THE CHAIN - DataSsential
Transcription
THE CHAIN - DataSsential
OCTOBER 2015 FoodBytes THE CHAIN GAME DATASSENTIAL SEEKS OUT THE EXPANDING LOCAL AND REGIONAL CHAINS THAT COULD BREAK OUT AND BECOME THE NEXT BIG THING A TOPICAL TREND REPORT FROM TRENDSPOTTING CHAINS ACROSS THE U.S. OCTOBER 2015 FoodBytes Los Angeles-based Lemonade is a 15-unit chain that describes itself as a modern marketplace serving California’s best, seasonal bounty. The chain has recently expanded into the Bay Area, moving into former La Boulange stores. KEEP AN EYE ON THESE BOOMING AND EXPANDING RESTAURANT CHAINS At Datassential, one of our most frequently asked questions is, “What’s next?” What might become the next sriracha? Or what upand-coming chain might become the next McDonald’s or Chipotle? To keep you updated on the latest trends, this issue of FoodBytes takes you around the country to showcase emerging chains with concepts that really resonate with customers. These are the businesses that succeeded in their home city and are now opening locations in neighboring states and strategizing on how to further expand their company footprint. At Ohio-based emerging chain Piada Italian Street Food, it’s all about introducing consumers to Italian street food in a tried-and-true fast-casual setting. QSR Magazine called Piada a chain “to watch” and likened the concept to Chipotle – customers start with a format (a piada Italian flatbread, pasta bowl, or salad) and move down a line to add toppings, sauces, and proteins. Similar to a burrito or pita, the company’s namesake piada starts with a thin-crust dough that is then filled with various ingredients (even pasta) and handrolled. The company-owned chain has expanded into Indiana and Michigan, and founder and CEO Chris Doody told QSR the brand was designed to go national: “We are penetrating markets strategically, but five years from now Piada could be a national brand with more than 100 locations.” For some companies, expansion goals have to balance with a mission to still stay true to its hometown roots. When Pittsburgh, PA sandwich chain Primanti Bros. was acquired by a private-equity firm, some fans were worried the historic Pittsburgh chain would stray too far from its roots. So while a coast-to-coast expansion is not currently planned, CEO David Head told TribLive that the brand would expand into neighboring markets such as Western Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia. Similarly, Lincoln, NE-based Runza (whose namesake product is a European sandwich pocket filled with cabbage and meats), continues to expand throughout its home region, choosing to remain close to its Midwestern roots. Dig into this issue now to find out more about emerging chains that could break out into the “next big thing.” And discover the operators who have stayed close to their home locations while also gaining national recognition for craveable foods like the “animal style” burgers from the West Coast’s In-N-Out Burger. To pinpoint the country’s hottest chains, we leveraged Datassential’s Firefly tool, a comprehensive database covering every foodservice location in the country, including more than 8,500 distinct chains. With Firefly, users can make sense of massive markets like New York (more than 12,000 chain units) and Los Angeles (15,000) to find the next regional chain looking to expand across the country, or dive deep into smaller suburban areas or towns to find the perfect target for customers and prospects. For even more chain coverage and more info on Firefly, contact Datassential at 312-219-6435. 2 datassential.com | 312-219-6435 TRENDSPOTTING CHAINS IN THE EAST OCTOBER 2015 FoodBytes Many restaurant chains are born on the East Coast, and with large markets such as New York and Washington, D.C., the East Coast is also one of the first markets many international chains choose to expand to when entering the U.S. for the first time. Nando’s, a flame-grilled chicken chain from South Africa, opened nearly 20 locations in the D.C. metro area before expanding to Chicago earlier this year. The East Coast is also the birthplace of many chains that have garnered national attention, such as Shake Shack (individual stores have been valued at $40 million each), and Wawa, the Pennsylvania convenience store chain with more than 500 locations. B.GOOD XI’AN FAMOUS FOODS B.good, a Boston-based fast-casual concept, was founded by two best friends, Jon Olinto and Anthony Ackil, who realized that, though they loved fast food, they didn’t like the way they felt after eating it. At B.good it’s all about making “real