Global Foodservice News
Pentair Acquires Beverage Equipment Firm Ken’s Beverage Inc. for $80m
Headquartered in Montgomery, Illinois, KBI has provided beverage equipment such as fountain dispensers, brewers, and water filters to commercial customers for over 35 years. The company also specializes in equipment services such as installation and preventive maintenance. KBI has over 30 branches and over 300 trained technicians across the US, with offices located in Michigan,…
Read MoreFamous Dave’s Parent Won’t Revive Newly Acquired Buffet Chains
BBQ Holdings bought a handful of buffet brands this week, but what it really wanted was steak. The parent of Famous Dave’s on Tuesday won a bankruptcy auction for Fresh Acquisitions which owns the five-unit Tahoe Joe’s steakhouse chain as well as the intellectual property for several defunct buffet chains, including Old Country Buffet, HomeTown…
Read MoreRestaurants Have Faced Supply Chain Shortages for More than a Year
US restaurants are in the midst of an ingredient shortage. Seventy-five percent of restaurants were forced to change menu items due to supply chain issues, according to a recent National Restaurant Association survey. The association polled 4,000 US restaurants between Sept. 7 and Sept. 15. David Nayfeld, the chef and owner of Che Fico in San Francisco,…
Read MoreFriendly’s Triggers Turnaround with Constant Innovation
Around this time last year, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed Friendly’s to the edge. After losing money and repeatedly borrowing under its credit facilities, the 86-year-old concept declared bankruptcy in November despite efforts to reduce cash burn and restore profitability. For $2 million, the roughly 130-unit chain was placed into the hands of Amici Partners Group,…
Read MoreHow Cinnabon is Expanding From the Food Court to the Front Porch
Focus Brands-owned Cinnabon doesn’t want to just be known as the snack you grab at the mall food court: they want you to pick up an order of cinnamon buns from your doorstep or down the street from a food truck. During the pandemic, Cinnabon has been working on spreading its wings, from introducing the…
Read MoreFifty/50 Group to Debut Restaurant at Chicago’s Willis Tower
EQ Office announced that Chicago’s Fifty/50 Group will debut the first full-service restaurant at Willis Tower. Kindling, a char-house-style culinary experience, will offer an urban oasis and convivial atmosphere in the heart of Downtown Chicago. Slated for 2022, Fifty/50 Group’s latest concept will occupy a two-story space and outdoor terrace at the corner of Franklin…
Read MoreDeep-Dish Pizza Chain Lou Malnati’s Has a New Investor.
BDT Capital Partners, the Chicago investment firm that acquired a stake in the iconic pizza chain five years ago as it was beginning to expand out of state, sold its shares to Meritage Group for an undisclosed sum. Marc Malnati, who remains active in the pizza chain his father started 50 years ago, said he…
Read MoreMcDonald’s Targets Net Zero Emissions by 2050, From Meat to Energy
McDonald’s Corp. set a new target to cut global greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050, from the beef in its burgers to the light bulbs in its restaurants. The burger chain also said it was working with the nonprofit Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to revamp its existing climate change targets. It aims to…
Read MoreRobots Now Deliver Food, Bus Tables at Sawatdee
The Thai restaurant is using robots to run between the dining room and kitchen at its locations in Minneapolis and Maple Grove. Sawatdee, the Upper Midwest’s first Thai restaurant that’s now in its second generation of family ownership, now appears to be the first restaurant in Minnesota to put robots in the dining room. And…
Read MoreHow Marco’s Pizza is Preparing Itself for Growth with Technology and Innovation
Marco’s Pizza is trying to be the fourth-largest pizza chain and, after a year like 2020, the quick-service restaurant is on the right path. “We’re surging ahead and looking to double operations in the next few years,” said Steve Seyferth, chief experience officer for Marco’s Pizza. Last year, the quick-service pizza chain saw same-store sales…
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