Franchising USA - Food Supplement, Pt.1

FOOD FRANCHISES Page 25

November 2013

part I

Bennigan’s:

Revolutionizing Casual Dining Franchising

Fantasyland Keeping it Fresh:

Recipes in Franchising

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FOOD FR A NCHISES

what’s new!

Burger King Profits In Q3 Burger King Worldwide’s (BKW) cost controls and international sales led to higher-than-expected profit in the third quarter.

The No. 3 burger chain by revenue said earnings rose 35 percent

to 23 cents per share, beating by two cents. Sales fell 40 percent to

DUNKIN’ DONUTS Earns Extra Credit with University Expansion College Campuses Continue to Run on Dunkin’.

Dunkin’ Donuts, America’s everyday stop for coffee and baked goods, is majoring in college expansion as the brand continues growing its presence on campuses around the country.

Dunkin’ Donuts offers restaurant models to suit any university, including full retail shops and kiosks that are perfect for campus centers, student unions, dining commons and other high-traffic locations at or near the school.

“Universities are increasingly looking for more amenities to offer campus residents and visitors, and our brand’s flexible design options couple convenience with great-tasting food and America’s favorite coffee,” said Grant Benson, CFE, Vice President of Franchising and Business Development, Dunkin’ Brands. “As we continue our expansion, both east and west of the Mississippi, we have a continued focus on recruiting qualified operators to grow our presence at colleges around the country.”

The list of universities that have recently opened new Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants or plan to open new locations by January 2014 includes: Westfield University, Norwich University, Merrimack College, University of Rhode Island, University of Alabama Huntsville, Brandeis University, and Wayne State University.

Dunkin’ Donuts has been strategically expanding in contiguous markets with a long-term goal of having more than 15,000 Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in the United States. Dunkin’ Donuts currently has nearly 600 non-traditional locations, including college campuses, mass transit stations, travel centers, supermarkets, and military bases.

For more information: Website: www.DunkinDonuts.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/DunkinDonuts Twitter: www.twitter.com/DunkinDonuts

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$275.1 million, but topped estimates of $266.6 million.

The lower revenue was mainly the result of refranchising 519 of

its company-owned restaurants during the quarter. Excluding the impact of refranchising, revenue grew 8.1 percent.

Sales at restaurants open at least a year increased one percent

overseas in the quarter, partially offset by a 0.3 percent dip in comparable store sales in the U.S. and Canada.

Chief Executive Daniel Schwartz said new products are gaining

traction with customers, including its lower-fat Satisfries launched in the U.S. and Canada. “We believe that new products like this,

combined with our focus on improving operations, will enhance

the guest experience and drive increased restaurant profitability,” he says.

McDonald’s (MCD) and Wendy’s (WEN) rose, but Sonic (SONC) and Red Robin Gourmet Burger (RRGB) were down.

Schwartz took the helm at Burger King in July after ketchup

maker H.J. Heinz poached former Burger King CEO Bernardo Hees to lead that company.

McDonald’s on Friday said it plans to end its 40-year relationship with Heinz because the former CEO of rival, Burger King, now heads it.

For more information: Website: www.bk.com/en/us/company-info/franchise/index.html

Smoothie King Reports Same-Store Sales Increase of 10.3 Percent in Third Quarter Freddy’s Opens Its 100th Store; Two Hours Later, Its 101st Store Opens Leading Smoothie Concept’s Popular Pure Recharge™ Energy Smoothie Helps Drive Sales Smoothie King Franchises, Inc., the premier smoothie and nutritional lifestyle center, recently reported a same-store sales increase of 10.3 percent for the third quarter, up nearly five percent for the year over 2012. Sales were driven primarily by the brand’s new Pure Recharge™ energy smoothie, which Smoothie King introduced in its more than 650 stores worldwide in July.

Additionally, during the first two weeks of October, same-store sales were up 17 percent. Under Global CEO Wan Kim, Smoothie King is experiencing energized growth with the opening of 34 stores through the third quarter of 2013 and the signing of 75 new franchise agreements. Smoothie King is on track to open an additional 25 locations by the end of the year.

“Smoothie King is now celebrating being in its fourth consecutive year of positive same-store sales, a testament to not only our variety of high-quality smoothies, vitamins, supplements and healthy snacks, but also the commitment of our franchisees to helping our guests live an active and healthier lifestyle,” Kim said.

Smoothie King plans to add 1,000 new franchised and corporate locations domestically over the next five years to complement its existing base of more than 650 locations. Smoothie King also continues to expand internationally through both master franchise and corporate stores in South Korea, Singapore and the Cayman Islands, and is focusing on identifying partners in several key countries in Asia and the Middle East.

For more information: Website: www.smoothiekingfranchise.com Phone: (985) 635- 6973, ext. 115.

