A roundup of interesting bits of news that came across the editor’s desk in the last month, including a bunch of international development deals and more.
development
- Chipotle unveils its plans to test a new bowl-based concept called Farmesa with food hall operator Kitchens United.
- Marco’s Pizza has inked a multi-unit agreement set to bring 10 stores to Northern Virginia over the next three years. The first two stores are slated to open in 2023, with all 10 set to be open and operating by early 2026.
- Subway and GenZ EV Solutions, a provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions, are partnering on what the brands are calling the “EV Charging Oasis of the Future.” These charging stations are to roll out in 2023 across the U.S., with plans for a new Subway Oasis concept.
Image courtesy of Subway and GenZ EV Solutions
international development
- Peets Coffee expands to the Middle East, with a flagship location opening last month in Dubai, UAE, in partnership with Americana Restaurants.
branding
- The Dolly Llama, a waffle and artisanal ice cream shop based out of Los Angeles is set to open their first New York store. To celebrate its debut in the East Village at 137 1st Ave #2 on March 11th, the Dolly Llama’s first 100 guests will receive a free swag bag of The Dolly Llama merch.
- Cracker Barrel Old Country Store celebrated Valentine’s Day with a “Pop the Question” promotion that offered five couples a chance to win free Cracker Barrel for a year. Applicants were to include a publicly viewable video of their proposals on Instagram that used the hashtag #isaidyesatcrackerbarrel
- Earlier this month, Krystal invited guests to vote on their next tagline, polling fans on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Krystal’s head of creative marketing, 2 Chainz, encouraged fans to vote through this Twitter poll.