MarchApril 2022 Digital Issue

BIRD IS THE WORD
Chicken remains a menu mainstay
through tough times
SINCE 1968
THE QSR
REVOULTION
COVID-19 has forced
QSR operators to reevaluate
the customer
experience
HELP
WANTED
Restaurant
operators are
scrambling to
fill jobs
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PLUS
THE 2022
FRANCHISE
REPORT
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THE
ODD
COUPLE
ODD BURGER FOUNDERS ARE
TURNING PASSION INTO PROFIT
WITH NORTH-AMERICAN
EXPANSION
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY I
MARCH/APRIL 2022

BE TRUE TO THE FOOD ®
TRUE INGREDIENTS. TRUE INNOVATION.
TRUE PASSION FOR YOUR SUCCESS.
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VOLUME 55, NO.2 | MARCH/APRIL 2022
THE FRANCHISE REPORT: A COMPREHENSIVE LISTING OF CANADA’S TOP FOODSERVICE FRANCHISES
14 THE LOCATION EQUATION
An endemic can impact land-control
decisions for restaurant operators
65
16 BIRD IS THE WORD
Chicken remains a menu mainstay
throughout challenging times
21 THE QSR REVOLUTION
Experts weigh in on the evolving state
of Canada’s QSR industry
26 THE LABOUR REPORT
Operators are scrambling to find staff
as the industry re-opens
16
THE 2022
FRANCHISE
REPORT
30 PROFILE: ODD BURGER
34 PROFILE: CHURCH’S CHICKEN
38 PROFILE: REDBERRY
40 PROFILE: PUR & SIMPLE
43 FRANCHISE LISTINGS
76
65 ROAD TO INCLUSION
The industry continues to strive for a
COVER PHOTOGRPHY BY MONIQUE WIENDELS
FEATURES
10 COMPETITIVE EDGE
Operators need to increase their
focus on guest engagement
12 FORCED EVOLUTION
Pandemic challenges have forced
leaders to re-examine their strategies
more diverse and inclusive future
68 HIGHER LEARNING
College and university foodservice
programs have been forced to pivot
71 SIGN OF THE TIMES
Digital menu boards are gaining in
popularity post pandemic
72 GO WITH THE (AIR) FLOW
Major system overhauls aren’t the only
way to improve air flow in restaurants
DEPARTMENTS
2 FROM THE EDITOR
5 FYI
9 FROM THE DESK OF NPD GROUP
76 CHEF’S CORNER
Shannon Boyle, ShuckShuck,
Vancouver
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 1

FROM THE EDITOR
CHANGING
THE
NARRATIVE
Professor and author Brené Brown has said “We are all
mapmakers and we must be cartographers of our own
lives.” These days, it’s hard for any of us to believe we
have any control over our lives, let alone chart our own
courses, however, as we now move towards recovery — and work
creatively to re-open businesses — it’s becoming increasingly
important to devote energy to create that roadmap, highlighting
what you need to do to move forward on a new path.
With labour shortages a pervasive threat to the sustainability
of the foodservice industry, that roadmap will now need to take
into consideration myriad new ways the industry can change the
narrative to ensure it can successfully attract and retain employees.
Unequivocally, that is the industry’s number-1 challenge.
With the foodservice-and-hospitality industry experiencing
a large exodus of workers from its ranks, it’s clear today’s
employees are in the driver’s seat and are now looking for different
considerations and incentives to not only lure them into the
foodservice industry, but keep them there.
While there’s ongoing debate as to whether money is, in fact,
the biggest driver in attracting employees, according to a recent
report commissioned by U.S.-based Beekeeeper, higher pay is
clearly a common denominator cited by individuals,
fuelling an increase in wages across
many sectors. That same study also found that
cash-strapped employees in the foodservice
industry are looking for expedited pay, asking
for same-day or next-day pay.
It’s time employers become more creative in
their quest to attract employees — especially
where it concerns attracting Gen-Z applicants.
Increasingly, says the study, employers are utilizing
social-media platforms as a way to reach
out to this new generation of workers while
others are implementing incentive-driven referral
programs to leverage their existing employee
base as an additional avenue for recruitment.
The report also found a disconnect between
the needs of frontline workers and what their
managers think they need. According to the
survey, 80 per cent of frontline workers rated
context about why and when things change as
a key factor in their workplace happiness, while
interestingly, only 13 per cent of managers rated context as a top
management tool. And, not surprisingly, one in three workers
rate under-staffed teams as their top stressor, underscoring the
importance of maintaining adequate staffing to avoid burnout.
Finally, the report confirmed frontline managers and team
leads have a massive impact on the employee experience. After all,
“they are responsible for creating a positive work environment,
and play a pivotal role in employee retention and productivity.”
ROSANNA CAIRA
@foodservicemag
facebook.com/foodservicehospitalitymagazine
instagram.com/rosannacaira
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2 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

EST. 1968 | VOLUME 55, NO.2 | MARCH/APRIL 2022
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MONTHLY NEWS AND UPDATES FOR THE FOODSERVICE INDUSTRY
ISTOCK.COM/BET_NOIRE
FEELING THE PINCH RESTAURANTS
Rising food prices force operators to adapt menus
BY NICOLE DI TOMASSO
Rising food prices pose another
challenge for Canadian
restaurateurs, alongside
supply and labour shortages. Canada’s
Food Price Report 2022, published
annually by Dalhousie University, the
University of Guelph, the University
of Saskatchewan and the University of
British Columbia, predicts a five- to
seven-per-cent increase in food costs.
The most significant increases are
expected for dairy and restaurants at
six to eight per cent and bakery and
vegetables at five to seven per cent.
Last year’s report, in comparison,
predicted an overall food-price increase
of three to five per cent in 2021.
Food prices were rising pre-COVID-19,
but the pandemic has accelerated the
trend. Supply-chain disruption, rising
shipping costs, poor growing conditions
and high consumer demand are
some of the factors behind the rise of
food costs for restaurants, which are
already suffering amid pandemic-related
restrictions and closures.
“Imagine how expensive food
costs will be for cafés, coffee shops
or pizzerias that require [large quantities
of dairy products, for instance],”
says Olivier Bourbeau, VP, Federal
and Quebec, Restaurants Canada.
“Restaurants are in a difficult situation
with a pre-tax profit margin between
two and three per cent. We are not
in a position to manage food-prince
increases, so we are forced to pass a
little bit on to the customer.”
To grapple with rising food costs,
many operators will raise their menu
ARE IN A
DIFFICULT
SITUATION
WITH A
PRE-TAX
PROFIT
MARGIN
BETWEEN
TWO AND
THREE PER
CENT. WE
ARE NOT IN
A POSITION
TO MANAGE
FOOD-PRICE
INCREASES,
SO WE ARE
FORCED TO
PASS A LITTLE
BIT ON TO THE
CUSTOMER
OLIVIER
BOURBEAU
VP, FEDERAL
AND QUEBEC,
RESTAURANTS
CANADA
prices or cut down on menu offerings
to reduce the amount of money
spent on food. Some operators
might avoid raising menu prices for a
competitive edge, however, Bourbeau
says the majority of consumers are
understanding and willing to spend
more on dining experiences after
many months of takeout and homecooked
meals.
Moreover, obtaining food and
supplies from local suppliers and
minimizing food waste are additional
solutions to help offset higher costs.
“Restaurants are trying to maximize
every ingredient they buy.
Menus are becoming smaller, but restaurants
will stick to offering
best-sellers,” says Bourbeau.
He also states labour shortages
will continue to be “a challenge we
have to work on for the upcoming
years, not only months. Many restaurants
don’t have enough workers to
maintain [regular store hours.] Some
might be closed between Monday and
Wednesday, for instance.”
He says more needs to be done at the
federal and provincial level. “The provincial
and federal governments have
been supportive of our industry, but we
need sector-specific support because
one out of two restaurants is still at risk
of closing,” says Bourbeau. “When restaurants
operate at 50-per-cent capacity,
with our small margin, they’re losing
money or barely breaking even each
day they’re open.” FH
RECOVERY ROADBLOCK
The Freedom Convoy protests in February worsened the already fragile food-supply chain, making perishable food products
costly to farmers, businesses and consumers due to delays at the Canada-U.S. border. In addition, foodservice operators
located in Ottawa’s downtown core were instructed to remain closed, further hindering the sector’s recovery.
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 5

NOW OPEN:
SPICEBROS
Montreal-based Indian concept, SpiceBros,
opened its first Toronto location at Bloor St. W.
and Islington on January 19. Its innovative menu
offers twists on traditional Indian favourites, such
as tandoori fried-chicken sandwiches, butterchicken
poutine, Bro Bowls and battered chicken
kebabs. Its “Frankie Rolls” are naan wraps that can
be filled with protein options such as saag paneer,
masala chickpeas, fish, cauliflower or chicken, then
topped with various veggie and sauce options.
SpiceBros, which currently has seven locations
in Quebec, has launched three new products for
the Toronto opening: chilli scorpion wings, Punjabi
fried chicken and a fish filet “Ocean” burger. The
company is planning to open five more locations in
Ontario over the next 16 months.
ALL IN THE FAMILY
The Fuller family, a long-time investor in Cactus Club Cafe, has acquired full ownership
interest in the company from Richard Jaffray, founder and president of the brand.
After three decades, Jaffray will be stepping down as president as the Fuller family —
which has been a silent partner in Cactus Club since its founding — assumes full ownership.
“We have enormous respect for what Richard has built. Under his leadership, Richard
and the Cactus team have established and grown an outstanding restaurant brand and
concept, developing deep and lasting customer relationships in the process. Our family
has been a partner in Cactus Club since the very beginning, and we are thrilled to be
assuming 100-per-cent ownership of the brand,” says Stan Fuller. “Our commitment is
to preserve and build on the work Richard has done to build the Cactus-Club brand into
such a success. Cactus Club has always been independent, and it will stay that way, and
as such we don’t intend to make any changes to the Cactus restaurants, brand or culture,
and we are committed to Cactus Club’s talent. We value the relationship we have had
with Richard and wish him nothing but the best for the future.”
“I’m incredibly proud of the team that built Cactus Club into Canada’s leading casual
find-dining brand,” says Jaffray. “There’s no finer team to be found anywhere, and I know
they will carry the Cactus Club brand on to continued success in the future.”
Jaffray opened the first Cactus Club in North Vancouver in 1988 and today there are
32 locations across Canada, employing 5,000 people.
GLOBAL ATTRACTION
Don Alfonso 1890, located at Toronto’s Casa Loma, has been named Best Italian
Restaurant in the World 2022 – Prosecco DOC Award by 50 Top Italy. The restaurant
also received the Meal of the Year 2022 Mulino – Caputo Award for its multi-course
prix fixe tasting menu.
Don Alfonso was one of two Canadian restaurants recognized by 50 Top Italy,
alongside Pino Posteraro’s Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill in Vancouver. Since opening
in 2018, Don Alfonso 1890 has been recognized with multiple national and international
awards and honours from Gambero Rosso, La Liste, Restaurant Design Global,
OpenTable and more.
BREAKFAST
IS SERVED
Wendy’s breakfast will be
available at restaurants across
Canada this spring.
“Canadians deserve a better, high-quality breakfast experience
that is fast and affordable, without cutting corners. That
is exactly what Wendy’s will deliver when we launch breakfast
across Canada this spring,” says Abigail Pringle, president,
International and Chief Development Officer, The Wendy’s
Company. “We have done the work, immersing ourselves in
what Canadian customers want from their breakfast and we
will serve up hot, made-to-order, great-tasting food, using
high-quality ingredients that have long set Wendy’s apart
from the competition. We are confident that our breakfast
experience will make Wendy’s their number-1 choice.”
6 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

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CLIMBING
THE RANKS
The Fogo Island Inn has appointed Timothy
Charles as its new executive chef. Originally
from Nova Scotia, Charles has been working
at the Fogo Island Inn since 2012, starting
out at the Kitchen Training Centre while the
property was still under construction. Over
the years, Charles climbed the ranks from
sous-chef to executive sous-chef and now
executive chef. During his tenure, Charles has
cooked alongside Canadian and international
culinary icons, such as Hugh Acheson, Jeremy
Charles, Jamie Kennedy, Emma Cardarelli
and Afrim Pristine.
In his new role, Charles will lead his
culinary team and explore time techniques,
such as fermentation, salting, picking, aging
and de-hydrating. With more than 80 per
cent of ingredients sourced locally, Charles’
approach to cooking is deeply rooted in the
interconnected experiences of travellers.
“Our guests want a hint of indulgence
when visiting Fogo Island, but they also
want to hike, explore and be active outdoors
in nature,” says Charles. “Guests may have
squid for dinner and later serendipitously
see people out in boats jigging for squid, and
that adds another layer to their experience.
[Similarly,] they may be out picking berries
with our outdoor adventure guide, Lorie,
and then drop off their berries with us in the
kitchen when they get back. Later they’ll find
them gently pickled garnishing some smoked
fish at the start of their evening meal.”
DAILY DOSE
Corona Canada has launched its first non-alcoholic beer with vitamin D, Corona Sunbrew,
worldwide. It’s now available in a six-bottle pack at select grocery stores in Quebec and
continues to be rolled out across Canada.
“As a brand, Corona is all about getting outside and feeling the sun, and we know that
this time of year, Canadians are missing that feeling,” says Mike Bascom, senior Marketing
director, Corona Canada. “Corona Sunbrew provides an innovative way to remind people
of that feeling and what they love about Corona, but now without alcohol. Corona Sunbrew
— along with our other innovations last year — proudly showcase our ability to identify
gaps, find solutions and seek opportunities for growth as a brand. Knowing that Corona
Sunbrew is the only non-alcoholic beer that contains vitamin D in the world provides a
unique opportunity in the market.”
PASSING THE TORCH
As of February 22, 2022, Todd Barclay officially
stepped down from his role as president and
CEO of Restaurants Canada (RC).
“On behalf of Restaurants Canada, we would
like to thank Todd for his contributions to the
organization and the critical role he played
throughout the pandemic,” said RC Chair Cindy
Simpson in a release. “During his tenure, Todd
has worked alongside all our members to spark
change, innovate and support the industry’s
needs, helping to position Restaurants Canada
as a leader through challenging times. It’s clear,
especially after the past few years, that we are a strong and resilient industry
and will only grow stronger together. We wish Todd well as he explores another
opportunity within the foodservice and hospitality sector.”
While the association begins its search for a new president, Restaurants
Canada’s vice-president, Finance, Roy Little, will be stepping into the role of
interim president and CEO, effective immediately, through to June 30.
“To ensure a seamless transition and that our message and our achievements to
date remain resolute, your regional vice-presidents will continue to be your main
point of contact. We will continue to fight on behalf of the industry, demanding
a seat at the government table to discuss all matters concerning our industry,
including more accessible and immediate government support, solutions to help
address the ongoing labour shortages, and more,” said Simpson.
8 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

FROM THE DESK OF NPD
INDEPENDENCE DAY
Despite pandemic challenges, many independent
QSRs have endured
ISTOCK.COM/EPICIMAGES
Doesn’t it sometimes seem that there
is a quick-service restaurant (QSR)
chain located on every street corner
in Canada? I pass by as many as seven
Tim Hortons, three McDonald’s and three
Starbucks locations on my short 10-km drive
to The NPD Group’s Toronto office, although
it’s been months since I’ve made that trip.
Our ReCount® restaurant census reports there
were more than 26,000 QSR chain outlets in
Canada at the end of 2020, while the number
of independent restaurant outlets totalled just
over 9,000. Each of these figures declined by
about 1,000 units in 2020. When we launched
ReCount in 1999, the number of chain and
independent outlets were about equal at
15,000. Chain outlets have grown every year,
but since 2008, the number of independents
has declined steadily.
Against the seemingly endless expansion
initiatives of the chains, how does an independent
QSR compete? Better than you might
expect. For calendar year 2021, our CREST®
foodservice industry tracking service reports
independent QSR restaurants captured just
over nine per cent of total QSR occasions.
That’s up by almost one full point from 2020
and back in line with historical shares. It
may not seem like much until you consider
that each share point represents more than
40 million occasions. Independent QSRs’
revenue performance was even stronger, having
returned to pre-pandemic levels ahead of the
total QSR segment.
Of course, increased visits and dollars
don’t necessarily equal profitability. During
this time of rising input and operating
costs, the average spend per independent
restaurant visitor has risen by just one per
cent compared to a QSR segment average of
three per cent. Many factors can influence
this measure, but it seems the independent
operator may be trying to use price to attract
and retain customers. This can be an effective
marketing strategy at times, but it could also
become a trap.
A more effective way to compete on price,
without necessarily discounting, is through
some sort of dealing, such as meal bundles,
coupons (digital or paper) and buy-get offers.
The deal rate has been rising in the QSR
segment for many years, but it is an area
where independents trail. These marketing
techniques are a terrific way to deliver perceived
value to the consumer and can be an
effective way to mask a price increase.
Marketing strategies cannot focus on price
alone. Instead, this operator set should identify
the characteristics that make them unique
from their chain competitors and promote
those features. It could be menu, service, quality,
or authenticity. Offering meal kits, groceries, or
cross-promotions with other local businesses
is another unique way to stand out from the
chains. Consumers tell us in our studies that
they are eager to support local businesses.
Promoting this “love of local” at every occasion
can be an effective marketing tool.
One final way for independents to compete
against the big chains is through delivery,
where they already capture 20 per cent share
of this booming service, representing almost
20 per cent of their orders. Even though all
the major chains also offer delivery, they have
relied on their drive-thru infrastructure to propel
them through the pandemic. Consequently,
delivery represents just three per cent of their
orders. Delivery apps are the great equalizer:
They permit any business to stand out in the
digital world in a way they never could on a
crowded streetscape.
The plight of the independent restaurateur
has been well reported since the early days of
the pandemic. Facing lockdowns, operating
restrictions, and the ongoing social and
economic challenges that we all contend
with, this group of business owners has
sustained an unprecedented number of
closures. While many of their challenges
continue, it is encouraging to see many
independent QSR restaurants have endured.
That means my commute to the office, whenever
it resumes, will continue to offer some
diversity when it comes to restaurant selection. FH
Vince Sgabellone is a foodservice
industry analyst with The
NPD Group. He can be reached
at vince.sgabellone@npd.com
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 9