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers recently announced its 100th store opened in Bowling Green, KY, and only two hours later, its 101st store opened in Westlake Village, CA. At 88 years old, company namesake and WWII veteran Freddy Simon will attend the grand opening in Bowling Green, KY. “Our story leading up to the opening of our 100th store is a combination of exemplary employees and a varied mix of visionary entrepreneurs first experiencing the concept as guests and then risking time and capital to open their own franchise stores,” Bill Simon, CEO says. “The people who make up the brand have grown remarkably to resemble a family more and more with each milestone as our numbers continue to increase. The Freddy’s family will soon have grown to 5,000 people, with an average store employing 43 individuals.”

“We opened the doors at our first location in 2002 with three strong and simple objectives: serve the highest quality steakburgers and fresh frozen custard, operate the cleanest restaurant, and work with the most hospitable team,” Scott Redler, COO adds. “Our greatest success lies in the 100th store’s capacity to reflect the values of our very first store at the corner of 21st & Tyler in Wichita, Kansas.”

Freddy’s expansion across the U.S. is continuing to gain momentum. Development agreements for more than 400 sites have been signed extending the company’s growth into many new states not yet served.

For more information: Website: www.freddysusa.com/Franchise/Availability/default.aspx

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Food for Thought: Welcome to The Food Supplement, Part 1 Often times when someone hears the word “franchise” the first thing that comes to mind is food, and reasonably so! With thousands upon thousands of food franchises in many different shapes and sizes, the options are endless.

From fast food monsters to fine dining gems, the diversity in food franchises is just as diverse as the food itself. Seeing as food is a major part of every culture, it’s simple to see why there is such a variety in the various types of food franchises available today. So if food is your passion and you’re looking to start a career in it, you’ve chosen the right industry.

Food franchises became popular in the mid-1900s with the dawn of the baby boomers, which was around the same time

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that people began moving to the suburbs.

Lacking restaurants in these remote areas, fast food chains began moving outside of the cities to develop in the newly populated areas- and thus, food franchises came to be.

While it may seem like an easy win to invest in a food franchise considering society’s universal love for food and the vast number of restaurants available, it’s important to consider what type of food franchise is first, of interest to yourself, and second, going to thrive in your area.

Just because you think it’d be great to have an all-you-can-eat Asian restaurant in the middle of Little Italy, or a Vegan Bistro in rural Texas, doesn’t mean the market is right.

Nonetheless, if you find a niche and the right location there are some wonderful advantages to owning a food franchise, the first being that your customers come to you. Also, since food franchises have been around for over 60 years, many times multi-unit companies will have a track record available detailing their highs and lows. Through due diligence it should be easy to see if your concept is a winning

“The ideal situation, and perhaps recipe for success, is to choose a category that not only suites your needs and your markets needs, but also serves a unique niche.” one, or if your dream job is likely going to follow suite of the seventeen predecessors that have been there, done that… and it didn’t work.

Another highlight of buying a food franchise is that often times the process will run like a well-oiled machine.

In many cases franchisors invite new franchisees to train in an existing location, providing them with a step-by-step hands on experience. Here they will also learn the equipment and business operations, all the while able to ask their questions as they arise.

While it’s also important to consider the initial investment, overhead costs, zoning codes, labor laws, and cost of goods; one of the best things about food franchises is that if plan A. doesn’t fit your budget there are infinite other options available to you, so surely you’ll find something to call your own. The costs of owning a food franchise will vary widely depending on the restaurant, its location and the physical materials needed. A big brand could set you back millions of dollars, while a newer or smaller chain could cost substantially less, weighing in at a few hundred thousand.

Taking a look at some of the different kinds of food franchises on the market today, these can be broken down into four general categories: fast food (or, quick service), casual dining, fine dining, and mobile. Different types of food, customer bases, atmospheres, and hours of operation can then break down these categories further.

For example, quick service food franchises can include anything from the corporate monsters that clutter highways, to convenience stores selling taquitos, your morning coffee shop or favorite deli market. Typically serving foods such as burgers, pizzas, and sandwiches, these franchises can then be broken down

further into niche groups such as take-out, drive thru or serve yourself.

To paint the picture further for you, casualdining franchises could be considered anything from a local sports bar, to seatyourself diner, while fine dining is usually associated with champagne glasses and hefty bills. Mobile food franchises may opt to serve the standard fries or shawarmas from their food trucks in a busy parking lot, or perhaps they choose to set up shop in central park, serving pretzels or bibimbap. A rising trend in the mobile sector is food kiosks. Found in shopping centers, hospitals and airports, while many franchises refer to these locations an “nontraditional” units, the flexibility and ease of operating a this kind of franchise has its benefits.

While food franchise categories sound straightforward there are many types of businesses that can fit in several of these depending on their product. For example, catering companies or wedding cake parlors, where do these fit in? To complicate the matter even further, these categories can overlap. For example, the concept of fusion menus featuring dishes that marries two or more ingredients, from various different cuisines to create a new dish, is exploding across North America.

Or, as recognized by Forbes, the category of fast-casual niche restaurants is on the rise.

