MRM News Bites: Sweeter NYC and Broccoli Cole Slawniversary on This Week’s Plate
17 Min Read By MRM Staff
Modern Restaurant Management magazine compiles restaurant industry headlines, new products, openings and personnel announcements in our weekly MRM News Bites. Send items of interest to Content Director Barbara Castiglia at bcastiglia@modernrestaurantmanagement.com.
Sweets by CHLOE. Opens
Sweets by CHLOE., the newest offering from the by CHLOE. brand opened next to the flagship location at 185 Bleecker St in New York City, Sweets by CHLOE. will operate as an independent bakery, offering an expanded coffee program and a variety of vegan baked goods including matcha babka, orange and chocolate chip muffins, lemon bars, black and white cookies, mini pies, as well as both whole cakes and cake slices.
“We are very excited to continue growing the by CHLOE. brand with the launch of this new brand extension,” said President, Co-Founder and Creative Director Samantha Wasser. Our selection of vegan sweets has always been a customer favorite and we hope our new and expanded menu at Sweets by CHLOE. will only sweeten the deal for New Yorkers.”
Additionally, as a recent acquisition of by CHLOE., New York City-based Alchemy Creamery has joined the by CHLOE. team to create Chill by CHLOE. ice “creams” for the bakery, as well as all by CHLOE. locations nationwide. Sweets by CHLOE. will debut these treats inPush Pop form, layered with some of the bakery’s sweetest goods including Matcha Coconut layered with Matcha Chocolate Babka, Chocolate layered with Chlostess Cupcake, and Caramel layered with Banana Bread.
by CHLOE. is a fast-casual brand that opened its flagship location in the West Village in July 2015. The plant-based, vegan restaurant t is open seven days a week offering an all-day menu and weekend brunch featuring seasonal salads and soups, house-made burgers and sandwiches, fresh pastas, cold-pressed juices, dairy-free ice creams, freshly baked sweets, and more. by CHLOE. also works with local and curated partners including PANATEA and Devocion coffee. In May, by CHLOE. opened its first west coast location in the Silver Lake neighborhood in Los Angeles, CA in partnership with 365 by Whole Foods Market. In June, by CHLOE. opened its second New York location in the Flatiron neighborhood. by CHLOE. has plans for continued New York City expansion to Soho this winter, and South Street Seaport in 2017, with two locations planned in Boston this fall.
OpenTable Names Best Restaurants for Foodies
OpenTable, the world’s leading provider of online restaurant reservations and part of The Priceline Group (NASDAQ: PCLN), today unveiled the 100 Best Restaurants for Foodies in America for 2016. These awards reflect the combined opinions of more than five million restaurant reviews submitted by verified OpenTable diners for more than 20,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. For our Canadian readers, Open Table also revealed the 100 Best Restaurants for Foodies in Canada for 2016. This list reflects the combined opinions of more than 300,000 restaurant reviews submitted by verified OpenTable diners for more than 1,800 restaurants in Canada.
Highlighting oft-lauded fine dining and fine casual dining restaurants in well-known and emerging food cities, the complete list features restaurants in 30 states and the District of Columbia, and includes Acquerello in San Francisco, Boka in Chicago, and Zahav in Philadelphia. California has 17 winning restaurants, followed by New York with nine, Pennsylvania with eight, Virginia with six, and Illinois and New Jersey with five each. North Carolina and Texas each have four honorees, while Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, and Washington, D.C. have three each. Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington state all have two eateries. Alabama, Georgia, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, Nevada, and Rhode Island are also represented.
Established restaurants have a strong presence on the list, although newcomers, such as Gabriel Kreuther in New York and Shaya in New Orleans, are sprinkled throughout. The most popular cuisine is American by far; however, French and Italian fares are also prevalent. Other cuisines include Asian, Hawaiian, Israeli, and Persian.
“These standout restaurants are delicious destinations for the most passionate eaters — those for whom dining out is practically sport,” says Caroline Potter, OpenTable Chief Dining Officer. “Using ingredients both humble and exotic and drawing culinary inspiration from around the globe, this year’s honorees consistently offer thrilling experiences sure to please even the most discerning diners.”
The 100 Best Restaurants for Foodies in America list is generated from more than five million restaurant reviews submitted by verified OpenTable diners between August 1, 2015, and July 31, 2016. All restaurants with a minimum “overall” score and number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration. Qualifying restaurants were then scored and sorted according to the percentage of qualifying reviews for which “fit for foodies” was selected as a special feature.