MARKETING
COMPETITIVE
EDGE
Operators need to drive more
meaningful engagement
with customers
BY BRANDON POOLE
When I was running a well-known
Canadian QSR brand, I used to dread
the moment I would see a new TV
spot from our competitors. Knowing
we could never compete with even the most
modest media budgets, I would watch the
creative hook and dread the call from our
leadership team to ask if I had seen it and why
we refused to compete in traditional media.
Opening my mailbox and finding a flood
of new competitor flyers was worse, leading
to panicked observations of “huge” competitor
sales increases as our teams across Canada
would watch coupon redemptions spur what
appeared to be steady losses of trial and traffic.
With the lowest ad fund in the industry, this
cavalcade of advertising and promotional gimmickry
became exhausting and demoralizing to
confront. Then I realized, none of it works.
Well, it does work on the surface, but the
resulting awareness blips and short-term,
artificial sales lifts are usually fleeting, and
will almost always distract brand teams from
actual business outcomes such as strategic,
sustainable growth and permanent competitive
differentiation. I didn’t realize this right away.
It took a lot of observation, tracking and analysis
of restaurant-success indicators against
specific marketing and media spending before
trends began to emerge.
First, our biggest competitor, with 60 to 70
times our marketing budget, was in a freefall,
with tanking same-store sales, increasing
annual store closures and shrinking averageunit
volumes. Its downfall occurred despite
TV spots, high-profile national sponsorships
and a regular carpet bombing of consumer
coupons through direct-mail campaigns.
Second, an emerging group of unconventional
QSR and fast-casual models were
exploding south of the border. Droves of
passionate customer brand advocates were
driving up the stock prices, store volumes
and unit growth of these upstarts. They
accomplished all of this with a fraction of
the ad budgets in comparison to traditional
foodservice giants.
Something had to give. Clearly, this new
era of advocacy-driven brands knew something
we didn’t. That’s when it hit me. Since
these brands weren’t depending heavily on
traditional ad and promo tactics to drive sales,
they must, instead, be targeting factors that
increased customer engagement through an
entirely new marketing playbook.
If you focus on communicating the
elements of your brand that drive more
meaningful connections with your customers,
increases in conventional sales metrics will
follow. This was proven in real time.
This new normal inspired our team to
completely overturn our traditional approach
to strategic planning. Here’s how we did it.
We began to embrace and lead with
customer engagement and re-imagined
marketing as a catalyst for creating upward
advocacy. In other words, focusing our
strategic planning around identifying customer
-engagement segments and targeting them
with tactics that increased engagement rather
than increasing sales.
We accepted and elevated the thinking
that some customers are more valuable than
others and our efforts as a team should be
to reward and recognize these most valuable
ISTOCK.COM/SASINPARAKSA
10 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

customers (MVCs) and create more of them. MVCs are identified as
those customers with the lowest acquisition cost and highest lifetime
value. They buy more, visit more often and offer the highest levels of
advocacy and engagement.
There was a simple strategy that we could follow. Rather than building
marketing plans around traditional tactics and outcomes, such as
driving awareness, traffic and sales, we focused instead on targeting the
variables we knew drove upward advocacy and created more MVCs
— relevance, affinity intent and conversion. Relevance is always top
of mind to solve a customer’s problem. Affinity is to commit to routines,
behaviours and actions that inspire hyper-loyalty and advocacy.
Intent involves increasing purchasing likelihood through the customer
journey. Finally, conversion allows for maximizing seamless purchase
opportunities and experiences at all customer touchpoints.
Here’s what happened.
Between 2014 and 2019, we climbed from number 5 in our category to
number 2. Regular tracking of customer engagement metrics showed
consistent year-over-year (YOY) growth in awareness, intent and loyalty
compared to key category competition. Lastly, we outperformed the
Top-200 industry and category averages in sales growth, unit growth
and average-unit volume.
Here’s what we learned (see MVC pyramid models below).
Typical Brand
Loyal Customers
Medium Relevance- Medium
Affinity - Medium Intent - 2
Medium Conversion
New Customers
Low relevance -
Low Affinity - Low 4
Intent - Low
Conversion
MVC Brand
Loyal Customers 2
Medium Relevance- Medium
Affinity - Medium Intent -
Medium Conversion
New Customers
Low relevance - Low
4
Affinity - Low Intent -
Low Conversion
Most foodservice brands are focused on new customers, which is the
bottom level of the pyramid. Therefore, the bulk of their customer base
has low engagement characteristics: low relevance, low affinity, low
Intent and low conversion. In other words, you may get their attention
and gain a visit, but these customers are the least likely to be valuable
to you in the long term. They typically have the highest acquisition
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
ADVOCACY
MVC
1 High Relevance- High Affinity -
High Intent - High Conversion
Transient Customers
High Relevance- Low Affinity
3
-High Intent - Low Conversion
MVC
High Relevance-
1 High Affinity -
High Intent -
High Conversion
Transient Customers
3
High Relevance- Low Affinity -
High Intent - Low Conversion
cost and lowest lifetime value to your brand.
This diagram demonstrates how MVC brands differ. By rejecting
conventional thinking around low ROI awareness and promotional
tactics, MVC brands build sustainable, long-term strategies around
upward advocacy.
So, what does the upward advocacy/MVC marketing model look
like in action? Conventional thinking around heavy investments in
awareness and sales promotion is replaced by actively cultivating and
expanding advocacy inside of key customer segments to mobilize
upward movement and increased engagement.
MVC Marketing Model
Repeat Customers
become Loyal
2
Customers
Creative and Communication
Focused - Loyal, Emotional,
Personal, Authentic, Judging
Execution Focus - Personalization
Surprise and Delight, Rewards
Reach New Customers
Creative and Communication Focused:
Newness, Distinctiveness, Authenticity,
Differentiation, Functionality
Execution Focus: Branded Content,
Partnerships, SEO/Customer Reviews,
Communities, PR
4
ADVOCACY
Loyal Customers become MVCs
Creative and Communication
Focused - Loyal, Emotional,
Personal, Authentic, Judging
Execution Focus - Personalization
Surprise and Delight, Rewards,
Insider “VIP” status and
recognition
New Customers become
Repeat Customers
Creative and Communication Focused:
Passion, Emotional, Motivation,
Belonging, Exceeding Expectations
Execution Focus - Loyalty Introduction
and Incentives, SEO/Customer Reviews,
Giveaways, Value- add, Suprise and
Delight
How does this thinking apply in the real world in terms of business
re-setting and restaurant re-building? This is especially important
as the industry continues to absorb regular disruptions and re-sets
around a volatile marketplace. Here’s my advice for restaurant and
foodservice brands starting a new journey or changing course with
their own brand.
IDENTIFY AND UNDERSTAND MVC PYRAMID SEGMENTS
This is the biggest and best justification for implementing a loyalty
platform. From my own experience, loyalty database growth through
acquisition is important, but the most revealing and rewarding asset is
the data pointing to customer segmentation. At each loyalty level, the
most well-structured rewards platforms will reveal purchase behaviours,
motivations and personalities which will, in turn, provide the
foundation for impactful customer engagement planning.
ALIGN YOUR TEAMS AROUND CUSTOMER-ENGAGEMENT VARIABLES
It’s not enough to simply build a marketing plan around relevance,
affinity, intent and conversion. These strategic customer engagement
variables must be embraced inside of cross-functional leadership teams
to intentionally and positively influence your brand culture.
EMBRACE, INCENTIVIZE AND REWARD ADVOCACY
In other words, implement an MVC marketing strategy. Effectively
understanding, executing and tracking upward advocacy depends
on a commitment to moving as many customers as possible into the
highest level of MVC engagement. This means move away from plans
that depend on a high customer-acquisition cost with low likelihood of
retention and commit to an authentic relationship with your customers
where you will regularly express appreciation for how valuable they are
and share reasons for them to engage with you again. FH
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 11
3
1

LEADERSHIP
Forced Evolution
Leadership strategies have had to evolve to face pandemic challenges
BY MATT ROLFE
ISTOCK.COM/LERBANK
THE PAST TWO YEARS have been the
most challenging and turbulent the current
generation of leaders has ever experienced.
I deeply feel for hospitality entrepreneurs,
leaders and managers who have experienced
constant challenges, dealt with relentless and
rapid changes, all while being put in a position
to navigate forward through the unknowns.
Now that we are navigating the next chapter,
re-bounding and re-building from the pandemic,
we as an industry need to ask even
more from our leaders. That’s right, more now
than ever before. Staff and management in
restaurants are looking to their leaders for
clarity so they can trust there is a path forward.
Not just a path to re-opening our restaurants
— but a path to having the team in place
to properly operate our restaurants as well.
I look at the pandemic like open-heart
surgery. In the early stages, we knew something
was not right, and when the diagnosis
of COVID-19 was shared with the world, the
initial closure of our industry, and repeated
opening and closing, equated to surgery.
They cracked open our ribs and reached into
our businesses in a way that was incredibly
invasive. The re-opening (as I write this, I
hope this is our last re-open) could be viewed
the mending of our ribcage, the stitching up
of our chest, as we are now finally able to reopen
our doors, and the restrictions are being
removed. The great news is, we are moving
forward. The challenge is, many of us have
brought our staff back quickly and jumped
right back into operations. I get it, we have to
get the doors back open to survive. I do want
you to be aware that most leaders, managers
and staff have not had the chance to heal
from the experience we just went through —
both personally and professionally.
Can you relate? If you take a minute and
think about those questions, the chances are
your breathing will shorten a bit, you might
feel tightness in your body and you might
have put your hands over your face. If
you did any of those things, even just a few,
you are not alone. Leaders have been put in
a position to have the answers, fight everyday
not knowing what was next. It’s to be
expected that we would fee a little wounded.
Certainly I know, we did not come this far to
only come this far. As an industry, we have
gone through challenges in the past, we will
find a path to get through this and come out
on the other side much stronger. I’m not
trying to be your motivational coach in this
article; I mean what I say. Those that choose
to will come out of this stronger. If you agree
with that statement, I’m excited for you. If
you feel resistance to me saying it, that’s okay,
too. I urge you to pay attention to your resistance
though. If it’s showing up for you in
your life, how else might you think your resistance
is showing up to your managers and staff?
However you feel, let’s get into how hospitality
leadership has changed during the pandemic
and what can be done to upscale your leadership
skills to give you, your team, your guests
and your operation the results you want and
deserve in 2022.
It Starts with You
Mental health and self-care have been thrust
into the spotlight over the last two years. Let
me start by saying COVID-19 did not create
mental-health or self-care challenges for leaders
in our industry, it simply magnified them.
In order for you to take care of your people,
you must first take care of yourself. The role
of a leader is to be at service in support of
your people. How can you do that if your
emotional or physical tank is empty?
I’ve spent the last decade in coaching
programs with the world’s leading coach,
Tony Robbins. After all of the work I
have done with Robbins over the
last 10 years, one of his messages
has always stayed the same: 70 per cent of our
results as leaders and managers are driven
by our physical state, meaning the energy we
bring into every room. This refers to every
conversation and every interaction with our
staff even before we say anything. Another 20
per cent of our results are driven by our why or
our purpose, and 10 per cent of our results are
driven by our actual strategy.
Your team can see your energy,
your stress and the weight on
your shoulders more than you
would ever imagine. They’re
concerned for you — an inconsistent
leader erodes trust and is the
number-1 cause of employee turnover.
In times where manager and
staff retention are the top challenge for most
12 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

operators, we need to do everything we can to
keep the people we want and need.
● Block time every week for yourself:
Study any celebrity leader from
Mark Cuban to Sheryl Sandberg to
Warren Buffet and you will find a relentless
commitment to personal time and personal
development.
● Move your body: Personally, I have lost
40 lbs since the start of the pandemic, and
it’s not because I like working out. I looked
at the leaders I admire most, and they all
had a commitment to their self-care. Find
ways to move your body every day.
● Hire a coach and/or therapist:
I am currently working with three
therapists and one coach and it has
changed my life. Having a proper support
team is a strength not a weakness.
● Make a commitment to consistent
communication: I have worked with
hundreds of leaders and managers
throughout the pandemic and the number-1
reason people cited for why they
were not engaged, why they were
considering leaving their position or
why they left their restaurant or restaurant
group, was the leader or leadership team’s
inability to communicate with them and
the team.
Top-performing
leaders communicate
when they have
answers, when they
have updates, when
they have clarity and
direction, but they
also continue to
communicate when they don’t. COVID-19
took away connection and community for
most of us, which as humans we naturally
crave and require to survive. Communication
that is good, challenging or even unclear
builds trust. Your people are not looking for
you to be perfect, they want you to be real
and the way to make them feel it, and the key
word here is feel, will come from your commitment
to communication.
What Can You Do
● Pull out your phone and shoot a video:
Shoot a two to five-minute video on your
phone and share it with your team. Tell
the team how you felt during the last two
years, share your ups and downs, and most
importantly, be real. Share how much
you appreciate them and why you appreciate
them, and be sure to use real examples.
Share your vision and/or excitement for
2022 and let them know that you need and
want them to be a part of it.
● Schedule a follow-up meeting: Bring
your two or 200 employees together to
go more in-depth into the message in your
video; then allow your team in a safe and
trusting space to share their pandemic
experience. Don’t focus on what needs to
happen later this week or this month; just
create space for your team to share and be
fully present.
● Commitment to regular meetings:
Communication is not an event, it is a
process, and for it to be effective you need
to have a meeting rhythm that works for
you. Weekly, monthly and quarterly meetings
should all be mapped out for 2022. For
direction on the ideal meeting frequency,
shoot me an email for agendas,
frequency and engagement tips.
● Create an execution-focused strategy:
I spend all day, every day, helping hospitality
leaders and leadership teams build
execution-focused strategies, goals and
goals and plans, but this was not always the
case. Early in my career, I worked with many
teams that had great meetings, great discussions
and great ideas but failed to achieve
the results they wanted and deserved. This
was not because they weren’t strong leaders
and managers; it often came down to the fact
that they were overcommitted. They had too
many goals, projects and priorities that were
all moving forward, but none of them seemed
to be getting done at an excellent level. As a
coach, I work with leaders and help them let
go of over commitment, while moving away
from the addiction of being busy. If you want
to really move your business forward, you
need to answer the three questions below.
1. How does your team win in 2022? In one
to three sentences, you need to have a clear
and measurable statement that can get
your team focused and excited.
2. Identify your three core drivers. What are
the three activities, processes or projects
that when done consistently will allow you
to win 2022?
3. Measure, discuss, debate and celebrate
progress. How do we know who won the
football, baseball, or hockey game you last
watched? There was a scoreboard that let
you know exactly what happened. Not only
did it provide the final outcome, the score,
but in all areas of the game. Once we have
a clear scoreboard, we can then discuss and
debate what is needed to get better results
in the next game.
And don’t forget to celebrate when consistent
execution or greatness shows up in your
operation. People need positive reinforcement
based on what we’ve all just gone through. To
be a great leader, you need to create a culture of
genuine recognition and celebration.
The evolution of leadership starts with
working on yourself so we can show up and
be the leader that our operations need us to
be. Not only to survive, but thrive as we rebuild
and re-bound from the pandemic. We
have intentionally packed a lot into this article
but my wish for you is to commit to action
the one idea or section that stood out most to
you. If we want to change our results, we need
to change our behaviours. FH
Matt Rolfe is a coach, speaker,
bestselling author and entrepreneur.
For support or more
leadership insights, email
matt@mattrolfe.com
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 13

FRANCHISE REAL ESTATE
THE LOCATION EQUATION
An endemic can impact land-control decisions
BY ALAN DICK
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. Historically,
this factor has been every bit as important as
a predictor of success for a restaurant as it is
considered to be in the selection of a personal
residence. Yet, the best location in the world
cannot overcome lockdowns and reduced
capacities (and in some cases, may be detrimental
given the higher rents that are often
associated with premium locations). Against
that backdrop, and for any government
programs that might help reduce the impact
of closures, the effect of having to pay some
or all rents during a lockdown has proven
devastating to many restaurants.
In the franchising context, one fundamental
decision that a would-be restaurant franchisor
makes is who will hold the lease for the business.
There are typically four options: the franchisor;
the franchisee; an affiliate of the franchisor,
which holds leases for the entire system and
sublets premises to its franchisees; or a singlepurpose
affiliate of the franchisor that holds
an individual lease, which it sublets to a
particular franchisee.
There are traditional considerations, pro
and con, impacting franchisors’ decisions for
the land-control aspect of the design of their
systems. These considerations are re-examined
below in light of the approaching endemic.
DIRECT OR INDIRECT FRANCHISOR CONTROL
Franchisors looking to maximize control over
their franchisees’ premises typically enter
into leases directly or through either a leasing
affiliate or single-purpose affiliate. In situations
where the franchisee may be terminated or
abandon the system, having land control is
useful because it prevents the franchisee from
remaining in possession of the premises and
operating from a location previously affiliated
with the system. In these circumstances, land
control also helps to minimize the likelihood
a franchisor will need to sue to enforce any
applicable covenant not to complete.
Landlords may require franchisors to
provide an indemnity, or limited indemnity
in duration or amount, if they are prepared
to accept a franchisor’s affiliate as the tenant
because these affiliates, typically speaking, are
mere holding companies with no meaningful
covenant to offer themselves. In this scenario,
it’s the franchisor or its affiliate who is directly
responsible for fulfilling the tenant’s obligations
under the lease. To that end, franchisors
often face the situation of funding rental
payments when they terminate a franchisee’s
sub-lease, pending their ability to re-franchise
the location.
In the age of an endemic, this strategy of
holding leases, whether directly or indirectly,
can create tremendous financial hardship on
a franchisor where the sub-tenant franchisee
may not itself be able to maintain its payments
under its sub-lease and any franchisee
indemnifier does not have the wherewithal to
make good on any indemnity given under a
sub-lease/franchise agreement.
FRANCHISEE CONTROL
The immediate reaction to the potential
financial burden on a franchisor resulting
from holding leases, whether directly or indirectly,
is to instead require franchisees to lease
their premises directly from their landlords.
The decision to have franchisees lease directly
as a matter of system design is not a standalone
decision, but involves several other critical
decisions:
• Is the franchisee or the franchisor
primarily responsible for seeking out
suitable premises and negotiating
the lease?
• Is the franchisee or the franchisor
responsible for the build-out of
the premises?
• Who will receive any tenant allowance
which may be available to the tenant?
Leaving these considerations aside,
ISTOCK.COM/RAWF8
14 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

allowing franchisees to lease premises directly
from a landlord creates the following dynamics:
• The franchisee will have the primary
relationship with the landlord. The franchisee
may not have the necessary gravitas
or skill to negotiate with its landlord
during an endemic;
• There is a greater likelihood of a default
occurring if the franchisee cannot sustain
its rents with no, or limited, business;
• If the franchisee is seeking to terminate
its obligations with its franchisor, it will
have control at first instance of its location
and may have a positive relationship
with its landlord who may support a
de-identification;
• A franchisee may be behind in their obligations
for some time before the franchisor
becomes aware of the default; and
• It may be more difficult for the franchisor
to negotiate for its receipt of tenant
allowances or inducements.
The experience from this endemic has overwhelmingly
suggested that franchisors need to
design their systems with the least exposure to
lease liabilities and cross-defaults under their
leases as possible. Funds that must be paid to
landlords are needed for other purposes —
innovation, franchisee support, wage support
for key employees and maintaining corporate
locations. Paying rent on closed or partially
open locations can create a significant risk to
the health and future of a franchise system
very quickly.
Assuming the endemic is here to stay, with
the prospects of future variants and renewed
partial or total closures, along with the unpredictability
of government-support programs,
the choices for franchisors on the matter of
land control are narrowing. At this time, franchise
systems should approach land control
with the following design features:
• Franchisees should be responsible for
finding locations within the territory
agreed to, subject to the franchisor’s
approval. If suitable locations are not
found within a specified period, franchisees
should be entitled to a return of the
initial franchise fees, in whole or in part;
• Franchisors should provide guidance to
franchisees on lease terms, and should
either consider providing franchisees
with an approved form of a letter of
intent to be utilized by franchisees or
take responsibility for the negotiation of
the letter of intent and lease on behalf of
the franchisees;
• Franchisors should be entitled to approve
the form of an offer to lease and lease,
which the franchisee intends to enter
into if they have not undertaken the
negotiations themselves;
• Franchisees will take the ultimate
responsibility for the terms of any offer
to lease or lease they enter into;
• Franchisors should require franchisees
as a term for their approval that they be
given the following rights:
1. To notice by the landlord if a breach
of the lease occurs;
2. to have the lease conveyed to the
franchisor upon a termination of the
franchise agreement;
3. To have time to re-franchise upon a
conveyance of the location and, during
that intervening period, to be
“dark” if necessary;
4. To occupy the location under the
franchise agreement in the event of a
large group of defaults by a franchisee
and to operate the business for the
account of the parties as set out in the
franchise agreement;
5. To receive any tenant allowances to
support construction;
6. To control the construction at the
franchisee’s expense;
7. To take security over the tenant’s
assets (to the extent permitted by any
loan which a franchisee may need to
procure to support the construction
and store opening); and
8. To act as the franchisee’s agent for an
additional fee to negotiate with the
landlord where necessary.
These guidelines require a great deal of
understanding on the part of franchisors and
significantly impact the drafting of the default
agreements utilized within the system.
LEASE TERMS
Franchisors will want to pay particular
attention to the following matters if they
allow their franchisees to lease their
premises directly.
Force Majeure: As a result of the
pandemic, most landlords and franchisors
re-visited the wording of the force majeure/
unavoidable-delay provisions of their leases
and other agreements. For a franchisor, to the
extent possible, it will not want the tenant to
be paying rent if the tenant is not receiving
revenues of any significance or governmental
assistance. More specifically, the franchisor
will want to ensure that these provisions,
which would suspend the tenant’s obligations
to perform, include government lockdowns,
whether formal or informal, and specifically
do not require the tenant to pay rent during
this time.
Use Clause: Franchisors should confirm
that the use clauses in their leases are limited
to the activities of operating the system’s
business but allow for sufficient flexibility to
permit them to modify the business as they
may need to.
Insurance: Franchisors will want to
ensure that the franchisee/tenant is carrying
sufficient and appropriate business-interruption
insurance.
Formal Lease: If the franchisors’ entitlements
are to be more specifically included
in the formal lease rather than the offer to
lease, they will not want their franchisees
taking possession of the premises under the
franchise agreements until the subject lease
is fully executed.
Landlord’s Work/Tenant’s Work: Whether
in an offer to lease or lease, franchisors should
ensure that they have approved all work that
is expected to be performed by the landlord
and the tenant. A franchisor’s form of letter
of intent that its franchisees either utilize or
are guided by should include these provisions.
Land control is one of the most difficult
pieces of franchise system design that a franchisor
must understand, appreciate and gain
expertise in. The decisions made around land
control and the execution of these decisions
can make the difference between system success
and failure during a pandemic/endemic. FH
Sotos LLP assists many franchisors
in the design of their systems.
Many of the aforementioned
leasing considerations are also
applicable to single unit or multiple
unit non-franchised restaurant operations.
If you have any questions about your leases or
land control issues, please contact the author at
adjdick@sotos.ca or 416-805-8989.
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 15

FOOD FILE
BY SARAH B. HOOD
is the
CHICKEN IS THE MENU MAINSTAY WE ALL NEED IN TOUGH TIMES
Hands up if you haven’t indulged in takeout or delivery
chicken recently. Barbecued, deep-fried, topping a pizza, stuffing
a taco or filling a rice bowl, “the consumption of chicken
continues to increase, and we see it as one of the top menu
items overall,” says Robert Carter, industry analyst with
The StratonHunter Group in Toronto.
16 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

