in South FL on Las Olas Boulevard and expanded to downtown Miami, has announced a new location in Tampa. The more than 12,000-sq-ft, bay-front space at The Pointe on Harbour Island contains more than 8,000-sqr-ft of interior space and more than 4,000-sq-ft of bay-front patio dining, which includes more than 2,500-sq-ft of private event and patio space. Adjacent to the new developments recently announced in downtown Tampa, AmSo is walking distance from the Tampa Bay Convention Center and Amalie Arena.<\/p>\n

Baskin-Robbins<\/strong>\u00a0announced the company is recruiting franchisees in CA to develop new ice cream shops in San Diego and San Francisco. Currently, there are more than 450 Baskin-Robbins locations throughout CA, with one new shop in development in Fresno.<\/p>\n

Beef \u2018O\u2019 Brady\u2019s<\/strong> stated that the company expects to open 11 new stores in four states by the end of 2015 and the brand expects to reach 250 stores by 2020.\u00a0The company also opened a second location in Kuwait this year.<\/p>\n

Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza<\/strong>\u00a0announced expansion plans to open its first AR location in Little Rock.<\/p>\n

Bojangles<\/strong>\u00a0announced the company will open stores in Griffin, Marietta, Lawrenceville, and Doraville, GA.<\/p>\n

Bono’s Pit Bar-B-Q’s<\/strong> fast casual sister concept,\u00a0Willie Jewell’s Old School Bar-B-Q<\/strong>, signed two more franchisees set to open later this fall in Augusta, GA, and St. Augustine, FL. These will be the fourth and fifth restaurants in the growing concept, which will now have locations in FL, GA, and SC. In addition, multiunit deals are being consummated with groups for the FL panhandle, Atlanta, and Manchester, NH, areas.<\/p>\n

Burger 21<\/strong>\u00a0stated the company is targeting Houston for future restaurant sites and prospective franchisees. The Tampa, FL-based company currently has 16 locations open and more than 25 franchised units in development across the country with further plans for continued expansion.<\/p>\n

Capriotti\u2019s Sandwich Shop<\/strong>\u00a0opened its first WA location in Tukwila, which marks the chain\u2019s expansion to 18 states and federal districts, putting the sandwich franchise in over a third of the U.S.<\/p>\n

CKE Restaurants Inc.<\/strong>\u00a0announced expansion plans for its\u00a0Carl’s Jr.<\/strong>\u00a0restaurants in Canada. The company currently has 16 locations and 10 franchisee groups with contracts to build more.<\/p>\n

Corner Bakery Cafe<\/strong> expanded into PA with the addition of eight neighborhood cafes throughout northern Pittsburgh. Additionally, the company is seeking growth opportunities throughout Bergen, Hudson, Union, Somerset, Middlesex, Monmouth, and Ocean counties in NJ during the coming 18 months.<\/p>\n

Cowboy Chicken<\/strong> signed a multi-unit store development agreement that will expand the Cowboy Chicken brand to north TX and south central OK, including the counties of Grayson, Hunt, Cooke, Bryan, and Carter.<\/p>\n

Del Taco<\/strong>\u00a0announced the company is seeking growth opportunities in primary markets throughout TX during the coming 18 months.<\/p>\n

Diversified Restaurant Holdings, Inc<\/strong>., parent company of\u00a0Bagger Dave’s Burger Tavern<\/strong>\u00a0and one of the largest franchisees for\u00a0Buffalo Wild Wings<\/strong>, announced that it has signed an amended area development agreement with\u00a0Buffalo Wild Wings Inc.<\/strong>\u00a0to open ten additional Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants in MI and FL over the next five years.<\/p>\n

Dunkin’ Donuts<\/strong>\u00a0signed a multi-unit store development agreement with new franchise group to develop three new restaurants in Springfield, MO. The first restaurant is planned to open at 4020 S. Campbell Ave in December 2015, with the remainder opening by 2019.<\/p>\n

Einstein Bros. Bagels<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Caribou Coffee<\/strong>\u00a0have teamed up to launch a cobranded coffee-and-bagels concept in Colorado Springs, CO.\u00a0Parent company, JAB Holdings<\/strong>, plans to open 20 of the cobranded units by the end of the year, beginning with the CO and MN markets, according to a news release. A second Colorado Springs location is slated to open later this month.<\/p>\n

Firehouse Subs<\/strong>\u00a0announced plans for expansion into Canada specifically with plans to open more than 90 locations in the Ontario market.<\/p>\n

