Haven Hot Chicken won The Perfect Pitch concept competition at the Fast Casual Executive Summit in Louisville, Kentucky on Oct. 9. Following a global contest, three fledgling brands competed for a cash prize and the title of The Perfect Pitch winner at the Fast Casual Executive Summit on Oct. 9 in Louisville, Kentucky. Executives from the three companies addressed […]

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Nathan Lester, senior director, drive-thru innovations for Scooter’s Coffee, spoke about pairing innovation and growth during the keynote address kicking off the Fast Casual Executive Summit in Louisville, Kentucky on Oct. 8. Innovation, at its root, is the backbone of growth. That was the takeaway from the keynote address from Nathan Lester, senior director, drive-thru […]

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Founders of Haven Hot Chicken, Mahana Fresh, Pizzawala, Pucci Brothers Fresh Italian and Sankranti Indian Kitchen will take the stage on Oct. 9 to pitch their concepts to FCES attendees. Following a global contest, five concepts have been selected to participate in The Perfect Pitch, FastCasual’s “nicer” version of “Shark Tank,” where restaurant founders try […]

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Networld Media Group, which owns a number of B2B websites in the restaurant, technology and retail spaces, has launched its first consumer website, Rewards That Matter, along with associated social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram. The site launched on August 3, 2023. Rewards That Matter brings awareness to consumers of the hundreds of loyalty programs available across markets […]

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Idris Stover, Shake Shack’s director of diversity, equity, inclusion and culture, and Nathan Lester, senior director of drive-thru innovation at Scooter’s Coffee, are keynoting this year’s summit being held Oct. 8-10 in Louisville, Kentucky. Digital innovation and labor shortages are two of the most top-of-mind issues in the restaurant industry, which is why the annual Fast […]

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As part of its commitment to spotlighting up-and-coming fast casual brands, FastCasual is hosting its ninth annual Perfect Pitch contest Oct. 8 and is accepting nominations until June 30, said FastCasual Editor Cherryh Cansler. (Nominate your brand here.) “We’ll choose five brands to pitch their concepts to potential investors and franchisees during our annual Fast […]

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Seattle-based Dué Cucina, a fast casual Italian brand that competed in the 2019 Perfect Pitch at the Fast Casual Executive Summit, has landed a $2.5 million investment from Mac Haik Restaurant Group, a Houston-based restaurant investment company, according to a company press release. The funding, which allows Dué Cucina to open three locations in Texas within the next […]

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Following a global contest, five fledgling brands competed for a cash prize and the title of The Perfect Pitch at the Fast Casual Executive Summit on Oct. 10 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The companies’ executives addressed Summit attendees as well as a panel of advisors who offered advice on how to grow their concepts. Advising this year’s contestants […]

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