The ideal situation, and perhaps recipe for success, is to choose a category that not

only suites your needs and your markets needs, but also serves a unique niche. This may sound like a mission but in today’s evolving society niches can be found from street corner to street corner. If you want to buy a pizza place, make sure it serves gluten-free, or if you’re thinking about a frozen yogurt shop, why not look into a DIY concept? These tailored franchises may seem tedious and over zealous but how are you going to stand out in a hungry metro area if you don’t offer something different, something special. Yes, you could buy into a monster chain with a proven success rate, but if you don’t have the means in which to buy the billiondollar-brand, what is your plan? After all, you’re the new kid on the block and if you’re not giving your potential customers a reason to leave their favorite burger joint to try yours, how do you expect to generate business?

At the end of the day, the most important thing to be sure of before you sign the papers and choose your site, is that you are happy. Asides from investing a large sum of money into your new business, you’re also going to be investing your time, hard work and dedication to the brand. Make sure this is what you want to do, because the saying goes, “Money can’t buy you happiness.”

Stay tuned for The Food Supplement, Part 2 coming in our December issue!

Jessica Spoto Editor, Franchising USA

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COVER STORY

Bennigan’s:

Re volutionizing Casual Dining

Bennigan’s entry into food service 37 years ago launched the beginning of the casual dining niche and introduced the world to a new kind of restaurant experience.

Founded in 1976 by the iconic Norman Brinker, Bennigan’s was designed to fill the gap between fast food and fine dining while being family friendly. Opening the first location in Atlanta, GA, the space featured a full service food and beverage menu offered at an affordable and high value oriented price point.

Bennigan’s grew to around 400 restaurants before filing for bankruptcy in 2008, when all of the U.S. corporate locations closed.

However, the U.S. and International franchised restaurants remained open due to Bennigan’s tenacious franchisees and supplier partners who carried the banner

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“We’ve started a revolution where casual dining is responsible for delivering great service, and in our case, we take it from great and make it Legendary.” and proved the strength and the value of the brand. In 2010 Bennigan’s began its renaissance and has now restored itself, once again, to the top of the casual dining segment.

Making its comeback, the new generation of Bennigan’s restaurants fit a distinct prototype to include a revamped chefdriven menu, innovative beverages, a fresh look and authentic feel. “The new restaurants are cool, hip, efficient and high energy; they are forward looking and feeling but keep vestiges of our heritage.” Paul Mangiamele, CEO, says.

Smaller in size but deeper in value, the new models feature a shotgun or, one sided bar allowing for an open dining room to deliver the brands’ renowned Irish hospitality. “The new prototype produces high volumes and compelling returns on the investment,” Mangiamele explains.

The first “ground up” prototype location

is set to open in Fayetteville, TN this November, and franchise owners David and Melissa Hunt cannot wait to open its doors.

Experienced serial entrepreneurs, David’s most recent field of work has been building Hampton Inn hotels. This was where he recognized the need for strongly branded restaurants. Seeing Mangiamele talk about revamping Bennigan’s on a television business show, David was intrigued by his energy and vision and asked Melissa to investigate franchising options. Informed of open territory, the Hunts jumped at the opportunity. After meeting with Mangiamele and establishing a mutual fit, David attended Discovery Day in Dallas, TX. “I was amazed at the level of support detail and guidance we would be receiving from the company,” he says. Melissa, COO of their franchise, attended four weeks of training, receiving all the tools necessary

to open and operate the restaurant profitably.

Reflecting on the college years he spent frequenting Bennigan’s, David says he has always been a fan of its excellent food and service and remained a loyal customer in the years to follow. “For 15 years, Bennigan’s was the restaurant that my kids, wife, and I would look forward to going to eat while on our Orlando vacations,” he laughs.

Proud to be parenting the first new prototype, David describes the new look as inviting and warm. With the Fayetteville mayor and chamber of commerce personally welcoming the Hunts’ new Bennigan’s to their fair city, David has a feeling they’re going to do “amazingly well.”

Potential franchisees must be financially sound, with a considerable net worth and liquidity to build and open their restaurants, while possessing the working capital reserves to get them through their first six months of operation. Candidates must also understand the importance of a strong work ethic and delivering “Legendary” customer service. “We’ve started a revolution where casual dining is responsible for delivering great service, and in our case, we take it from great and make it Legendary,” Mangiamele says.

“We have great chef-driven food with unique flavors which are appealing to our customer base. We turn our customers into guests and those guests are loyal and ‘lifetime.’ For us, that’s what it’s all about.”

Bennigan’s franchise process is very transparent and provides franchisees with the infrastructure and resources needed to be successful. Starting with an inquiry, application process, and FDD review, the Bennigan’s team then provides training in every area of business, keeping their promise to deliver respect, trust and

integrity throughout the entire process.

Offering ongoing support through the online “Bennigan’s University,” Bennigan’s corporate team is available to assist franchisees all day, everyday. “It’s not 24/7 with us, it’s 25/8,” Mangiamele says. “If our franchisees need anything, all they have to do is pick up the phone.”