food” such as kale and quinoa bowls, seasonal salads, and smoothies. While B.good started as a burgers-and-fries chain, last year the company decided to shift its menu to include healthier fare to differentiate itself in an already saturated burger market. According to Boston Business Journal, the company hopes to add 10 to 15 new locations this year. Xi’an Famous Foods began as a food stall in Flushing, NY and now has 10 New York City locations. The restaurant features the cuisine of Xi’an, a city in northwestern China. Menu items include lamb and pork “burgers” sandwiched between flatbread, and a variety of hand-pulled noodle options. According to the Wall Street Journal, the company is not looking to franchise, but wants to expand outside of New York, eventually to the West Coast. BOSTON, MA NEW YORK, NY SWEETGREEN WASHINGTON, D.C. Sweetgreen is a Washington, D.C.-based chain first opened in 2007 by three Georgetown University friends. The menu focuses on sustainable, healthy foods, with a “create-yourown” model that has been compared to Chipotle. Customers can choose from seasonal offerings such as a curry cauliflower and quinoa bowl, or make-your-own bowl options. Sweetgreen’s current locations are mostly found on the East Coast, but the chain has recently expanded to the Los Angeles area. 3 datassential.com | 312-219-6435 TRENDSPOTTING CHAINS IN THE WEST OCTOBER 2015 FoodBytes Chains have an extensive presence on the West Coast – in fact, according to Datassential’s Firefly tool, Los Angeles has the largest number of chain restaurants of any metro area in the country. You’ll find more than 15,000 chain locations in Los Angeles, including homegrown companies such as Mexican taco chain Loteria Grill; and 800 Degrees, a fast-fired pizza concept from the group behind Umami Burger. There are also a number of larger chains with national recognition whose locations are still concentrated mainly where they started, such as California’s Jack in Box, with 70% of its 2,000-plus locations in the West, and In-N-Out Burger, with 91% of its locations in the West. (Ask about Datassential’s BrandFingerprints for insights on top chains like In-N-Out and Jack in the Box.) THE ROCK, WOOD FIRED KITCHEN | PUYALLUP, WA The Rock, Wood Fired Kitchen is a Tacoma-area headquartered casual dining concept focused on wood-fired pizza. The Rock’s menu is fully rock music-themed, with pizzas like the Bad to the Bone, a white sauce pizza with pepperoni, peppered bacon, ham, and peppercorn ranch dressing; or Stairway to Heaven, a garlic butter-brushed dough topped with arugula, tomatoes, and prosciutto. After opening in 1995, the company has grown to more than 20 locations in five states throughout the Pacific Northwest. The Rock plans to develop 40 stores before 2020. THE COUNTER CUSTOM BUILT BURGERS | CULVER CITY, CA There’s plenty of growth in store for California-based The Counter Custom Built Burgers. The fullservice, build-your-own burger concept opened in 2003, and now has more than 40 locations. A large list of ingredients capitalizes on the customization trend, allowing customers to make burgers, salads, or grilled cheese sandwiches, in more than a million different ways. The company’s fast-casual version, Built, opened in 2013, and both concepts are expanding. The Counter will add international units in Russia and Japan, while domestic expansion is also underway for Built. THE KEBAB SHOP | SAN DIEGO, CA The Kebab Shop specializes in doner kebabs, a Turkish creation of spit-grilled meat wrapped in flatbread. Doner kebabs have become an extremely popular street food in Europe and Germany, and a few U.S. fast-casual brands have adopted the doner, including The Kebab Shop, which has eight California locations. Customers choose a style – doner kebab (wrapped in flatbread), shawarma (sandwich-style), or doner box (with fries or rice) – and then choose from a variety of fillings. The company recently expanded its headquarters to Poway, CA, making way for further growth. UMAMI BURGER | LOS ANGELES, CA After reading about the flavor profile of umami, CEO Adam Fleischman (a fan of In-N-Out burgers) decided to open an umami-centric burger chain. The concept is centered on this “fifth taste,” with its namesake Umami Burger including shiitake, parmesan, and Umami house ketchup. There are now more than 20 Umami Burgers, and though most are in California, the chain opened its first Chicago location in 2014 and will add a second in 2016. This may only be the very beginning of a massive expansion: In 2013, Fleischman told the LA Times he aimed to open 150 locations worldwide by 2018. CREAM | MILLBRAE, CA It’s all about ice cream sandwiches at California-based CREAM, which opened in 2010. There are now more than 20 locations in California and Nevada, with many more on the way – Chief Operating Officer Jim Ryan told QSR Magazine in April that 30 to 40 more units would open in 2015, with the possibility of having as many as 150 stores open by the end of 2016. CREAM, which stands for Cookies Rule Everything Around Me, offers about 10 different varieties of cookies, plus 20 flavors of ice cream and 15 toppings, giving customers an endless amount of combinations. 