Kiley Fields’ Post

When a friend's startup reaches all 2,000 Target stores nationwide, you know they're onto something special. I couldn't be more proud of my buddy Sushma Dwivedi and the team she serves - Jon Gray, Ghetto Gastro - and their supports at VMG for taking on the $2BN pop tart category dominated by just one player - and winning shelf space at every single Target store. What an achievement! Talk about a masterclass in building a brand for the long term... Emanate Growth #marketinggrowth #growthstrategy #storytelling Josh Scott

Due to the increase in health-conscious consumers, there is a rise in popularity of players like CAVA and sweetgreen, and potential #IPO’s like Just Salad. Legacy players such as Chipotle Mexican Grill are rolling out offerings such as “Lifestyle Bowls” to compete. Sweetgreen & CAVA’s initial strategies focused on urban locations, but both companies have emphasized suburban markets as cornerstones for growth. With city dwellers moving to suburbs, it could provide a strong consumer base for health focused brands. Increased funding from IPOs could skyrocket suburban expansion, threatening legacy operators such as Yum! Brands, as estimates are expected to be 7% SSS growth in Q2 and remain in the low-to-mid single digits through 2024. Check out the menu of KPIs on MODL<GO> and KPIC<GO> to view Same Store Sales & Unit Growth across competitors within the restaurant space, and DS <GO> to read commentary on suburban expansion on the #BloombergTerminal when YUM reports on 08/02.

Wegmans Food Markets Inc. as one of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2024. The grocer ranked No. 6, way ahead of the other food retailers on this year’s list. #FoodRetailer Great Place To Work selected the list using rigorous analytics and confidential employee feedback from more than 1.3 million U.S. employees. Companies are considered for the list only if they are Great Place To Work Certified organizations with 1,000 or more employees in the United States. #GreatPlacesToWork Other food retailers to make the list include Sheetz Inc., at No. 60; Target, at No. 65; Publix Super Markets, at No. 81; Walmart Inc., at No. 97; and Nugget Market Inc., at No. 99. Wegmans Food Markets #6 Publix Super Markets #65 Walmart #97 Nugget Market, Inc. #99 Gregory Esslinger Larry Finis Ryan Gomes Tara Oliviere Pamela Ford Holly Newberry Shawn Berg Stephen Brown Lauren Handel Darryl Davis Michael J. O'Donnell #nynjfoodguru https://lnkd.in/ez3kp7gz

New week, new headlines! Here's what you missed in the foodservice and hospitality industries this week. #ShermsWeeklyInsider(22). 1.) Papa Johns signs new franchise deal, aiming to open 50 restaurants by 2028 🍕🤝 2.) Marriott Hotels joins the AI movement with a new search tool designed to provide customers with personalized rental options 🔍🏝️ 3.) Starbucks loses $11B due to poor sales and boycotts 📈☕ 4.) Amazon Fresh launches recurring reservations for online shopping, enabling customers to order up to a week in advance 🛒🍎🥦 5.) Brooklyn Dumpling Shop hires new CEO to oversee development, expansions, and menu innovation as the chain rapidly grows into new markets 🥟 6.) Poultry growers face stress and financial hardship from sudden closure of Cooks Venture 🐓 7.) Senate votes to overturn the National Labor Relations Board's job-killing joint-employer rule 👏 8.) The once-hyped #ghostkitchen trend now struggles with its business model 👻🍽 9.) Athletic Brewing Co., one of the hottest beers in America, doesn't have alcohol 🍻❌ 10.) Shake Shack founder invests $20M on indoor golf experience boom ⛳💸 Check out the sources below for the full stories ⬇️⬇️⬇️ and follow for the latest in the business. #tagex #hotelnews #restaurantnews #cstorenews #foodindustrynews #foodservice #hospitality #serviceindustry #owneroperator #grocery #food #beverage

The "Keith Lee" Effect: Operational Excellence for Long Term Success So we have all heard it and seen it and I have one question or you... Are you prepared for your viral moment? Are you expecting your viral moment to just happen and not have anything in place to maximize, make it through, or maintain it? Why are you sinking your ship before you get a chance to sail? I saw an article recently that said Keith Lee would be coming to Memphis, but even if you don't live here, here is how you can MAXIMIZE by having operational excellence in place! Heart, Like, Share Take good notes! #keithlee #operationsalexcellence #customerservice #marketingstrategy #foodindustry #foodie #hospitalityindustry #businessgrowth Want to create live streams like this? Check out StreamYard: https://lnkd.in/e4k7cKxc

