Got Sauce? Wing Zone Scores Big as the Official Sauce of the U.S. Competitive Wing Eating Championships at the 4th Annual National Buffalo Wing Festi

For immediate release

Buffalo, NY, August 8, 2005 – Organizers of the National Buffalo Wing Festival – the only nationally-recognized event showcasing an exclusive group of wing specialty restaurants around the country – announced today it has chosen Wing Zone’s mild sauce as the official sauce for the competitive eating competitions, at the 4th annual event, to be held Sept. 2-4 in Buffalo, NY.

Wing Zone, a fast-growing takeout/delivery chain best noted for its 25 flavors of fresh, cooked-to-order Buffalo chicken wings, has played an increasingly valuable role in the festival since its infancy. In its first year participating, Wing Zone walked off with the “Most Creative Sauce” award (Garlic Parmesan), and last year received the “Out of Town Festival Favorite” award.

“Wing Zone has been instrumental in the growing success of the festival, offering support and fantastic wings to our efforts,” said Drew Cerza, founder/organizer of the National Buffalo Wing Festival. “Wing Zone’s delicious mild sauce deserves the title as the official sauce for this year’s competitive eating events, and Wing Zone has rightfully once again earned the title as the official representative at the festival for the state of Georgia,” noting that 30+ chicken wing specialty restaurants from around the country will participate in this year’s event.

Being the “official sauce” for the festival means that Wing Zone’s mild sauce will be spread on all wings used in the Buffalo and U.S. Competitive Wing Eating Championships held at the festival on Friday and Saturday nights. Among the talent downing pounds of the Wing Zone-flavored chicken wings will be Sonja Thomas, the 99 lb world champion eater from Virginia, who recently set a female world record at the national hot dog eating championships by demolishing 32 hot dogs.

“We’re expecting Sonja to down at least 20 percent more wings this year now that Wing Zone is the official sauce,” said Stan Friedman, Executive Vice President of Wing Zone. “Clearly, our sauce is just that smooth. We have won over the taste-buds of critical chicken wing fans and aficionados all over America. but when Buffalonians embrace your wings, – you know you’ve got a great product.”

The National Buffalo Wing Festival has grown significantly since its inception in 2002. The idea for the festival sprang up when the movie, "Osmosis Jones," with Bill Murray, featured a fictional festival. When a local newspaper columnist who saw the movie questioned why no such real event exits, Cerza came to the rescue, setting the precedent for years of festivals to come.

About Wing Zone

While earning customer loyalty from consumers nationwide, Wing Zone is also receiving recognition from within the food service and franchise industries. In fact, Wing Zone was rated a Top 20 New Franchise by Entrepreneur Magazine (Jan. 2004), included in Bond’s Top 100 Franchise Opportunities, ranked in Franchise Times’ Fast 55 and was recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing, privately held companies in America. Wing Zone was founded in 1991 at the University of Florida by Matt Friedman and Adam Scott, who cooked wings with homemade sauces in their fraternity house kitchen and delivered them to fellow college students. After expanding with several Wing Zone locations, Scott and Friedman began franchising Wing Zone in 1999. Wing Zone currently has more than 70 locations with 35 more in development to open by the end of 2005.

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