Auntie Anne's’ Post

Bravo to TCE client, Twisted by Wetzel's Pretzels, LLC, who recognized that shifting consumer habits, particularly among Gen Z and millennials, have sparked a seismic change in the snack food landscape. With a growing preference for smaller, more frequent eating occasions, snacks are now vying for a larger slice of the consumer pie - and Twisted by Wetzel's is there to eat it up. Having launched their third street side location, the brand is proving that this category doesn't just belong in the mall. #design #foodandbeverage #innovation #futureoffood #foodinnovation #foodindustry #designthinking #tastemaker #culinary #foodleadership #productevolution #culinaryinnovation #menuevolution #snackcategory

In a recently released white paper, the company emphasized Foxtrot's steady growth, its recent merger with Dom's Kitchen & Market and its focus on local brands as reasons the chain was poised for further success over the next year.  Placer.ai also pointed to a more unusual customer base that may have been underserved by other c-stores retailers to account for some of Foxtrot's success.  "The chain … offers an upscale convenience store experience and is particularly known for … its excellent wine curation and dining options," the paper stated. "Visitors to the chain were significantly more likely to fall into AGS: Behavior & Attitudes dataset's 'Wine Drinker' or 'Nutritionally Aware' segments than visitors to nearby convenience stores." Foxtrot often plays up its more refined offerings, such as providing $5 pours of its in-house wines to visitors at store openings, alongside the usual giveaways of swag and branded products. The retailer's store footprints can include not only the typical selection of packaged and prepared foods expected at a convenience store, but indoor and outdoor seating, as well as on-demand delivery. The chain also continues to make good use of the $100 million in Series C funding it raised in 2022, keeping pace with its growth plans to open 50 stores by the end of 2024. Its most recent location in Washington, D.C., expanded its regional footprint to 10 stores and marked its 33rd store overall.

Why Invest in Sally’s A’pizza? 1. Iconic Brand with a Storied History: Sally’s Apizza is not just another pizza chain; it’s a legend in the pizza world. Founded in 1938 in New Haven, Connecticut, Sally’s has become a household name among pizza lovers, including celebrities and cultural icons like Frank Sinatra and Gwyneth Paltrow. With nearly a century of brand equity, Sally’s has cultivated a loyal following that provides a strong foundation for growth. 2. Proven Financial Performance: Sally’s has demonstrated exceptional growth in recent years, with Average Unit Volumes (AUVs) of $3.85 million in 2023, more than triple the industry average for pizza restaurants. This strong performance is indicative of its scalability and potential for significant returns as it expands nationally. 3. Massive Market Opportunity: The U.S. pizza market is valued at $60 billion, and Sally’s Apizza is positioned to disrupt the craft-casual dining space. While other chains compete on price and speed, Sally’s combines premium-quality pizza, elevated interiors, and experiential dining—filling a niche that few others can match. With plans to expand across the Northeast and into key U.S. markets like New York and Florida, Sally’s is poised to capitalize on this growing sector. 4. Strategic Expansion and Growth Potential: Sally’s isn’t just about one or two locations. With the funds from this IPO, the company is aiming to expand to over 1,000 locations nationwide. The brand has already secured key real estate partnerships and prime locations with major developers like Brookfield Properties and Invesco, ensuring its growth plan is both ambitious and achievable. 5. Experienced Leadership and Strategic Partnerships: The team behind Sally’s includes industry veterans from leading brands like Shake Shack and Buffalo Wild Wings. Additionally, the company has partnered with top-tier engineering firms to streamline its operations, ensuring that each new location maintains the same high quality and customer experience that made Sally’s famous. 6. Cultural and Media Appeal: Sally’s has a strong presence in both the pizza community and mainstream culture, with media coverage from outlets like The Wall Street Journal, ABC, NBC, and a top-ranking review from Dave Portnoy’s Barstool Sports Pizza Reviews. This level of visibility, combined with its heritage, ensures that Sally’s continues to attract both loyal customers and curious new diners. Why Now? The timing of the IPO is key. With the momentum of its recent expansion and the increasing popularity of craft-casual dining, Sally’s is positioned to rapidly scale in untapped markets. By investing in Sally’s now, you’re getting in at the ground floor of a proven concept ready for national expansion—a rare opportunity in the food industry.

