Restaurants can pick up clues from documented success.



Milford Prewitt published an article this past June in titled: Dishing Out Brand Awareness. In that article where is listed many chains success in non-traditional points of distribution. Here are some of the examples his listed:

"White Castle hamburgers, Nathan's Famous hot dogs and T.G.I. Friday's potpourri of drink mixes, recipe books and bar decorations have a long history of an array of licensed product on store shelves and a host of other restaurant chains have followed suit, including:

• Potato chips, condiments and an assortment of microwavable French fry cuts bearing Burger King's logo can be found in club stores and supermarkets around the country.

• With more than 500 units, the Mrs. Fields cookie chain has teamed up with Klondike bar for a dual-branded ice cream sandwich, now in its seventh year of licensing in supermarkets and club stores.

• Dallas-based Brinker International's Italian dinner house concept, Macaroni Grill, has assigned a third-party manufacturer to license a line of frozen Italian dishes, featuring the chain's signature lasagna.

• In addition to the non-traditional lip balms and toys IHOP is developing, the family dining chain is also reportedly seeking a partner for a line of ice cream or frozen novelties that may go under the Rooty Tooty Fresh N' Fruity brand.

• Lauded for its quirky taglines to encourage poultry consumption—the most renowned of which is "Eat mor chikin"—the 1,800-unit, Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A sandwich chain has stuffed teddy cows, T-shirts, aprons and trucker caps with that slogan and other funny tags for sale at specialty and club stores.

• Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, the Tampa, Fla.-based operators of the 800-unit Checkers and Rally's drive-through burger brands, has contracted with IMC Licensing of Louisville, Ky., to license its signature burgers and fries to the grocery store channel.

• Jamba Juice, celebrating its 20th anniversary, named Julie Washington vice president of consumer products, licensing and growth initiatives. With more than 730 units, Jamba Juice already has a licensing program with such partners as Think Wow Toys (toy blender), Oregon Ice Cream (frozen novelty products), Headline Entertainment (apparel) and The Inventure Group (frozen smoothie kits).'

Additional new avenues of distribution are developing for Restaurant fresh and prepared food products. Have you identified all your options? Are you taking leveraging your brand? Here is a link to his article:

http://www.licensemag.com/licensemag/Food/Dishing-Out-Brand-Awareness/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/672996

Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. For product or brand positioning assistance contact Steven A. Johnson and Foodservice Solutions® or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant or on Facebook at Steven Johnson, GOOGLE: Steven Johnson Grocerants or twitter.com/grocerant