Roger Vergé Tribute
On Monday, September 12, more than 20 of the world’s great chefs paid tribute to one of their icons, the late Roger Vergé at a special dinner at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers. Organizer and veteran event producer, Herb Karlitz and Chef Daniel Boulud succeeded in raising 100,000 to fund a new Roger Vergé Scholarship at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Special guests who turned out to honor the chef included Michael Douglas and Mike Myers, as well as Sharon Stone who recorded a heartfelt tribute to Vergé (who was a longtime friend and fervent supporter of AMFAR).
“The evening was a true testament to the love and respect people had for Roger Vergé, and his restaurant, Le Moulin de Mougins. His contributions in the culinary world and the amazing legacy he left behind as the founder of “la cuisine du soleil” will forever be remembered by future generations,” said Karlitz.
Vergé protégé Daniel Boulud was “Chef Chair” for the evening and coordinated the guest chefs who all either worked in Mr. Vergé’s kitchen or had a special relationship with him. Besides Boulud, participating chefs included: Philippe Bertineau, David Bouley, Terrance Brennan, Georgette Farkas, Dean Fearing, Remy Funfrock, Wilfrid Hocquet, Emeril Lagasse, Mauro Maccione, Francis Mallmann, George Mendes, Richard Reddington, Mark Tarbell and Michael White. “We brought together a stellar line-up of chefs, who all jumped at the chance to celebrate a man who had such a positive influence on all of us,” said Boulud. “He was the ultimate professional – so classy, jovial and soulful in the kitchen, with elegance and charm. It was such a beautiful evening to gather and reminisce and tell stories about a man who was so loved and respected.”
The late chef’s wife Denise Vergé flew in especially for the event and was joined by her daughter Cordelia whose touching speech gave thanks to all the chefs and over 250 guests who paid $1000 a plate for the evening. The Mayor of Mougins, who was a great friend of Roger Vergé, also flew into New York for the occasion and was joined by the French Consul General Anne Claire Legendre.
“A pioneer of introducing Mediterranean ingredients and references into haute cuisine, Roger Vergé was one of the greatest chefs in history,” said Dr. Tim Ryan, president of The Culinary Institute of America. “He was an elegant, charming, and fun-loving man. I remember fondly the times I spent with him at the legendary Moulin de Mougins and here at the CIA. Chef Vergé inspired generations of culinarians in his lifetime, and the college is honored to honor his legacy by creating a scholarship fund in his name.”
Sponsors of the event included Access From Chase Bank , Abigail Kirsch at Pier Sixty, Acqua Panna, Air France/Delta, Alouette Cheese USA from Savencia Fromage & Dairy, Art Culinaire Magazine, Boisset Collection, Jean-Charles Boisset, Champagne Henriot, Château D’Esclans, Chefwear, Jean-Luc Colombo, D’Artagnan, Henriot Wines, Inside Access from Chase, KC Creations, La Caravelle Champagne, Sacha Lichine, Maison Kayser, Bill Milne, Palm Bay International, Perrier, Resy, Royal Tokaji, S.Pellegrino, SanPellegrino Sparkling Fruit Beverages, Sofitel New York, Sturia Caviar Haute Couture, Trimbach, Valrhona Chocolate, The Vyater Group, Wilson Daniels.
Participating chefs included:
- Philippe Bertineau, Benoit by Alain Ducasse New York (New York, NY)
- David Bouley, Bouley (New York, NY)
- Daniel Boulud, The Dinex Group (New York, NY)
- Terrance Brennan, Brennan Group Hospitality (New York, NY)
- Cat Cora (Santa Barbara, CA)
- Phil DeMaiolo, Abigail Kirsch at Pier Sixty (New York, NY)
- Georgette Farkas, Rotisserie Georgette (New York, NY)
- Dean Fearing, Fearing’s Restaurant (Dallas, TX)
- Rémy Fünfrock, The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island (Kiawah Island, SC)
- Michael Ginor, Hudson Valley Foie Gras (Ferndale, NY)
- Wilfrid Hocquet, Fig & Olive (Los Angeles, CA
- Emeril Lagasse, Emeril’s (New Orleans, LA)
- Mauro Maccioni, Maccioni Group Restaurants (New York, NY)
- Francis Mallmann, Los Fuegos (Miami, FL)
- George Mendes, Aldea (New York, NY)
- Richard Reddington, Redd (Napa Valley, CA)
- Mark Tarbell, Tarbell’s (Phoenix, AZ)
- Michael White, Altamarea Group (New York, NY)
- The Culinary Institute of America (Hyde Park, NY)
Arbor Lodging and DMK Team for Tavernonna Italian Kitchen
Arbor Lodging Partners, owner of the historic Hotel Phillips, partnered with Chicago-based DMK Restaurants to develop a brand new restaurant concept in Kansas City: Tavernonna Italian Kitchen.
