Food & Beverage News

The scores were published in a report called “Chain Reaction IV: Burger Edition,” which was produced by the Center for Food Safety, Consumer Reports, Food Animal Concerns Trust, U.S. PIRG Education Fund, Friends of the Earth, and Natural Resources Defense Council. The report says 22 chains received “F” grades “for lacking any announced policy to…

Starbucks Corp. on Oct. 23 announced it has opened its first deaf-friendly sign language store in the United States in Washington, D.C. The new store format will be a distinctive retail experience that promotes accessibility and offers employment and career advancement opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing people. Twenty to 25 deaf and hard…

The Habit Restaurants Inc. has named former Jack in the Box CMO Iwona Alter its chief brand officer, the company said. The marketing executive, who has 13 years of restaurant industry experience, starts Dec. 10. “Iwona is a proven leader and marketing innovator and we are pleased to welcome her to The Habit team,” CEO…

Toni Bianco has joined Cicis pizza buffet restaurant as its new chief operating officer. In this role, he will lead day-to-day operations and oversee all training for Cicis’ more than 430 corporate-owned and franchised restaurants. Mr. Bianco was most recently president and c.o.o. of Fatburger North America, a role he assumed in February. Before that,…

The 19-unit Taylor Gourmet hoagie chain filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings on Thursday after closing all of its locations in the Washington, D.C. area and Chicago earlier in the week. According to court documents, the liquidation leaves 50 to 99 creditors, but no funds would be available to unsecured creditors after administration expenses were paid.…

The Food and Drug Administration on June 19 began issuing draft guidance designed to help industry comply with the Intentional Adulteration (I.A.) Rule under the agency’s Food Safety Modernization Act. The I.A. Rule addresses hazards that intentionally may be introduced to foods, including by acts of terrorism, with the intent to cause widespread harm to…

Shake Shack has appointed John Karangis to the newly created position of executive chef and vice president of culinary innovation, effective Oct. 29. Previously, Karangis spent seven years as executive chef for New York City-based Union Square Events, the catering and events arm of Union Square Hospitality Group, a sister company of Shake Shack. Before…

FM Restaurants HoldCo, LLC, an affiliate of Z Capital Group, LLC, a leading alternative asset manager of opportunistic, value-oriented private equity and credit funds, announced the appointments of Randy Sharpe as Chief Executive Officer and Ned Algeo as Chief Financial Officer. With nearly two decades of regional and national management experience at a variety of…

Vipul Chawla has been promoted to president of Pizza Hut International, effective Dec. 3. He will succeed Milind Pant, who will step down at the end of November to pursue opportunities outside of the company. Mr. Chawla has been with Pizza Hut for seven years, most recently as managing director of Pizza Hut Asia-Pacific. Earlier,…

To Our Loyal Readers: It is now officially Fall and the leaves are changing; however, my CUBS are in the playoffs as a Wild Card team. In the playoffs as in business, strategy is the key to success. I would like to share with you an “old” new tool that many Fortune 500 firms have…