The Team at Eatery Pulse includes writers and editors with restaurant industry expertise and know-how. Count on Eatery Pulse to provide restaurant news using original-source industry articles, executive interviews, news briefs and feature pieces & videos that inform and inspire restaurant leaders.
Popeyes will be entering the Philippines via a new master franchising agreement. The quick-service brand, owned by Restaurant Brands International (RBI), announced reaching a deal with Kuya J Holdings Group, which already operates 100 Kuya J Restaurant locations in the Philippines. The Kuya J Restaurant chain is best known for its crispy pata, kare-kare, caldereta, and halo-halo.
ezCater announced a new Human Resources executive to support the growth of the rapidly-rising business catering marketplace on the heels of its acquisition of Paris-based Go Cater, a corporate catering ordering and spend-management platform. Janine Allo has been named Chief People and Culture Officer. She comes to ezCater with 25 years of experience helping organizations grow in a changing environment. Allo was recently VP of Global Talent at Flex International, and there she helped the company grow amid a transformation and rebranding initiatives.
Ruth’s Hospitality Group, the operator of the fine-dining Ruth’s Chris Steak House chain, reported Q2 2018 results, posting total revenue of $103.5 million, up 9.6 percent from last year. Company-operated stores posted comparable sales growth of 1.3 percent from last year, comprising a 0,1 percent decrease in traffic, offset by a 1.4 percent increase in average check. Net income rose to $9.6M, compared to $7.8M in the same period last year. .. The three buckets for the 2.0 remodel initiative are brand, capacity and bar changes. Those remodels that have addressed capacity are the most opportunistic remodels and have played a role in sales performance, noted Haak.
Bacardi Limited announced that Lee Applbaum, Patrón Spirits chief marketing officer, has been tapped to also be the global head of Grey Goose vodka. With the added responsibilities, and as the chief architect of global marketing for Grey Goose, he will be adding brand equity, architecture, positioning, advertising, creative, brand communications, experiential, packaging and strategic direction of innovation and product creation. Applbaum is now CMO for both Patrón Spirits and the Grey Goose brand portfolio.
hake Shack reported its financial results for Q2 2018 in a company release and held an investor conference call August 2. Its total revenues, including licensing fees, increased to $116.3M, representing a 27.3 percent increase over the same quarter last year. Total operating store sales, including the impact of new stores, increased to $112.9M, a 28.3-percent increase from last year. Comparable store sales (“same-shack sales”) in Q2 increased 1.1 percent, compared to 1.8 percent decrease reported in the same period last year.
Off-premise food popularity was a top dining trend identified this year. As consumers look for more convenience, there is no shortage of chains wanting to bring the food to where the consumers are. For IHOP, the sales momentum it gained in its Q2 2018 quarter was not exclusively due to the initial lift... but also due to a focus on off-premise sales and operational execution. Through the Starbucks-Alibaba partnership, delivery will be launched in Beijing and Shanghai in September, expanding the program to 30 cities and more than 2,000 stores... enables the creation of “Starbucks Delivery Kitchens” within Hema supermarkets.
Experimental diners don’t have to look too far to be inspired. Grain and Bakery Innovation, a culinary research report from Packaged Facts, a well-respected research firm, is spotlighting several takes on foods that are emerging or still developing. These creative insights look promising for foodservice application, including south-of-the-border foods in the form of globally-inspired tacos, chilaquiles and migas.
Experimental diners don’t have to look too far to be inspired. Grain and Bakery Innovation, a culinary research report from Packaged Facts, a well-respected research firm, is spotlighting several takes on foods that are emerging or still developing. These creative insights look promising for foodservice application, including south-of-the-border foods in the form of globally-inspired tacos, chilaquiles and migas.
Restaurant Brands International (RBI), reported financial results for Popeyes for Q2 2018. RBI acquired Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen in an all-cash transaction for $1.8B in March 2017. Popeyes grew its sales to $937M, a 10.7-percent increase, compared to a 3.3-percent increase in the same period last year.
US Foods reported its Q2 2018 financial results. Total case volume was down 0.9 percent and restaurant case volume from independent restaurants was up 3.8 percent. Net sales were relatively flat at $6.2B,down $1M from last year’s same period. US Foods also announced its acquisition of SGA’s Food Group of Companies for $1.8B,. SGA had total revenue of $3.2B and has about 3,400 employees.
omano’s Macaroni Grill continues to build on its sales momentum with a new brunch menu, on the heels of launching its Mix and Match and Unlimited Soup lunch specials. The new brunch menu was communicated through an email blast to customers in late July. The new Macaroni Grill brunch menu is being served until 4 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday. Diners can get a jump on weekend brunch on Sundays, when the Italian-style chain is opening at 10 a.m.
Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants is adding its first location in Broomfield, Colo, a northwest suburb of Denver, this summer. A franchise agreement with Brandon Gerrick has made the first Broomfield restaurant possible. The Broomfield location will be the 10th location in the Greater Denver Area and will be located at 1221 East 1st Avenue.