Bennigan’s 15 corporate staff members visit restaurants, stay informed with their markets, handle the social media, and provide four-walls marketing to ensure every location looks and operates to Bennigan’s high standards. “The corporate team bleeds green, and that speaks to the passion they have for the brand and is represented in the strength of the support we give our franchisees,” Mangiamele says.

Franchising since the 90s, today Bennigan’s has 60 franchise groups representing 100 restaurants throughout 15 states and 12 countries. Growing at a rate of one new restaurant a month, Mangiamele is pushing to double the growth rate and has 80 new restaurants for the U.S and internationally in the works. With a new generation of franchisees internationally, one of the latest additions to the Bennigan’s family has been awarded a Master license for the country of India, opening 50 restaurants over the next several years. In addition to this exceptional development, two new locations will be opening in Mumbai next spring. “All companies are only as good as their weakest areas, and for us to have a strong contingent of franchises is gratifying,” Mangiamele says.

Bennigan’s also recently introduced “Bennigan’s On-the-Fly” restaurants.

These fast casual, non-traditional restaurants will be located in high-traffic markets such as airports, university food courts, and hospitals. “Wherever the

“The corporate team bleeds green, and that speaks to the passion they have for the brand and is represented in the strength of the support we give our franchisees.”

arithmetic makes sense, we’ll look into developing,” Mangiamele says. “We’re moving strongly forward again, and that’s a testament to the strength of our brand, our franchisees, corporate staff and the great supplier partners we have our on team.”

The initial fee to own a Bennigan’s franchise is $35,000 with a royalty of four percent and an additional one percent going to marketing. Significantly lower than other casual dining franchise organizations, Mangiamele is looking to attract potential franchisees that are looking for strength and value in an iconic brand. As part of IFA’s VetFran initiative, Operation Enduring Opportunity, Bennigan’s is prepared to waive the initial fee for veterans who qualify for Patriot Financing and are honorably discharged.

Bennigan’s has also reduced the initial fees for other veterans. “We do this to help these brave men and women, who protected our freedoms, to matriculate back into the business mainstream and let them sprout their entrepreneurial wings by assisting, where we can, by getting them into the business world,” he explains.

“We represent a brand that started 37 years ago, and instead of being a victim of ‘brand drift,’ we’ve reemerged as a proud, strong and relevant brand,” Mangiamele says. With a wink and a nod to their rich Irish heritage, Bennigan’s strives to deliver a genuine Legendary experience to all guests. “It’s not just service it’s Legendary service; it’s not just an experience it’s a Legendary experience; it’s not just good food with ample portions, it’s chef-driven.

While we all want to make money, it is not our sole motivation. We have found that the more we are focused on the right things like a strong value proposition and delivering on our ‘Legendary’ promise to our guests, the increased profit becomes a byproduct. A great end result for any business,” Mangiamele concludes.

For more information: Website: http://bennigans.com/ franchise-overview/ Email: info@bennigansfc.com Phone: 469.248.4419

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Wo k Box

Wok Box: Founded in 2004, Wok Box is one of the fastest growing, diverse Asian style franchises in North America.

With dishes and flavors spanning all over Asia, from China to Malaysia, they have unique tastes for every palate. The Wok Box chain started with several quickservice casual-style restaurants in Canada and now, forging through the USA, stores are open in Oregon, Arizona, and several are under construction in Texas. Plans to open locations in Florida and California are also in the works. Across the world, Wok Box has entered the Middle Eastern market opening its first location in Doha, Qatar with more exciting worldly openings planned for the future.

Wok Box has greatly increased it brand exposure ten-fold with two offerings on the entertainment front after participating in two exciting hit shows from both the Food Network Canada and the W network. Wok Box was in a brand new series “Giving You the Business” on Food

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An Explosion of Fl avor

“Wok Box believes in focusing on a menu that uses fresh, superior products so that customers are assured of a delicious meal and healthy options.”

Network Canada. The show serves up an inside look into some of the most popular restaurant chains. In every episode, the CEO of a major franchise selects four employees with strong potential and secretly puts them to the test in a series of outrageous challenges. The boss watches as hidden cameras capture their every move, and with a range of possible prizes, the strongest candidate walks away with the keys to their very own business!

Wok Box is also slated to be in the hit show Undercover Boss Canada on the W Network. Each episode features an executive who is transformed into a frontline worker with a covert disguise and a convincing back-story. Working alongside their employees, each “boss” embarks on an often emotional journey. As they struggle to learn new skills and discover the effects their decisions have on others and the perception of the brand, they discover who the unsung heroes of their workforce really are.

Wok Box offers tasty menu options

ranging from noodle and rice dishes such as their Singapore Cashew and Indian Butter Chicken with Naan bread. Unique menu features include their Cheesy Kimchi Fire Balls and Vietnamese Iced Coffee. Ingredients and inspiration are taken into the test kitchen and painstakingly, recipes are worked out to offer the customer a truly flavorful experience and a wide range of choices.