Hot and Sweet
Last spring, South-Korean chain NeNe Chicken
opened its first-ever North-American stores with two
locations in Vancouver. It’s just one of many Asian
brands that have been fuelling the demand for adventurous
fried-chicken choices, with flavours such as
sweet-chili sauce, “Hot Bling” sauce or cheese powder.
Many of these fall under the popular category of
“swicy” flavours (sweet plus spicy) that is also driving
menu offerings such as hot pepper-honey pizza.
“We’re seeing that [trend] start to make waves,”
affirms Lisa Bishop-Spencer, director of Brand and
Communications for Ottawa-based Chicken Farmers
of Canada (CFC), “savoury spices and heat plus sweetness,
or an umami plus sweet: maple vinegar, honey
vinegar. We’re going to see breaded chicken with sweet
or umami notes, healthy with a side of indulgence.”
Bishop-Spencer also notes an interest in fusion
concepts such as Korean tacos or Japanese ceviche. For
example, in September, Mucho Burrito introduced its
Tandoorrito, a Mexican-Indian combination of hot
Tandoori masala and pico de gallo. There’s still demand
for “nostalgic comfort-food classics,” but with “more
flavours like peri-peri or smoke applewood, hickory.
Europe is really seeing that right now,” she says.
“It’s about the flavour: cumin, ginger, influence
from Asia and Middle-Eastern countries,” says Cinthia
Nehring, international director of Marketing for
Church’s Chicken, who is based in Toronto (see profile
on p.34). Church’s Chicken brings in new items “every
(top) McDonald’s habanero-powered Spicy Chicken McNuggets
Piri Piri Rotisserie chicken legs (bottom)
CNW GROUP [MCDONALD’S HABANERO-POWERED SPICY CHICKEN & PIRI PIRI ROTISSERIE CHICKEN]; ISTSOCKCOM/ LILECHKA75
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 17

KFC’s Double Down Chicken Sandwich
Bright Ideas
There’s more than one way to sell a chicken
dinner. The restaurant industry has demonstrated
remarkable resilience and flexibility
over the past two years. Here are some particularly
noteworthy examples:
Chalet World Swiss Chalet has introduced
AR entertainment for diners via its mobile
app. “Chalet World” can be accessed by
scanning the sticker seal on takeout packaging
or directly through the Swiss Chalet
app (available on the Apple Store or Google
Play). It allows them to play trivia and guessing
games, win prizes as they navigate an
interactive “Canadian Chalet” environment or
stream music.
eight to 10 weeks,” such as a new garlicherb
option.
No End to
Sandwich Wars
Piquant, indulgent and
admirably adapted for takeout
dining, the spicy fried-chicken sandwich has
been one of the pandemic’s star performers, and
there’s no sign that the QSR category’s “chickensandwich
wars” are slowing down.
“The chicken-sandwich category is just
exploding; it continues to have great traffic
volume,” says Carter. Some chains, such
as Church’s Texas Chicken, were ahead of the
trend. “We’ve been doing sandwiches for over 15
years,” says Nehring. Its signature Mexicana is
Earls Cajun Blackened Chicken
topped with spicy mayo, cheese, taco chips, diced
onions, tomato and lettuce on a sesame bun. The
brand has recently launched a Texas Dry Rub
sandwich on a brioche bun.
Other outlets have been experimenting with
related menu offerings; for instance, last August,
McDonald’s launched a limited-edition run
of its new habanero-powered Spicy Chicken
McNuggets, the first tweak to its nuggets offering
since 1984. These follow McDonald’s other pep-
A Moveable Feast In September, Jollibee
and DoorDash unveiled a new mobile kitchen
in Hamilton, Ont., located adjacent to the
CF Lime Ridge Mall, a location selected by
analyzing customer activity captured by
DoorDash data. The 15-meter travelling
kitchen – made from a converted flatbed
trailer – will fulfill online pickup or delivery
orders, eliminating the need for a full-service
brick-and-mortar outlet.
DIY Dinners Earls has found a new way to
serve some of its dishes. The upscale casual
chain has launched home-meal Chef Kits,
designed for two diners, across most of its
stores in both Canada and the U.S. Texample,
the Cajun Chicken Kit for Two ($30) includes
Earls’ proprietary Cajun spice and all the other
ingredients to prepare Cajun Chicken with
warm potato salad and coleslaw. Instructional
videos featuring culinary cevelopment chef
David Wong are posted online.
CNW GROUP [KFC SANDWICH]; JOLLIBEE [CHICKEN SANDWICH]
18 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

INTRODUCING THE ALL NEW
Jif ® Creamy Peanut Butter Sauce
We’ve taken our delicious Jif ® Creamy Peanut Butter and turned it into a
pumpable sauce perfect for drizzling, whisking, and stirring into your menu.
NEW Jif ® Creamy Peanut Butter Sauce is Gluten-Free, Non-GMO Certified,
and made with sustainable palm oil.
For more information, please contact your Smucker Away From Home
Sales Representative or visit www.smuckerawayfromhome.ca
©/® The J.M. Smucker Company or its Subsidiaries.

pery chicken innovations, including the Spicy
Habanero McChicken (now a permanent menu
item) and the occasional Jalapeño McChicken,
Szechuan McChicken and Ghost Pepper
McChicken sandwiches.
In September, Jollibee launched its
Chickenwich, topped with umami mayo, and
the Spicy Jollibee Chickenwich with sriracha
mayo and fresh jalapeños. In mid-October,
Popeyes added kick to its chicken sandwich
and newly unveiled nuggets with Megan Thee
Stallion Hottie Sauce, an on-trend sweet-hot
blend of honey, cider vinegar and Aleppo
pepper produced in collaboration with the
vibrant Grammy-winning performer Megan
Thee Stallion. Meanwhile, KFC brought back
its Double Down for a short time in October
and November, featuring bacon and Monterey
Jack sandwiched not in a bun, but between
two pieces of fried chicken.
Rapid Expansions
In 2021, Jollibee opened its third Winnipeg
location and its third in Calgary, bringing the
brand’s total to 22 stores in Canada. Hi Five
Chicken, a 24-hour QSR chain that launched
in Vancouver in 2016, is adding six more
locations to its existing three. In Montreal,
Portuguese rotisserie chain Piri Piri has plans
to expand from five rotisseries to 25 by 2025
through franchising. The brand opened its
first franchised store in November.
Also expanding are Mary Brown’s and
Chick-Fil-A, while “St. Hubert in Quebec
is such a strong brand staple, and they’ve
expanded into the ‘quick casual’, as they call
it,” says Carter. “Their new concepts continue
to do really well.”
Although some previously successful
businesses have faltered during COVID-19,
“there are still going to be some really good
chicken fast-casual concepts that will appear
post-pandemic,” Carter says. With pre-cooked
rotisserie chicken a number-1-selling grocery
item, he believes rotisserie chicken still has
a bright future, as well as “upscale
fast-casual chicken places” ranging
from Asian concepts to SoCal-style
light and healthy menus.
And — more good news —
the supply chain is healthy, says
Bishop-Spencer. “Canada produces
the vast majority of the chicken
that Canadians consume,” she says,
and “96 per cent of Canadians
feel good about buying food from
Canadian farmers.”
To capitalize on protein
patriotism, she says, Chicken
Farmers of Canada has recently relaunched
its “Raised by a Canadian
Farmer” logo in variations that
reflect different standards of animal
welfare, for use on menus and websites.
The campaign ties the ongoing
love of local together with the stillincreasing
interest in farming conditions.
But until the COVID-19 waves subside
and dining-rooms are fully open again,
the industry can count on an undiminished
national enthusiasm for the comforting
familiarity of chicken, livened up with a hit
of flavourful condiments: a little bit of cheerful
nourishment for both body and spirit. FH
When Is a Chicken Not a Chicken?
Jolibee has grown
its “chicken joy”
across Canada and
currently operates
22 stores; Popeyes
is featuring Hottie
Sauce with its
chicken offerings
in partnership with
rapper Megan Thee
Stallian
In response to diners’ demands for healthy and sustainable foods,
more plant-based chicken products are coming onstream – and
lab-grown meats may not be too far behind.
In January, KFC Canada promoted its vegan chicken, using Maple Leaf Foods’ Lightlife
plant-based fillets, to the permanent menu, after resounding approval in testing.
Mary Brown’s Chicken is now using Lightlife for Tenders and Chicken Sidekick Snack
Sandwiches.
Zoglo’s Incredible Food Corp. and manufacturer Classic Touch Foods of Markham,
Ont. have teamed up to produce co-branded plant-based and vegan lasagna, butter
chicken, and spaghetti and meatballs for foodservice. In December, McCain and Strong
Roots announced a partnership that will allow the plant-based frozen-food company
to expand into the foodservice market through McCain’s network.
Somewhat ironically, although “there is a perception that plant-based meat is
healthier than single-ingredient meat,” says Lisa Bishop-Spencer of Ottawa-based
Chicken Farmers of Canada, its research shows plant-based chicken has less protein,
more fat and a lot more sodium than its animal-based counterpart.
Meanwhile, in December, the future of lab-produced protein – grown from single cells,
and touted as a sustainability solution – came one step closer as the Singapore Food
Agency granted approval to CULT Food Science Corp. to sell its GOOD
Meat chicken products, starting this year. CULT is part of the
successful plant-based food producer Eat Just.
“The quality is apparently quite good,” says Robert
Carter of Toronto-based The StratonHunter Group.
“The quantity is micro now,” he adds, but he predicts
we’ll see more “over the next 10 to 15 years.”
JOLLIBEE; CNW GROUP MARY BROWNS PANT BASED SANDWICH AND MEGAN THEE STALLION
20 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

QSR
The
QSR
foodservice-industry analysts, operators and suppliers
weigh in on how covid-19 has forced quick-service operators
to re-evaluate the customer experience
BY AMY BOSTOCK
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 21

FOODSERVICE CHANNELS - MONTHLY TRAFFIC TRENDS
QSR Restaurants lost more than 40% of their visits during the early days of the pandemic in 2020, or about
half as much as FSR. Traffic began returning to all segments immediately, and QSR recovery has been steady
ever since. FSR recovery has risen and fallen more based on the revolving lockdowns.
In the years leading up to COVID-19, the
quick-service restaurant segment was a growing
industry. “Between 2014 and 2018, QSR
was seeing average annual sales growth of
5.8 per cent per year, which is exceptionally
strong,” says Chris Elliott, senior economist
for Restaurants Canada. “We were also seeing
expansion in number of units and overall,
there seemed to be this growing need for people
wanting convenience and value. Breakfast,
especially, over the last decade, was driving
a lot of that foodservice spending — people
were looking for that convenience on the way
to work.”
But in 2018, Elliott says higher menu prices
began to impact the segment, especially in
Ontario due to the minimum-wage increase.
“Once you factor out inflation and unit
SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA AND RESTAURANTS CANADA
140 %
100%
60%
20%
-20%
-60%
-100%
growth, average unit volume adjusted for
inflation was actually higher [in 2017] than
in 2019. So, even though we saw the overall
aggregate sales numbers were growing — and
hit a record level in 2019 — at the operator
level (total sales divided by the total number
of units) sales have lagged the last few years.
Economists would say ‘on the one side, sales
are up; but on the other side, sales were flat.’
CHANGE IN SALES SINCE JANUARY 2020
FOODSERVICE CHANNELS - PCYA MONTHLY TRAFFIC TRENDS
Feb'20 Apr ‘20 June ‘20 Aug ‘20 Oct ‘20 Dec ’20 Feb ‘21 Apr ‘21 Jun ‘21 Aug ‘21 Oct ‘21
FSR
QSR
Full-service restaurants Quick-service restaurants Drinking Places
SOURCE: THE NDP GROUP/CREST YE NOVEMBER 2021
Overall, people were spending more at restaurants,
but from the restaurant perspective,
they weren’t seeing any improvement in sales.”
A deeper dive shows that pre-COVID, the
QSR industry was actually starting to slow
down, agrees Vince Sgabellone, industry
analyst, Canada Foodservice, The NPD
Group. “The FSR industry was actually
outpacing QSR in terms of traffic and dollar
growth,” he says, adding over
the last two years, he’s seen that
accelerated evolution and change
within QSR was coming anyway.
“The digital, delivery and athome
consumption revolution
that we were all forced to adopt
in March of 2020 was already
taking place somewhat. Prior to
COVID, more people were working
from home, shopping from
home and entertaining at home
already, [which meant] meals,
snacks and beverages at the
office, on the way to the office or
on the way home from the office
— those were already starting to
slow down. The coffee industry
in particular was feeling that hit.”
SIGNS OF THE TIMES
In March 2020, the world shut
down. Restaurants shuttered,
office buildings sat empty as
employees worked from home
and sales across all foodservice
segments plummeted. By April
22 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
TOTAL

OPERATOR
VIEW
For Ryan Smolkin, founder and CEO of the
Smoke’s Poutinerie brand, operating in
the QSR space has not been the advantage
everyone thinks.
“It’s a misnomer,” he says.
“Everybody’s been hit hard. [Being a
QSR] has pros and cons for us. On the
pro side, my locations are a little smaller
— I can operate with one person in my
locations as opposed to some of these
10 to 20,000-sq.-ft. places that need 10
staff on to even open their door. But at
the same time, they can potentially do a
lot more revenue than the little guy.”
Smolkin says although it’s easier for
QSRs to change on the fly to operate
during lockdowns, “there’s just as many
QSR that are going to be have gone under
[as a result of COVID],” he says, adding
“if you’re the big boys, there’s some
bigger dollars so you’re able to weather
the storm longer.”
And while government-assistance
programs have helped the
segment, and the industry as a whole,
Smolkin points out that not all operators
reap the benefits, as many don’t meet
the criteria laid out for qualification.
“We’ve been hit pretty hard,” he
shares, saying Smoke’s Poutinerie sales
were down 60 to 70 per cent at one point.
And while consumers assume QSRs are
raking in the cash thanks to being welladapted
to off-premise, for companies
such as Smoke’s Poutinerie, which touts
itself as a “pure entertainment company,”
not having people coming in through its
doors means the atmosphere Smoklin
has worked hard to foster was lost.
Another problem with shifting to delivery,
he says, is the 30 per cent third-party
delivery companies take off the top.
“That’s 30 per cent that should have
gone into the franchisee’s pocket but is
now going into their pocket. So, I don’t
get excited [about delivery]. Thirdparty-delivery
platforms are doing
great. Small QSRs are not doing great
when it comes to delivery — they’re losing
money hand over fist on every order
that goes out.”
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
2020, QSR sales had dropped 40 per cent
compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to
data from Restaurants Canada.
This compared to full-service restaurant,
where sales were down about 77 per cent,
and drinking places such as bars, taverns, and
nightclubs, down almost 90 per cent. “Many of
these [FSR and drinking place] operators had
shut down completely because they didn’t have
any type of off-premise service,” explains Elliott
of the gap in segment performance levels. “They
weren’t doing any type of delivery or takeout
service.”
Largely though, quick-service
restaurants could stay open
because they had takeout,
drive-thru and delivery options,
says Elliott, adding most of
what was closed were food
courts inside malls.
Pre-pandemic, Sgabellone
says 60 per cent of QSR business
was off premise, meaning the
segment was more than ready
to pivot once lockdowns began.
“It wasn’t as big a deal for them.
Many of the big players also
were already heavily invested
in digital, so when the market
went digital, they were ready
with their digital platforms. And
many of them had the drivethru
already, which again, was
BETWEEN
2014 AND
2018, QSR
WAS SEEING
AVERAGE
ANNUAL
SALES
GROWTH OF
5.8 PER CENT
PER YEAR
just a way to enhance that on-premise revenue.”
When COVID-19 hit “that 60 per cent went
up to about 80 per cent, so it actually grew
in size, not just in share. The QSR industry
was able to pivot very quickly, because it was
already set up for off-premises — that was
their meat and potatoes, especially at the chain
level — although that wasn’t necessarily the
case as much for the independents, who would
have had to struggle a little bit more in the
beginning as they didn’t have the digital platforms
or the drive-thrus.”
Throughout this pandemic, Elliott
says he saw a much faster recovery for
quick-service restaurants. In fact, by
June 2021, foodservice sales in the
QSR segment had returned to prepandemic
levels.
“One of the biggest factors driving
these sales was not actually delivery,
it was drive thru, which accounted
for about 50 per cent of all sales
at quick-service restaurants up to
about April 2021. People were
looking for that touchless, almost
contact-free approach, so any
restaurant that had a drive-thru
outperformed those restaurants
that did not,” says Elliott.
And while delivery and takeout
were touted as the saviours during
pandemic times, digital and delivery
sales had actually been experienc-
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 23

SUPPLIER
VIEW
Throughout the pandemic, the QSR segment has
fared better than others. From a supplier point of
view, Granett Douglas, vice-president Foodservice
at GBS Food Service Equipment Inc., says equipment
and complementary products supplied to the QSR
segment “have thrived, comparatively speaking [as
some] franchise entrepreneurs have been transitioning
from dine-in style towards QSR concepts.”
Douglas says QSR operators, to succeed, must
operate lean and mean at all times; operating
within the pandemic only amplifies this need,
leading to the move towards easy-to-use, train
and maintain equipment, as well as more energyefficient
equipment to help reduce day-in, dayout
operating costs.
“These attributes can be seen in controller
functions (multiple cook programs on fryers,
for example), self- or semi-automatic cleaning
systems (rotisseries and combi ovens), or selfdiagnostic
equipment to assist in maximum up
time (often we can troubleshoot issues without
having to dispatch service).
He points to the UltraFryer System, the only
zero-recovery fryer in the market designed
specifically for QSR operators. “The original
company founder was actually the same founder
of Church’s Chicken, who was unable to keep up
with production requirements of his increasingly
popular fried-chicken chain,” says Douglas.
AccuTemp Products also provide significant
value adds for QSR operations, with its groundbreaking
Steam Griddle technology changing the
game completely when discussing high-performance
griddles. “Imagine a 24-inch griddle that
can turn-out 240 double cheeseburgers in one
hour, and cook a quarter pound frozen hamburger
patty in under two minutes,” says Douglas.
While COVID-19 has forced many operators to
re-evaluate their equipment choices, Douglas
says when the industry finally levels out, QSR
operators will once again have infinite product
options, with relatively quick availability.
“Clients will expect to pay 20 to 25 per cent
more money for a piece of equipment from
pre-pandemic levels (I don’t see that decreasing
after supply chains stabilize),” he says.
“Equipment trends towards high-efficiency and
innovative products that allow operators to “do
more with less” are here to stay, and the desire
for these goods should amplify exponentially as
we move forward in time.”
24 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022
AVERAGE UNIT VOLUME IN CANADA (IN 2019 DOLLARS]
$821,700
$718,200 $849,200
ing double-digit year-over-year growth long
before COVID-19 appeared.
“In the three years prior to the pandemic,
[digital ordering] doubled from
about two per cent to about six per cent
of orders,” says Sgabellone. “And then in
March [2020], it tripled again to about
18 to 20 per cent and now it’s settling at
about 15 per cent of orders.”
While the digital trend is linked with
delivery and third-party delivery apps,
Sgabellone adds digital also means preordering
your drive-thru order or coffee,
which emerged as a growing trend
during the pandemic.
THE RISE OF GEN Z
In his almost 15 years of
following foodservice trends,
Sgabellone says the top foods
in Canada have remained
fries, burgers, chicken
sandwiches and pizza.
“That’s not going to
change,” he says. “Those top
foods are always good to
top foods, but now they’ve
become a tremendous platform
for new flavour exploration,
whether it’s some sort
of a global flavour or new
preparation, [as well as] the
meatless revolution.”
One of the main drivers
of flavour innovation to
Quick-service restaurants
$722,200
SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA AND RESTAURANTS CANADA
$853,300
$729,800
$866,700
$755,000
BY APRIL
2020, QSR
SALES HAD
DROPPED 40
PER CENT
COMPARED
TO PRE-
PANDEMIC
LEVELS,
ACCORDING
TO DATA FROM
RESTAURANTS
CANADA
Full-service restaurants
$882,100
$767,500
$864,900
$757,000
$867,400
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
$776,900
emerge during COVID-19 was a shift in
demographics. As the Gen-Z generation (24
years old this year) leave the nest and enters
the workforce, Sgabellone says the group’s
influence on the foodservice market is growing
exponentially. And not just in QSR,
although he says that segment accounts for
60 per cent of all Gen-Z visits.
“Their behaviours are driving the market,”
says Sgabellone. “[For example,] their
demands for exploration of flavours —
they’ve grown up with the proliferation of
brands and flavours and that creates opportunities
for the big [brands] to jump on
board those flavour trends. But it’s
also the opportunity for the little
guys — the independents and
the small chains.”
He points to the growth in
Indian, Mediterranean and
Ethiopian cuisines “and this is
from the little mom-and-pop
independents to small chains.
A lot of the influence in those
flavour trends are coming from
the back-end millennials and the
front-end Gen Zs, who are less
brand loyal and more interested
in trying something new.”
TALKING ABOUT
A REVOLUTION
As restrictions continue to be
lifted and people feel more
comfortable going out to eat in
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

estaurants, Sgabellone says QSR operators
will have to figure out how to keep those offpremises
customers they gained over the last
two years.
“People have gotten used to ordering offpremises
and some of that behaviour will
stick. But at the same time, there’s all this
pent-up demand for sitting down in a restaurant
and enjoying the experience. And quick
service has always been just as its name states:
quick and convenient. So, once the experiential
part of restaurant dining comes back into our
consideration set, quick service is going to be
diminished from consideration and [operators
are] going to have to figure out how to how
to do [experiential dining]. Otherwise, they
risk going back to where they were pre-2019,
which was slowly slowing down.”
He says this could mean coming up with
ways to bring an experience into the quickservice
environment, or making sure operators
hang on to their off-premise customers using
loyalty programs, deals or new flavours.
Elliott agrees it will be an uphill battle for
the segment as the QSR revolution continues.
“It’s a challenging revolution, because what
you’re also seeing is other people looking
at the quick-service-restaurant market and
saying, ‘I can do that, too.’ And I’m thinking
specifically grocery stores in the last couple of
years, [and] convenience stores where they
want to play in the same sandbox; they want
to be able to provide value, lower-priced
foods, convenience, where you can just pick
COMMERCIAL FOODSERVICE
SALES CANADA
Quick -service restaurants
% change
p- preliminary; f- forecast
SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA, RESTAURANTS CANADA AND CONFERENCE BOARD OF CANADA
up and go. So, that’s going to be a new era
of competition for quick-service restaurants,
compared to say, a decade ago. And because
of that competition, quick-service, restaurants
are looking for new ways to adapt and change
and are being forced to look at new ways to
remain relevant to the guests and customers.” FH
Millions of Dollars
2018 2019 2020 2021P 2022F
$32,310.3
5.0%
Full-Service restaurants $32,716.3
5.0%
Caterers $5,949.6
4.2%
Drinking Places $2,780.6
0.7%
Total Sales $73,756.9
4.8%
$33,734.8
4.4%
$34,289.7
4.8%
$6,306.9
6.0%
$2,694.3
-3.1%
$77,025.7
4.4%
$28,902.4
-14.3%
$21,524.7
-37.2%
$3,291.7
-47.8%
$1,401.0
-48.0%
$55,119.8
-28.4%
$33,419.5
15.6%
$26,324.5
22.3%
$3,836.2
16.5%
$1,523.6
8.7%
$65,103.8
18.1%
$34,999.4
4.7%
$31,171.0
18.4%
$4,959.5
29.3%
$2,044.4
34.2%
$73,174.3
12.4%
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26 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

