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Laxman Narasimhan Officially Assumes Role of CEO of Starbucks

by Katie Lee

Seattle — Incoming CEO Laxman Narasimhan has assumed, officially, the role of chief executive officer of Starbucks, effective March 20. He will also join the company’s board of directors. Narasimhan was named incoming CEO on September 1, 2022, succeeding company founder and now former CEO, Howard Schultz. Following the global search for the new leader of Starbucks, Narasimhan joined the company as incoming CEO on October 1, 2022, bringing nearly 30 years of experience leading global consumer goods businesses and advising retail, grocery, restaurant and e-commerce companies. Over the past …

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Shoe Carnival Names New EVP, Chief Financial Officer

by Katie Lee

Evansville, Ind. — Shoe Carnival, Inc., a leading retailer of footwear and accessories, has appointed Erik Gast as the company’s executive vice president, chief financial officer, effective April 24, 2023. Gast succeeds W. Kerry Jackson, who will be retiring after a 35-year career with the company. Bringing over 30 years of finance experience with both private and public companies, Gast will join the company from Fleet Farm Group, LLC, where he has been the executive vice president & chief financial officer since 2020. Prior to that position, he held numerous …

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Korean Street Food Concept, Jaws TPK, to Open First Location in the Eastern U.S.

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — Jaws TPK will be opening at Mall Corners in Duluth, Ga., marking the chain’s first location in the Eastern U.S. The growing international brand, which has brought its Korean street food concept to 250 locations in South Korea, has signed a 1,900-square-foot lease to open in third quarter 2023. Daniel Yi, vice president for Ackerman Retail, completed the lease on behalf of Jaws TPK. He is representing franchisor Boxete Group in finding additional locations in metro Atlanta. “This is a great location for Jaws TPK that gives the …

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Fast-Growing Australian Fitness Brand, Fitstop, to Debut in U.S.

by Katie Lee

Santa Monica, Calif. — Named the fastest-growing Australian fitness brand with more than 200 worldwide locations open or coming soon, Fitstop will officially launch its entry into the U.S. market this year. This May, Santa Monica, Calif., will become home to the first U.S. location of Fitstop, with plans to open 10 U.S. locations by the end of the year. “Fitstop’s entrance into the U.S. fitness market marks a major milestone for our brand and we look forward to helping as many people as possible to move more to live …

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Neat Burger to Open First Permanent U.S. Location in April

by Katie Lee

London — Neat Burger, a plant-based restaurant from London that aims to make the future of food sustainable and delicious, will be opening its first permanent U.S. location this April in the Nolita neighborhood of New York City. Backed by notable names such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Lewis Hamilton, Neat Burger currently has eight locations in the UK and one in Dubai. The first U.S. location comes on the heels of its successful pop-up location in New York City during summer 2022. All Neat Burger ingredients are ethically sourced; additionally, …

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Presto Collaborates with ChatGPT Creator to Enhance Drive-thru AI Voice Assistant

by Katie Lee

San Carlos, Calif. — Presto Automation Inc., the largest drive-thru automation technology provider in the hospitality industry, has formed a collaboration with OpenAI, an AI research and deployment company, to drive greater innovation around its drive-thru AI voice assistant. OpenAI’s ChatGPT API will be used to expand the feature set of the Presto’s drive-thru AI voice assistant (Presto Voice™), resulting in interactions that are more natural and human-like. Presto Voice uses advanced AI techniques including large language models (LLM) and generative AI to understand natural human language and offer logical …

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7-Eleven, Inc. Launches New EV Charging Network: 7Charge

by Katie Lee

Irving, Texas — 7-Eleven, Inc. has launched 7Charge, a new proprietary EV charging network and app that delivers a convenient and reliable fast-charging experience at select 7-Eleven® stores in the U.S., and coming soon to Canada. 7Charge is already delivering fast-charging services to customers in several locations in Florida, Texas, Colorado and California. Once the network’s expansion is complete, 7-Eleven will have one of the largest and most compatible fast-charging networks of any retailer in North America. The 7Charge network will offer EV drivers 7-Eleven’s trademark convenience and accessibility. 7Charge …

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Minority-Owned RReal Tacos Eyes New Growth Across the Southeast

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — Entrepreneurs Miguel Hernandez and Damian Otero have created a marriage of the authentic flavors of Mexican street food along with the experience of a modern, high-energy taqueria at Rreal Tacos. Hernandez and Otero acquired the restaurant’s original Midtown Atlanta location in August 2021 from Adrian Villarreal, the brand’s founder and namesake. Since the purchase, they have expanded to three additional locations in West Midtown, Chamblee and Sandy Springs, growing their business with a 1,200% increase in sales, all without shouldering the burden of debt. “We’re completely debt-free. All …

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The Home Depot Names EVP of Merchandising

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — The Home Depot has named William “Billy” Bastek as executive vice president of merchandising, effective immediately. He is a 33-year veteran of The Home Depot and brings tremendous experience to the role, having served in several leadership positions across the merchandising organization. Most recently, Bastek was senior vice president of hardlines, where he was responsible for merchandising and marketing strategies for the hardware and garden departments. Prior to that role, he was merchandising vice president (MVP) of hardware and tools, where he oversaw the growth and transformation of …

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Potbelly to Expand in NYC with Development Agreement and First Refranchise Deal

by Katie Lee

Chicago — Potbelly Corporation, the iconic neighborhood sandwich shop, has finalized a multi-unit development agreement along with its first refranchising deal in New York City. This agreement includes multi-unit development for 13 new shops over the next 8 years, and the refranchise of eight shops, the ownership of which has been fully transferred. “I am excited to announce Potbelly’s expansion in New York City, one of the premier markets in the U.S., and that this expansion includes our first refranchise transaction,” says Bob Wright, president and chief executive officer. “This …

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