Food Franchise Industry News & Announcements

The Flavor-Packed, Nutrient-Dense Juice Blend is High in Fiber and Low in Calories
IRVINE, CA - (Marketwired - Apr 16, 2014) - Juice It Up!, the nation's largest raw juice bar and hand-crafted smoothie franchise, is now offering its brand new Raw Fusion™ handcrafted juice blend, available at all 80 stores nationwide for a limited time. An industry-first in the raw juice bar segment, Raw Fusion, prepared in a blender, fuses together fresh whole fruits and vegetables to retain 100 percent of the fiber and nutritional properties found in each ingredient. At only 190 calories for the 20 oz. serving, Raw Fusion boasts 7 grams of dietary fiber and is designed to satisfy hunger, sustain energy and support digestive health.
"We are excited to introduce this truly innovative 'all in' product to our Juice It Up! guests and the juice bar industry as a whole," said Carol Skinner, Sr...

Retailer Adds 100% White Meat Pieces to Address Growing Snack Market
DALLAS - April 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ - As meals and snacks continue to morph to interchangeable eating occasions, 7-Eleven, Inc. adds another small-snack, big-value item to its hot foods line-up.
Chicken Dippers are pieces of 100-percent, high-quality white-meat chicken with no fillers that are lightly breaded in a tasty coating and served with a choice of Ancho Chipotle, Ranch or Honey Mustard dipping sauce. A cup-holder in the specially designed Dippers packaging helps keeps the sauce from spilling. Six "dippers" and sauce are value-priced at $1.99 at participating 7-Eleven® stores.
"Since we launched hot foods nationally five years ago, our chicken breast tenders and wings have been top-sellers, so we know our customers love chicken," said Kelly Buckley, 7-Eleven vice president of Fresh Food Innovation...

Jamba® Makes Health and Wellness More Accessible With a Second St. Louis Store
EMERYVILLE, Calif.  - April 16, 2014 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Jamba Juice Company, a leading healthy, active lifestyle brand announced today the brand’s continued expansion in the St. Louis market with the opening of a Jamba Juice® store at 11477 Olive Blvd. on April 16, 2014. The new location is the second in the area and will be the second location for Jamba® franchise partner ShowMe Smoothies LLC.
"We are excited to expand the Jamba Juice presence in St. Louis with our new store on Olive Blvd," said franchisee Jerry Amsler of ShowMe Smoothies LLC. "This store provides another convenient location for guests to enjoy our nutritious and delicious menu offerings and for our brand to have an impact in the community by supporting local schools, youth sports and other local causes to encourage healthy living...

Demand Continues for Non-Traditional Restaurant Venues Across the U.S.
April 16, 2014 // Franchising.com // Aliso Viejo, Calif. – As part of its commitment to serve more consumers where they live, work and play, Johnny Rockets is serving up non-traditional venues across the U.S., including theme parks, casinos, water parks and airports, where the Bureau of Transportation says more than 645 million passengers traveled domestically in 2013. To meet the needs of the on-the-go consumer, Johnny Rockets announces its entry into the Syracuse International Airport as part of the airport’s $63 million expansion.
"In recent years, we have seen an increased interest in Johnny Rockets restaurants in non-traditional venues, whether that be airports or entertainment venues, like Six Flags or casinos," explains James Walker, chief development officer at Johnny Rockets...

NEW YORK - April 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ - Weight Watchers International, Inc. (NYSE: WTW) will release its results for the first quarter 2014 after the NYSE closes on Wednesday, April 30, 2014.
The Company has also scheduled a conference call on April 30th at 5:00 p.m. ET. During the conference call, James Chambers, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nicholas Hotchkin, Chief Financial Officer, and Dan Crowe, Chief Technology Officer, will discuss the first quarter 2014 results and answer questions from the investment community.
Live audio of the conference call will be simultaneously webcast over the Internet on the Company's corporate website, www.weightwatchersinternational.com. A replay of the webcast will be available on this site for approximately 90 days...

Company Leader Recognized for Decades of Influence on Renowned French Country Inspired Bakery-Cafés
April 16, 2014 // Franchising.com // DALLAS – la Madeleine Country French Bakery and Café, renowned for its uniquely warm and inviting French dining experience, has announced the promotion of Susan Dederen to vice president of culinary.
"A central tenant of the true la Madeleine experience is the carefully hand crafted French-inspired food. Nobody has done more for the continuous innovation of la Madeleine's kitchen in the last 20 years more than Susan." said John Cahill, chief operating officer of la Madeleine. "Susan's high standards and emphasis on quality has time and time again produced outstanding results...

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) April 16, 2014 - Fresh Healthy Vending International, Inc. (OTC Markets: VEND), North America's leading healthy vending franchisor, continues to increase its presence on school campuses across the nation, as students and faculty become subject to changes in snack offerings, due to federal regulations imposed by the USDA this July. With these regulations taking effect this summer, the company is finding success in the procurement of more school locations and receiving positive feedback from franchisees in regions throughout the U.S.
As part of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, the new nutrition standards require all U.S. schools to sell only food items that meet certain requirements, in relation to their calories, ingredients, sodium, fat and sugar...