LABOUR REPORT
“ You
used
to be able to hang
out a “Help Wanted”
sign and have 50 people
line up for the job.
Now there are 50 “Help Wanted” signs and
one candidate,” says Ian Milford, principal at
Vancouver-based JRoss Recruiters.
In fact, according to Restaurant Canada’s
Outlook Survey for Q3 2021, 93 per cent of
all restaurants across the country reported
a staff shortage, with half declaring a “significant
shortage.” Statistics Canada’s recent
research cited more than 130,000 vacancies in
the foodservice and lodging sector, with the
majority being restaurant jobs.
While a dearth of qualified candidates
predates the pandemic, COVID-19 has made
a bad situation worse, giving many workers
pause and a chance to step back and reevaluate
(often with the help of government
subsidies) their lives and careers. Many used
the time and money to re-train for entirely
different, more stable, fields, such as tech and
healthcare. Some retired, some returned to
their home countries and, with lockdowns
and visa challenges, can’t get back in. Others
gravitated to the flexibility of the gig economy,
working for food-delivery companies such
as DoorDash, Uber Eats and Lyft. For those
who remain, the table has turned. Now
sought-after, they have demands — and those
demands often go beyond cold, hard cash.
“Money is a ‘satisfier’,” a starting point, says
Milford. “More important for top candidates,
number 1, is work-life balance. The expectation
is that you’re at the restaurant every day,
12 hours a day. While the restaurant may be
[the owner’s] life, it doesn’t have to be, and
shouldn’t necessarily be, the employee’s life.
Number 2 is working for an organization that
resonates with their beliefs and their core values.
Banks and other organizations give staff
time off to volunteer and do things meaningful
to them, why not the restaurant business?”
PERKS AND PROGRAMS
Todd Barclay, former president and CEO,
Restaurants Canada, acknowledges the shortages
are not a new issue, “but absolutely it’s been exacerbated
by what’s happening with COVID. When
you take an industry across an entire country and
effectively shut it down, some provinces for many
months, getting folks to come back, even when
they enjoyed their experiences, is really hard.”
Making it easier will mean adding a little
something extra to sweeten the pot. Many
restaurants are offering signing bonuses to lure
workers in the door, including McDonald’s,
which has dangled anywhere from $200 to, in
Quebec, up to $1,000, along with a 10-percent
bump in salary. One sushi restaurant in
Florida offered cryptocurrency just for coming
in for an interview. Another paid a cash bonus
to vaccinated hires. Others, such as Calgarybased
Franworks Group, which operates
some 100 restaurants in Canada and the U.S.,
offered referral and signing bonuses, but has
focused mostly on retention strategies.
“Retention is critical, as it enables our
businesses to respond to lifting restrictions
and scale to full capacity faster,” says president
Derek Doke. “Whenever possible, we’ve
extended salary continuance to team members.
In some cases, this was to bridge them to
Employment Insurance; at other times we kept
employees intact for the duration of provincial
closures. We went back to the basics and made
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FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 27

MOST GEN Z AND MILLENNIALS SPEND
30 PER CENT OF THEIR WAKING HOURS
ON PLATFORMS LIKE FACEBOOK,
INSTAGRAM, SNAPCHAT, TIKTOK,
GOOGLE AND YOUTUBE, IN ADDITION
TO THE TRADITIONAL JOB BOARDS
sure we were putting our people
first when making tough business
decisions.”
Then there’s the annual salary,
the “satisfier.” Advertising
$50,000 for a dishwasher, as
one Vancouver restaurant did
last summer, is a nice enticement,
but is it sustainable? And
how will current staff, making
minimum wage, react to that?
But Barclay says, “It’s important
to understand, most people
in the restaurant industry are
making more than minimum
wage [except] servers, but servers
make tips — up to $40 an
hour. The highest-paid people
in restaurants are servers. So, to
continue to hear that this is an
industry that is low paying, that
is not true in aggregate.”
In addition to a competitive
salary, much more manageable
long-term, many restaurant
companies say, are perks
and benefits. “Everyone
across all industries
is trying to provide
great work experience
and work environment
for workers, and
we’re doing that, whether
it’s related to wages, shift
[flexibility] or benefits,”
says Barclay.
Some of those perks already
in place include flexible work
schedules, shorter work weeks,
paid vacation, medical and dental
benefits, daily pay options that
compete with the gig economy, free
meals, as well as clear pathways to
promotion. Some restaurants have,
in fact, hired more junior candidates
and devoted more time to
training as a way to widen the net
and propel promotions.
Going the extra mile, such as
allowing personal time off just
to re-charge, can fend off burnout,
which is on the rise since
fewer workers can mean longer
shifts. Those with deeper pockets
can offer child care, paid skills
training and upgrades, tuition
reimbursement, staff-recognition
events and sports getaways, as
The Keg does, and, for executives
and administrators, work-fromhome
opportunities, are now
made easier with apps such as
Slack, Teams and Zoom.
Once you snag that great hire,
keep them by topping up with
profit-sharing, extended medical
coverage for physical therapy,
massage therapy, wellness
benefits, free meals for families,
performance bonuses, or pension
benefits, as Ottawa-based Aiana
does, charitable endeavours or
time off just to go see a concert,
as Earl’s has done.
THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Vivian Wang, founder and CEO
of Landed, a retail and food-
ISTOCK.COM/SHIRONOSOV [JOB CANDATESU; ISTOCK.COM/MARCHMEENA29 [JOB SEARCH]
28 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022

industry recruiter, says candidates
are job shopping, not job hunting.
So, you need to sell your
company to them by employing
three to five talking points that
focus on pay, bonuses, shift
flexibility, diversity and inclusion
commitments and opportunities
for advancement. And when
casting your net for those elusive
candidates, she says you need to
source them where they are —
social media.
“Most Gen Z and millennials
spend 30 per cent of their
waking hours on platforms like
Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat,
TikTok, Google and YouTube,
in addition to the traditional
job boards,” she says. But hiring
managers don’t necessarily
need to also spend 30 per cent
of their waking hours scrolling
through these feeds; that’s
where automation comes in.
“[Implementing] a conversational
AI component is basically
a way to engage with candidates
over SMS text message and push
notifications to their phone,” says
Wang. “AI essentially has conversations
with candidates, answering
questions, learning from
the way they interact with that
conversational AI, what’s resonating
with them and not resonating
with them, and iterating your
recruitment strategy, highlighting
different benefits. A ton of repeatable
manual tasks, like sending
out paperwork for onboarding,
can be automated using AI,”
freeing up general managers and
staff to service their guests and
hone other skills.
PLEASE, COME IN
Barclay says less restrictive
foreign-worker visas would help
clear the way for international
candidates, and he’s called on
government to organize a national
staffing-development strategy
that would make it easier to
recruit from outside Canada.
“We’re asking for extensions of
contracts for temporary foreign
workers; various things they can
do to free up more people to
work, changing the rules and regulations
around the type of work
that can be included in these temporary
foreign-worker programs,
for example. Including specific
roles and responsibilities in restaurants
within these lists are helping
us get more people working who
are already here and want to work
and don’t want to leave. Things
are moving in a better direction
but we need more help.”
TECH TOOLS
Restaurant Canada’s Outlook
Survey showed 37 per cent of
restaurants added new technology
last year to help streamline
operations and support staff.
Online ordering, food-delivery
apps, and QR codes have been
around a while, but investing
in more advanced tech is
becoming unavoidable.
“Technology is growing
and developing and there will
be options for restaurants to
take a look at ways in which to
increase tech for servers as well
as back of house,” says Barclay.
“I wouldn’t suggest it’s anywhere
near mainstream, but any
restaurant right now is looking at
ways in which to limit their costs.
And if technology will drive some
of those cost reductions, operators
will look for ways to do that,
because they have to survive.”
Lucky Thalas, executive vicepresident
for Markham, Ont.-
based SilverWare POS, is more
emphatic. “A proper guest-facing
digital platform is critical to
simultaneously optimizing sales
and the guest experience,” he
says. “Allowing the guest to scan
a QR code and seamlessly view
the menu, place orders and pay
through their mobile phone while
seated in the restaurant provides
the option for a shared server/
guest ordering experience. For
example, guests can order appetizers
and entrées on their mobile
device, while the server orders
beverages on the POS terminal or
handheld device. Either guest or
server can then manage the checksplitting
or payment function.”
Other tech tools for front-ofhouse
include table-status indicators
and floorplan systems that let the
server know if the table is occupied
or in need of clearing; selforder
kiosks; digital reservation
systems, which can integrate with a
restaurant’s website; and apps that
track where customers come from,
how often they come, size of
party, et cetera.
Back-of-house tech includes
kitchen display screens that
replace printed tickets and verbal
orders and allow all staff access
in order to streamline communications;
digital temperature
sensors to ensure food safety; and
digitized inventory-management
systems to reduce food waste, and
even re-order when inventory
is low. And for cooks and chefs,
smaller, multi-function systems
that are fully programmable,
such as multi-tasking combiand
rapid-cook ovens, Thermomix
appliances for cooking rice,
thickening sauces, fermentation
and sous vide applications, as
well as the RATIONAL iVario
platform — which integrates
kettle, griddle, oven and skillet —
all speed up service.
If your recruitment efforts
focus on the younger generation,
Milford says you better autoup,
because millennials expect
a connected work environment.
“They’ve worked with computers
their entire lives and now they’re
going into a business that is, in
many cases, not tech-heavy at
all. And if they have an opportunity
to go somewhere that is
better aligned with what they’re
expecting and how they want to
work, then that’s where they’re
going to go.” FH
37%
OF RESTAURANTS
ADDED NEW
TECHNOLOGY
LAST YEAR TO
HELP STREAMLINE
OPERATIONS AND
SUPPORT STAFF
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 29

PROFILE
Vasiliki and
James McInnes
30 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

Planting
Odd Burger turns passion into profit
with North-American expansion
BY NICOLE DI TOMASSO | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MONIQUE WIENDELS
Plant-based eating is quickly taking root in
the fast-food industry as the COVID-19 pandemic drives more people to
become ethical, environmentally conscious consumers. At the forefront
of this movement is Odd Burger, one of the world’s first vegan fast-food
chains to offer products modelled after its traditional competitors. While
many restaurants were left to grapple with the devastating effects of the
pandemic, Odd Burger’s restaurant model was already designed to better
assist consumers during this dynamic time, leading to its momentous
growth and continued expansion across North America.
Founded by James McInnes in 2014, Odd Burger (formerly known as
Globally Local) started out as an organic produce delivery service. One
year later, McInnes partnered with his wife, Vasiliki, and they transformed
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 31

Odd Burger into a vegan meal-kit business.
“It was an awareness of what I was consuming,”
says Vasiliki McInnes, co-founder and COO, Odd
Burger. “The fact that they were once living
animals and now being consumed – I just couldn’t
do that anymore.”
The husband-and-wife duo garnered attention
at Ribfest in London, Ont. where their Famous
Burger, a vegan spin on the Big Mac, sold out
due to overwhelming demand. After the launch
of a food-truck concept, the McInnes’ opened
their first vegan fast-food restaurant in 2017 in
London, Ont. Six months later, they opened the
world’s first 24-hour vegan drive thru. The
following year, the McInnes opened a facility to
manufacture a portion of their products using
locally sourced and sustainable ingredients.
Fast forward to 2022, Odd Burger already has
locations in Toronto, Windsor, Vaughan, Waterloo
and Hamilton, Ont. The company is currently in
the process of doubling its presence, with additional
franchised locations set to open this year in
Toronto, Ottawa, Brampton, Ont., Whitby, Ont.,
Calgary, Alta., Victoria, B.C., as well as its first
U.S. location in Manhattan, N.Y.
As part of its expansion plan, Odd Burger aims
to open a manufacturing facility in each region
it operates. “We manufacture about 29 products.
These products are primarily plant-based proteins
and sauces,” says James McInnes, co-founder and
CEO of Odd Burger. “As we expand our business,
our goal is to set up a production facility as close
to our restaurants as possible to avoid [high]
shipping and transportation costs.”
The Odd Burger menu offers several kinds of
burgers, substituting traditional beef, pork and
chicken with chickpeas, oat flakes, tempeh and
shredded jackfruit doused in barbecue sauce. Its
menu also offers vegan breakfast sandwiches,
salads, wraps and desserts.
Devoid of a traditional grill, Odd Burger restaurants
are largely automated to increase efficiency
and streamline operations with fewer staff.
Ranging from 750 to 1,200 sq. ft., new models can
seat up to eight people. Odd Burger features selfcheckout
kiosks, digital-menu boards, automated
kitchen displays and cooking technology, such
as rapid-cook ovens, auto-filtration fryers and
specialized toasters. Its innovative takeout-anddelivery
concept has proved its viability in a crisis.
In fact, Odd Burger recorded more than $233,000
in systemwide sales in October 2021, marking a
41-per-cent increase over the previous month.
“Our restaurant model has benefitted us
throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” says James
McInnes. “We have a small footprint [as] a takeout
business, so when the pandemic hit, we just
MONIQUE WIENDELS
32 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

did more takeout. Our staff can be as little as
one person because we use the latest technology,
which has changed how we make our food.
We don’t even have a traditional grill in
our restaurants.”
Moreover, permanent restaurant closures
over the past two years, combined with
surging consumer demand, presented a
unique time for franchising opportunities. To
fuel its growth strategy further, loans of up
to 90 per cent of opening a new Odd Burger
location are available for eligible franchisees
through the Canada Small Business Financing
Program (CSBFP) administered by CIBC.
Specifically, franchisees can be granted loans
Hot Fudge
Brownie Sundae
Chickun
Offerings
of up to $350,000 for new-store financing and
aren’t required to pay interest for six months.
Previously, financing options were limited to
only 66 per cent of costs.
The cost of an Odd Burger restaurant
varies depending on the restaurant size
and location, but generally ranges between
$500,000 and $800,000, according to Odd
Burger’s website. The franchise fee is $35,000.
The McInnes’ are passionate about creating
delicious, plant-based food that benefits
people and the planet.
“We’re coming in with this new fast-food
concept that’s different from other fast-food
restaurants [that might not be fully aware of
their environmental impact regarding food
production, packaging or energy conservation,]”
says James McInnes.
To succeed in minimizing its environmental
impact, Odd Burger is partnering with franchisees
who truly want to help lead the industry to
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
widespread sustainable practices.
“The most important thing is
that our franchisees believe in our
mission,” he says. “Our business has
an ethical undertone, with a focus
on the environment and sustainable
food choices.”
“On the operational side, we don’t require
our franchisees to have prior restaurant or
kitchen experience because we’re able to train
them in all areas,” says Vasiliki McInnes.
As a fast-growing franchise, the McInnes’ note
their biggest challenge has been creating Odd
Burger’s training program. They’re aware effective
learning can’t be a one-size-fits-all approach.
“Our biggest challenge has been articulating
our knowledge to put in our training program
that can be replicated and re-produced. It’s
an ongoing process because what might be
common sense to us might not be for someone
else,” says James McInnes. “We’ve spent a lot of
time developing and refining training
programs and other materials over the last year.”
The McInnes are hungry for a successful
franchise system. Their goal is to have 20 Odd
Burger restaurants operational by the end of
2022. What they’ve accomplished so far shows
they’re on the right track to achieve that goal.
“In some ways, I feel like it’s been a long
time coming,” says James McInnes. “We have
the right business model at the right time.
Now is the time when a lot more people are
thinking about the environment, sustainability
and the ethical treatment of animals, which is
why we’re seeing such incredible growth and
interest in our brand.” FH
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 33

PROFILE
Take me to Church
Church’s Chicken is taking Canada by storm
BY AMY BOSTOCK
In 1952, George Church opened his
first takeout restaurant across from
the Alamo, in San Antonio, Texas.
Since then, Church’s Chicken has
expanded domestically throughout
the U.S. before coming to Canada, opening its
first unit in Vancouver in 1979.
“The brand has been in Canada for a really
long time,” says Russ Sumrall senior vice-president,
International Strategic Development at
Church’s Chicken. “We operate 15 restaurants
in Vancouver and those restaurants are wildly
successful. We consider them the foundation for
what eventually became the growth that we’re
starting to realize now in other parts of Canada.”
Today, the fried-chicken chain — known
for its hand-battered fried chicken and honeybutter
biscuits — boasts 686 restaurants
across 25 countries, with Church’s Chicken
operations in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico,
Mexico and the Caribbean. In Asia, Europe
and the Middle East, the company operates as
Texas Chicken, thanks to copyright restrictions
on the word “church.”
“In Canada, specifically, we’re operating
47 restaurants and have 61 sites [planned]
for 2022, which would more than double the
size of the brand this year in Canada,” says
Sumrall, adding the majority of those units
will be in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
“We began our effort to grow in the GTA
back around 2018,” he explains, “and have
brought many new franchisees on board since
then. Those new franchisees are the ones that
are predominantly developing in Canada in
the GTA.”
Now Church’s has expanded its Ontario
development area, reaching southwest to
Windsor and east to Kingston.
“We’re trying to have a measured and controlled
expansion of the brand, so we’re staying
on top of supply chain and building brand
awareness,” says Sumrall, adding the brand has
been so successful in attracting franchisees;
he’s now having to say ‘no’ to people who are
asking to open more restaurants in Toronto.
“In Ontario, when a franchisee is awarded
development rights with us, they’re going to
build at least five restaurants in three years, so
I’ve got to make sure I’m not overselling the
market. We’ve also got to a point where we’re
being very selective; we’re looking for multiunit
operators of existing brands that would
complement, and not be a direct competitor,
to Church’s. So, if you were say a Tim Horton’s,
Wendy’s, or A&W franchisee interested in
becoming a Church’s franchisee, we would love
34 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

