New Channels News In Brief Doug Rauch, former president of Trader Joe’s and CEO of Conscious Capitalism Inc., will speak about his latest venture, Daily Table, at the Summer Fancy Food Show. Daily Table is a retail venture designed to provide healthy, ready-to-eat meals at fast-food prices, fresh produce and other items to people dealing […]
Tag: restaurant
Posted in, National, Store News, Suppliers
Forecast: Next Decade Will Make Or Break Food Industry Companies
Today’s major retail food and food service brands, along with their suppliers, face increasing challenges in recognizing and responding to ever-more-diverse consumers and their rapidly changing expectations. At the same time, companies must remake their businesses to leverage emerging channels and technology platforms. According to “Food Industry Transformation: The Next Decade,” a report from Technomic, […]
Posted in, Northeast
MRA To Fight For Extension Of Massachusetts Sick Leave Law
The Massachusetts Restaurant Association (MRA) is urging its members to contact legislators and encourage a delay in the implementation—until Jan. 1, 2016—of the mandated sick leave law. In November 2014, voters approved a ballot question that mandates paid sick leave for all employees of employers with 11 or more employees. The law takes effect July […]
Posted in, Northeast
Starbucks Opens First Express Unit In New York City, And More…
Food Service News In Brief Starbucks has opened its first-ever New York City express format store at 14 Wall Street. A compact 538-s.f. location was built to ensure customers have a fast, convenient experience. Upon entry, customers are greeted by a Starbucks employee who is able to take orders with a hand-held device. Mobile point […]
Posted in, Northeast
UNFI G&E Channel To Celebrate Tastes From Around The World At Upcoming ‘Customer Experience’
United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) Gourmet & Ethnic (G&E) Channel’s new “Customer Experience” at this year’s Foxwoods Tabletop Show, to be held May 13-14 at Fox Tower at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, will feature tastes from around the world. Rufus Teague will serve its award-winning barbecue sauces, Maille will create a unique mustard […]
Posted in, Northeast
MRA To Review AG’s Draft Regs On Mandated Sick Leave, And More…
Food Service News In Brief The Massachusetts Restaurant Association (MRA) is reviewing recommendations made by the state Attorney General’s office for implementing the Mandated Sick Leave Law. The next phase is a public comment period, and the AG’s office has scheduled a series of nine listening sessions and public hearings on the draft regulations to […]
Posted in, Northeast
Baltimore Restaurants Respond To Riots With Free Food And Beverage For Peacekeepers
Baltimore, Maryland, restaurants are riding out the riots by offering support in the form of free food and coffee to firefighters, police, Maryland National Guard, paramedics and EMTs as well as calling for solidarity, peace and support through social media hashtags. Bagby Restaurant Group CEO Chris Becker said, “This is too great a city to […]
Posted in, Northeast
Outback Steakhouse Expands Lunch Program Nationwide, And More…
Food Service News In Brief Outback Steakhouse has launched its lunch program into 70 percent of its 988 locations with a selection of combination meals starting at $6.99… The New Hampshire House of Representatives is expected to vote this week to authorize two casinos to be built in New Hampshire. The House Ways and Means […]
Posted in, Northeast
UNFI G&E Channel To Create Food Adventure At Upcoming ‘Customer Experience’
United Natural Foods (UNFI) Gourmet & Ethnic (G&E) Channel’s new “Customer Experience” at this year’s Foxwoods Tabletop Show, to be held May 13-14 at Fox Tower at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, will host an entire ballroom featuring gourmet and ethnic food brands. The Customer Experience will feature vocal artist and 2015 “Dancing With The […]
Posted in, Northeast
The Melting Pot Fuels Expansion In Hartford, Connecticut, With Incentive, And More…
Food Service News In Brief The Melting Pot Restaurants of Tampa, Florida, a fondue restaurant and a casual dining franchise, is accelerating its expansion effort in Hartford, Connecticut, by offering a significant discount on its initial franchise fee. In honor of its 40th anniversary, The Melting Pot will offer new franchisees who sign a franchise […]
