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Joanna Fantozzi

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  • 3 min

How Bun Mee plans to become the ‘Shake Shack of Vietnamese sandwiches’

🎉 Denise Tran, CEO of San Francisco-based Bun Mee, founded the five-unit Vietnamese sandwich concept in 2011. Bun Mee announced national franchising and opened its fifth location in San Francisco's Marina District after traditional stores grossed over $1 million annually since 2021. Its two airport units at San Francisco International Airport reported over $4.6 million and $3.6 million in 2023 sales. With a trimmed menu and upgraded equipment, Bun Mee aims for 5 new franchises in the first year and 50 units in five years, focusing first on Colorado expansion.
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  • 2 min

How Rachel’s Kitchen perfected healthy fast-casual before it was cool

🍞 Rachel's Kitchen, a healthy all-day café in Las Vegas, was created 18 years ago, preceding chains like Cava and Sweetgreen. Founded by Debbie Roxarzade, who started her career in Los Angeles, the brand now has nine units. Roxarzade opened the original 1,000-square-foot Rachel's Kitchen in 2006 in Summerlin, outside of Las Vegas. After a challenging start and recession delays, the first franchised location opened in 2010. Expansion continues with a recent grand opening in Frisco, Dallas-Fort Worth, aiming for at least five Dallas-area locations in the coming years. The company seeks franchisees committed to community work.
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  • 1 min

A state-by-state guide to Election Day for restaurant operators

📖 Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor at Informa Restaurant & Food Group since August 2021, has over seven years in restaurant and hospitality journalism. Degrees: bachelor's in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey, master's in arts and culture journalism from CUNY. Former positions: Freelance writer, Insider, The Daily Meal. Published in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice. Expert in restaurant industry news, innovations, political/cultural issues. Joined Informa in October 2018, previously at Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018) and The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017).
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  • 2 min

New pickleball eatertainment concept — Electric Pickle — coming to Arizona

🏓 Electric Pickle is set to open its first location in Tempe, Ariz. in December, introducing a 4.5-acre complex with pickleball courts, a two-story restaurant, bocce ball, and ping pong tables. Managed by Eureka! Restaurant Group and funded by Knighthead Capital Management, the concept plans to expand to Las Vegas, Roseville, Calif., Katy, Texas, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and Reno, Nev. Electric Pickle distinguishes itself with a diverse international menu, state-of-the-art AI gaming technology, and a nature-infused modern ambience. Upcoming locations require about 11 months to complete.
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  • 3 min

How Harumi Sushi brought approachable, fresh sushi to the Arizona desert

🍣 Jessica Kim, a first-generation Japanese-American, established Harumi Sushi in Phoenix, Ariz. 11 years ago. The family-owned business has grown to seven locations with over 150 employees and is expecting $10 million in net revenue this year. The original 1,200-square-foot space has expanded to a 6,000-square-foot venue downtown. Harumi Sushi serves approachable sushi and has introduced Japanese cocktails, such as the Nori Old Fashioned with seaweed-infused whiskey. The restaurant boasts a low staff turnover due to a rotating chef model promoting meritocracy.
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  • 5 min

How impending pregnancy and motherhood inspired Mary Nguyen to open a healthy fast-casual restaurant

🍴 Chef Mary Nguyen, after overcoming career change and health challenges, opened her first restaurant, Parallel 17, offering Vietnamese-French cuisine in 2005. She founded The Olive & Finch in Denver in 2013, providing healthy soups, salads, and sandwiches. Despite culinary success, she faced personal struggles, including fertility issues and her twin daughters' NICU stay after birth. In 2017, a second Olive & Finch location opened. Nguyen later launched Finch on the Fly in 2019, a wholesale brand. She continues to expand her food and beverage brand with plans to open more Olive & Finch and Little Finch locations.
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  • 2 min

Travis Kalanick’s CloudKitchens sued by former employee for discrimination and sexual harassment

📝 Isabella Vincenza, former salesperson at CloudKitchens, filed a discrimination and sexual harassment lawsuit, alleging wrongful termination, a hostile work environment, and unfair pay practices. Vincenza, who was fired in July 2023, claimed her accounts were reassigned after maternity leave, and faced insinuations of being let go for taking leave. CloudKitchens denies the claims, citing an internal review. The company, led by Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick, has a history of lawsuits including deceptive business practices and discrimination, with several filed in 2022 and a class action filed in August 2023.
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  • 1 min

Look Who’s Franchising Now: Fall 2024 Edition

📖 Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor at Informa's Restaurant & Food Group since August 2021, has over seven years of specialized experience in restaurant and hospitality industry journalism. She holds a bachelor's degree from The College of New Jersey and a master's from CUNY's Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism. Her past roles include Associate and Assistant Editor at Informa (July 2019-August 2021), Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter, and positions at Insider and The Daily Meal. Joanna is also known for her contributions to The New York Times, Forbes, and Vice.
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