Fish City Grill has named Dave Orenstein to the long unfilled positions of president and chief operating officer, the company said. Orenstein most recently served as president of the fast-casual Snappy Salads Enterprises. Both companies are based in Dallas. Orenstein will also oversee Fish City’s second casual-dining concept, Half Shells. “I’m thrilled to be joining… read more
John Ghingo has been named president of Applegate Farms, L.L.C., a subsidiary of Hormel Foods Corp. Most recently, Mr. Ghingo was president of plant-based foods and beverages at the WhiteWave Foods Co., which was acquired by Danone. Previously, Mr. Ghingo held several marketing leadership positions at Mondelez International. He is a graduate of the University… read more
Kristen Hartman has been promoted to brand president at Cinnabon, Inc., a subsidiary of Focus Brands, Inc. Ms. Hartman will be responsible for the brand’s strategy and continued business growth. Ms. Hartman joined Focus Brands in 2012 as vice-president of marketing. In 2015, she was promoted to senior vice-president of global marketing for the snack… read more
When Larry Singleton was 10 years old, he begrudgingly accompanied his mother and father, Kathleen and Don Singleton, on their weekend forays buying and selling antiques. He would help his parents unload and set up their wares at flea markets near and far from their hometown of Lebanon, Tennessee, where they owned an antique shop… read more
In Paul Macaluso’s early days as Krystal CEO, he spoke with customers and heard pretty uniform responses. Guests have fond memories of the brand, all over the country. That was true even for those who hadn’t dined at the 86-year-old brand in a while. But it’s this second point Macaluso pinned to the drawing board…. read more
The US Dept. of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on April 11 that Chicago-based Conagra Brands Inc. is recalling approximately 135,159 lbs. of Salisbury steak products (containing poultry, pork, and beef) that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically bone. The problem was discovered after the company received several consumer complaints and three… read more
Panera Bread Co. has recalled all of its 2-oz and 8-oz cream cheese products sold in its U.S. bakery cafes. The recall comes on the heels of a finding in which samples of one variety of 2-oz cream cheese from a single production day showed a positive result for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. Panera said… read more
Chipotle Mexican Grill outlined several programs aimed at diverting 50 percent of its food waste from landfills by 2020. The pledge, announced Monday, is an expansion of existing efforts at the Denver-based chain. Chipotle’s more than 2,400 restaurants have already diverted 40 percent of food waste bound for landfills. The company outlined programs that will… read more
White Castle will debut the Impossible Slider — a variation on its iconic mini-sandwiches using the plant-based Impossible Burger — at 140 locations in New York, New Jersey and Chicagoland. The move makes the 400-unit hamburger chain, based in Columbus, Ohio, the largest restaurant group to serve the meat alternative. “Innovation has been core to everything we’ve… read more
Farmwise, L.L.C., maker of fries, rings and tots made with vegetables, has closed a $4.5 million financing round led by Cleveland Avenue L.L.C., the venture capital firm founded by former McDonald’s Corp. chief executive officer Don Thompson. Founded in 2014, Boston-based Farmwise uses a blend of vegetables, legumes and potatoes to produce its Veggie Fries,… read more