Fogo de Chao<\/strong>\u00a0announced it will open five new company-owned restaurant locations in the U.S. Over the next five years, Fogo plans to grow the company-owned restaurant count by at least 10% annually, with the long term goal of at least 100 additional churrascarias in the U.S., in addition to international expansion with qualified joint venture partners.<\/p>\n

Fresh To Order<\/strong>\u00a0announced expansion plans for its first IL location in Chicago and three other major market expansions in TX, PA, NC, and SC.\u00a0Fresh To Order also has open units in high-traffic growth areas such as the CNN Center in Atlanta and Atlanta\u2019s Hartsfield-Jackson airport.<\/p>\n

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop<\/strong>\u00a0announced the company will open its first FL location in Brandon by the end of the year.\u00a0The TX-based chain is in the middle of an expansion throughout FL, with franchisees also targeting the Sarasota, Fort Myers, and Orlando areas.<\/p>\n

Hurricane Grill & Wings<\/strong> announced the signing of a new multi-development agreement that will bring the concept to the state of CA.<\/p>\n

IKEA\u00a0<\/strong>broke ground where it is constructing a new, larger store in Burbank, CA, less than one mile away from the company\u2019s oldest store in the Western United States. Until the new, roomier store opens on the new site in spring 2017, customers can continue to shop at the existing IKEA Burbank. (Nearby IKEA stores are in Carson, Costa Mesa, and Covina.)\u00a0The current 242,000-sq-ft IKEA Burbank, the first IKEA store in CA and sixth in the U.S., opened November 1990 on 6.4 acres along I-5 at San Fernando Boulevard. The future 456,000-sq-ft store and its more than 1,700 convenient parking spaces will be built on 22 acres west of San Fernando Boulevard and south of Providencia Avenue, providing customers with improved accessibility.<\/p>\n

In-N-Out Burger<\/strong>\u00a0announced plans to open more stores in OR following the launch of its first store in the state Medford on 9\/9\/15.<\/p>\n

J. Alexander\u2019s Holdings<\/strong>\u00a0announced plans to bring an upscale restaurant to Lexington, KY, with an opening planned in October 2016.<\/p>\n

Kings Point Ventures<\/strong>, a Dunkin’ Donuts<\/strong>\u00a0franchisee,\u00a0announced plans to open 31 locations within the next seven years in the\u00a0Indianapolis area.<\/p>\n

McAlister’s Deli<\/strong>\u00a0announced it signed franchise agreements with a new franchise group to open five restaurants in the Phoenix market over the next four years. The brand is targeting Phoenix, Tempe, Chandler, and Gilbert to open the new locations. Additionally, the company signed five franchise agreements with plans to open restaurants in the Chicago market over the next four years specifically targeting Lake Villa, Lake Forest, Northbrook, Wheeling, and Arlington Heights, IL.<\/p>\n

Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers<\/strong>\u00a0announced the company will open its first MO restaurant in Sunset Hills, a suburb of St. Louis, in March 2016.<\/p>\n

MOOYAH\u00a0Burgers, Fries & Shakes<\/strong>\u00a0opened its first IN location in\u00a0Noblesville.<\/p>\n

Naf Naf Grill<\/strong>\u00a0announced the company is now\u00a0expanding across the Midwest and will open a location in Madison, WI.<\/p>\n

Pie Five Pizza<\/strong>\u00a0mentioned the company will open its first GA location in Atlanta.<\/p>\n

Pinkberry <\/strong>opened its first Canadian location in\u00a0<\/strong>Mississauga,\u00a0ON.<\/p>\n

PizzaRev<\/strong>\u00a0opened its first CO location in\u00a0Boulder.<\/p>\n

Pollo Tropical<\/strong>\u00a0announced the company will open four remodeled restaurants in Central FL, part of its $20M effort to freshen its image. The new look features brighter colors to go along with the restaurant’s island themed foods. The effort includes the remodeling or opening of 17 restaurants.<\/p>\n

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc.<\/strong>\u00a0stated the company will open 115 to 150 new restaurants over the rest of 2015.<\/p>\n

Potbelly Sandwich Shop<\/strong>\u00a0opened its first NC location in Greensboro.<\/p>\n

Rita\u2019s Italian Ice<\/strong>\u00a0mentioned the company is continuing its expansion in the Midwest and seeking franchisees to join its team for the KS and MO territory,\u00a0including two stores and a mobile unit currently open in Wichita, KS.<\/p>\n