Darden Restaurants, the powerhouse behind Olive Garden, The Capital Grille, and LongHorn Steakhouse, is bucking the trend by prioritizing long-term brand building over short-term discounts. CEO Rick Cardenas said in a recent earnings call that they’re shifting away from heavy promotions and couponing, choosing to invest more in brand equity. He explained that they aren’t going to sacrifice long-term gains for short-term wins. And it's paying off! Despite the pandemic's challenges, their sales increased by 11.6% in the last quarter, with same-restaurant sales up by 5%. Building a strong brand is an investment that pays off in the long run. It gives you the flexibility to command higher prices and makes short-term promotions even more effective. Check out the full story here: https://lnkd.in/eRjQsp2z #Strategy #Branding #Marketing 

Buyers - want to make sure that your customers REALLY love the products you bring in? Then get feedback from them before you make your decisions! Maddie's Market and Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania each did this and had great results. Here's what each of them did: Madeleine Yastrow, Owner of Maddie's, requested samples from 80 suppliers on RangeMe (out of 300 who submitted their brads to a sourcing review she hosted). She then called in her best customers to try out these samples along with Madelieine and her team. This customer feedback went a long way toward her decision to put more than a dozen onto the shelves of her grocery store. Shippensburg University Executive Chef Jude Jerome requests samples on RangeMe regularly and then puts them out into the university's campus dining area for them to try. Based on their feedback, he brings in the favorites. Your own customers are a great source of input on potential winning products. Why not get them involved? #retail #foodservice #cpg #food #ecrmrangeme

Just another case of a company who’s corporate team had no idea what was going on…the food and the service for the Suffolk Fridays was freaking horribleeee. Personally I love the Jack Daniel’s stuff at Fridays but the last time I went to the location is Hauppauge the service was meh, the food was worse and the place was completely empty. Fridays has done nothing invoative hell they can’t even maintain consistency across its chains. Companies like this will continue to find it difficult as time continues. Word of mouth spreads faster than ever and there are tons of groups where they complain about bad service and poor quality food. The only way Fridays can turn this around is by increasing the quality of food significantly. Also working with brands like Oreo / Jack Daniel’s / Cheetos to do exclusive food items. Or maybe you just get a creative chef to make things people like and then get some influencers to come taste test? Whatever they do next they should try to do things that work well on the internet. This company is simply gunna fail cause they don’t know how to play in the new world of marketing….ask Popeyes how hard it was to keep those chicken sandwiches on the shelf…ask Stanley about the cups…smh I don’t understand how these big companies have leadership teams that are so out of touch. This is like basic 201 strategy they could have implemented. Unless the goal was to fail? Idk innovate or die? Look at Friendly’s - been around forever but they are dying slowly…that coulda been an iconic Brand! They had no clue what they were doing either….trust me, I know…….#nocomment #foodservice - yes I spent 4 years plus working in food services when I was younger. #marketing201

Ghost Kitchens was a hot investment area during the pandemic, using existing infrastructure to sell more food; this short-term investment opportunity fizzled out, highlighting the importance of building a trustworthy brand. Authentic brands can make all the difference in a world where trust is paramount. Remember, people trust brands they believe in. #GhostKitchens #AuthenticBrands #InvestmentOpportunities #brandlicensing

As a KC Advertising girlie, this QSR Magazine article on barbecue chains' growth strategies is a must-read. It's fascinating how these brands are breaking regional boundaries and achieving national appeal. At Bernstein-Rein Advertising, we help QSR brands navigate market expansion by blending authenticity with strategic innovation. This piece highlights the importance of maintaining a brand’s core identity while resonating with local audiences. For #franchisedevelopment directors and multi-unit franchisees, the takeaway is clear: leverage your unique brand story with data-driven insights and creative strategies that engage consumers across regions. #QSRMarketing #FranchiseDevelopment #BrandExpansion #BernsteinRein #KansasCity #MarketingStrategy