Personnel Updates

• FoodFirst Global Restaurants Inc. (24) has announced that CEO and Chairman Brad Blum has resigned, but will remain an owner of the company. Steve Layt has been hired as his replacement in the CEO role.

• Paris Baguette USA Inc. (9) has named Pete Bell Chief Marketing Officer. This comes on the heels of Jack Moran being moved to the position of Global CEO.

Mergers & Acquisitions

• Chopt Creative Salad Co. has acquired Dos Toros Taqueria and the two have been combined into a new holding company called Founders Table Restaurant Group.

Industry Insight

• KFC Corporation is bringing improved beyond meat chicken to 70 stores located in Nashville and Charlotte. This move comes after a successful test of the meatless chicken in Atlanta.

• McDonald’s Corporation is attempting to take on the dominance of Chick-fil-A Franchise by introducing its own chicken breakfast sandwiches. The two types currently available are the Chicken McGriddles and the McChicken Biscuit. This move comes after many franchisees have been asking for a new breakfast item.

Real Estate

• Benihana Inc. has opened a new location in Miami, FL.  The location is a new restaurant that is opening at a site that housed a Benihana from years past.

• Dave’s Hot Chicken has opened its third location in Los Angeles, CA. The chain also plans to open 12 more restaurants this year.

• Farmer Boys Food Inc. has opened a new location in Thousand Oaks, CA.

• Zaxby’s Franchising Inc. has announced that its second location in Brooksville, FL is now open.