4 datassential.com | 312-219-6435 TRENDSPOTTING CHAINS IN THE MIDWEST OCTOBER 2015 FoodBytes The Midwest is home to a variety of chains, and many of those specialize in offering the hearty, “meat and potatoes”-type of fare the region is known for. According to Datassential’s Firefly, most Midwestern operators focus on American, sandwich/deli, or pizza menus. Chains like Wendy’s and Domino’s Pizza were both founded in the Midwest, and even larger chains that have expanded outside of the area remain well-known for their Midwestern roots. Among companies that expanded from the Midwest include 300-plus unit, Chicago sandwich shop Potbelly’s, and Culver’s, a Wisconsin chain known for frozen custard and ButterBurgers. RUSTY BUCKET PORTILLO’S COLUMBUS, OH OAK BROOK, IL Rusty Bucket was named one of Nation’s Restaurant News’ Breakout Brands of 2014, and currently has a plan to open 50 more locations over the next five years. The 19-unit upscale-casual has a friendly sports bar vibe catering to both families and sports fans. FSR Magazine named Rusty Bucket one of the country’s top fastest-growing chains (based on increased sales from 2013-2014), and the company plans to expand to a new market every year. Portillo’s is very much a homegrown name in the Chicago area, having opened initially as a hot dog stand in 1963. The chain is known for its Chicago-style food, namely its Chicago-style hotdogs and Italian beef sandwiches. Other signature dishes include the chopped salad with chopped romaine and iceberg lettuce, chicken, pasta, and bacon, with house vinaigrette; and its chocolate cake shake made with a full slice of chocolate cake. Most of the chain’s units are located in Illinois, with the exception of two locations in California and two in Arizona. Portillo’s will open its first Florida location in 2016 and plans to expand to Wisconsin. TOM + CHEE CINCINNATI, OH Tom + Chee, so named after its two main products, tomato soup and grilled cheese, is a rapidly-expanding chain with 30 units and counting. Tom + Chee offers more than 25 different sandwiches, along with salads and tomato soups, all using house-made ingredients. In addition to “fancy” grilled cheese varieties such as the Armagoetta, made with Cincinnati specialty goetta (a meat and grain sausage), Tom + Chee also offers grilled cheese donuts, like the Blueberry Blue with mascarpone and blue cheese. The franchise is continuing to expand after appearing on ABC’s “Shark Tank” – after the show aired, the business received more than 20,000 franchising inquiries. 5 datassential.com | 312-219-6435 TRENDSPOTTING CHAINS IN THE SOUTH OCTOBER 2015 FoodBytes The Southern U.S. is also home to a vast number of homegrown chains whose locations are mostly found in the South. Bojangles’ Famous Chicken ‘n Biscuits has more than 600 locations, but 99% of locations are in the Southern U.S. Other chains like Zaxby’s, a Georgia-based chicken chain, slider concept Krystal, Texas’ Whataburger, and iconic breakfast chain Waffle House, are just some examples of larger Southern chains that are found mostly in the South. You’ll find many of these on various “Chains that should go national” lists from publications like Zagat and USA Today. EEGEE’S | TUCSON, AZ Eegee’s started in a used vending truck in 1971 and has now grown to a 23-unit restaurant chain based in Tucson, AZ. The original lemon eegee frozen fruit drink is still available, along with sandwiches, fries, and salads. In August, the chain released an on-trend Flamin’ Hot Chicken Sub, made with buffalo ranch, jalapeno cream cheese, and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. The sandwich followed up on an April Fools Day prank where the chain teased customers with a Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Eegee. The company expanded outside of Tucson in 2009 and has plans to grow in Phoenix and El Paso, TX. VERTS KEBAP | AUSTIN, TX Verts Kebap is a doner kebap (also spelled kebab) concept headquartered in