Franchise Costs
(in U.S. $)
Church’s Texas Chicken is the international sister brand of Church’s
Chicken and is named to convey the global brand’s Texas origins.
The two brand entities are part of the same corporate structure,
with a single executive leadership team and a united approach to
initiatives such as menu development, franchise expansion and
other corporate-level business decisions.
Development fee: $10,000
Initial franchise fee: $15,000
Real-estate purchase or lease: variable
Site work: $5,000 to $50,000
Building/improvements:
$230,200 to $620,000
Equipment and signage: $150,000 to $200,000
Fees, misc., A&E services, deposits: $50,000
to $150,000
Initial training: US$23,000
Opening supplies: $6,350 to $12,700
Insurance: $7,500 to $10,000
Utility deposits: $5,000 to $15,000
Business licenses: $300 to $600
Additional funds (three months):
$10,000 to $20,000
Estimated Total: $464,350 to $1,101,300
that situation because those franchisees already
know their market, the real estate and the supply
situation. And we could then add in Church’s
beneficial synergies to leverage their existing
restaurant business infrastructure.”
Apart from a few corporately owned
restaurants in the U.S., Church’s has built its
brand through franchising. “We’re focused on
being the franchisor of choice.”
And that focus is now firmly set
on expansion into Manitoba and the
Maritimes. While Sumrall says the brand
already has developers secured for Alberta,
Saskatchewan and for most of Ontario, “the
new ground I’m seeking to expand to in
Canada is in Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Prince
Edward Island and New Brunswick.
In the case of Manitoba, he says Church’s is
seeking franchisees that will commit to building
10 restaurants in five years. “When you
think about the financial requirements that
would go along with that, it’s different than
someone who’s doing five stores in Ontario,”
he says. “Typically, for a five-store deal, we
would look for someone to have about $1.5
million in liquidity, cash or cash equivalents.
For a 10-store deal, I’m going to raise that up
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
to about $2 million. Now, most of the time,
particularly in Canada, they’re going to leverage
financing to build their restaurant, so
they’ll need to have a certain portion of their
own equity to go in. And then they can go to
one of the banks we’ve got relationships with
now to help our franchisees grow their brand.”
Location, location, location
When it comes to finding the real-estate sweet
spot, Sumrall says drive-thrus are king.
But, he admits, free-standing drive-thrus are
very hard to come by, particularly in major
areas in Canada, either due to the fact that
they’re already taken, or there’s zoning restrictions
that limit drive-thrus.
“The [other type of location] we love is an
endcap. You see this a lot with a Starbucks,
where they’ll take the endcap of a plaza and have
a drive-thru wrapped around the side of the
building. We love those, too because it’s a lower
investment to get in. But you still have
the delivery channel, the takeaway channel, the
dining channel and the drive-thru channel for
sales — we can do everything there.”
He says the bull’s eye for real estate is a
freestanding restaurant of about 2,000 sq.
ft. — a new
build or a
conversion. “If
there’s another brand
that, unfortunately, was
not able to make it through
COVID-19, we would happily take
an existing footprint and convert that
to a Church’s — that’s a much lower
cost investment than if you were building it
from the ground up.”
The average number of seats for new units
is around 20. Sumrall recognizes that in
today’s climate, Canadians are “more about
the grab-and-go” than dining in. “In certain
countries, we need 200 seats because it’s still
part of the culture to dine out. But in Canada,
we’re seeing smaller dining-rooms are prevalent
and more important is the delivery, the drive
thru and the takeaway.”
While finding good real-estate has taken on
a Hunger Games feel in recent years, Sumrall
says his franchisees have been tenacious about
finding locations. “The fact that for this year,
I’ve already got 61 sites in progress for Canada
alone tells me they’re getting good real estate.
Out of all of those, 14 are under construc-
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 35

tion right now and will probably open in the
next two or three months; 38 are sites we’ve
reviewed and approved and now the franchisees
are in the process of finishing their drawings,
hiring their general contractor, getting their
permits, ordering their equipment and trying
to get started; and nine restaurants are sites
that have been identified, but have yet to be
approved. We’ve been fortunate to be able to get
good real estate. And as our brand continues
to grow, my email keeps populating with realestate
people in Canada sending me sites to
consider, which is a good problem to have.”
Pushing Ahead
While many chains have slowed or halted
expansion plans during the pandemic,
Church’s is pushing forward with its ambitious
growth plan.
“We’re already set up with delivery — we
have all of the major delivery aggregators as
part of our system and they were here before
COVID — and our dining-rooms are relatively
small, so we weren’t like the casual-dining
players that were competitive upon filling
their dining room. We were in a very good
position to thrive during COVID, and we did.”
He says the biggest challenges have been
keeping up with the labour/staffing situation
and dealing with supply-chain issues. “We
could probably have opened 10 to 15 more
restaurants in Canada last year if it had not
been for supply-chain delays on equipment.”
While Church’s corporate philosophy is to
buy local when feasible, Sumrall says there
is an economies-of-scale problem when you
have relatively few restaurants in a market.
“For example, if we had a cup that is used
for a soft drink, because today we only have
47 restaurants in all of Canada, we don’t
have very large purchasing power for a cup.
But if we’ve got 1,000 restaurants in the U.S.
with a single-source supplier that are buying
thousands and thousands of cases of these
cups they’re able to get that cup at a really low
cost, much lower than if we were to go into
Canada today with my 47 restaurants and say
‘give us a low cost cup’.”
But, he says, there’s always a break point
where it would be more economical and a better
decision to purchase in Canada rather the U.S.
“Keep in mind, the number-1 item we sell in
our restaurants is chicken and all of our chicken
is sourced in Canada — it typically makes up
more than half of our cost of goods.”
He says the brand is seeking to partner with
a Canadian kitchen-equipment supplier, as
well as a company to build all of its interior
decor, which currently comes from a supplier in
Chicago. “There’s a company in Toronto we’re
already talking with that should be able to build
all of these design, decor and furniture elements
for us, and do so at a competitive cost. That
would be good for our franchisees.”
While Church’s Chicken is facing an
upward growth trajectory, the last two years
have not been without setbacks. Governmentmandated
lockdowns and closures impacted
not only existing units, but also caused a
backlog in permit applications and siteinspections
that saw franchisees paying rent
on non-operating restaurants.
In response, Sumrall says Church’s implemented
franchisee-support programs.
“We told our franchisees shortly after
COVID-19 spread, ‘we understand you have
to pay your lease, you have to pay your people,
you have to pay your food bills. So, take
half of the money you would normally pay
us and use that to help pay your employees
and keep them with you.’ Essentially, we set
a promissory note so that eventually, when
times were better, they can come back and pay
us … and they did.” FH
Coming in
May 2022
Sustainable
Solutions
+ The New Digital
Consumer –
Demographics
& More
• Plant-Based Dining
(Alternative Proteins)
• Walk-in Coolers
& Refrigeration
• Wines
• Is Your Restaurant
Instagrammable?
36 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
• Airline F&B Programs

ADVERTORIAL
Calling All Young Chefs!
The Fifth Edition of the
S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition
is Now Accepting Applications
The COVID-19 pandemic closures and restrictions had a
devastating impact on Canada’s culinary community and
challenged the livelihoods of chefs nationwide. Unsurprisingly,
the pandemic hit young chefs the hardest, as
many were laid off or left with job insecurity and limited opportunities
due to pandemic challenges.
As a proud supporter of the chef and restaurant community,
S.Pellegrino remains committed to supporting the future of the
culinary industry and is now calling on all emerging young chefs
across Canada to enter the 2022/23 S.Pellegrino Young Chef
Academy Regional Competition. The competition, now in its fifth
year, offers young chefs an inspiring and educational experience
that provides national visibility and professional prestige.
“The competition and the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy
support the culinary community and chefs of tomorrow by offering
mentorship, guidance and supporting creativity and inclusivity in
the world of gastronomy,” says Paul De Larzac, president of Nestlé
Waters Canada.
Over the course of the Regional Competition, the finalists will
take part in live cook-offs in front of a panel of esteemed Canadian
jurors who will provide feedback based on unrivaled technical skill,
genuine creativity and strong personal belief, along with the candidate’s
ability to create positive change in society through food.
The winner from the Regional Competition will go on to compete
in the Global Grand Finale in 2023, the biggest international
young chef competition to date, and officially be in the running for
the coveted title of the ‘S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Award
2022-23’. The international competition allows the next generation
of chefs to make their mark in the world of gastronomy and give
them a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to cook for some of the
world’s most renowned chefs and have access to a global culinary
community.
Both the Regional and Global components provide emerging
chefs with a unique opportunity to learn, interact and be mentored
by esteemed chefs. Last year, North America was represented by
Canadian chef Rafael Covarrubias, from Hexagon in Oakville, Ont.,
during the Grand Finale. Chef Rafael placed a strong fifth across
a competitive set of top young chefs and had the chance to be
mentored by one of Calgary’s best-known Chefs, Connie Desousa,
as well as the opportunity to attend global workshops and network
with Michelin chefs Massimo Bottura and Enrico Bartolini.
The competition remains to be a highlight in the gastronomy
world and is an initiative of S.Pellegrino’s Young Chef Academy, an
inspiring international community which aims to identify, connect
and nurture the next generation of chefs, no matter where they are
from, their gender or their ethnicity.
Young chefs between 18 and 30 years of age with at least one
year of restaurant experience can apply for the S.Pellegrino Young
Chef Academy Regional Competition 2022/23 online at
www.sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com from now until April
30, 2022. Chefs that apply will need to provide personal and
professional information and submit the recipe for their signature
dish, which should communicate their personal vision, unique skills
and creativity.
To learn more or to submit your application, please visit
www.sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com
All San Pellegrino trademarks are owned by Sanpellegrino S.p.A., San Pellegrino Terme (BG), Italy and used under licence. ©2022 Sanpellegrino

PROFILE
Secret Sauce
Redberry Restaurants has found a recipe
for success amidst COVID-19 challenges
BY AMY BOSTOCK
While the COVID-19
pandemic battered the
Canadian restaurant
industry, Redberry
Restaurants defied the
odds, showcasing exceptional growth in 2021
with the opening of 15 new Burger King
locations, multiple Burger King renovations,
one new Pizza Hut location, and the addition
of a new brand to the portfolio through the
acquisition of 14 Taco Bell restaurants.
Redberry’s stellar performance even earned
it Burger King’s coveted 2021 Franchisee of
the Year award in its largest category (50-plus
locations) — the first Canadian company to
win the award.
“In 2020 [when COVID first hit], a lot
of companies, including Redberry, survived
on adrenaline, really thinking
[it would be] a situation that
would last weeks or months,” says Ken Otto,
CEO at Redberry Restaurants. “And, obviously,
that didn’t happen.”
Otto says 2021 was about “dealing with
our people and the promises we made, and
how to keep them going when day after day,
week after week, month after month; the news
was the same and not getting a lot better. We
tried our hardest to communicate that we
had a plan; we had a vision of what kind of
company we wanted to be; and what kind of
culture we wanted to foster. The overarching
message was ‘let’s control what we can control.’
We can’t control lockouts or the things we
have no knowledge of, like what might be
happening next week. What we can control
are the promises we made to each other. What
we can control is our quality of operations.
What we can control is a quality of people
that we recruit, hire and promote. This kept
people focused on coming to work and saying
we made a bunch of promises. Let’s do
what we said we would do. And we did it.
We focused on taking care of the guests; we
focused on speed of service; we focused on
running the best brands with our partners in
Canada, as evidenced with a Franchisee of the
Year award.”
He adds the company also promised it
would “build a bunch of restaurants” and
despite supply-chain issues, Redberry did just
that, announcing development agreements
in 2021 to build 50 new Taco Bell locations:
five Pizza Hut locations and 168 Burger King
units over the next five years. It also entered
into an agreement with Burger King to remodel
62 existing units in the next five years.
This will bring Redberry’s portfolio to more
than 385 locations across five provinces.
Redberry’s “secret sauce” for success has
two ingredients, according to Otto.
“The first is long-term thinking. And the
second is that the underlying trends that are
very bullish for restaurants in Canada, and
particularly QSR, never went away.” This
includes people’s propensity to eat out, their
demand for convenience and the explosive
population growth evident in Canada,
compared to other parts of the world
— especially in Ontario and urban
centres. “None of these things went
away. They were camouflaged
Giving Back
Redberry supports local community
activities and is committed to the Burger
King Foundation. Under the leadership of
Sharron Fry, Redberry’s director of Marketing,
the company’s donations to Burger King
Foundation’s scholarship program increased
over the last four years from $2,000 to
$90,000. Redberry donated an additional
$153,000 to Burger King Foundation’s Family Fund, an internal
charity program for staff who are experiencing emergencies or
hardship. Redberry’s combined contributions of $243,000 in 2021
along with its dedication to giving back, was recognized by Burger
King’s inaugural “King of Giving” Award at the end of 2021.
38 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022

y all the news of the pandemic and of
course, during the pandemic, we had to be
very focused on the near term. But the fundamentals
of restaurant demand in Canada
never changed.”
He says Redberry put a lot of resources
into thinking about what the company
would look like in 2025. And rather than
wait until 2025 to invest in those resources,
it “invested now. And today, the size of our
support teams for development, construction
and real estate rival some of the biggest
companies in Canada.”
The second ingredient, he shares, was to
embrace change, rather than fight it.
“In year three of the pandemic, we
continue to learn about new behaviours
of guests, new expectations of our people,
different ways to build a restaurant and to
run the company.”
For example, the use of third-partydelivery
aggregators, while more expensive
for operators because of the commissions,
became a huge source of revenue for
Redberry, “and really reflects what I think is
a permanent difference in guest behaviour,”
says Otto. “So, we embraced it.”
Otto admits Redberry’s business model
gave its restaurants an advantage during the
pandemic. “When you’re in the business of
drive thru, delivery and takeout, it’s a big
advantage. And pizza was a perfect fit for
when people were at home. [Our] brands
provide a great meal for a great price, really
fast — these things matter to people.”
Looking beyond the pandemic, Otto says
he sees a bright future for foodservice, citing
people’s desire to get out and see each other
and to spend money out of home.
“For our brands — three very powerful
companies, dominant in their space
— there’s a lot of white space to grow in
Canada, lots of provinces that need more
Burger Kings, more Pizza Huts and desperately
need more Taco Bells. And we’re going to
leverage that with our unique financial structure
backed by our private-equity sponsors and
partners at City Capital Ventures. We have a
long-term view on looking at real estate so
our growth projections just accelerate over
the next five to 10 years. So, we’re not taking
our foot off the gas.” FH
In 2021 Redberry
successfully negotiated a
revised credit facility of $147
million. According to Robert
Masson, Redberry’s CFO, “This
credit facility, combined with
the strong free cash flow
generated by our existing
portfolio of restaurants, has
given us the balance sheet
strength to fund our exciting
growth opportunities across
our three brands — and we
have capacity for even more
growth over the next
five years.”
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 39

PROFILE
Partners
in Success
Pür & Simple is focused on supporting its franchise partners
BY AMY BOSTOCK
Ritou Maloni knows you can’t
be all things to all people. The
co-founder of the Quebecbased
breakfast chain Pür &
Simple says while her corporate
team is great at selling its brand,
operating a restaurant requires a completely
different skillset.
“We’re very strong franchisors,” she says.
“We’re great at brand building and we’re
great at selling, but operating a
restaurant is a completely different
business model than franchising
and sometimes you can’t
do both. You can’t be
everything to everybody.”
So, with the brand gaining traction with
investors, Pür & Simple’s parent company,
Eat It! Brands, made the decision to “focus
on what we’re great at, which is supporting
our franchise partners, giving them a winning
business model and growing the brand across
Canada,” says Maloni.
Pür & Simple currently boasts 35 units in
Canada — all of them are franchised — with
15 more under development. The breakfast
chain spreads coast to coast, with 13 locations
in Atlantic Canada, one in Quebec, nine in
Ontario, one in Alberta and three in B.C. The
brand has its sights set on Atlantic Canada
for future expansion, followed by five new
openings in Ontario.
“We’re trying to find great franchise partners
and once we find those, we give them the
best opportunity for success in the geographic
location they’re interested in,” says Maloni,
adding the Atlantic provinces are attractive
for expansion because of the lack of competition
in the breakfast space.
“Our head office is in Quebec and there’s
so much competition here — every second
corner has a breakfast place. But when I
travelled out east, there was nothing there.
You have Cora’s and that was it, so we saw an
opportunity there,” she says, adding when Pür
Pür & Simple Vancouver store
40 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

SLUG HERE
& Simple opened its first location in Atlantic
Canada, “there was a lineup out the door and
we had no idea how to serve the amount of
people; we weren’t expecting it.”
While COVID-related lockdowns and
permitting delays have caused some new
openings to be pushed back, Pür & Simple is
planning an opening per month for the next 12
months and have another 10 Ontario locations
sold along with a unit in Burnaby, B.C.
She says the brand has had a lot of franchise
partners sign deals and now the challenge
becomes finding the right real estate.
“Our perfect spot is an endcap or a standalone
building and our sweet spot is about
3,200 sq. ft. with between 100 and 120 seats.
But it feels like there’s not that much real estate
available, so we’re trying not to be too picky.”
She says the brand also does best in highly
residential areas. “More than 50 per cent of
our business is done on the weekends, so we
need a good density of residential around
us. And then the businesses from Monday
to Friday just gives us that extra lunchtime
clientele. We’re looking at smaller markets —
we would like to be a big fish in a small pond.”
To join the Pür & Simple family, potential
franchise partners need approximately
$300,000 of unencumbered cash. The turnkey
cost of a restaurant ranges from $700,000 to
$850,000. Certain factors, such as local labour,
material cost, legal requirements, condition of
the space to be leased and a landlord’s contribution
towards leasehold improvements will
determine the final cost. The initial franchise
fee is $35,000 and a royalty fee of five-percent
of gross sales is paid weekly.
“We need hands-on operators, somebody
that’s ready to work in their business and
willing to build that loyalty,” says Maloni.
“Yes, they need enough financial backing to
be able to sustain during hard times — we’ve
learned this the hard way during COVID —
but they also need a passion for hospitality,
need to be eager and hungry. We want that
person that, during a snowstorm is going to
wake up at 4 a.m., shovel themselves out and
make sure they can get to the restaurant to
serve their guests.”
She says the ideal franchise partner also understands
local marketing and the importance of
being involved in their community.
Maloni says even during the challenges of
the pandemic, Pür & Simple never backed
down from its commitment to growth.
“We knew we had an amazing business
model and we knew that once the dust settled
and dine-in re-opened, we were going to do
really well. We had a lot of deals signed pre-
COVID and a lot of our franchise partners
did not want to stop the evolution because
they believed in the brand enough to even
say, ‘we’re going to open up even during a
lockdown where there’s takeout and delivery.”
She adds that in some deals, “we didn’t
have a choice but to keep going. Landlords
weren’t as understanding as we needed them
to be so a lot of the times we opened [new
units] for takeout only.”
As a result, Pür & Simple built a new
business model based around takeout and
delivery for breakfast. “When the pandemic
started, less than one per cent of our sales
were in takeout and delivery — now it’s over
30 per cent. It’s become a new revenue stream
and is added to the sales once we re-open.”
With national expansion well in hand,
Maloni says Pür & Simple is not ruling out
international growth.
“We would love to [open international
units], but we want to ensure we grow
properly. The goal would be to expand in
the U.S. and other opportunities internationally;
we just want to make sure our
franchise partners are well supported. We’ve
hired two new training and operations consultants,
a director of Marketing, a director of
Operations and a director of Procurement
to support our franchise partners because
we’re not going anywhere. Our franchise
partners have invested all their hard-earned
money into us and now we have to show
them that, pandemic or no pandemic, we’re
not going anywhere.” FH
Waffle Banana
Berry
AvocadoLux
THOMAS CHEVILLOTTE [WAFFLE BANANA BERRY]
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 41

Connect with KML
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Whether you’re looking for daily news on the foodservice or hotel industry, searching for resources to help you improve
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Published eight times a year, the
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THE 2022 FRANCHISE REPORT
THE 2022
FRANCHISE
REPORT
ISTOCK.COM/DILOK KLAISATAPORN
241 PIZZA (2006) LTD.
77 Progress Ave.
Toronto, ON M1P 2Y7
416-288-8515
Director of Franchising and Real-Estate
Development: Tariq El-Noqrashy
History, Plans
- established in 1986 in Toronto
- 63 units in Canada
- four units under development
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $30,000
- training fee $5,000
- architectural drawings $12,500
to $20,000
- equipment/leasehold improvements
$160,000 to $195,000
- signage fee $12,000 - $30,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
A&W FOOD SERVICES
OF CANADA INC.
171 W. Esplanade, Ste. 300
North Vancouver, BC V7M 3K9
604-988-2141
Director of Franchising: Ryan Picklyk
History, Plans
- established in 1956 in Winnipeg
- 1,030 units in Canada
- single franchise opportunities available
with unencumbered cash investment
from $250,000 to $450,000+
Franchise Costs
- Standard Franchise Program:
- initial franchise fee $55,000
(20-year term)
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
ALLO MON COCO
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established in 2001 in Montreal
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- initial Investment: $750,000 to $950,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- architecture/design
- construction and equipment
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- research and development
- site location
- supplies
- training/support
APPLEBEE’S
DINE BRANDS GLOBAL.
450 North Brand Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91203
647-533-3333
President: John Cywinski
History, Plans
- established in 1983 in Decatur, Ga.
- 16 units in Canada; 2,200 outside
of Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee US$40,000
- estimated build costs US$556,000 to
US$2,600,000
- national advertising fee 3.5%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- information available upon request
AROMA ESPRESSO BAR
AROMA ESPRESSO BAR
CANADA INC.
446 Spadina Rd., Ste. 300
Toronto, ON M5P 3M3
416-281-2233
COO: Sam Wadera
History, Plans
- founded in 2007 in Toronto
- 45+ units in Canada (nearly all
franchised); 150+ outside of Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $55,000
- start-up costs $527,500 to $1,495,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 7%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
AU COQ
FOODTASTIC
9245, St. Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
VP Franchising: Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in 1960 in Montreal
- 17 units in Canada
- seven corporate units in Canada
- new opportunities available
across Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $15,000 to $25,000
- investment required: QSR $500,000
Full Service $950,000
- project cost $500,000 to $700,000
- royalty fee 5%
- advertising fee 2%
- local advertising fee 3%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
BACARO
FOODTASTIC
9245, St. Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
VP Franchising: Guyaume Arseneault
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 43

