Dear Loyal Followers: On Behalf of the American Recruiters Associates and me, we want to THANK all of those we had the pleasure of working with during the recently completed “Big Show”. We hope it exceeded your expectations and that you and your organizations received maximum benefit from attending. Preliminary summaries show that over 60,000… read more
A grocery store isn’t just a place to shop for packaged foods and produce anymore. And customers, particularly young ones, like it that way and want to see more foodservice at retail, according to Amanda Topper, associate director of foodservice research at market research firm Mintel. “In the past, you’d kind of seen this divide… read more
At the end of last year, we explored the future of fast casual and how, despite doom and gloom media coverage about the fast casual slump, things are looking optimistic for operators in the segment. Now we’re turning the spotlight to casual dining and how the segment is adapting to evolving consumer expectations. Outlook is positive… read more
Popping up across the country are “virtual restaurants,” kitchen-only operations where food is prepared for delivery. The trend underscores a shift in consumer dining patterns; they crave chef-prepared dishes but are losing interest in eating at restaurants, according to several speakers at the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show. “The basic definition of what constitutes… read more
On a cold, clear night in March 1975, Peter Cancro knocked on his high school football coach’s front door in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J. It was just after 9 p.m. on a Sunday, but Cancro felt this couldn’t wait. He had to see Rod Smith. Smith’s wife, Janet, opened the door and ushered Cancro into… read more
After months of anticipation, Hy-Vee opens its first Wahlburgers restaurant on Tuesday, and another 25 will quickly follow over the next three years as the grocery store chain revs up its franchise partnership with Wahlberg brothers Mark, Donnie and Paul. Sitting in one of the booths in the new restaurant in Mall of America last… read more
Cava Group Inc. notified the Securities and Exchange Commission Thursday of a $35 million equity offering. Of that, it’s already raised $33,461,206 from 10 investors, according to the filing. As of last September, Cava had filed documents that indicated it raised a total of $96 million to date, the most recent being a $34.9 million raise… read more
Bravo Brio Restaurant Group Inc. has rejected an unsolicited purchase bid by Romano’s Macaroni Grill and will proceed with a sale deal announced earlier with Spice Private Equity Ltd., the company said. The Columbus, Ohio-based parent to Bravo! Cucina Italiana and Brio Tuscan Grille said its board determined that Macaroni Grill’s offer on May 9… read more
The second annual “Our Farm Salutes” grant-giving program, “Heroes to CEOs,” will open for applications on May 22. The contest runs through July 29. Each of the three veteran-owned businesses will be awarded grants of $25,000 as well as an all-expenses-paid, three-day trip for two to New York City for a half-day mentoring session with… read more
Independent restaurants are predicted to spend about $39 billion with foodservice manufacturers and broadline distributors in 2018, despite a decline in the number of restaurants across the U.S., research firm The NPD Group said. Earlier this year, NPD said the number of independent restaurants in the U.S. dropped 3 percent, compared with a year ago,… read more