Wok Box believes in focusing on a menu that uses fresh, superior products so that customers are assured of a delicious meal and healthy options. Catering for customers with special dietary needs, Wok Box offers options for Vegan, Vegetarian, Low Carb and Wheat Free diets.

“Wok Box brings authentic tastes from across the Asian landscape to people who have never been exposed to these wonderful flavors,” Lawrence Eade, CEO of Wok Box says.

For more information: Website: www.wokbox.ca/franchisepackage

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Glenn Cybulski, COO Persona Neapolitan Pizzeria

Keeping it Fresh

Cre ating ne w piz z a recipes in your fr anchise store “Franchisees of many pizzerias are encouraged to “think outside the box” when it comes to local flavors and ingredients.”

Glenn Cybulski

When I decided to open my first Pizzeria I knew exactly what style of pizza I wanted to make, Rome style.

The thin crispy crust with a small gum line and just enough sponge for the guest to taste the flavor of the crust but not have it overwhelm the sauce or toppings.

It seems like a long time ago now and ten restaurants later we are just getting ready to launch our own fast casual build your own pizza franchise. One question comes up a lot as a franchisee, “Can we be creative with the recipes?” I certainly encourage it, but it has to be done the right way!

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Sounds easy right, creating a recipe? It was in the beginning as I had just returned from living in Italy so I knew how to make the dough and bake it to perfection.

The only problem was what do I top the pizza with besides the obvious pepperoni, sausage and mushrooms? How do I make my pizza stand out from the rest? That’s where this story really begins.

your creativity knows no limits, I am not putting frog legs on any pizzas in the near future, but one thing I keep in mind is the demographic of where my Pizzeria is located, local flavors, Farm to Table sustainability, and of course national food awareness such as Gluten Free products, this is how I start, with an idea that is researched, then the fun begins.

I often get asked the question “How did you come up with this recipe?” and the truth is a lot of my recipes start when I taste an ingredient in another dish and think, “Can I put that on a pizza? What do I pair it with?”

I like to get into the kitchen early like because I know I will be alone and uninterrupted. The development of a new recipe starts the minute you put pencil to paper, yep that’s right I write everything down as I mix ingredients so I have notes to follow for a final recipe. Developing a new recipe is easy for an independent operator because they do not have the same guide lines like franchisees do and are free to experiment and create, that is really the definition of “development” at least for me, mixing dicing and blending flavors together until you get it right, that’s the pay off.

These are important questions a chef has to answer along with the financial side of “the biz,” “Is it profitable?” because if you cannot make a new recipe that keeps your food cost at an acceptable percentage then “the biz” suffers, right?

Research is key when I create a new recipe; I look for ingredients that are “trending.” In the culinary world, I research top Chefs to see what they are cooking with and what they think will be relevant in the coming year. There are many websites you can read, I usually just Google “Food Trends” and you will be amazed what pops up! This is where

Creating new recipes however is not limited to independent operators anymore, in fact franchisees of many pizzerias are encouraged to “think outside the box” when it comes to local flavors and ingredients. As the pizza industry

“Remember your franchise training, and make sure to get approval before testing new recipes.” continues to evolve and grow, franchisors know that some of the best idea’s could come from their operators and encourage that thought process. This will be a practice that we cultivate with our future franchisees.

Collaboration is great but you should definitely get an approval from your franchisor before adding anything to your menu. We all know Subway, but did you know that it was a store operator that came up with the “five dollar foot long” campaign? He talked about it with his territory developer and was able to test it in his local market, and then corporate rolled it out system wide! That is just one example of what can be accomplished with creative thinking.

So how do you create a recipe in your unit?

Everyone can use help in the development stage of a recipe and I always go to my sous chefs and prep cooks for their opinion when finalizing a recipe as you never know when a team member will jump in with a technique that will take your recipe to the next “flavor” level. To tell you the truth it never hurts to experiment with your kitchen crew because they usually are brutally honest about the good and the bad. You know that old saying about an opinion, “Everyone has one!” When it comes to a new recipe the more opinions the better so when I think I have a finished product the first people I ask to try it is my staff. It is very important to get honest feed back and if you make trying a new recipe fun then your staff will open up to you and tell you the truth about there opinion, how do I do that? First off its FREE FOOD! Who doesn’t like that, and after a long shift it’s perfect timing for the staff to sit down and try a new creation.

Sometime they love it and sometimes not so much, but when I leave the conversation open to staff to think outside the box I get

feed back all the time, so much so that I have a Staff Suggestion Box in the break room for ideas, they can be anonymous or they can sign it, you would be surprised at how successful that has been, try it! Also there is a reward for participation, gift cards, a little cash, or just a nice dinner for everyone after shift.