Salsarita\u2019s Fresh Cantina<\/strong>\u00a0opened its first of seven GA locations in Alpharetta.<\/p>\n

Sbarro\u00a0<\/strong>announced a nationwide rebranding and the premiere of its first free standing restaurant in the Clintonville neighborhood of Columbus, OH in October 2015.\u00a0The new stand-alone concept represents a major innovation for the Sbarro brand, which currently operates more than 800 eateries in shopping malls, airports, and travel plazas in cities across the world. The Clintonville eatery will be located at 3645 N. High St, Columbus, OH and will feature delivery and carry-out services, as well as indoor seating for 20 and an outside patio.<\/p>\n

SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza<\/strong>\u00a0opened seven locations in four states and has three more locations under construction. The growth spurt began in March, when SPIN! Pizza opened a location downtown in Crown Center, a destination popular with both locals and tourists in its Kansas City, MO, home market.<\/p>\n

Taco John\u2019s<\/strong>\u00a0announced plans to build 15 Mexican food franchises in Indianapolis.<\/p>\n

Taco Maker<\/strong>\u00a0mentioned the company is seeking growth opportunities throughout Miami-Dade and Orange counties in FL and in Columbia, Panama, and Venezuela during the coming 18 months.<\/p>\n

The Halal Guys<\/strong>\u00a0opened its first franchised location last week in Chicago; the site is the brand\u2019s first store outside of the home base market in NY.\u00a0Additionally, The Halal Guys opened two corporate brick-and-mortar restaurants in Manhattan, and has over 200 franchise units in development in territories, including Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, NJ, CT, DC, VA, and the entire state of CA, which sold out within the first months of franchising, as well as a handful of international markets.<\/p>\n

World of Beer<\/strong> announced the opening of its newest location, and first in New York City, in Chelsea. This marks the rapidly growing franchise’s fourth tavern in the state of NY. This year, World of Beer has opened 14 taverns and is projecting 12 more taverns by the end of the year.<\/p>\n

Zoe\u2019s Kitchen Inc.<\/strong>, the fast-casual Mediterranean operator, has set its sights on development in the new market of Denver in 2016. Zoe\u2019s has targeted 31 to 33 new units this year.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Green Initiatives<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

IKEA<\/strong> announced recently that as of 9\/1\/15, all IKEA stores will only sell LED bulbs and lighting to enable customers to live a more sustainable life at home. This bold move was announced in 2012 and IKEA is pleased it has met its commitment. Since 2013, IKEA U.S. customers have purchased 7.6M LED bulbs, helping them collectively save nearly $3B in energy costs.<\/p>\n

Sharky\u2019s Woodfired Mexican Grill<\/strong> opened its newest restaurant with an\u00a0exterior that uses a wood alternative made of recycled plastic, oven hood and air conditioning units have variable speed motors to save energy, and mechanized window coverings are activated by sunlight to reduce the building heat load.<\/p>\n

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide<\/strong> introduced new technology and dedicated on-property actions, offered conservation-focused guest programs and joined with community partners. In July, Starwood announced that it was nearing its 20% water reduction goal by achieving a 17.26% decline in water consumption since 2008. The reduction follows the launch of Starwood\u2019s 30\/20 by 20 environmental goals in 2009, aimed to cut energy use by 30% and water use by 20% by 2020 globally.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Personnel Update Another Broken Egg of America, Inc.\u00a0announced the addition of Tom Petska as the Director of Franchise Sales. Applebee’s\u00a0President Steven Layt resigned and\u00a0DineEquity\u00a0CEO Julia Stewart will serve as Interim President. Arby\u2019s Restaurant Group Inc.\u00a0named Greg Vojnovic Chief Development Officer, a newly created position, effective 9\/8\/15.\u00a0Vojnovic previously held the same position at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen… Continue reading Industry Updates: Restaurant & Foodservice \u2013 September 2015<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"post-template-no-sidebar.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[11],"class_list":["post-5338","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-restaurant-foodservice","tag-eupdate","entry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chainstoreguide.com\/offthechain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5338","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chainstoreguide.com\/offthechain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chainstoreguide.com\/offthechain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chainstoreguide.com\/offthechain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chainstoreguide.com\/offthechain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5338"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.chainstoreguide.com\/offthechain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5338\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chainstoreguide.com\/offthechain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5338"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chainstoreguide.com\/offthechain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5338"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chainstoreguide.com\/offthechain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}