Austin, TX that was recently named a “Hot Concept” by Nation’s Restaurant News. Founders Michael Heyne and Dominik Stein brought the idea with them from their native Germany, where the doner kebap is a staple street food. At Verts, rotisserie beef and lamb, chicken, and falafel are available served in a tortilla, on lettuce, or on its signature kebap bread. There are currently 24 units in Texas, with six more locations already in the works. R TACO | DALLAS, TX Up until September, R Taco was called Rusty Taco, but in a plan to broaden its appeal and gear up for expansion, Rusty Taco was shortened to just R Taco. R Taco offers 13 varieties of handmade tacos, such as the namesake Rusty Taco with achiote pork, pineapple, onion, and cilantro; as well as several kinds of breakfast tacos and sides like guacamole. The Dallas-based fast casual made news in August 2014 when it drew majority investment from Buffalo Wild Wings. There are currently 10 units, and under the expertise of Buffalo Wild Wings, the brand hopes to continue expanding. CHICKEN SALAD CHICK | AUBURN, AL Chicken Salad Chick started as a booming business in Stacy Brown’s kitchen. Brown had spent years crafting a recipe for the perfect chicken salad, but once business took off, Brown hit a slight road block – the health department shut down the operation, citing food sales regulations. That only fueled Brown to go all-in with a full-fledged business, and now, Chicken Salad Chick has expanded to locations in six states. The franchised brand offers 15 varieties of chicken salad, such as Jalapeno Holly with diced jalapenos or Sassy Scotty with ranch, bacon, and cheddar cheese. Chicken Salad Chick started franchising in 2011 and is looking to expand in markets throughout the Southeastern U.S. MARLOW’S TAVERN | ATLANTA, GA With 15 locations in Georgia and 4 more in Florida, Marlow’s Tavern showcases the “Best of the Best” in American tavern fare. The chain’s take on bar food includes traditional dishes such as buffalo wings as well as a shrimp and crab “nacho” plate with rock shrimp, crab, and pepper jack cheese, along with Southern favorites like shrimp and grits with a white cheddar grit cake and roasted tomato beurre blanc. The Atlanta-based concept entered its second Florida market, Tampa, in August, filling a 4,000plus-square feet space with 180 seats. 6 datassential.com | 312-219-6435 TRENDSPOTTING A FEW MORE GROWING CHAINS Just Salad | New York-based chain that has expanded to Chicago and overseas. Primanti Bros., a sandwich chain based in Pittsburgh, PA. OCTOBER 2015 FoodBytes Cheese Runza, bestseller from Lincoln, NE-based Runza. Cincinnati, OH-based Graeter’s is expanding outside the Tri-State area. Garbanzo Fresh Mediterranean’s president wants to add 10 stores a year outside of its home market of Denver, CO. Columbus, OH’s Piada Italian Street Food is expanding throughout the Midwest. FOR MORE CHAIN COVERAGE See our April issue of Dine Around for more info on New York-based Bareburger, a 25-unit chain with plans to expand to California and Chicago. The “better burger” chain offers a variety of organic and all-natural meats and toppings. n Last November, we checked in on creative ice cream parlor Salt + Straw in Dine Around: Portland. Flavors like candy corn and black olive brittle and goat cheese can also be found at its Los Angeles location. n Local fast-fired pizza chain &pizza was covered in Dine Around: Washington, D.C. The concept has expanded to more than a dozen locations, along with units outside of its original market of D.C. proper, and earlier this year the brand announced it had received a $10 million investment for more growth. n The first location of Snarf’s Sandwiches opened in 1996, and is now called “The Shack” as the sandwich shop has grown to more than 20 locations. Snarf’s is expanding throughout Boulder, Chicago, and Austin. Read more on Snarf’s in Dine Around: Boulder. n We’ve covered many more chains – contact us for more information! 