Remember ‘the biz’ part I mentioned earlier? Well now its time to see if the recipe really works, will it sell and is it profitable. Now I have a recipe that not only tastes great but I know exactly how much of each ingredient I will use because I have taken notes the entire way through development. I also keep my food cost in the range of 18 percent to 24 percent and I do not waiver from those figures, so here is a short list of how I know a new recipe will be profitable: 1. Each ingredient is portioned to determine the amount and cost.

2. Once this is done, price the new recipe item accordingly.

3. If the food cost is within acceptable levels then I continue.

4. I try and cross utilize ingredients so food costs stay low.

Next I have to make the new recipe work with my existing procedures, one pizza cannot take too much time to make and if all that works then I get to run a special and see if the guests like it as much as we do! We blast announce it on our social media network first and run a few daily specials, this determines if we continue to make it and add it to the menu.

Remember your franchise training, and make sure to get approval before testing new recipes. You bought a franchise because of the great product success and systems that the company found to be profitable, but you never know you could be the one to create the next great pizza recipe that could be launched system wide!

Glenn Cybulski is a Certified Italian Pizziaolo Executive Chef and COO of Persona Neapolitan Pizzeria. Chef Glenn has over 120 Culinary awards and is a member of the World Pizza Champions and a frequent writer for Pizza Today Magazine.

For more information: Blog: www.worldpizzachef.blogspot.com Twitter: @worldpizzachampion Phone: 707-774-1668

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Sloa n’s Ice Cr e a m

Fr anchising Fantasyl and :

Sloan’s Ice Cream

Welcoming franchise investors to the irresistible world of ice cream, candy and toy delights!

Sloan’s, South Florida’s palatial ice cream, candy and toys paradise, is fast becoming the sweetest franchise opportunity on the market, indulging investors with an opportunity to open their own savory and aromatic wonderland.

In less than a year, more than 20 units nationwide have been signed and are in development, with the first franchise location set to open in Delray Beach, FL later this year. Sloan’s anticipates a total of approximately 200 U.S. franchise locations.

“Simply put, we created Sloan’s to be a dreamland for kids and adults of all ages.

Our focus has never changed. In fact, we just keep enhancing the experience and now we’re immersing even more people in the Sloan’s brand through active franchise growth,” Sloan Kamenstein, founder, owner and a classically trained chef says.

“One taste, sniff and glimpse of Sloan’s sends the senses soaring.”

For Florida’s Gold Coast residents, snowbirds and millions of visitors to the

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region every year, the four area Sloan’s shops are community destinations like none other. Plush toys line the walls, savory Sloan’s homemade sweets fill the countertops, and rich ice cream flavors made from the finest ingredients are scooped at a fervent pace for fanatical guests.

“Sloan’s turns the everyday ice cream shop on its head, and what results is a completely over-the-top venue with the best tasting ice cream and candy you can find,” Kamenstein adds. “Everything in Sloan’s has been well thought out.

From our twinkling chandeliers and mouthwatering display cases, to the posh pink walls and ceilings, coming to Sloan’s is an escape from reality.”

Beyond the aesthetics, tantalizing scents of freshly made cookies and waffle cones waft through the air. Taken together, the full complement of smile-inducing taste, sight, smell and touch sensory stimulants form a harmonious blend of elements that instantly create one of the most dynamic franchise opportunities.

Given the uniqueness of the luxury dessert concept, Kamenstein and his leadership team have launched an aggressive franchising program with a specific target on the most attractive U.S. markets, including additional regions in Florida,

and throughout California, the Carolinas, Georgia, New York and New England.

Nearly a dozen franchise units are in development in Florida and close to 10 more in Southern California.

“To people who know us, Sloan’s is a phenomenon they can’t get enough of,” said David Wild, Director of Franchising at Sloan’s, and a seasoned franchise professional who recently joined the company to lead its franchising efforts.

“For more than 10 years Sloan’s has proven to be a standout brand built to last.

Frozen dessert fads come and go, Sloan’s has what it takes to remain in a class by itself forever.”

Sloan’s is fully equipped to share its proven operational, marketing and management systems with qualified franchise investors to which it awards agreements. Ideally suited for experienced restaurant, retail and hospitality franchise investors, as well as husband and wife teams and multi-generational investment groups, Sloan’s has demonstrated a track record of achievements in every economic climate.

For more information: Web: www.sloansicecream.com/franchising Email: dwild@sloansicecream.com Phone: (561) 839-3000.

Quaker Steak & Lube

®

America’s Best Fr anchise Opportunit y Voted Festival Favorite at the National Buffalo Wing Festival in 2010, 2012 & 2013.

In 1974, founders George “Jig” Warren III and Gary “Moe” Meszaros, partnered to open a restaurant with signature food and service that would bring families and friends together to celebrate the best of America’s car-making history. And with that, Quaker Steak & Lube® was born in a gas station.

to bring Quaker Steak & Lube® and its one-of-a-kind experience to your market.