Target's Latest Rollout Puts Cost-Conscious Consumers First #PGGaskets #refrigerationgaskets #commercialkitchensolutions #foodserviceequipment #kitchenmaintenance #restaurantrepair #grocerystoremaintenance #onsitewelding #cuttingboardresurfacing #restaurant #houstontexas

We've all likely experienced our favorite food or beverage items "evolving" over the years. Rather it be different packaging, different ingredients which lead to different tastes, or even the item being discontinued. With so many big corporate takeovers of smaller brands and their endless quest to drive profits, this is all too commonplace in the #foodandbeverage space. Here's a feel-good story about someone who liked a brand so much, he decided to buy it and bring it back to life, and has seen success in doing so. #snacks #cpg #candy #confectionery #3pls #logistics #warehousing

Finally wrapped up our brand strategy project for SLAY Coffee at IIDE - The Digital School with my fellow teammates Ayush Baghel, Shreya Jain and Harshita Chawla. We kick-started by digging deep into understanding consumer pain points and identified the "afternoon slump" as a key insight. This led us to craft a powerful revamp strategy with the tagline: "Be Bold with the Xtra Kick." Our approach: 1. Awareness : Inspired by Red Bull, we’re making a bold comeback announcement to ensure everyone knows Slay Coffee is back, stronger and better. 2. Preference/Consideration : Using Burger King's engaging tactics, we’re showing why Slay Coffee is the top choice through compelling visuals and enticing offers. 3. Retention : Following IKEA’s model, we're demonstrating how Slay Coffee enhances daily life, using relatable before-and-after scenarios to keep our customers hooked. Following the 5 golden rules, we crafted a consumer-centric strategy, reinforcing Slay Coffee's unique value proposition - the "Domino's Pizza business model, but for coffee." This model ensures swift, reliable, and delightful coffee experiences every time. A huge thank you to our incredible trainer, Mithun Mukherjee, whose invaluable insights and guidance were instrumental in bringing this strategy to life. Your expertise and encouragement pushed us to deliver our best work yet! Here's to a revitalized "Slay Coffee" brand and a bright future ahead! ☕️✨ #BrandStrategy #SlayCoffee #DigitalMarketing

Calling all convenience stores, c-stores, corner stores, mini-marts, mom and pops, neighborhood markets, bodegas, mini-marts, trading posts and truck stops! 😀📢 You now have streamlined access to the most exciting emerging brands on the market, including Bon Bee™ Honey Bars, through McLane Company, Inc.'s Emerging Brand Marketplace powered by Mable! Give your shoppers something to get excited about... something that... **TASTES OUT OF THIS WORLD** made by a... **Small Veteran-Owned, Woman-Owned Family Business** with only... **All-Natural, Simple Ingredients** that are... **Gluten Free, Grain Free, Soy Free** Introducing Bon Bee Gourmet Honey Bars on McLane Marketplace! How it works 😎 Visit McLane Marketplace and shop specially curated emerging brands such as Bon Bee that will boost your assortment and excite your customers (link in comments). 🍫 Try before you buy! Request samples in advance from the McLane Marketplace. 😋 Or skip the sample and order up! You can't go wrong with Bon Bee! (UINs: 713517, 798337, 713527, 798327) 💲Order minimums are low allowing you to test quickly and affordably reducing any risk in trying something new. 🚚 Orders are drop shipped directly to your store from Bon Bee arriving in 3-5 business days. 🛒 Love Bon Bee and want to order more? No problem! Simply add Bon Bee Gourmet Honey Bars to your order guide with the push of a button. Then when it's time to restock, simply order Bon Bee with your other McLane items using your Smart Handheld or EDI. Payments are processed in the same manner as your other McLane orders. 🏃♂️🏃♀️ Don't get left behind... we've already processed over 500 orders in a few short months and landed planogram placement in multiple chains. Any questions? Be sure to reach out to your McLane Rep. Brands interested in joining? Check out the email in the comments. Coming to #McLaneEngage2024? Find us in the Emerging Brands section and meet the folks behind the brand featured on Shark Tank ABC! Easy Peasy *Honey* Squeezy... 🍯 #veteranowned #womanowned #familybusiness #emergingbrand #mclane #mable #dropshipping #cpg #conveniencestore #cstore #sharktankproduct