Tavernonna aims to celebrate the rich, varied history of Italian food, wine and cocktails, by using fresh, simple ingredients to create both traditional and contemporary dishes that entice the senses. Five-time James Beard-nominated Chef, Michael Kornick of DMK Restaurants has sourced ingredients from local farms and vendors to be celebrated throughout the menu, giving the restaurant a clear sense of its locality while honoring the distinctive ingredients rooted in Italy.
“Our goal is to develop memorable sensory experiences for locals and tourists alike; from music, to food, to décor, we want patrons to have a feeling of limitless options in a timeless space,” said Vamsi Bonthala, co-founder and CEO of Arbor Lodging Partners. “Tavernonna will honor the simplicity, versatility and quality of Italian cooking, while bringing an array of unique dishes and flavor profiles.”
Behind every Tavernonna dish is ambition, passion, heritage, creativity, style and inspirational local culture and knowledge to cater to Kansas City and visiting diners. Tavernonna will release additional details such as an opening date, venue décor and finalized food, cocktail and wine menus in the coming months.
“Our goal has always been to create the most crave-able dishes in every city we embark on – we’ve done this in Chicago and now we’re excited to do the same in Kansas City,” said David Morton, co-owner of DMK. “Hotel Phillips provides an experience unlike any other in the city and Tavernonna will honor and complement its unique style, by taking restaurant guests on an exciting, palatable journey they’ll want to experience again and again.”
Nonas Joins Tullibee
Aparium Hotel Group named Grae Nonas Executive Chef of the forthcoming restaurant Tullibee at the Hewing Hotel in Minneapolis’ North Loop neighborhood. Nonas, a 2015 Food & Wine Best New Chef, 2016 James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef finalist (semifinalist 2015), and Eater Chef of the Year Austin, will oversee all food and beverage functions.
“I’ve always considered myself to be a Viking,” said Nonas. “My family has Norwegian roots, and I feel right at home.”
The chef recently opened the acclaimed restaurant Olamaie in Austin before deciding to uproot his life in Te,as for the opportunity to immerse himself in a new city, to dig deeper into the flavor profiles and techniques of Scandinavian tradition, and to bring a fresh and forward thinking hand to the land of 10,000 lakes.
Photo by Robert Lerma
“I always feel the most comfortable where I feel the most challenged. And I do now. Nordic cooking has always been in my heart, and the chance to grow that fascination at Tullibee and Hewing Hotel in proximity to such amazing product is exhilarating,” added Nonas.
In their decision to partner with Nonas, Aparium Hotel Group made a conscious decision to grow and establish Nonas as chef entrepreneur. The company recognized his tremendous future in American dining and sought to develop that talent further as part of its commitment to chef mentorship. For Nonas and Aparium, it is a relationship that begins with empowerment and the tremendous chance to helm several different culinary and business operations under one roof.
With a focus on hyper-local sourcing and partnerships with regional farmers, freshwater fisherman, and key local vendors, Tullibee pays tribute to Minneapolis’s Nordic culinary and cultural roots by drawing inspiration from its greatest assets: woods and lakes. The name “Tullibee” comes from one of the Minnesota’s rarest fish found in the state’s lakes.
Drawing inspiration from the same rural practices that have long rooted Minneapolis’ culinary traditions, Nonas will embrace foraging, butchery, and fermentation to showcase a full range of game and offal as well as a rotating market-driven “chalkboard” of off-cuts. Nonas will look to create dishes driven by seasonality, hearty vegetables, and sharable fish and meat dishes, served from the restaurant’s wood-burning grill and oven.
The dedicated beverage program highlights timeless cocktails while allowing for modern interpretation from the team. Cocktails will reflect the spirit of the Upper Midwest, pairing with the Nordic roots of the food offerings.
As I expected, the Minneapolis scene has been so welcoming to me. It’s an enormous opportunity to belong to a region that is so proud of its heritage as well as where it’s going. I hope one day to be a part of both,” said Nonas.
Hewing Hotel and Tullibee are slated to open later this fall.
