Albuquerque, N.M. — Marco’s Pizza, one of the nation’s fastest-growing pizza brands, announces a 9-unit area development agreement in New Mexico. This marks a milestone for the brand as it breaks into a new state, with its nationwide footprint now spanning 35 states. Site selection is currently underway, with the first two locations slated to open in the Albuquerque and Rio Rancho areas before the end of first quarter 2025. Seasoned franchisees Chris and Kristian Ornelas are the principal owners of the company developing the units. “When looking to invest …
Katie Lee
Salisbury, N.C. — With a $365 million capital investment, Food Lion has enhanced the customer shopping experience with remodeled stores in the greater Raleigh-Durham, N.C., area and Mecklenburg County, Va. On Aug. 21, Food Lion will hold ribbon-cutting events at 167 stores in the greater Raleigh-Durham market, which is among the fastest growing areas nationwide. Nearly all stores are introducing self-checkout lanes, allowing customers to choose between traditional cashier-assisted checkout or self-checkout options. Additionally, Food Lion continues to invest in training and developing associates to provide the best customer experience. …
Newport Beach, Calif. — The chairman and CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., Brian Niccol, has accepted the role as chairman and CEO of Starbucks and will be leaving Chipotle on August 31, 2024. Niccol has served as Chipotle’s CEO since 2018 and as chairman of the board since 2020. Chipotle’s board of directors has appointed Scott Boatwright, chief operating officer, as interim CEO. Boatwright joined Chipotle in 2017 and has been instrumental in driving restaurant operations for the company’s more than 3,500 restaurants. He also led the integration of …
San Jose, Calif. — T&T Supermarket Inc., Canada’s favorite Asian grocery retailer, will open its first store in California at the Westgate Center in San Jose in fall 2025. With two stores in the works in Washington, this marks T&T’s third store announcement in the Unites States. The 55,000-square-foot store is taking over space formerly occupied by Walmart. T&T operates more than 33 stores across Canada, and is a full-service unique shopping experience known for its vast selection of authentic Asian products, fresh produce, full service meat counter, live seafood …
— By Savneet Singh — How cutting-edge tech helped Hooters of America upgrade its dining experience. Americans love experiences, with the majority (61%) of Gen Z and Millenials choosing to invest in them, according to Experian, over retirement savings. And with all the money they’re spending, they anticipate outstanding outcomes — especially when it comes to dining. Competition in this sector is fierce, with seemingly endless options for the 9 in 10 customers who enjoy going out to eat, per a February 2024 report by the National Restaurant Association. The …
— By Jack Child — How to choose a contractor for your parking lot striping project. Your parking lot is your welcome mat for your business. Maybe the lines are getting pretty faded. Or, maybe you’ve been tagged with a violation from the city or Fire Marshal for a code violation for improper or inadequate pavement markings. Poor or improper markings are a legal liability that should not be overlooked. It’s time to get new paint on the ground. Who do you call? The following is for those who really …
MilkShake Factory® Awards 100th Franchise Unit on First Anniversary of Franchise Launch
Ann Arbor, Mich. — MilkShake Factory, a Franworth portfolio brand and beloved dessert destination, has reached a milestone by awarding its 100th franchise unit on the first anniversary of its franchising journey. MilkShake Factory, a fourth-generation family business, was built on a legacy of quality. The journey began in 1914 when Charlie and Orania opened their first chocolate shop and soda fountain in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood. More than a century from its early soda fountain days, the company was renamed “MilkShake Factory” and by 2016, had established itself as the …
Shelton, Conn. — Budderfly, a preferred sustainability partner for commercial businesses with repeatable footprints, has acquired a grid-edge distributed energy resource management system (DERMS) from Sunverge Energy. Former Sunverge employees with decades of DERMS and energy market experience will join Budderfly’s growing team of almost 400 employees. Using Sunverge’s technology, Budderfly can aggregate distributed energy resources (DERS) across its sites, positioning it to create virtual power plants (VPPs) capable of providing flexibility to the grid, increasing resiliency for customers and growing new revenue streams. With greater control over its energy …
Reynoldsburg, Ohio — Victoria’s Secret & Co. and its board of directors have appointed Hillary Super as chief executive officer and a member of the board, effective September 9, 2024. Super succeeds Martin Waters in both roles. Timothy (TJ) Johnson, VS&Co’s chief financial and administrative officer, will serve as interim CEO effective today through September 8, 2024. Waters will remain employed as an advisor to the company through August 31, 2024 to support a smooth transition. Super brings nearly three decades of retail merchant expertise and a successful track record …
Seattle — Starbucks has appointed Brian Niccol to chairman and chief executive officer. He will start in his new role on September 9, 2024. Rachel Ruggeri, chief financial officer of Starbucks, will serve as interim CEO until that time. Mellody Hobson, Starbucks board chair, will become lead independent director. Niccol currently serves as chairman and CEO of Chipotle. Since becoming CEO in 2018, Niccol has transformed Chipotle, focusing on people and culture, brand, menu innovation, operational excellence and digital transformation. “We are thrilled to welcome Brian to Starbucks. His phenomenal …