THE 2022 FRANCHISE REPORT
History, Plans
- established in 2015 in Montreal
- franchising since 2016
- 11 units in Canada
- one corporate unit in Canada
- new opportunities available across
Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
-investment required $500,000 to
$800,000
- project cost $400,000 to $600,000
- royalty fee 5%
- advertising fee 2%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
BASKIN-ROBBINS
INSPIRE BRANDS
130 Royall St.
Canton, MA 02021
800-859-5339
CEO: Paul Brown
History, Plans
- established in 1945 in Glendale, Calif.;
first Canadian store opened in 1971
- 104 units in Canada (all franchised);
8,024 worldwide (all franchised)
- expanding newly designed units
primarily in Ontario (Toronto and Ottawa)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
(20-year term)
- total costs $93,550 to $401,800
- advertising fee 5%
- royalty fee 1%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
BATON ROUGE
MTY GROUP
200, 8150 Trans-Canada Hwy.
Saint-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Casual Dining:
Marie-Line Beauchamp
History, Plans
- established in 1992 in Laval, Que.
- 29 units in Canada (26 franchised)
- plans to expand in Ontario and Quebec
in 2021
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $60,000
- total costs $1,960,000 to $2,500,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
BEAVERTAILS CANADA INC.
3700 St. Patrick St., Ste. 106
Montreal, QC H4E 1A2
514-392-2222
Development Director: Scott Reid
beavertails.com
History, Plans
- established in 1978 in Ottawa
- 180+ units worldwide
- 31 new units signed in 2021
- currently focusing on U.S. expansion and
full shops throughout Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee US$30,000
- shops start at US$400,000
- mobiles start at US$120,000
Services
- advertising/marketing
- business development coaching
- staff training
BEN & FLORENTINE
RESTAURANTS INC.
MTY GROUP
200, 8150 Trans-Canada Hwy.
Saint-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Casual Dining: Marie-Line
Beauchamp
History, Plans
- founded in 2008 in Montreal
- 56 units in Canada (48 franchised)
- plans to expand into Ontario and
Maritimes, as well as continued growth
in Quebec
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- equipment/site cost $562,000
to $767,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
BENNY ROTISSERIE
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
Directors, Franchising & Development:
Nikki Arvanitakis; Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in 1960 in Montreal
- 17 units in Canada
- seven corporate units in Canada
- new opportunities across Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $15,000 to $25,000
- project costs $500,000 to $950,000
- royalty fee 5%
- advertising fee 2%
- local advertising fee 3%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
BIG RIG BREWERY
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
VP Franchising: Scott McCannell
History, Plans
- established in 2012 in Montreal
- franchising since 2019
- three units in Canada (one corporate)
- new opportunities available across
Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- project cost $1,000,000 to $1,300,000
- royalty fee 5%
- advertising fee 2%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
-supplies
BIG SMOKE BURGER
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established in 2011
- nine units in Canada; nine outside
of Canada (two corporate)
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $35,000
- other costs $338,000 to $650,000
- marketing/advertising 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
BLENZ COFFEE
2285 Clark Dr., Ste. 250
Vancouver, BC V5N 3G9
604-682-2995
President: Marc West
History, Plans
- established in 1992 in Vancouver
- 65 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $35,000
- store cost $200,000 to $300,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 8%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- operational support
- training
44 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

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THE 2022 FRANCHISE REPORT
BLANCO CANTINA
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4K 0B8
905-760-2244 ext. 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established in 2015
- five units in Canada (4 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $60,000
- total costs $1,000,000 to $1,450,000
- advertising fee 1% national, 1% local
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
8915-51st Ave., Ste. 205
Edmonton, AB T6E 5J3
780-440-6770
President & CEO: Dale S. Wishewan
History, Plans
- established in 1999 in Sherwood
Park, Alta.
- 400 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- equipment/site development cost
$280,000 to $320,000
- total costs $310,000 to $350,000
(turn key investment)
- advertising fee 3.5%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
BOSTON PIZZA
BOSTON PIZZA INTERNATIONAL INC.
1 City Centre Dr., Ste. 708
Mississauga, ON L5B 1M2
905-848-2700
History, Plans
- established in 1964 in Edmonton
- 396 units in Canada (392 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $60,000
- equipment/site cost $1,500,000 to
$2,500,000
- 35% liquid funds required for
investment
- advertising fee 3% (food sales only)
- royalty fee 7% (food sales only)
Services
- information available upon request
BROWNS CRAFTHOUSE
BROWNS RESTAURANT GROUP
3540 W. 41st Ave., Ste. 207a
Vancouver, BC V6N 3E6
778-980-2440
EVP - Business Development: Bruce Fox
History, Plans
- established in 2017
- six locations in Canada
(four franchised)
- looking at two additional (franchised)
locations for 2022 development
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- equipment/site costs $2,500,000
- other costs $450,000
- total costs $3,000,000
- royalty fee 6% (all in)
- no marketing/co-op fees
Services
- culinary development
- lease negotiation
- opening support
- operational reviews and field support
- POS and payment platforms
- purchasing
- site selection
- supplies
BROWNS SOCIALHOUSE
BROWNS RESTAURANT GROUP
3540 W. 41st Ave., Ste. 207A
Vancouver, BC V6N 3E6
778-980-2440
EVP - Business Development: Bruce Fox
History, Plans
- established in 2004 in
North Vancouver, B.C.
- 69 units in Canada (3 corporate);
- two new Ontario franchises to open in
2021 (Ottawa and Waterloo)
- primarily focused on Western Canada
infill and Ontario expansion
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- equipment/site costs $2,500,000
- other costs $450,000
- total costs $3,000,000
- royalty fee 6% (all in)
- no marketing/co-op fees
Services
- culinary development
- lease negotiation
- opening support
- operational reviews and field support
- POS and payment platforms
- purchasing
- site selection
- supplies
(THE) BURGERS PRIEST
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4K 0B8
905-760-2244 ext. 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established in 2010
- 27 units in Canada (0 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- total costs $365,000 - $665,000
- advertising fee 2% national, 1% local
- royalty fee 5%
Services
-advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
BK CANADA SERVICE ULC
130 King St. W., Suite 300
Toronto, ON M5X 2A2
General Manager, Canada:
Matthew Wright
(416) 801-5914
History, Plans
- founded in 1954
- 327 units in Canada; 18,700 locations in
more than 100 countries
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee CAD $55,000
- advertising fee 4.0%
- royalty fee 4.5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
CAFE DEPOT
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established in 1994 in Montreal
- 52 units in Canada (49 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- start-up capital required $125,000
- franchise fee $25,000
- other costs $243,000 to $460,000
- royalty fee 6%
- marketing/advertising 2%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
CAPT. SUB.
GRINNERS FOOD SYSTEMS LTD.
105 Walker St.
Truro, NS B2N 5G9
902-893-4141
History, Plans
- established in 1972 in Charlottetown
- 39 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $30,000
- total investment $204,500 to $278,500
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design/construction
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- supplies
46 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

CAFE LANDWER
LW COFFEE INC.
5000 Yonge St.
North York, Ontario M2N 7E9
905-417-0707
Jeff Young, Chief Development
Officer
jeff@landwer.ca
franchise@landwer.ca
647.888.8420
History, Plans
- established in Toronto, ON in
1997. Formally re-launched a
franchise program in 2021
- Four units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $60,000
- equipment/site cost $1,000,00 to
$1,200,000
- advertising fee 1.0%
- royalty fee 6.5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
CARLOS & PEPES
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
VP Franchising: Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in 1984 in Montreal
- franchising since 2014
- three units in Canada
- new opportunities available
across Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- project cost $700,000 to
$1,000,000
- royalty fee 5%
- advertising fee 2%
Services
-advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
CASA GRECQUE
MTY GROUP
200, 8150 Trans-Canada Hwy.
Saint-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Casual Dining:
Marie-Line Beauchamp
History, Plans
- established in 1980 in Montreal
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- initial Investment $750,000
to $900,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies (central kitchen and
distribution centre)
CHICKEN CHEF FAMILY
RESTAURANTS
CHICKEN CHEF CANADA LTD.
97 Plymouth St.
Winnipeg, MB R2X 2V5
204-694-1984
President: Jeff Epp
History, Plans
- established in 1978 in Carmen,
Man.
- 39 units in Canada (all
franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $12,000
(Canada only)
- equipment/site costs $180,000
- royalty fee 3% (Canada only)
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
CHICKEN DELIGHT
CHICKEN DELIGHT OF
CANADA LTD.
395 Berry St.
Winnipeg, MB R3J 1N6
204-885-7570
President: Jim Cartman
History, Plans
- established 1958 in Portage
la Prairie, Man.
- 20 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $20,000
- equipment/site costs $245,000
to $270,000
- total cost $273,000 to $306,000
- advertising fee 4%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
CHOCOLATO
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
VP Franchising: Guyaume
Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in 2015 in Quebec
- 22 units in Canada
- one corporate unit
- new opportunities available
across Canada and the U.S.
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- project cost $300,000 to
$550,000
- royalty fee 6%
- advertising fee 3%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
(THE) CHOPPED LEAF
INNOVATIVE FOOD BRANDS
531 North Service Rd. E.
Oakville, ON L6H 1A5
905-337-7777
Brand President and Founder:
Blair Stevens
History, Plans
- established in 2009 in
Kelowna, B.C.
- 100 units in Canada (all
franchised); one international
(U.S.) (franchised)
- expanding to Quebec, Nova
Scotia and U.S.
THE WIDEST
RANGE OF CUTS
CL50 ULTRA
MORE PRODUCTIVITY!
• Cut 4kg of Vegetables in
1 Minute
• Work 50 Different Cuts
• Serve Up To 300
Place Settings
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
Robot Coupe USA, Inc.
1-800-824-1646
www.robot-coupe.com
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 47

THE 2022 FRANCHISE REPORT
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- equipment/site cost $350,000 to
$420,000
- total costs $350,000 to $450,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
CHUCK’S ROADHOUSE
BAR AND GRILL
OBSIDIAN GROUP INC.
1770 Argentia Rd.
Mississauga, ON L5N 3S7
905-814-8030
Franchise Development
Manager: Elaine Macheras
History, Plans
- established in 2015 in Ontario
- 70 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $50,000
- estimated development cost $375,000
to $750,000
- advertising fee 1.25%
- royalty fee 3.75% on gross sales up
to $38,000/week; 7% on gross
sales in excess of $38,000/week
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design and construction
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- supplies & purchasing
- site location
- staff training
CHURCH’S TEXAS CHICKEN
980 Hammond Dr. Ne, Ste. 1100
Atlanta, GA 30328
Canadian Franchising Contact:
Russ Sumrall
History, Plans
-Established in 1952 in
-47 units in Canada
Franchise Cost:
- estimated development fee $ 10,000
- initial fee $15,000
- site work $5,000 to $50,000
- building and Improvements $230,200 to
$620,000
- equipment/signs $$150,000 to $200,000
- fees,Misc.,A&E Services, Deposits
$50,000 to $150,000
- initial training US$23,000
- opening supplies $6,350 to $12,700
- insurance $7,500 to $10,000
- utility deposits $5,000 to $15,000
- business licenses $300 to $600
- additional funds – 3 months $10,000 to
$20,000
- estimated total $464,350 to $1,101,300
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
COFFEE CULTURE CAFE
& EATERY
OBSIDIAN GROUP INC.
1770 Argentia Rd.
Mississauga, ON L5N 3S7
905-814-8030
Franchise Development Manager:
Elaine Macheras
History, Plans
- established in 2006 in Ontario
- 35 units in Canada;
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $35,000
- estimated development cost $300,000
to $400,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 7%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
COFFEE TIME
77 Progress Ave.
Toronto, ON M1p 2y7
416-288-8515
Director of Franchising and Real-Estate
Development: Tariq El-Noqrashy
History, Plans
- established in 1982 in Toronto
- 71 locations worldwide
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $25,000
- training fee $5,000
- architectural drawings $15,000
to $25,000
- equipment/leasehold improvements
$190,000 to $415,000
- signage fee $15,000 to $30,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
CORA BREAKFAST
AND LUNCH
CORA FRANCHISE GROUP INC.
2798 Thamesgate Dr.
Mississauga, ON L4T 4E8
905-673-2672
Manager, Operation Standards:
Danica Varjacic
History, Plans
- established in 1987 in St-Laurent, Que.
- 130+ units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $45,000
- equipment/site costs $600,000 to
$900,000+
- advertising fee 3.5%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
COUNTRY STYLE
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- established in 1963
- 350+ units in Canada; one outside of
Canada (358 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $30,000
- royalty fee 4.5%
- advertising fee 3.5%
- total investment up to $517,000
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
CRABBY JOE’S TAP & GRILL
OBSIDIAN GROUP INC.
1770 Argentia Rd.
Mississauga, ON L5N 3S7
905-814-8030
Franchise Development Manager:
Elaine Macheras
History, Plans
- established in 1996 in Ontario
- 20 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- estimated development costs $700,000
to $850,000
- franchise fee $35,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
CULTURES
MTY FRANCHISING INC
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded in 1979
- 50+ units in Canada (47 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial Investment $293,000 to $497,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
DAGWOODS
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- established in 1989 in Montreal
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $15,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- franchisee training
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
48 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

THE 2022 FRANCHISE REPORT
DAIRY QUEEN CANADA INC.
1111 International Blvd., Ste. 601
Burlington, ON L7L 6W1
905-636-4741
Director, Franchising: Tony Watters
History, Plans
- established in 1940 in Illinois
- 674 units in Canada; 4,324 U.S. and 2,187
international (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $45,000
- investment range $1,083,525 to
$1,850,425
- advertising fee 5% to 6%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- site selection
- staff training
- supplies
DENNY’S
DENNY’S, INC.
203 E. Main St.
Spartanburg, SC 29319
864-597-8705
Senior Director of Global Franchise
Development: Doug Wong
History, Plans
- established in 1953 in Lakewood, Calif.
- 75 units in Canada; 1,628 outside of
Canada (1,633 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- equipment/site cost $1,180,000 to
$2,050,000
- other costs $150,528 to $354,695
- total costs $1,330,528 to $2,404,695
(exclusive of land)
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 4.5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiations
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
DIXIE LEE FRIED CHICKEN
DIXIE LEE CAPITAL CORPORATION
RR 2 Bruce Mines, ON, P0R 1C0
info@dixieleefriedchicken.com
History, Plans
- established in 1964 in Belleville, Ont.
- 40+ locations in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $36,000
- advertising fee 5%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
DRUXY’S
DRUXY’S INC.
52 Abbotsford Rd.
Gormley, ON L4A 2C1
416-637-5976
VP, Marketing: Peter Druxerman
History, Plans
- established in 1976 in Toronto
- 25 units in Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- total cost $175,000 to $225,000
(full size café)
- advertising fee 1%
- royalty fee 6.5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- franchisee/staff training
- intranet and regional director support
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
EAST SIDE MARIO’S
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4K 0B8
905-760-2244, ext. 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established in 1987
- 69 units in Canada (65 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $60,000
- average investment $1,300,000 to
$1,600,000
- advertising fee 3% national, 1% local
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
EDO JAPAN
6807 Railway St. S.E. Ste. 310
Calgary, AB T2H 2V6
403-215-8822
VP, Operations, Franchising: Terry Foster
History, Plans
- established in 1979 in Calgary
- approximately 159 units in Canada (139
franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- equipment/site cost $525,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- information available upon request
EGGSMART FOOD CORP.
77 Progress Ave.
Toronto, On M1P 2Y7
416-288-8515
Director of Franchising and Real-Estate
Development: Tariq El-Noqrashy
History, Plans
- established In 2008 in Toronto
- 53 units in Canada
- five units under development
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- training fee $5,000
- architectural drawings $15,000 to
$25,000
- equipment/leasehold improvements
$265,000 to $440,000
- signage fee $15,000 to $30,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design/construction
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
EGGSPECTATION
RESTAURANTS EGGSPECTATION
CANADA
7960 St. Denis St., 2nd Fl.
Montreal, QC H2R 2G1
514-282-0677
President & COO: Jon Hinkle
History, Plans
- established in 1993 in Montreal
- 15 locations in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- total cost varies
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
- local marketing 1%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
EXTREME PITA
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- established in 1997 in Waterloo, Ont.
- 69 units in Canada (64 franchised); 11
outside of Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $20,000
- initial Investment $249,000 to $446,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
FAMOSO ITALIAN
PIZZERIA + BAR
FDF BRANDZ
1901 Rosser Ave., Ste. 401
Burnaby, BC V5C 6S3
888-597-7272 (West)
647-234-2363 (East)
History, Plans
- founded in 2007 in Edmonton
- 29 units in Canada (one franchised)
- plans to expand in Western and Eastern
Canada and internationally
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $45,000
- initial investment $400,000 to $700,000
- marketing fee 2%
- Local Store Marketing 1%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 49

THE 2022 FRANCHISE REPORT
FATBURGER
FATBURGER - CANADA
401-1901 Rosser Ave.
Burnaby, BC V5C 6S3
888-597-7272
Franchise Costs
- information available upon request
Services
- information available upon request
(THE) FORTUNATE FOX
THE PEGASUS GROUP
44 Upjohn Rd.
Toronto, ON M3B 2W1
terry@pegasusgroup.ca
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- advertising fee 1.5% corporate;
1.5% local
- royalty fee 6%
History, Plans
- founded in 1952 in Los Angeles, Calif.;
first Canadian location opened in
Vancouver in 2005
- 63 units in Canada (3 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- total required investment $425,000
to $525,000
- marketing fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
FAT FRANKS
10560-114 St.
Edmonton, AB T5H 3J7
780-413-0278
History, Plans
- founded in 1995 in Edmonton
- 18 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $10,000
- minimum cash required $150,000, plus
working capital and net worth >$300,000
- total average investment $300,000, plus
lease deposit
- royalty fee 3%
- advertising fee 2%
Services
- central purchasing
- complete turnkey package
- development and design
- field support
- inspection system
- lease negotiation
- management training
- quality assurance
- quality control
- staff training
- technical services
FETA & OLIVES
FETA & OLIVES MEDITERRANEAN GRILL
1 Palace Pier Ct., Ste. 809
Toronto, ON M8V 3W9
416-251-3353
President: Vicki Vasiliou
History, Plans
- established in 2006 in Barrie, Ont.
- 13 units in Canada (all franchised)
- opportunities available in Ont., Que.,
N.S., B.C. and Alta.
FIREHOUSE SUBS OF CANADA, LTD.
12735 Gran Bay Parkway, Suite 150
Jacksonville, FL, U.S. 32258
1-888-289-6185
CEO: Don Fox
History, Plans
- Established 1994 in Jacksonville, Fla., U.S.
- Established 2015 in Oshawa, Ontario
- More than 1,210 total units in the
U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada; 50 units
in Canada
- Continuing global expansion through
2022
Franchise Costs
- Initial franchise fee: $30,000
- System Advertising fee: 1%
- Royalty fee: 6%
- Local Advertising Fee: 2%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
- other
(THE) FIRKIN GROUP OF PUBS
FIRKIN CAPITAL CORP.
20 Steelcase Rd. W., Unit 1C
Markham, ON L3t 1B2
905-947-4444
Director, Franchising: Paul Saraiva
History, Plans
- established in 1987 in Toronto
- 27 units in Canada (18 franchised); one
in U.S.
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- equipment/site cost $800,000
- other costs $100,000
- total cost $830,000
- advertising fee 1%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
History, Plans
- established 2018 in Toronto
- one unit in Canada
- seeking franchise partners across
Canada and internationally
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- royalty fee 4%
- advertising fee 1.5%
- estimated total costs $520,000
to $1,700,00
Services
- accounting services (by request, billable
service, not included in fees)
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
FOX & FIDDLE
THE PEGASUS GROUP
44 Upjohn Rd.
Toronto, ON M3B 2W1
terry@pegasusgroup.ca
History, Plans
- established in 1989 in Toronto
- 13 units in Canada (12 franchised)
- seeking franchise partners across
Canada and internationally
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- royalty fee $3,000 to $4,000/month
- advertising fee $500/month
- estimated total costs $520,000
to $1,700,00
Services
- accounting services (by request, billable
service, not included in fees)
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
FRESHII
2 Toronto St., Ste. 235
Toronto, ON M5C 2B5
Founder & CEO: Matthew Corrin
History, Plans
- established in 2005 in Toronto
- 400+ units worldwide
Services
- information available upon request
FROZU!
GRINNERS FOOD SYSTEMS LTD.
105 Walker St.
Truro, NS B2N 5G9
1-800-565-4389
History, Plans
- founded in 2013 in Truro, N.S.
- 14 units in Canada
- plans to expand in Atlantic Canada,
Ontario and Western Canada; clip-on
concept also available
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $20,000
- equipment/site cost $22,085 to $43,085
- total costs $39,985 to $60,985
- advertising fee 4%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease-negotiation advice
- management training
- purchasing
- site-location training and support
GABBY’S RESTAURANT & BAR
URBAN DINING GROUP INC.
41 Industrial St., Unit 204
Toronto, ON M4G 0C7
416-967-9671
President: Todd Sherman
History, Plans
- established in 1989 in Toronto
- 16 units in Canada (8 franchised)
- two units set to open in 2022
- plans to convert restaurants that have
closed due to COVID-19 to Gabby’s brand
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- equipment/site cost $375,000
- other costs $475,000
- total costs $875,000
- advertising fee is a flat fee
- royalty feeis a flat fee
Services
-advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
50 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