Photo courtesy of Aparium Hotel Group
Pupatella Make Franchise Plans
Started as a food truck in 2007, Pupatella has decided to expand through corporate development and franchise opportunities. To accomplish this, Enzo Algarme, Pupatella’s founder and owner, has joined forces with founding partners of Elevation Burger.
Born and raised in Naples, Italy, Algarme takes tremendous pride in Pupatella’s “back to the basics” philosophy. The restaurant proudly possesses a VPN certification, a designation given to qualifying pizzerias by the Naples-based Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. To obtain the VPN certification, the pizza is made according to the 200-year-old Neapolitan technique. Only wood-fired ovens are permitted; the dough is made of only four ingredients: 00 Italian flour, sea salt, fresh yeast and water. The toppings for the D.O.C. (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) pizza may only include sauce made of San Marzano tomatoes grown in Italy, fresh cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella made with buffalo milk or fior di latte, sea salt, fresh basil and olive oil.
“I came to the U.S. for college and the one thing I missed the most was classic Neapolitan pizza that you could find on every corner in Naples,” said Algarme. “Cooking was a huge part of my upbringing in Italy and I felt a calling to start a business that was true to my roots. We’ve experienced tremendous success, with lines out the door everyday, and I feel confident that our pizza will be embraced around the world as we move forward with our expansion plans.”
Pupatella is now seeking entrepreneurs to help expand the pizzeria in key markets across the United States and Middle East. The ideal franchise partner has restaurant experience and a passion for executing a proven system. Specific areas for U.S. expansion include Washington D.C Metro, Philadelphia Metro, Richmond, VA, Virginia Beach, VA, Raleigh-Durham, NC, Chapel Hill, NC, Newark, DE, and Wilmington, DE. Franchise opportunities are also available in the Middle East.
Broccoli Cole Slawniversary
SendaGuy Now Expands
After completing successful beta trials in Union Square, SendaGuy Now is expanding service to all restaurants in Manhattan. SendaGuy Now, the first company incubated by ServiceChannel, develops and manages a repair service request platform and mobile app for independently owned full and quick service restaurants, hospitality groups, franchises, kiosks & food trucks located in urban areas.
“We developed SendaGuy Now to provide an on demand solution for all of the great restaurants in New York City that don’t have relationships with quality service companies but need help fast when their kitchen equipment breaks down,” says Steve Keltz, Chief Marketing Guy at SendaGuy Now.
SendaGuy Now’s platform matches the details of a restaurant’s repair request with the skillset and credentials of a qualified service technician working nearby, who can come when the restaurant needs them. Similar to Uber, SendaGuy Now provides value to both parties as it identifies technicians working in dense urban areas, like Manhattan, who have idle capacity and pairs them with restaurants geographically nearby that need their specific services. The company says it’s a win-win for all.
“SendaGuy Now is a Godsend for small restaurants looking to find quality repair services fast,” said the owner of ChikaLicious Dessert Bar, an innovative East Village eatery, and a SendaGuy Now client.
The SendaGuy Now app is available for download at the Apple App Store and Google Play App Store.
Olo Dispatch is Nationwide
Olo’s Dispatch service that enables restaurant operators to offer delivery at scale, is now operating nationwide across most major metro areas as well as smaller suburban and rural markets.
Dispatch solves the challenges of hyperlocal and fragmented on-demand delivery by creating a national network of Delivery Service Providers (DSPs), such as Postmates, UberRUSH, DeliverLogic, and Favor, among many other local, regional, and national players. The service expands the restaurant brand’s existing digital ordering program to offer delivery service to more consumers regardless of location. Dispatch integrates with today’s growing number of DSPs to provide a comprehensive delivery network and real-time pricing for food delivery. The result is improved coordination, control, scale, and transparency for restaurant operators, delivery couriers, and consumers.
Multi-location brands such as Which Wich, Noodles & Company, Taylor Gourmet, LYFE Kitchen, Planet Sub, Fields Good Chicken, Busboys and Poets, and VERTS Mediterranean Grill are all in various stages of rolling out Dispatch.
“Today’s consumer is demanding fast and transparent food delivery, but scaling restaurant delivery is challenging for large restaurant brands,” said Noah Glass, Founder & CEO of Olo. “Dispatch’s technology tackles these challenges head-on by integrating a vast network of delivery providers to better coordinate and synchronize food orders from point A to point B. The outcome for restaurants, couriers, and consumers is a heightened level of control, integration, and scale that up until now did not exist.”