The Franchise's Greek Frozen Yogurt Offers Guests 7% Protein Per Serving
April 16, 2014 // Franchising.com // Chicago, IL - Yumz Gourmet Frozen Yogurt®, a successful and innovative self-serve franchise, today announced the addition of Greek frozen yogurt to their stores. To kick off its Greek frozen yogurt launch, an in-store toga party will take place at all of Yumz locations Friday, April 25 through Sunday April 27, 2014. Any customer who visits a Yumz store wearing a toga over their clothing will receive 20 percent off their purchase.
As part of the "Eat Healthy, Eat Yumz" campaign, the frozen-yogurt innovator is giving customers another healthy option with Greek frozen yogurt, featuring health benefits such as seven percent protein in every serving...

DEERFIELD, Ill. - April 15, 2014 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - BAB Systems, Inc., the franchising subsidiary of BAB, Inc. (OTCBB: BABB) today announced the Big Apple Bagels national bagel sale that is the chain’s traditional kick-off of its annual fundraising effort for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
This year, the annual bagel event is being held the week of April 21, 2014. The 5-day event, called “Bagel Daze,” will consist of a variety of in-store activities, culminating in the highlight of the event, a 49-cent bagel sale on Friday, April 25. Bagel Daze will serve as the launch of Big Apple Bagels’ participation in the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Great Strides® campaign.
From April 21 through May 18, Great Strides pin-ups will be available at participating Big Apple Bagels stores...

Seymour, TN (PRWEB) April 16, 2014 - Beef Jerky Outlet Franchise has opened a new store in Galveston, Texas. The new outlet is located at 2309 Strand, Unit 100 in the heart of the historic Strand District. The rich history of Galveston Island and an impressive variety of destination venues support burgeoning tourism and an active retail trade. "Galveston is a unique American history story. We have everything from buccaneer festivals to a modern flight museum," according to new store owner Clint Hall.
Paul Lyons, Beef Jerky Outlet Franchise COO, is confident that the new Galveston location will be a great success. "The Galveston Strand Historic District is a great tourist venue with a concentration of retail, dining and many points of interest...

Crestview, Florida (PRWEB) April 16, 2014 - Florida fans of Beef 'O' Brady's have a big reason to celebrate! The beloved sports bar and family-friendly restaurant will be re-opening in the Crestview shopping center this spring boasting newly remodeled interiors. The Crestview Beef 'O' Brady's was shut down in March 2013 after being open for 11 years, citing economic woes. The company behind the remodel is Tampa-based Legacy Franchise Development, co-owned by Cliff Longshore and Robert Wolfenden. Legacy Franchise Development has been largely successful at revamping struggling or closed down restaurants in Florida for the past six years. This will be their seventh successful remodel of a Beef 'O' Brady's franchise in the Florida area.
"We look forward to being fully involved in the Crestview community and are very grateful for all the positive reviews and support from the community about the remodel and re-opening of Crestview's favorite family sports bar," say Longshore and Wolfenden...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - April 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ - Firehouse Subs, the fast casual restaurant chain founded by firemen, introduces its new "Hearty & Flavorful, Under 500 Calories" menu, the largest and most significant menu addition in Firehouse Subs' 19-year history. The Hearty & Flavorful menu debuts six subs and four chopped salads each under 500 calories and is available at all Firehouse Subs nationwide.
Co-founders and former firefighting brothers Chris Sorensen and Robin Sorensen spent more than one year developing each signature recipe, ensuring the menu didn't sacrifice taste and retained the signature flavors Firehouse Subs guests expect. The sandwiches have the same portion size of meat as a medium-sized sub but cut calories with new recipes built upon Firehouse Subs' private recipe wheat sub roll, Sargento® cheeses and the addition of Duke's Light Mayonnaise...

Renowned brands Mrs. Fields and Angry Birds join forces to offer classic milk-&-cookies boxes and themed cookie cakes.
BROOMFIELD, Colo. - April 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ - Mrs. Fields™ and Rovio Entertainment are proud to announce their partnership, which will bring America's most beloved cookie and Angry Birds™ one of the biggest mobile gaming brands, together in fun, classic, and kid-appealing cookie treats.
Starting in April 2014 – and continuing through the end of the year – Mrs. Fields stores across the country will offer Angry Birds-branded cookie boxes, each featuring six cookie nibblers and an eight ounce cup of milk, as well as cookie cakes with Angry Birds frosted toppings.
"We are thrilled to be partnering with Rovio to expand our popular kid-friendly offerings with Angry Birds," said Dustin Finkel, Vice President of Marketing & Strategy at Famous Brands International...