7 datassential.com | 312-219-6435 OCTOBER 2015 FoodBytes TOPICS COVERED IN LAST MONTH’S TRENDSPOTTING REPORTS ON THE MENU DINE AROUND: MILWAUKEE In our September issue of On The Menu we covered tea two ways – rooibos tea as well as tea-smoking meats and vegetables. We also looked at hearty vegetables like kohlrabi and horseradish, and discovered the ways operators are using savory jams and churros. In our coverage of LTOs and new items at top U.S. chains, we explored the beginning of a new season with new fall menus. In this issue of Dine Around, we traveled to Milwaukee, WI, also known as Brew City. Like so many Midwestern cities, Milwaukee is revamping its traditional cuisine with modern techniques and local ingredients from a new generation of farmers and artisans. We looked at how operators are putting a new spin on tried-and-true foods like pretzels, Friday fish fries, German wursts, and much more. UPCOMING: In this month’s issue, we’ll cover everything from absinthe to miso. UPCOMING: Next month, we travel to Cleveland, Ohio. INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS: SPAIN CREATIVE CONCEPTS: COMMUNITY-SUPPORTED RESTAURANTS In International Concepts, we took you to Spain, a country with a very different eating culture than the U.S. While breakfast has been a bright spot in the states, in Spain the biggest meal of the day is lunch. Dinners are a social affair, with restaurants doubling as bars, offering everything from tapas (small bites) and wine or cider to mini-sandwiches known as montaditos. In Creative Concepts, we looked at a new spin on the communitysupported agriculture (CSA) model that has been used to fund full restaurants. We chronicled community-supported restaurants (CSRs) that rely on investments from community members and looked at other community-supported food projects on sites like Kickstarter. UPCOMING: In November, we’re bringing you to Argentina. UPCOMING: Next month we report on fast-casual Asian operators. NEVER MISS OUT ON A TREND! 8 Contact Mike Kostyo at 312-219-6435 to subscribe to Datassential’s entire TrendSpotting Report series. datassential.com | 312-219-6435 STAY IN-THE-KNOW ON THE LATEST TRENDS WITH REPORTS FROM Datassential’s TrendSpotting Reports combine the art of spotting food trends with the science of market research, so you are always up-to-date on the trends that matter to your business, from ideation to marketing to competitive analysis. And, by subscribing to the full TrendSpotting package, you’ll put it all into context by understanding the overall trend landscape, from sauces to spices, carriers to proteins, beverages to desserts. ON THE MENU analyzes flavor and ingredient trends from across the trend cycle, from consumer awareness and interest to menu examples that put trends into context. Plus, we gather and examine important LTOs and new menu items from chains across the country. CREATIVE CONCEPTS makes it easy to understand how hot flavors, ingredients, and concepts fit into overall industry trends. Each month takes you across the country and into the establishments that are defining the industry. INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS, our newest TrendSpotting Report, highlights chain activity around the world – these are the indemand, up-and-coming flavors, concepts, and trends that are often adapted for the U.S. market. DINE AROUND takes you on a TrendSpotting tour of a city or neighborhood, so you are always inthe-know on local food trends and how they fit into the overall food landscape, all combined with Datassential’s industry-leading market research tools, including MenuTrends and Firefly. WORLD BITES brings you authentic dishes and ingredients from around the globe, each one packed with consumer survey data and U.S. menu examples – a must for product ideation, menu development, and marketing. To begin your TrendSpotting subscription, contact Datassential Publications Manager Mike Kostyo at 312-219-6435 or [email protected]. datassential.com : SOMETHING FOR EVERY IDEATION AND MARKETING NEED. A MAJORITY OF CONSUMERS SAY THEIR TASTES ARE SHAPED BY THEIR RESTAURANT EXPERIENCES What’s happening on the menu today can be a leading indicator of tomorrow’s food trends. Datassential MenuTrends is the industry’s largest menu data set with the longest historic trend record, plus the ability to search millions of dishes from over 100,000 menus. Because the database is designed to mirror the US restaurant census by segment, region, and menu type, MenuTrends is the only system that offers true projectable data. All segments and cuisine types are tracked extensively – from food trucks to fine dining. MenuTrends INSIDER is also updated every month with Limited Time Offers (LTOs) and other new menu activity, with product photos that bring the listings to life. And with thousands of ready-to-use reports and simple trend detection tools, you can jump right into the database, identifying, measuring, and predicting the food and flavor trends that matter to your business. Call us today to begin using the food industry’s authoritative resource for flavor trends. Call Jana Mann at 312-655-0595 or email [email protected]. datassential.com | 312-655-0596