Have you heard of the brand Grillo's Pickles? 🥒 They are a Boston-based pickle company founded in 2008 whose pickles are made from a 100-year-old family recipe. In April of this year, Grillo’s announced their plans to roll out new packaging that includes a twist top lid to help stop leaks and spillage—the most common complaint with the previous packaging. With Grillo’s original packaging, consumers had to break off a plastic tab before opening the lid, leading to frequent spills and issues the brand was well aware of. 🥒 In the announcement post, Grillo’s stated: "We know you all love the signature 💦 when opening up one of our jars, but soon that will be a thing of the past. After years of hearing you out, we are finally going to have a TWIST TOP lid that will be easier to open and close with no spills or leaks." Read more on the new Grillo’s packaging along with consumer stories of the old packaging here: https://bit.ly/3UWalQm #pickles #foodpackaging #packagingdesign #packaginginnovation

Foxtrot Market Chicago, where the first Foxtrot Market opened in 2014. Stocked with coffee, prepared specialty foods, and beverages, its locations have become hangouts for locals on laptops. It’s become so popular — and successful — that Foxtrot has expanded to Dallas, Austin, and Washington D.C., and it recently acquired a small fresh food-focused Chicago chain called Dom’s Kitchen & Market shopping experience Convenience-Style Grocery Stores Here’s Why Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s Are Opening Convenience-Style Grocery Stores-- already happened in Chicago, where the first Foxtrot Market opened in 2014. Stocked with coffee, prepared specialty foods, and beverages, its locations have become hangouts for locals on laptops. It’s become so popular — and successful — that Foxtrot has expanded to Dallas, Austin, and Washington D.C., and it recently acquired a small fresh food-focused Chicago chain called Dom’s Kitchen & Market :  Trader Joe’s has started to test out a new concept: It recently opened Trader Joe’s Pronto — a 2,800-square-foot grab-and-go store that offers affordable ready-to-eat options such as sandwiches, salads, and snacks-- Whole Foods closer to existing customers, while extending the company’s reach to others in surrounding neighborhoods” Whole Foods Market Daily Shop : stores can tailor their merchandise to neighborhood demographics : small spaces encourage community engagement by including espresso bars, providing indoor and outdoor seating, and hosting events : smaller shops mean more customers per square foot, a key factor in big cities where rents can be astonishingly high

"This hybrid model makes great sense and I expect to see a lot more of it," says Mark Ryski, Author, CEO & Founder of HeadCount Corporation. "Going far beyond private brands, this hybrid model offers retailers more opportunities to differentiate their offering. It’s also more flexible, and enables retailers to create time-limited and themed offerings that tap into holidays and events, like the Super Bowl for example. While this model may work in a variety of markets, it seems ideally suited to urban neighborhoods where a concentration of consumers looking for prepared foods is likely higher. But while there appears to be plenty of good reasons to adopt a hybrid model, it does require different labor skills, equipment and displays to facilitate, which need to be considered." Check out more insights from one of the retail industry’s leading experts - https://buff.ly/3qRfPx2. More great comments on this topic by RetailWire's BrainTrust experts including: Neil Saunders, DeAnn Campbell, Jeff Sward, Nikki Baird, David Spear, Mark Self, Gary Sankary, Peter Charness, Ken Morris, Brandon Rael, Cathy Hotka, Dave Wendland, Brian Cluster, Richard George, Joan Treistman, Patricia Vekich Waldron, Jeff Hall, Kenneth Leung, Scott Jennings, John Karolefski, Michael Zakkour, • Shep Hyken, and Kai Clarke - (L.I.O.N).