“Postmates operates the largest on-demand delivery platform in the U.S. with a fleet of over 30,000 Postmates in 40 markets and completes more than one million food deliveries per month,” said Bastian Lehmann, co-founder & CEO, Postmates. “The integration with Olo’s Dispatch and Postmates just makes sense, as both companies have a strong vision of the future. Olo is re-imagining digital ordering platforms for restaurants, just like how Postmates redefined what is possible for on-demand deliveries.”
Launched in late 2015, Dispatch is now live in 60 major metro areas, covering 50 percent of the U.S. population. It is the only fully integrated logistics stack in the restaurant space – both to the delivery network and to popular Point of Sale (POS) systems. Olo is actively adding coverage for client locations in suburban and rural markets. The DeliverLogic partnership adds over 790 cities to Dispatch coverage areas. Dispatch accounts for prep times in estimates so couriers pick up orders exactly as they are ready. Average delivery times after order handoff continue to improve and are less than 12 minutes on average today.
“Dispatch was easy to implement and has allowed us to offer delivery to our customers, yet maintain the direct customer relationship through our own online ordering website,” said Jon Hartis, VP of Information Technology at Which Wich. Dispatch delivery order values at Which Wich are double those of digital takeout orders – 16 dollars for digital pickup orders to over 30 dollars for Dispatch orders, excluding fees.
Today, over 30 million consumers actively use Olo’s platform to expedite their restaurant orders to Skip the Line®.
Viewpost Updates Viewpost Express
Viewpost, the secure B2B network for invoicing, payments and real-time cash management added supplier-originated early payment request capabilities with updates to its built-in Viewpost Express® cash management solution that empowers suppliers and buyers to collaborate on early payments and discounts in real time over the Viewpost network. In exchange for a time-adjusted discount, Viewpost Express gives buyers with a cash surplus or access to low-cost capital the ability to offer early payments. Launched in 2015, Viewpost Express has seen a consistent increase in early payment volume with demand stemming from all market segments. Recent updates give suppliers the ability to request early payment from any buyer, inside or outside of the Viewpost network, giving them quick and risk-free access to working capital they can reinvest in their business to promote growth.
“The insight behind our effort to eliminate friction and optimize working capital within B2B transactions comes from more than two decades in the invoicing, payment and credit industries,” said Max Eliscu, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Viewpost. “Lack of visibility into how, when and if they’ll be paid is a primary frustration for business owners on the supply side, compounded by inability to access the cash tied up in their unpaid invoices. Surprisingly, the problem isn’t one sided. Transactional friction and inefficiency handcuff cash-rich buyers, preventing them from paying suppliers on demand to both their benefit. Our dynamic discounting solution democratizes access to working capital for those in need, while creating above-average returns for those with excess.”
For suppliers on the network, this new enhancement makes it easy to request Viewpost Express early payments. A supplier can send new invoices online to buyers at no cost to either party, and then request early payment on those invoices. Buyers are instantly notified of the early payment request, at which time a buyer can accept the request and schedule payment or send payment at the touch of a button from any web-enabled device. If a buyer is not on the Viewpost network, a paper check payment is mailed to the supplier. When the supplier and buyer are both on the network, electronic payment is quickly and securely sent from one bank account to the other.
This quick exchange of working capital between trading partners using Viewpost Express payments is illustrated by Sonny’s BBQ. Paying early through Viewpost, Sonny’s has provided its suppliers financing at rates between 0.07 and 1.87 percent per invoice.
“A restaurant’s success depends upon client satisfaction with every aspect of your business,” Bob Yarmuth, CEO of Sonny’s BBQ. “With over 12,000 suppliers serving more than 113 restaurants across 8 states, Sonny’s BBQ is better able to focus on our quality of food and service by using Viewpost to streamline payables, lower operating costs, and collaborate with our suppliers to provide early payments that bring us yields well into double digits.”
Chowly and Bepoz Team Up
Chowly, a Chicago-based software company, is now taking its services global through a partnership with Bepoz. Chowly is the only holistic integration solution for restaurant aggregators and through this new partnership, they are looking to continue to expand services in the United States as well as branch out overseas, starting with the United Kingdom.
Since 2004, Bepoz POS has been a major restaurant software provider in international markets such as Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Singapore. Bepoz is also growing its market share in the United States, identifying customers who are looking for a different solution and are uninterested in the traditional legacy players.