THE 2022 FRANCHISE REPORT
GOOD EARTH COFFEEHOUSE
GOOD EARTH CAFES LTD.
4020 7th St. S.E.
Calgary, AB T2G 2Y8
403-294-9330
Founders: Nan Eskenazi & Michael Going
President & COO: Gerry Docherty
Director of Franchising: Gerry Docherty
History, Plans
- established 1991 in Calgary
- 50 units in Canada
- plans to expand in Greater Toronto,
Victoria, Winnipeg, Calgary and
Edmonton in 2022
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- site costs $395,000 to $595,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 7%
Services
- commissioning support
- design/construction
- field support
- lease negotiation
- marketing
- product development
- site selection
- staff training
- supply chain management
(THE) GREAT CANADIAN BAGEL
P.O. Box 12053 Creditview
Mississauga, ON L5C 4R7
905-566-1903
President: Ed Kwiatkowski
History, Plans
- established in 1993 in Toronto
- 18 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee full $20,000
to $30,000
- equipment/site cost (full production)
$300,000 to $350,000
- non-production fee $85,000 to $175,000
- advertising fee 1.5%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
GRECO PIZZA
GRINNERS FOOD SYSTEMS LTD.
105 Walker St.
Truro, NS B2N 5G9
902-893-4141
History, Plans
- established in 1977 in Moncton, N.B.
- 100+ units in Canada
- plans to expand in Nova Scotia, New
Brunswick, P.E.I. and Newfoundland
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $20,000
- equipment/site cost $85,000
to $105,000
- other costs $79,500 to $108,500
- total costs $184,500 to $233,500
- advertising fee 4%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation advice
- management training
- purchasing
- site location training and support
HARVEY’S
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4K 0B8
905-760-2244, ext. 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established 1959 in Ontario
- 289 units in Canada (279 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- total costs $500,000 to $1,000,000
- advertising fee 4% national; 1% local
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
-supplies
HERO CERTIFIED BURGERS
ANGUS INC.
78 Signet Dr., Ste. 201
Toronto, ON M9L 1T2
416-740-2304
President: John Lettieri
History, Plans
- established in 2003 in Toronto
- 50 units in Canada; one outside Canada
- System wide 50 locations including HERO
VK. 28,000,000
Franchise Costs
- equipment/site cost $160,000
- other costs $140,000
- total costs $275,000 to $300,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
IL FORNELLO
IL FORNELLO RESTAURANTS
576 Danforth Ave.,
Toronto, ON M4K 1R1
416-920-9410, ext. 113
President: Ian Sorbie
History, Plans
- established in 1986
- six units in Ontario (four franchised)
- plans to open franchised two locations
in 2022 and four in 2023
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $35,000
- equipment costs $100,000 to $160,000
- turnkey costs $350,000 to $800,000
- advertising fee 1%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- advertising/marketing - design
- lease negotiation
- management
- operational support
- purchasing
- site location
- social media
- staff training
- supplies
IL FORNELLO PRESTO
IL FORNELLO CORPORATION
576 Danforth Ave.,
Toronto, ON M4K 1R1
416-920-9410, ext. 113
President: Ian Sorbie
History, Plans
- new fast-casual/ quick-service concept
based on the IL FORNELLO model
- plans to open franchised two locations
in 2022 and four in 2023
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $35,000 (we may want to
decrease to $25k or $30k for Presto)
- equipment costs $80,000 to $140,000
- turnkey costs $250,000 to $600,000
- advertising fee 1%
- royalty fee 4%
Services:
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- operational support
- purchasing
- site location
- social media
- staff training
- supplies
JIMMY THE GREEK INC.
1 First Canadian Pl.
100 King St. W., P.O. Box 334
Toronto, ON M5X 1E1
416-214-9237
President: Jim Antonopoulos
History, Plans
- established in 1985 in Toronto
- 55 units in Canada (54 franchised)
- continued expansion planned for Ontario
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- equipment/site cost available
upon request
advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- site location
- staff training
JOEY’S SEAFOOD / JOEY’S FISH
SHACK / STREATS – TAQUERIA
| POUTINERIE | FISH & CHIPS
JOEY’S FRANCHISE GROUP
3048 9th St. S.E.
Calgary, AB T2G 3B9
403-243-1216
Vice-President: Max Gagnon
History, Plans
- established 1985 in Calgary
- 58 units in Canada (56 franchised)
- 15+ projected openings in 2022
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- equipment/site cost $182,000 to $285,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%of net sales
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
JUGO JUICE
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
A4, 416 Meridian Road SE.
Calgary, AB T2A 1X2
1-877-377-5846
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- founded in 1998 in Calgary
- 133 units in Canada; two outside of
Canada (132 franchised)
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Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- initial Investment $210,000 to $358,000
- marketing fee 4%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
JUNGLE JIM’S
SAFARI EATERTAINMENT INC.
657 Topsail Rd.
St. John’s, NL A1E 2E3
709-745-5467
Partners: Stephen Pike; Barry Walsh;
Sean Brake
History, Plans
- founded in 1991 in St. John’s
- 24 units in Canada (all franchised)
- plans to add one to two stores per year
during the next two years
Franchise Costs
- equipment/site cost $600,000 to
$750,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
KARMA
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established in 2019 in Montreal
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
(THE) KEG STEAKHOUSE & BAR
KEG RESTAURANTS LTD.
10100 Shellbridge Way
Richmond, BC V6X 2W7
604-276-0242
EVP, Business Development:
James Henderson
History, Plans
- established 1971 in North Vancouver, B.C.
- 98 units in Canada; 10 units in the U.S.
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $75,000
- equipment/site cost $4,000,000 to
$5,500,000
- marketing fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
KELSEYS
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4K 0B8
905-760-2244, ext. 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established 1978 in Ontario
- 67 units in Canada (63 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $60,000
- total costs $1,300,000 to $1,600,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
KFC
KFC CANADA COMPANY
191 Creditview Rd., Ste. 100
Vaughan, ON L4L 9T1
416-664-5200
Sr. Development Manager:
Jeremy Alexander
History, Plans
- established 1952 in Salt Lake City, Utah
- 640 units in Canada; 22,600 outside
Canada
- expects to increase Canadian store
count to 800 in the medium term
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee US$52,000
- equipment/site cost available
upon request
- advertising fee 5%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
KIM CHI
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., STE. 200
St-laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded in 2007
Franchise costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial investment: $340,000 to $555,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
KORYO KOREAN BBQ
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded in 2004
- 16 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial Investment: $375,000 to $563,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
KOYA JAPAN
MTY FRANCHISING INC..
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded in 1985
- 10 units in Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial Investment: $375,000 to $563,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6% to 7%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
LA BELLE ET LA BOEUF
FOODTASTIC
2365 Guenette St.
Montreal, QC H4R 2E9
514-856-5555, ext. 260
info@foodtastic.ca
VP Franchising: Guyaume Arsenault
History, Plans
- established in 2012 in Montreal
- franchising since 2014
- 16 units in Canada; one outside Canada
(seven franchised)
- new opportunities available across
Canada and the U.S.
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- total $1,200,000 to $1,500,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
LA BOITE VERTE
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established in 2018 in Montreal
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THE 2022 FRANCHISE REPORT
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
LA CAGE - BRASSERIE
SPORTIVE
SPORTSCENE GROUP INC.
1180 Place Nobel, Ste. 102
Boucherville, QCJ4B 5L2
450-641-3011
President: Jean Bédard
History, Plans
- established 1984 in Montreal
- 38 units in Canada (12 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $75,000
- equipment/site cost $2,400,000
- other costs $25,000
- total costs $2,400,000
- advertising fee national 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
LA CARNITA
MONARCH & MISFITS INC.
44 Upjohn Rd.
Toronto, ON M3B 2W1
terry@pegasusgroup.ca
History, Plans
- established 2011 in Toronto; franchising
since 2015
- six units in Canada (five franchised);
two units outside of Canada
- seeking franchise partners across
Canada and internationally
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- advertising fee 1.5%
- royalty fee 4%
- estimated total costs $700,000 to
$2,000,000
Services
- accounting service (by request, billable
service not included in fees)
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
LA CHAMBRE
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
VP Franchising: Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in 2013 in Montreal
- two units in Canada
-two corporate units in Canada
Franchise costs
- franchise fee $25,000
- projected cost $600,000 to $800,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
LA CREMIERE
MTY FRANCHISING INC
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established in 1979
- 47 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000 to $30,000
- initial investment $175,000 to $500,000
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
LA DIPERIE
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established in 2014 in Montreal
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000 (five-year
agreement)
- initial Investment: $127,000 to $173,000
- advertising fee 2.5%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
LA PREP
4500 Dixie Rd,
Mississauga, Ontario L4W 1V7
514-510-5001
CEO: John Essaris
VP of Franchise Development:
John Beauparlant
History, Plans
- established in 2010 in Montreal
- 55 units in Canada
- expansion planned in Canada and U.S.
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- total cost $450,000 to $650,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
L’GROS LUXE
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
Directors, Franchising & Development:
Nikki Arvanitakis; Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in Montreal
- seven units in Canada
- three corporate units in canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $30,000
- projected cost $500,000 to $800,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
LIBERTY KITCHEN
BROWNS RESTAURANT GROUP
3540 W. 41st Ave., Ste. 207a
Vancouver, BC V6N 3E6
778-980-2440
EVP - Business Development: Bruce Fox
History, Plans
- two franchised locations open in B.C.
- one new location (Saskatoon, SK) under
contract for late 2022 opening
- three additional B.C. sites in negotiation
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- equipment/site costs $2,500,000
- other costs $450,000
- total costs $3,000,000
- royalty fee 6% (all in)
- no marketing/co-op fees
Services
- culinary development
- lease negotiation
- opening support
- operational reviews and field support
- POS and payment platforms
- purchasing
- site selection
- supplies
LITTLE CAESARS PIZZA
LITTLE CAESAR OF CANADA ULC
2301 Royal Windsor Dr.
Mississauga, ON L5J 1K5
905-822-7899
Director of Real Estate & Franchise
Development: James Jenkins
History, Plans
- established 1959 in Garden City, Mich.
- 200 units worldwide
- opportunities available across Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $20,000, and $15,000
per unit thereafter
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- supplies
LOADED PIEROGI
839 Queen St. W.
Toronto, ON M6J 1G4
647-352-5060
Owners: Adam Dolley; Bryan Bruke
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
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THE 2022 FRANCHISE REPORT
History, Plans
- established in 2014
- opportunities available across Ontario
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $25,000
- royalty fee 5%
- marketing/advertising fee 2%
- turn key locations $225,000+
Services
- available upon request
LOOKOO
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
Directors, Franchising & Development:
Nikki Arvanitakis; Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in Montreal
- two units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $25,000
- projected cost $350,000 to $500,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MADISONS
MTY GROUP
200, 8150 Trans-Canada Hwy.
Saint-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Casual Dining: Marie-Line
Beauchamp
History, Plans
- established in 2006 in Dollard des
Ormeaux, Que.
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- initial Investment: $1,066,000 to
$3,035,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MANCHU WOK
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- established in 1990
- 75 units in Canada (all franchised);
35 outside of Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $30,000
- initial investment $375,000 to $563,000
- royalty fee 6% to 7%
- marketing fee 1%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MANDARIN RESTAURANT
MANDARIN RESTAURANT FRANCHISE
CORPORATION
8 Clipper Ct.
Brampton, ON L6W 4T9
647-533-2610
President: James Chiu
History, Plans
- established in 1979 in Brampton, Ont.
- 29 units in Canada (28 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $300,000
- equipment/site cost $1,500,000
- other costs $1,200,000
- total costs $3,000,000
- advertising fee $10,000
- royalty fee $25,000
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MARY BROWNS INC.
100 Renfrew Dr., Ste. 200
Markham, ON L3R 9W7
905-513-0044
franchising@marybrowns.com
History, Plans
- established in 1969 in St. John’s, NL
- 200+ units in Canada
- projected to reach 250 units by 2022
Franchise Costs
- initial franchisee fee $30,000
- equipment/site cost $650,000 to
$700,000
- total cost $700K+
- advertising fee 4%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design/construction
- operations/marketing support
- lease negotiation
- management/staff training
- purchasing/supply chain
- site location
McDONALD’S RESTAURANTS
OF CANADA LIMITED
1 McDonald’s Pl.
Toronto, ON M3C 3L4
416-443-1000
Franchising Manager: Tom Marlow
History, Plans
- established 1967 in Richmond, B.C.
- 1,450 units in Canada (85% franchised)
Franchise Costs
- information available upon request
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MENCHIE’S FROZEN YOGURT
YOGURTWORLD ENTERPRISES
259 Yorkland Rd., 3rd Fl.
Toronto, ON M2J 5B2
416-645-5110, ext. 401
President: David Shneer
History, Plans
- established in 2010 in Toronto
- 58 units in Canada; 300+ outside
of Canada
- plans to expand throughout
Maritime provinces
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- equipment cost $140,000
- site cost/construction $150,000
- total costs $300,000 to $350,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MICHEL’S BAKERY CAFE
THREECAF BRANDS CANADA INC.
55 Administration Rd., Unit 37
Vaughan, ON L4K 4G9
905-482-7300 or 1-877-434-3223
Director of Operations: Ian McDougall
History, Plans
- established in 1979 in Toronto
- five units in Canada (four franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- total costs $450,000 to $775,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 7%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
MILESTONES GRILL AND BAR
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
francise@foodtastic.ca
VP, Franchising: Scott McCannell
History, Plans
- established 1989 In B.C.
- franchising since 1991
- 44 units in Canada (15 franchised)
- 27 corporate units
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $75,000
- total costs $2,000,000 to $3,000,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
54 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

THE 2022 FRANCHISE REPORT
MONTANA’S
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4k 0b8
905-760-2244 Ext 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established in 1995 in Ontario
- 100 units in Canada (96 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $60,000
- total costs $1,400,000 to $1,800,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MONZA
FOODTASTIC
9245, rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
francise@foodtastic.ca
VP Franchising; Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in 2009 in Montreal
- franchising since 2018
- eight units in Canada (1 corporate)
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $40,000
- project cost $1,100,000 to $1,500,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MR. GREEK RESTAURANTS INC.
44 Upjohn Rd.
Toronto, ON M3B 2W1
647-993-3266
History, Plans
- established 1988 in Toronto
- 17 units in Canada
- four new units planned in 2022
in Ontario;
- plans to expand in Ontario
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- start-up capital required >$150,000
- total investment $300,000 (retro) to
$400,000+ (new)
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- administrative support
- advertising/marketing
- design
- construction (turn key)
- lease negotiation
- location
- menu development
- purchasing
- training
MR. MIKES RESTAURANT
CORPORATION
RAMMP HOSPITALITY BRANDS INC.
3700 N. Fraser Way, Ste. 100
Burnaby, BC V5J 5H4
647-527-9574
Director of Franchising: Ryan Lloyd
History, Plans
- established 1960 in Vancouver
- 41 units in Canada, (38 franchised)
- plans to open 30 units in Canada in the
next five years
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MR. SOUVLAKI
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded in 1997
- 16 units in Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial Investment: $318,000 to $558,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- information available upon request
MR. SUB
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded in 1968
- 271 units in Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- initial Investment: $303,000 to $447,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MUCHO BURRITO
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established 2006 in Mississauga, Ont.
- 119 units in Canada (all franchised); two
outside of Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial Investment $359,000 to $671,000
- advertising fee 4%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
MUFFIN PLUS
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established in 1982 in Montreal
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
NEW ORLEANS PIZZA
CHAIRMAN’S BRANDS CORP.
77 Progress Ave.
Toronto, ON M1P 2Y7
416-288-8515
Director of Franchising and Real-Estate
Development: Tariq El-Noqrashy
History, Plans
- established 1978 In Waterloo, Ont.
- 40 units in Canada (38 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- training fee $5,000
- architectural drawings $12,500 to
$20,000
- signage fee $10,000 to $15,000
- equipment/leasehold improvements
$160,000 to $195,000
- advertising fee 3 %
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design/construction
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
NEW YORK FRIES
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4k 0b8
905-760-2244, ext. 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established 1983 in Toronto
- 116 units in Canada; 13 outside of Canada
(110 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- total costs $250,000 to $350,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
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THE 2022 FRANCHISE REPORT
NICKELS DELICATESSEN
FOODTASTIC INC.
9245 rue Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
VP Franchising: Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established 1990 in Montreal
- franchising since 1991
- 11 units in Canada (2 corporate units)
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $50,000
- investment required $800,000 to
$1,000,000
- project cost $700,000 to $800,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
(THE) OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORY
OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORY CANADA LTD.
55 Water St., Ste. 210
Vancouver, BC V6B 1A1
604-684-1287
Director, Franchising: Ken Lobson
History, Plans
- established 1970 in Vancouver
- 15 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- information available upon request
- royalty fee 5%
- advertising fee 3%
Services
- marketing assistance
- opening assistance
- procurement
- research/development
- site approval
- staff training
- support and development
ODD BURGER
ODD BURGER CORPORATION
505 Consortium Court
London, ON N6E 2S8
1-800-286-2145
Sherrie Abrantes, Franchise Administrator
sherrie@oddburger.com
519-476-8409
History, Plans
- established in 2014 in London, ON
- 6 units in Canada
- 6 units under development in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee: $35,000
- equipment/site cost: $100,000
equipment; $300,000 to $400,000
leasehold improvements
- advertising fee: 2.5%
- royalty fee: 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
-technology
OPA! OF GREECE
OPA! SOUVLAKI FRANCHISE GROUP INC.
7235 Flint Rd. S.E.
Calgary, AB T2H 1G2
403-245-0033
President, CEO: Dorrie Karras
History, Plans
- founded 1998 in Calgary
- 106 units (all franchised)
- plans to expand within Canada and
the USA
Franchise Costs
Food court
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- equipment cost $181,000 to $186,000
- total investments $441,000 to $510,000
- advertising fee 3% of sales
- royalty fee 6% of sales
Street Front
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- equipment cost $205,000 to $231,000
- total costs $466,000 to $565,000
- advertising fee 3% of sales
- royalty fee 6% of sales
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- franchisee training
- ongoing operational support
- opportunity for multi-unit franchisee
operation
ORIGINAL JOE’S
RESTAURANT & BAR
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4K 0B8
905-760-2244, ext. 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established in 1997 in Calgary
- 57 units in Canada (35 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $60,000
- total costs $1,400,000 to $1,700,000
- advertising 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
- financial assistance
PANAGIO’S ALL DAY GRILL
PANAGIO’S INC.
6085 Creditview Rd., Unit 17
Mississauga, ON L5B 0C5
800-265-6298
History, Plans
- established in 2008
- four units in Canada
- seeking franchisees for Ontario-wide
expansion
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- equipment/site cost $300,000 to
$400,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- business development
- lease negotiation
- opening assistance
- pricing/quality controls
- procurement
- research/development
- site selection
- training
PANAGO PIZZA INC.
33149 Mill Lake Rd.
Abbotsford, BC V2S 2A4
604-859-6621
Director of Franchising: Nigel Beattie
History, Plans
- established 1986 in Abbotsford, B.C.
- 195 units in Canada (187 franchised)
- capitalizing on new market
opportunities in Western Canada;
building the momentum in key Eastern-
Canadian markets
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- total costs $560,000
- royalty fee 5%
- advertising fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
(THE) PANTRY RESTAURANTS
TRIUMPH HOSPITALITY GROUP
33048 – 1583 Marine Dr. W.
Vancouver, BC V7V 4W7
604-281-1380
History, Plans
- seven units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- information available upon request
Services
- information available upon request
PARAMOUNT FINE FOODS
10 Four Seasons Pl., Ste. 601
Toronto, ON M9B 6H7
416-695-8900
Franchise Coordinator:
Magda Chelminska
History, Plans
- founded 2006
- 65 units globally
- plans to expand across Canada
and internationally
Franchise Costs
- information available upon request
Services
- advertising/marketing
- lease negotiations
- regional operations support
- site selection
- supplies
- training
PARKER’S BBQ & PRIME
RIB GRILL
PARKERS BRANDS INC.
1770 Argentia Rd.
Mississauga, ON L5N 3S7
905-814-8030
Franchise Development Manager:
Elaine Macheras
History, Plans
- established in 2020 in Ontario
- five units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- estimated development costs $250,000
to $400,000
- franchise fee $30,000
- advertising fee 1%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
56 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

