News Release
Restaurant Chains Enjoy New Profit Opportunities through Supermarkets
Chicago, October 13, 2009 − Many restaurant chains are responding to the decline in patrons by offering their signature food items through supermarkets. So far this year, six additional chains have announced partnership agreements with licensing firms or food manufacturers to develop branded food items for sale in traditional supermarkets and club stores. In all cases, the products will display the restaurant chain's brand and provide an additional opportunity to improve profitability.
Bennigan's, Ruby's Diner, Steak N Shake, Max & Erma's, P.F.Chang and Burger King are among the chains this year to join a long list of well known foodservice brands that have introduced food and other retail items into the supermarket arena.
The J.H. Chapman Group, LLC, the leading food industry investment banking firm, will be conducting a seminar on this subject at the 20th Annual Restaurant Finance and Development Conference held in Las Vegas on November 9-11, 2009. The Conference is sponsored by the Restaurant Finance Monitor and will be held at the Bellagio Hotel.
David L. Epstein, Principal of the Chapman Group will moderate the discussion and will be joined by industry experts Alan Mitzner, President of American Pie, LLC, and John Theuer, Chief Financial Officer of Panda Restaurant Group. American Pie is a licensee of Marie Callendar's Pies and Claim Jumper, both successful restaurant chains. Panda Restaurant Group operates over 1,200 Asian restaurants and has several frozen food, sauce and snack items available in supermarkets.
"Despite the turmoil and economic slowdown in the restaurant industry, many restaurant chains have successfully leveraged their brands into new markets and at the same time, contributed substantial earnings to the bottom line," commented Epstein. "This situation also creates profitable opportunities for food manufacturers and marketers looking for new strategic growth," he added.
For information about the Conference, contact Restaurant Finance Monitor at 800-528-3296 or online at http://www.restfinance.com.