“Our business started in the United States and we are excited to bring the excellent service of both Bepoz and Chowly to more customers locally,” said Brian Duncan, partner at Chowly. “However, we always knew that restaurant aggregator integration was a global problem. We were simply waiting for the right partner to help take our product to the international marketplace.”
Helping solve a global pain point is something both companies feel very strongly about and this partnership will allow multiple online systems to connect with just one integration.
“Chowly has made it easy for us to get the integration done with minimal resources from our team. They have been very easy to work with,” said Tim Flachman, president of North America Operations for Bepoz. “This partnership has allowed us to add additional revenue streams for our customers and add value to the great features we already have in place.”
Now connected with Bepoz, Chowly plans to begin marketing in other countries by early 2017.
New Products
GOJO, the inventors of PURELL® instant hand sanitizer introduced The PURELL™ Foodservice Surface Sanitizer, which is:
- Formulated for Food Contact Surfaces: No rinse required on food contact surfaces; NSF certified D2 classification
- Rapid Germ Kill Time: Eliminates Norovirus, Salmonellaand E. coli in 30 seconds
- PURELL Peace of Mind: No precautionary statements; no handwashing, gloves or safety glasses required.
- Multi-Surface Performance: Proven across most hard and soft surfaces
- Fragrance –Free – Gives peace of mind for use around patrons with no harsh fumes
“People and businesses want to effectively clean and disinfect their work environments, but with products that are good for them and the planet,” said Steve Ashkin, a leader in the Green Cleaning Movement. “With its science-based approach, GOJO changed the way we think about cleaning our hands, and now is revolutionizing the surface spray category with products that offer powerful germ kill for MRSA, the cold and flu virus and norovirus within 30 seconds, a no rinse food contact surface formula in addition to its Design for the Environment Certification.”
#YelpEatsNYC
GreenBox, creators of the multifunctional, eco-friendly pizza box is partnering with the Yelp Elite community to celebrate over 10,000 images posted to the #YelpEatsNYC hashtag. The event, #YelpEatsNYC Live will bring the most popular photos to life through the display of gallery-style prints at New York City’s Ludlow Studios.
Taking it Personnely
And Go Concepts and Salad and Go, the gourmet salad drive-thru appointed restaurant industry veteran Bobby Shaw as Chief Executive Officer. Shaw will help And Go Concepts and its flagship Salad and Go chain expand on a unique business that is resetting industry standards, and providing Americans with better and healthier meals at legacy drive-thru fast food prices, speed and convenience. Shaw is a fast-casual and drive-thru veteran, who worked his way up the ranks at McDonald’s for 17 years, spent 10 successful years at Chipotle Mexican Grill ascending to Executive Regional Director for the South Region and later became President & Chief Operating Officer of Freebirds World Burrito.
“I am excited to join the And Go Concepts team and look forward to working closely with Salad and Go co-founders Tony and Roushan Christofellis to leverage our growing buying power and market reach to build the brand and expand the footprint of Salad and Go,” said Shaw. “Salad and Go is disrupting the legacy drive-thru fast food industry much the same Amazon did with retail and Southwest did in the airline industry. Salad and Go offers an industry-defying blueprint for profitably delivering fast, healthy, large portion, great tasting drive-thru meals for less than $6. Our mission is to make drive-thru fast food better and healthier and I’m proud to be working with a passionate and entrepreneurial team that is set on challenging industry norms.”
“As we aim to change drive-thru expectations for all Americans, it is critical that we have a strong leadership team with a true innovator at the helm,” said Roushan Christofellis, Co-Founder, Salad and Go. “Bobby Shaw has a proven track record of success and demonstrates the creative spirit and dedication that is necessary for And Go Concepts to meaningfully change the way Americans eat healthy and affordably.”
sweetFrog Enterprises hired Brian Partlow to serve as its Chief Financial Officer. He comes to sweetFrog with an undergraduate degree from William and Mary, an MBA from the Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania) and past roles as the Corporate Controller for TruePath Wireless, the C.F.O. for Zero Point, and the Director of Financial Planning and Analysis for ATK Blackhawk.
sweetFrog CEO Patrick Galleher said Partlow’s impressive track record as a leading financial executive for a wide variety of companies and organizations makes him a perfect fit.
Founded in 2009 and is based in Richmond, VA, sweetFrog has 340 stores including both company-owned, franchise and independently licensed locations either open or under contract in twenty-four states in the U.S, Dominican Republic, United Kingdom and Egypt.