• Family fun and casual-dining environment

For more information:

Since opening, the brand has grown to more than 60 locations in 30 markets across 20 states. This growth continues with plans to open an additional 16 locations in 2014. As the most unique and differentiated casual dining restaurant, franchise opportunities are now available

Quaker Steak & Lube® has one of the best average unit sales volumes in the industry.

The company’s unit economics — driven by our industry high average unit volumes and guest checks in excess of seventeen dollars — make Quaker Steak & Lube® a very compelling franchise choice.

These figures represent the net revenue and Restaurant operating profit margin for the fiscal year ending December 30, 2012 for all Restaurants owned and operated by Franchisees and for company owned Restaurants, as published in Item 19 of our Franchise Disclosure Document. Your individual financial results may differ substantially from the results stated in this financial performance representation. We do not represent that any franchisee can attain this revenue or operating profit margin.

If you’re looking to join one of the fastestgrowing restaurant chains in the country, this business is for you!

Fast Facts • Franchising since 1997 • 70 percent franchised system • 80 million wings served annually • 60+ locations in 20 states • Wide demographic appeal • Multiple building designs • Cult-like following

Come Expand Lube Nation With Us! • Compelling unit economics • Most differentiated concept in America • Great markets available • Award-winning menu • Multiple revenue streams in each restaurant • Unmatched marketing and Fuel-injected operations support Website: www.lubefranchising.com.

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Q ua k er St e a k & Lu b e ®

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Perso n a Piz z a

Persona Neapolitan Pizzeria Keeps It Personal

In a world seemingly saturated with developing food concepts, Persona Neapolitan Pizzeria in Santa Barbara, California is rising above the rest as the only pizzeria of its kind with an Italian trained pizzaiolo.

For just $6.95, Persona creates authentic Neapolitan pizza from 00 flour and tomatoes imported from Italy combined with fresh, local ingredients and bakes it in as little as 90 seconds, producing a pizza that is crispy and chewy in the Neapolitan tradition. The meatballs, sausage and sauces, all made onsite, have won gold medal acclaim nationally and internationally and are just one part of the reason Persona was rated on Yelp as the No. 1 pizza restaurant in Santa Barbara after only being open 100 days.

It all started with a chance encounter at the 2012 Pizza Expo between Joe Baumel (Culinary Institute of America graduate and BA from Brandeis University) and Glenn Cybulski (World Pizza Champion and Italian trained pizzaiolo) that led to a partnership. Founder and CEO Joe Baumel spent several years after graduating from Brandeis University learning the

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“Persona is literally run by chefs: one with the most prestigious credentials in the field and one with the most extensive experience. We have proven to be a winning team.” intricacies of business and finance. As part of a lifelong dream he entered the restaurant business before attending the prestigious Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa, California. Persona’s COO and Executive Chef Glenn Cybulski had been connected to food from a very early age before launching into the culinary arts. In addition to an impressive list of experience and accolades, Cybulski received 112 national and international culinary awards including World Pizza Chef and is an Italian trained pizzaiolo.

As noted by Cybulski, “Persona is literally run by chefs: one with the most prestigious credentials in the field and one with the most extensive experience. We have proven to be a winning team.”

Customers appreciate the ability to personalize one of the favorite specialty pizzas or create their own from over 30 toppings with the help of an expert pizza maker as they move through the customization station. The pizza is baked in an imported “Marra Forni” wood fired oven at 800 degrees for just 90 seconds.

Guests can add a freshly made salad

with dressing made from scratch and finish with rich gelato hand-made in Los Angeles by an Austrian-trained gelato chef for a complete culinary experience.

Families, students and professionals love the convenient location, the relaxed atmosphere of the contemporary restaurant, and getting a truly authentic Neapolitan pizza at a great value without the long wait.

“We are the only concept in this price range of fast casual with such a high quality product. We are convinced we are the best and that we have the freshest ingredients,” says Executive Chef and pizzaiolo Glenn Cybulski. “We have been able to successfully combine incredible quality, affordable price and expeditious delivery to offer a truly superior product.”

Launched in February 2013, Persona Neapolitan Pizzeria has been experiencing marked success and plans to accept franchising applications starting in January 2014.

For more information: Website: www.PersonaPizzeria.com

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Co r n er Ba k ery Cafe

Corner Bakery Cafe

Corners the Fast-Casual Marke t One Neighborhood at a Time the first three cafes • On-site training for culinary, catering and local store marketing • Prototype restaurant design documents and design support

From a small bread bakery in downtown Chicago in the early 1990s, Corner Bakery Cafe has evolved as a national cornerstone of the fast-casual dining segment thanks to an innovative menu, a neighborhood approach to development, and exceptional unit-level economics.

Each Corner Bakery Cafe is carefully designed to meet the needs and desires of today’s consumer, providing a madeto-order, ingredient-inspired menu for all three dayparts in an inviting, casual dining-like setting, while its best-in-class catering program creates opportunities to expand business well beyond the front door.

