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Industry news
What’s cookin’ in the industry?
More like who’s cooking? We’re giving a shoutout to leaders making waves in the restaurant biz. 🌊
SPB Hospitality: mapping out strategic success
SPB Hospitality is making bold moves — cutting inventory time by 50% and saving $7M annually on food costs, just 2 of many achievements that won them CrunchTime's Ops Excellence Award.
Under CEO Josh Kern, the group has scaled to 500+ units across 40 states, driving growth through acquisitions, brand reinventions, and strong leadership.
Ways they’re killing it:
💪 Keeping the core strong — SPB sold off 5 brewery and specialty concepts (Adios Rock Bottom Brewery and Gordon Biersch) to focus on legacy brands like Krystal, Logan’s Roadhouse, and J. Alexander’s.
♨️ Adding Zizzle with hip new brands — Acquired Chef Jose Garces’ Amada and Village Whiskey to bring their magic to new markets.
🤝 A people-first approach — Boosted their team’s strength with Ellen Rockwell as EVP of People & Culture and Amanda Hyde as SVP of Operations for Krystal.
Honeygrow: stirring up expansion with smart tech and fan favs
Honeygrow is on a roll — hitting 50 locations, expanding to its 8th state, and feeding football fans with 50% off playoff deals in key markets. Innovation, customer favorites, and regional expansion continue to fuel its fast-paced growth.
Ways they’re killing it:
🤖 Smart kitchen tech — Using an AI-powered prep assistant, Honeygrow has cut back-of-house prep time by 4-5 hours a week and reduced food waste, tightening up operations.
🍜 Customers asked & Honeygrow listened — They brought back their famous Buffalo Chicken Stir-fry and added a new Buffalo Chicken Salad at their customers’ requests.
🌆 New places, new spaces — They recently signed leases in 4 states. All part of Honeygrow’s Northeast expansion plan.
Success on a sub-roll: Potbelly’s growth and innovation
Potbelly is stacking up wins — Q4 same-store sales growth of 0.2% to 0.3% exceeded expectations, which drove a 5.12% stock surge, hitting an intraday high of $11.35. With bold flavors and smart expansion, this brand’s serving up success. One sammie at a time.
Ways they’re killing it:
🥳 Expanding the Potbelly party — Signed 6 multi-unit franchise agreements in 2024 to open 32 new shops across Arizona, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. And locked in 192 new development commitments nationwide.
🥪 Dishing out deals — They introduced a $7.99 combo meal that lifted value scores by 7 points and return intent by 5 points, enhancing value perception and customer frequency without deep discounting.
❤️ Reunited & it feels so good — Potbelly returned to The Ohio State University’s University District after nearly a decade, with 15% of opening weekend proceeds supporting the campus food pantry.
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