Dickey's Barbecue Opens Newest California Location and Gives Away a $500 Gift Card
SAN MARCOS, Calif. - April 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ - Dickey's Barbecue in San Marcosis opening on Thursday, April 17 at 11:00 a.m. The first 50 customers will receive a gift card for up to $50. To check out all information on the new Dickey's Barbecue Pit visit them on Facebook.
"San Marcos is a beautiful community filled with wonderful people - we're super excited to be opening this week," said local franchise owner Todd Morely. "Dickey's Barbecue Pit has exceptional food, great family values and a fun, feel good atmosphere."
Friday, radio station KSON FM will be onsite from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and this location will be serving $2 pulled pork barbecue sandwiches...

April 16, 2014 // Franchising.com // DALLAS - Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT), will hold its quarterly conference call to discuss third quarter results on Wednesday, Apr. 23, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time (9:00 a.m. Central Time).
This call is being webcast by CCBN and can be accessed at Brinker International's web site at www.brinker.com.
The webcast is also being distributed over CCBN's Investor Distribution Network to both institutional and individual investors. Individual investors can listen to the call through CCBN's individual investor center at www.companyboardroom.com or by visiting any of the investor sites in CCBN's Individual Investor Network. Institutional investors can access the call via CCBN's password-protected event management site, StreetEvents (www...

Largest Casual Dining Mexican Restaurant Chain Now Serving Brunch Menu Starting at $5.99 on Weekends
April 16, 2014 // Franchising.com // DALLAS, Texas – Wake Up, and smell the Huevos Rancheros! On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina® has launched - at the majority of locations - a new Border Brunch menu, with entrees starting at just $5.99, including tacos, fajitas and burritos, each Saturday & Sunday from 10 am – 2 pm.
"Guests can now get their OTB fix earlier, as we’ve created some incredible brunch items that we’ll be featuring on weekends," said On The Border CEO Steve Clark. "And if coffee’s not your thing, how ‘bout a $2 Mimosa or $3 Bloody Mary?"
On The Border guests can now treat themselves to several Border Brunch creations, including:

Huevos Rancheros – Two eggs – over easy covered with ranchero sauce and crumbled queso fresco on a warm corn tortilla
Breakfast Relleno – Fire-roasted poblano chile stuffed with scrambled eggs, crumbled bacon and pico de gallo, topped with mixed cheeses, red chile-tomatillo salsa and tortilla strips, served with flour tortillas...

April 16, 2014 // Franchising.com // The world's biggest mobile coffee franchise, Australian born Cafe2U, has celebrated its 10th anniversary as a franchise. Cafe2U officially celebrated its emergence from a humble one-van operation on the North Shore of Sydney a decade ago into a fully fledged global franchise model.
It is now thriving international operation over 155 franchisees in Australia alone.
The UK has proven a traditional stronghold in that time with 60 franchises while Cafe2U continues to experience steady growth in New Zealand and the US, with 12 and 5 franchises there respectively.
Since Cafe2U sought expressions of interest South Africa last year there have been numerous enquires and tenders for territories, with the first franchises launching there soon...

Twin Cities will have Popular Cool Treat Stores Scooping "Ice, Custard, Happiness" Soon with first in Eagan in Early May
April 16, 2014 // Franchising.com // TREVOSE, PA - Rita's Italian Ice®, the world's largest Italian Ice concept with over 600 stores, now in 24 states, has awarded franchise and area development agreements for Minnesota to franchisees and area residents, Adam and Angela Ailloni. With wonderful family memories of enjoying Rita's delicious products during trips to the East Coast with their two boys, the Ailloni's decided to bring Rita's "Ice, Custard, Happiness" and "Cool Treats" to the Greater Minneapolis St. Paul area, with the intent of creating a destination for building family traditions that celebrate life and building everlasting memories...

The fruit smoothie retailer opens its newest location at Luna Park, a New York amusement park in historic Coney Island.
Greenwood Village, CO (PRWEB) April 16, 2014 - Maui Wowi Hawaiian, the popular fresh fruit smoothie and Hawaiian coffee company, announced the opening of its newest location at Luna Park in Coney Island. The seasonal tiki hut opened this week to greet the visitors that waited anxiously for the amusement park fun to begin.
The famous New York City attraction and home to The Cyclone, a historic Coney Island roller coaster, Luna Park is a perfect fit for the fun Hawaiian themed Maui Wowi concept. The company’s cool treats blend well with the outdoor, family friendly destination where franchise owner, Mitch York, is excited to draw in new customers...

Specht Chosen for his Strong Business Savvy, Entrepreneurial Vision and Community Spirit 
MILWAUKEE (April 4, 2014) – Cousins Subs® founder and CEO, Bill Specht will be inducted into the Wisconsin Business Hall of Fame (WBHF) on Thursday, April 10th. The WBHF recognizes and honors the professional accomplishments of visionary businessmen and women who have shaped the state's economic landscape. Specht was chosen for his strong business savvy, entrepreneurial vision and community spirit.
Bill Specht"When we founded Cousins Subs in 1972, we knew we were on to something special – a better sub sandwich experience for the people in Wisconsin," Specht said. "We have never taken any shortcuts when it comes to creating and growing a strong business model, great community partnerships and our deli-fresh sandwiches...