Posted in, Northeast
UNFI G&E Channel Reveals Some Highlights Of Upcoming ‘Customer Experience’
United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) Gourmet & Ethnic (G&E) Channel’s new “Customer Experience” at this year’s Foxwoods Tabletop Show, to be held May 13-14 at Fox Tower at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, will feature a number of suppliers and products. Among them: Sylvia’s Restaurant will highlight its line of Southern fry mixes, sauces […]
Posted in, Northeast
NHLRA Warns About Possible Tourism Promotion Cuts, And More…
Food Service News In Brief The New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association (NHLRA) has notified its members that the New Hampshire House of Representatives has chosen to suspend the law that establishes the Division of Travel and Tourism Development (DTTD) budget and cut $3.77 million from DTTD’s tourism development fund. That is roughly a 75 […]
Posted in, Northeast
Quick-Service Workers Protest For $15 Per Hour Hourly Wage, And More…
Food Service News In Brief Quick-service workers protested outside many McDonald locations and other restaurants around the country April 15 as part of an effort by labor groups pushing for a $15 hourly wage. The protests were organized by Fight for $15, a group backed by the Service Employees International Union pushing for the $15 […]
Posted in, Northeast
R.I. Groups Working On Valentine’s ‘Do Over,’ And More…
Food Service News In Brief The Rhode Island Hospitality Association is working with the Providence-Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau on a marketing program to promote a “Do Over Day” for Valentine’s Day for Saturday, April 18. Snowstorms and cold weather dampened the weekend’s usual strong sales for restaurants and hospitality companies in the region. […]
Posted in, Northeast
McDonald’s Pledges To Raise Minimum Wage Pay, And More…
Food Service News In Brief McDonald’s announced that it will raise wages at the roughly 1,500 restaurants it owns in the U.S. beginning July 1. The new policy, which guarantees that the company will pay at least $1 an hour more than the local minimum wage, only applies to company-owned locations, not franchises. The pay […]
Posted in, Northeast
New England Ice Cream CEO Remarks On Bliss Dairy Buy
New England Ice Cream CEO Bruce Ginsberg tells The Griffin Report he is pleased with the the recent purchase of Bliss Bros. Dairy, which he reveals will enhance his Taunton, Massachusetts, company’s distribution of ice cream products. “We are very excited with regard to the Bliss Dairy acquisition,” he says. “The transaction was perfect for the […]
Posted in, Northeast
Dunkin’ Donuts Commits To Cage-Free Eggs And Crate-Free Pork, And More…
Food Service News In Brief… Dunkin’ Donuts of Canton, Massachusetts, announced this week that it will map its international supply chain to understand the feasibility of transitioning to 100 percent cage-free eggs globally, and establish a global target with interim deliverables toward this goal. As an immediate step, 10 percent of all eggs sourced for […]
Posted in, Northeast
New England Ice Cream Purchases Bliss Bros. Dairy
New England Ice Cream Co. of Taunton, Massachusetts, has purchased Bliss Bros. Dairy of Attleboro, Massachusetts. Bliss Bros. has been a family-owned company since 1929, although the family has owned a dairy farm dating back to the 1600s. Bliss Bros. owns its own restaurant in addition to distributing ice cream to about 400 other restaurants. […]
Posted in, Northeast
Northeast James Beard Foundation Awards Announced
Nominees for the 2015 James Beard Foundation Awards were announced earlier this week. The final awards will be announced May 4. Best Chef in the Northeast nominees are: Karen Akunowicz of Myers & Chang of Boston; Barry Maiden of Hungry Mother of Cambridge and Cassie Piuma of Sarma of Somerville, Massachusetts; and Masa Miyake of Miyake […]
Posted in, Northeast
MRA, Harpoon Brewery Fighting Hunger, And More…
Food Service News In Brief… The Massachusetts Restaurant Association (MRA) and Harpoon Brewery have rescheduled their fundraising event to end childhood hunger. It will be held March 30 from 7-10 p.m. at the Harpoon Brewery in Boston… Dunkin’ Brands Group Inc., the parent company of Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, promoted Jack Clare to chief information […]