With more than 150 company-owned and franchised locations in 17 states expected to open by the end of 2013, Corner Bakery Cafe has become a local favorite in every market with its made-to-order

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menu featuring hot breakfast scramblers, signature panini and sandwiches, homemade soups, hand-tossed salads, pastas and decadent desserts.

With two decades of proven success and a *$2.3 million average annual unit sales volume (AAV), Corner Bakery Cafe is attracting some of the most sophisticated multi-unit operators in the industry to its franchise opportunity.

Most recently, Corner Bakery Cafe announced that it is entering the Oklahoma and Massachusetts markets, as well as three new markets in Florida and California as part of five multi-unit restaurant franchise agreements. In fact, Corner Bakery Cafe has already partnered with 23 franchise groups that have committed to open more than 300 restaurants as the company moves to double its footprint over the next three to four years.

Such rapid growth is possible because of a veteran, experienced corporate support team offering: • Marketing support for menu introductions, national promotions and external media • Grand Opening planning assistance • Site selection assistance • Partner, GM and manager training for

Just as Corner Bakery began in 1991 as a neighborhood Chicago bakery, today’s Corner Bakery Cafes quickly establish themselves as gathering places for neighbors and friends. From California to New York, the décor of each Corner Bakery Cafe captures the feel of the surrounding neighborhood while providing a place to gather with family and friends.

With new Corner Bakery Cafe locations opening at a rate of approximately one cafe every two weeks, neighborhoods across the U.S. are welcoming Corner Bakery Cafe into their communities.

Now, Corner Bakery Cafe is offering exclusive multi-unit franchise opportunities in high-profile markets, including Portland, Ore.; Detroit, Mich.; St. Louis, Mo.; Orlando, Fla.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio; Minneapolis, Minn. and Seattle, Wash.

Gregg Koffler, Vice President of Franchise Sales at Corner Bakery Cafe.

For more information on Corner Bakery Cafe and franchise business opportunities: Website: www.CornerBakeryCafe.com/

Franchise.aspx.

Email: Franchising@

CornerBakeryCafe.com *$2.3 million AAV represents the average for the 83 company-owned cafes that have been in operation for at least 18 months, as disclosed in Item 19 of the 2013 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).

Individual financial performance will vary. A copy of the FDD is available by contacting Franchising@ CornerBakeryCafe.com.

Papa Murphy’s:

Redesigning the People’s Piz z a Parlor The world’s leading taken-bake pizza chain, Papa Murphy’s has announced an innovative store redesign that brings the story of their food to life.

“For over 32 years we have strived to provide the best fresh pizza experience to busy families. Our new food-forward store highlights our high-quality ingredients with clean and simple design,” Kevin King, Papa Murphy’s Chief Development Officer says. “Two key features of the modernized CREATE store are the digital menu boards and the addition of a convenient grab ‘n’ go ‘Murphy’s Market.’”

The new Papa Murphy’s CREATE store focuses on complete transparency and personalization. An open layout showcases the scratch-made dough prep area, hand-chopped vegetable toppings, and freshly grated 100 percent whole-milk mozzarella cheese. A digital menu board display enhances the guest experience and provides a resource for local messaging.

The store flow allows the guest to see their pizza being created right before their eyes.

“We’re fresh. We boast uncompromising quality, hand-prepared ingredients and want to share the CREATE experience,” King adds. “We are extremely passionate about providing a take-home dinner experience our guests can be proud of – just like we are proud of the new store design.”

Recently ranked number one with consumers in two prestigious consumer surveys, the big surprise is in that this underdog brand beat out full-service

brands without having ovens, table service, delivery drivers, or bars!

Rated the number one food chain over all full-service and limited-service chains in the 2013 Consumer Restaurant Brand Metrics Ranking by Technomic, Zagat’s “Number One Rated Pizza Chain” for the past three consecutive years, and the number one pizza chain in the 2013 Consumer Picks survey by Nation’s Restaurant News and WD Partners, Papa Murphy’s is quickly sweeping the nation.

“We put all our money into our food,” Ken Calwell, Papa Murphy’s CEO says. “We may be the underdog in size, but not in flavor and customer satisfaction. We create our pizzas right in front of customers with the freshest ingredients to take home and bake in their ovens. We bring families together with food people love.”

Claiming the title of world’s largest take-nbake pizza chain, Papa Murphy’s currently has 1,370 franchised and corporate-owned take-n-bake pizza stores in 37 states and

Canada. Just like Starbucks, Nike, and Costco, Papa Murphy’s is a cult brand that started in the Pacific Northwest and has expanded its national footprint to share its delicious pizzas to fans nationwide.

Having launched the first CREATE store in Austin, TX on September 4, 2013, Papa Murphy’s saw two more locations in San Marcos and Phoenix following suite this past October. Calling for franchisee partners to open new units and remodel existing units with the new design, Papa Murphy’s is currently focused on launching new shops in California, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Midwest, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, South, Southeast, Southwest, Wyoming and throughout Canada.

For more information: Website: www.papamurphys.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ papamurphyspizza

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Papa Mu r ph y ’s

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