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- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
PERKINS RESTAURANT
& BAKERY
6075 Poplar Ave., Ste. 800
Memphis, TN 38119-4709
901-766-6400
VP, Franchising: Dave Blouin
History, Plans
- established 1958 in Cincinnati, Ohio
- 16 units in Canada; 355 international
- seeking to expand in Alberta, B.C.,
Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and
Saskatchewan
Franchise Costs
- information available upon request
- advertising fee 3%
- local advertising commitment 0.5%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
PINKBERRY
PINKBERRY CANADA INC.
210 Shields Ct.
Markham, ON L3R 8V2
905-479-8762
Chairman and CEO: Aaron Serruya
History, Plans
- established 2005 in Los Angeles
- 93 units in Canada; 113 outside of Canada
- plans to expand across Canada and
internationally via traditional and
non-traditional units
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee US$45,000
- total costs US$150,000 to US$500,000
- advertising fee 3% of gross sales
- royalty fee 6% of gross sales
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
PITA PIT CANADA
FOODTASTIC
9245, St. Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555
franchise@foodtastic.ca
VP Franchising: Scott McCannell
History, Plans
- established in 1995 in Kingston, Ont.
-232 franchise units in Canada
- 570+ units worldwide
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $20,000
- total investment $120,000 to $300,000
- advertising fee 1%
- royalty fee 5% of monthly gross sales
Services
- information available upon request
PIZZA 73
PIZZA PIZZA LIMITED
4949 51 St. S.E.
Calgary, AB T2B 3S7
403-221-7373
SVP of Operations and Development:
Philip Goudreau
History, Plans
- established in 1985 in Edmonton
- 90 traditional units in Canada; 14
non-traditional locations
Franchise Costs
- initial partnership fee $50,000
- advertising fee 8%
- administration fee 3%
Services
- accounting/finance
- call centre operations
- IT infrastructure
- operational support
- payroll
- real-estate development/renewals
- training
PIZZA DELIGHT
MTY FRANCHISING INC
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Casual Dining: Marie-Line
Beauchamp
History, Plans
- established 1968 in Shediac, N.B.
- 71 franchised units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000 (street);
$15,000 (mall)
- total costs $288,000 to $646,000
- advertising fee 1.5% to 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
PIZZA HUT
YUM! BRANDS INC.
191 Creditview Rd., Ste. 100
Vaughan, ON L4L 9T1
416-664-5200
Director of Development: Marco Moretto
History, Plans
- established 1958 in Wichita, Kan.
- 419 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee US$24,200
- application fee CAD$12,000
- advertising fee 5%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- site location
- staff training
1260 Lawrence Ave. East
Toronto, ON M3A 1C4
416-439-0051
President: Domenic Primucci
Franchise Development Manager:
Meraj Jamal
History, Plans
- established 1963 in Toronto
- 154 units in Canada (152 franchised)
- continued expansion into key markets
with plans to add up to 10 units
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $20,000
- site cost $450,000 to $505,000
- total costs: $450,000 to $525,000
- advertising fee 4%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
-advertising/marketing
-design
-lease negotiation
-management
-purchasing
-site location
-staff training
-supplies
PIZZA PIZZA
PIZZA PIZZA LIMITED
500 Kipling Ave.
Toronto, ON M8Z 5E5
416-967-1010
VP of Franchising: Chuck Farrell
History, Plans
- established 1967 in Toronto
- 439 units in Canada (402 franchised)
- 189 non-traditional locations
- continued growth planned in B.C.,
Maritimes and Quebec
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- equipment/site cost $350,000 (depends
on location; turnkey)
- advertising fee 6%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- call centre operations
- financing assistance
- IT infrastructures
- marketing support
- operational support
- real-estate development
- training
PIZZAVILLE INC.
741 Rowntree Dairy Rd., Unit 1
Woodbridge, ON L4L 5T9
416-736-3636
History, Plans
- established in 1963 in Toronto
- 85 units in Canada (83 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- total costs $300,000 to $450,000
- flat-fee advertising (weekly)
- flat royalty fee (weekly)
- more information available upon request
Services
- information available upon request
RESTAURANT BRANDS INTERNATIONAL
5705 Blue Lagoon Drive
Miami, Florida, U.S. 33126
General Manager, Canada: Rob Manuel
(289) 355-9745
History, Plans
- founded 1972 in New Orleans
- 275 units in Canada; 3,300 worldwide
- continuing global expansion through
2022
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee US$35,000-$50,000
- advertising fee 4.3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
POULET FUSÉE
FOODTASTIC
9245, St. Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
855-771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
Directors, Franchising & Development:
Nikki Arvanitakis; Guyaume Arseneault
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
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THE 2022 FRANCHISE REPORT
History, Plans
- established in Montreal
- 20 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $25,000
- projected cost $500,000 to $700,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
PRESSE CAFE
LES CAFES V.P.
1422 Nôtre-Dame W.
Montreal, QC H3C 1K9
514-935-5553
History, Plans
- founded in 1994
- 62 units in Canada; eight outside
of Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- total cost $200,000 to $400,000
- minimum investment required 40% to
50% of project cost
Services
- information available upon request
PUMPERNICKELS
JSF FRANCHISE GROUP INC.
90 Adelaide St. W., Ste. 700
Toronto, ON, M5H 4A6
877-308-4889
Franchising: Joel Friedman
History, Plans
- established 1986
- 15 units in Canada
- plans to expand in the Greater Toronto
Area and other parts of Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6.5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
PÜR & SIMPLE
EAT IT BRANDS INC.
2035 Côte-de-Liesse, Suite 207,
Saint-Laurent (Québec) H4N 2M5
514.360.5228
Sean Sarrami - CDO - 416-931-8090
History, Plans
- established in Quebec in 2016
- 35 units in Canada
- 15 units under development in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $35 k
- equipment/site cost $750k - 850k
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
-advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
QUESADA BURRITOS - TACOS
QUESADA FRANCHISING OF
CANADA CORP.
1240 Bay St., Ste. 304
Toronto, ON M5R 2A7
866-854-2400
President: Steve Gill
History, Plans
- established 2004 in Toronto
- 165 units in Canada
- 15 locations in development
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- equipment cost $68,000 to $73,500
- construction cost $110,000 to $155,000
- total costs $238,500 to $320,500
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- franchisee training
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
QUIZNOS
QUIZNOS CANADA
RESTAURANT CORPORATION
1267 Cornwall Rd., Ste. 301
Oakville, ON L6J 7T5
647-259-0333
Director, Franchising: Marc Choy
History, Plans
- established 1981 in Denver, Colo.
- 750+ locations worldwide
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $10,000
- total investment $211,850 to $326,549
- marketing fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- information available upon request
RICKY’S GROUP OF FAMILY
STYLE RESTAURANTS
401-1901 Rosser Ave.
Burnaby, BC V5C 6S3
888-597-7272
History, Plans
- established 1962 in Vancouver
- 79 units in Canada (77 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $45,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
ROBIN (2006) LTD.
CHAIRMAN BRANDS CORP.
77 Progress Ave. Toronto, ON M1P 2Y7
416-288-8515
Director of Franchising and Real-Estate
Development: Tariq El-Noqrashy
History, Plans
- established 1975 in Thunder Bay, Ont.
- 160 units in Canada (137 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $25,000
- training fee $5,000
- architectural drawings $15,000 to
$25,000
- equipment/leasehold improvements
$200,000 to $415,000
- signage fee $15,000 - $30,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design/construction
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
ROTISSERIE BENNY
FOODTASTIC
9245, St. Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555, ext. 260
info@foodtastic.ca
VP Franchising: : Guyaume Arsenaulty
History, Plans
- established in 1960 in Montreal
- 17 units in Canada
- seven corporate units in Canada
- franchise opportunities across Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $15,000 to $25,000
- project costs: $500,000 to $950,000
- royalty fee 5%
- advertising fee 2%
- local advertising fee 3%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SALAD LOOP
SALAD LOOP GROUP INVESTMENTS INC.
124 W. 1st St., Unit 1002
North Vancouver, BC V7M 3N3
604-729-4717
President: Sean Kim
History, Plans
- founded 2000 in Vancouver
- 10 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- information available upon request
Services
- information available upon request
SAN FRANCESCO FOODS
28 Industrial St., Unit 203
Toronto, ON M4G 1Y9
416-535-7805
History, Plans
- founded in 1954 in Toronto
- seven units in Canada
- plans to expand in Southern Ontario
Franchise Costs
- information available upon request
Services
- design/construction
- purchasing
- staff training
58 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

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SAWMILL PRIME RIB &
STEAK HOUSE
4180 Calgary Trail S., 2nd Fl.
Edmonton, AB T6H 5H5
780-463-4499
Director of Operations: Len McCullough
History, Plans
- founded in 1976 in Edmonton
- nine units in Canada (seven franchised)
- continued growth in Alberta, B.C.,
Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario,
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I.
and Newfoundland
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- equipment/site cost $1,500,000 to
$3,000,00 (based on size/location)
- total costs $1,500,000+
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SCORES
MTY GROUP
200, 8150 Trans-Canada Hwy.
Saint-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Casual Dining:
Marie-Line Beauchamp
History, Plans
- established in 1995 in Montreal
- 38 units in Canada (36 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $60,000
- total costs $1,000,000 to $1,200,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- site location
- staff training
SECOND CUP COFFEE CO.
FOODTASTIC
6303 Airport Rd.
Mississauga, ON L4V 1R8
905-362-1818
VP, Franchising: Scott McCannell
History, Plans
- established 1975 in Toronto
- franchising since: 1980
- 176 franchise units
- 22 corporate units
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- Pinkberry fee $5,000
- total costs $350,000 to $550,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 7.5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- regional operations support
- site location
- training
SHOELESS JOE’S SPORTS GRILL
SHOELESS JOE’S LTD.
551 Jevlan Dr.
Woodbridge, ON L4L 8W1
905-760-1295
VP Business Development:
Danny Grammenopoulos
History, Plans
- founded 1985 in Toronto
- 28 units in Canada (all franchised)
- planning to expand across Canada;
primary growth in the Ontario, Manitoba,
Saskatchewan and Alberta; accepting
opportunities for Nova Scotia,
Newfoundland and B.C.
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $45,000
- development cost $1,000,000
to $2,000,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5 to 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SMITTY’S CANADA INC.
501 18th Ave. S.W., Ste. 500
Calgary, AB T2S 0C7
403-229-3838
Franchise Development: Roger Aube
905-441-2055
History, Plans
- established 1960 in Calgary
- 80+ units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- equipment/site costs $180,000
to $300,000
- leasehold improvements $100,000
to $800,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SMOKE’S POUTINERIE
SMOKE’S POUTINERIE INC.
85 Kingston Rd. E., Unit 5
Ajax, ON L1S 7J4
905-427-4444
mark@smokespoutinerie.com
The Global Dominator, Chief Operational
& Business Development Officer:
Mark Cunningham
History, Plans
- established 2008 in Toronto
- 150+ units in Canada; nine additional
countries with locations
- aggressive expansion planned for
Canada and international locations;
traditional, non-traditional, sports and
entertainment, educational and
amusement portfolios
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- total costs $350,000 to $450,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- operational support
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
- training
SOUTH STREET BURGER
MTY FOOD GROUP INC.
2 Bishop St., Ste. 400
Toronto, ON M5R 1N2
416-963-5005
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established 2005 in Toronto
- 40 units in Canada; one outside of
Canada (20 franchised)
- additional units planned in Canada and
internationally
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- equipment/site cost $350,000 to
$650,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- management
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SOUVLAKI BAR
FOODTASTIC
9245, St. Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555 ext. 260
franchise@foodtastic.ca
855-771-0177
VP Franchising: Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established 1990 in Montreal
- 14 units in Canada
- one corporate
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee: QSR $15,000 Full Service
$25,000
- investment required: QSR $350,000
to $450,000 Full Service $600,000 to
$1,200,000
- project cost $700,000 to $800,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
ST. LOUIS BAR & GRILL
ST. LOUIS FRANCHISE LIMITED
2040 Yonge St., Ste. 200B
Toronto, ON M4S 1Z9
416-485-1094
CEO/Founder: Brent Poulton
History, Plans
- established 2002 in Toronto
- 70+ units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- total costs $850,000 to $950,000
- advertising fee 1.75%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
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STATE & MAIN KITCHEN & BAR
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4K 0B8
905-760-2244 ext 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established in 2012
- 25 units in Canada (16 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $60,000
- total costs $1,400,000 to $1,700,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
- financial assisstance
STEAK FRITES ST.
MTY GROUP
200, 8150 Trans-Canada Hwy.
Saint-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Casual Dining:
Marie-Line Beauchamp
History, Plans
- established in 1986 in Montreal
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial Investment: $750,000 to $800,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SUBWAY
DOCTOR’S ASSOCIATES, INC.
325 Sub Way
Milford, CT 06461-3059
203-877-4281
Senior Vice President of Development:
Steve Rafferty
History, Plans
- established 1965 in Bridgeport, Conn.
- 3,000+ locations in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $15,000
- advertising fee 4.5%
- royalty fee 8%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- business development
- design
- ongoing training
- site selection assistance
- staff training
SUKIYAKI
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded 1979
- 10 units in Canada; nine outside of
Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SUNNYSIDE GRILL
2 Jane St., Ste. 202
Toronto, ON M6S 4W3
416-604-0650
President: Jeff Parissi
History, Plans
- established 2004
- 12 units in Canada (all franchised) plus 3
non conventional F and B contracts
- plans to grow by one to two units
per year
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- total turnkey build-out cost $200,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- ongoing support
- purchasing
- site location
- social media
- staff training
- supplies
SUNSET GRILL
RESTAURANTS LTD.
5100 Erin Mills Town Centre
P.O. Box 53036
Mississauga, ON L5M 5A7
905-286-5833
CEO: Angelo Christou
History, Plans
- established 1985 in Toronto
- 98 units in Canada (all franchised)
- expansion planned across Canada and
in the U.S.
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $55,000
- total costs $650,000
- advertising fee 1%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SUSHI MAN
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- purchased in 2014
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SUSHI SHOP
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- founded 2000
- 150 units in Canada (132 franchised);
three outside of Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial Investment $216,000 to $441,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SWEET JESUS
HOLY SWEET INC.
210 Shields Ct.
Markham, ON L3R 8V2
905-479-8762
CEO: Aaron Serruya
History, Plans
- established in 2015 in Thornhill, Ont.
- seven units in Canada; two outside
of Canada
- plans to expand across Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- total costs $231,025 to $670,080
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
SWISS CHALET ROTISSERIE
AND GRILL
RECIPE UNLIMITED CORPORATION
199 Four Valley Dr.
Vaughan, ON L4K 0B8
905-760-2244, ext. 2255
VP, Franchising & International
Development: Courtney Hindorff
History, Plans
- established in 1954 in Ontario
- 193 units in Canada (180 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000 To $75,000
- total costs $1,100,000 to $1,400,000
- advertising fee 4% national; 1% local
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
60 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

THE 2022 FRANCHISE REPORT
SYMPOSIUM CAFE INC.
6021 Yonge St., Ste. 475
Toronto, ON M2M 3W2
416-449-3611
Director of Franchising: Ron Ansett
History, Plans
- established in 1996 in London, Ont.;
franchising since 2004
- 24 units in Canada all franchised
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- equipment/other costs $85,000
to $130,000
- total costs $625,000 to $675,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
TACO BELL
TACO BELL CANADA COMPANY
191 Creditview Rd., Ste. 100
Woodbridge, ON L4L 9T1
416-254-4266
Development Manager: Alex Grudkin
History, Plans
- established 1952 in Downey, Calif.
- 170+ units in Canada, (all franchised);
7,000 outside of Canada
- plans to expand throughout Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $49,100
- equipment/site cost $700,000
- build cost $1,200,000 to $1,400,000
- other costs $500,000
- total cost $1,249,100
- marketing fee 4.7% of gross sales; 1%
local store marketing
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
TACO TIME
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded 1978
- 131 units in Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial Investment: $288,000 to $506,000
- advertising fee 4%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
TANDORI
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established 1979 in Montreal
- 12 units in Canada (10 franchised); one
outside of Canada (franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial Investment: $294,000 to $570,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
TASTE OF MEDITERRANEAN
T.O.M FRANCHISE INC.
2 Toronto St., Ste. 324
Toronto, ON M5C 2B5
416-821-5561
CEO: Sam Hussein
History, Plans
- established 2004 in Toronto
- nine units in Canada; one outside of
Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $12,000
- equipment/site cost $99,000 to $175,000
- no advertising fee
- royalty fee $1,000 flat
Services
- financing
- lease negotiation
- marketing
- site location
- store set up
- training
TCBY
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established in 1980 in Little Rock, Ark.
- established in Canada in 1990 in Montreal
and Toronto
Franchise costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000; $10,000 for
co-brand
- initial investment $326,000 to $480,000
- advertising fee included in cost of
goods; 3% for co-brand
- royalty fee included in cost of goods;
5% for co-brand
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
TERIYAKI EXPERIENCE
INNOVATIVE FOOD BRANDS
531 North Service Rd. E.
Oakville, ON L6H 1A5
905-337-7777
Director of Franchising: Jamie Nugent
History, Plans
- established 1986 in Toronto
- 51 units in Canada; 7 outside of Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- total costs $300,000 to $500,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training (assist onsite)
THAI EXPRESS
MTY FRANCHISING INC
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
Vice President: Dennis Ng
History, Plans
- founded 2000 in Montreal
- 288 units in Canada; five international
(all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- total costs $336,000 to $714,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
THAI ZONE
MTY FRANCHISING INC
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- founded 2007
- 39 units in Quebec (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- total costs $468,000 to $855,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplie
TIKI MING
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded 1983
- 30 units in Canada (28 franchised); 10
outside of Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial Investment $375,000 to $578,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- information available upon request
TILTED KILT PUB & EATERY
JSF FRANCHISE GROUP INC.
3636 Bathurst St., Ste. 1611
Toronto, ON M6A 2Y5
416-819-2644
VP of Franchising: Joel Friedman
History, Plans
- founded 2005 in Arizona
- six units in Canada; 100 outside of
Canada (all franchised)
* Denotes 2022 updates were not received and information is current as of February 2021
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 61

THE 2022 FRANCHISE REPORT
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $75,000
- equipment/site cost $500,000
- total costs $1,750,000
- advertising fee 2% (national) 4% (local)
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
THE TDL GROUP CORP.
130 King St. W., Suite 300
Toronto, ON M5X 2A2
1-888-601-1616
President, Americas: Axel Schwan
History, Plans
- established 1964 in Hamilton, Ont.
- 3,940 units in Canada; 1,197 units
outside Canada
- continuing global expansion
throughout 2022
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- advertising fee 4%
- royalty fee 4.5% to 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- management
- purchasing
- staff training
- furniture
- equipment
TIMOTHY’S WORLD COFFEE
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
55 Administration Rd., Unit 37
Woodbridge, ON L4K 4G9
877-434-3223, ext. 7314
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- established 1975 in London, Ont.
- 39 units in Canada (32 franchised); two
units outside of Canada
- exploring potential sites in various
markets
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- total cost $241,000 to $633,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 9%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
TOMMY CAFE
FOODTASTIC
9245, St. Thimens
Pierrefonds, QC H8Y 0A1
514-856-5555 ext. 260
1-(855) 771-0177
franchise@foodtastic.ca
VP Franching: Guyaume Arseneault
History, Plans
- established in Montreal
- six units in Canada
- one corporate unit
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $25,000
- projected cost $400,000 to $600,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
TOPPER’S PIZZA
TOPPER’S FRANCHISING COMPANY INC.
551 Bryne Dr., Unit N
Barrie, ON L4N 9Y3
705-735-2127
Franchise Development Manager:
Anik Gaumond
History, Plans
- established 1982 in Sudbury, Ont.
- 36 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
TOUJOURS MIKES
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
200, 8150 Trans-Canada Hwy.
Saint-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Casual Dining:
Marie-Line Beauchamp
History, Plans
- established in 1967 in Quebec
- 64 units in Canada (69 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $22,500 to $45,000
- training fee $5,000
- total costs $600,000 to $700,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
TURTLE JACK’S MUSKOKA GRILL
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
3370 S. Service Rd., Ste. 300
Burlington, ON L7L 3M6
905-332-6833, ext. 234
CEO: Eric Lefebvre
History, Plans
- established 1992 in Burlington, Ont.
- 19 units in Canada
- one new unit under construction
Franchise Costs
- information available upon request
Services
- information available upon request
TUTTI FRUTTI
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Casual Dining: Marie-Line Beauchamp
History, Plans
- founded 1996
- 35+ units in Canada (32 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000 to $40,000
- initial Investment $578,000 to $830,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5% (6% Alta. and B.C.)
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
URBAN KITCHEN/SELECT
SANDWICH
SELECT FOOD SERVICES INC.
155 Gordon Baker Rd., Ste. 214
Toronto, ON M2H 3N5
416-391-1244
Director of Franchising: Carol Kahn
History, Plans
- established 1979 in Toronto
- 11 properties in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 7%
Services
- information available upon request
VALENTINE
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded in 1984
- 100+ units in Canada (95 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- initial Investment: $229,000 to $462,000
- advertising fee 2.5%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
VAN HOUTTE
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established 1919 in Montreal
- 51 franchised units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $25,000
- initial Investment $241,000 to $623,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
VERA’S BURGER SHACK
42 W. 8th Ave., Ste. 3
Vancouver, BC V5Y 1M7
604-683-8372
President: Gerald Tritt
History, Plans
- established 1977 in Vancouver
- 11 units in Canada
62 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

THE 2022 FRANCHISE REPORT
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- total cost $164,500 to $353,000
- advertising fee 3.5%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
VIA CIBO ITALIAN STREET FOOD
VIA CIBO FRANCHISING INC
808 York Mills Rd Toronto, ON M3B 1X8
416-684-8645
CEO Alex Rechichi
History, Plans
- established 2014
- 15 units in Canada
- plans to expand franchises in B.C., Alta.,
Ont. and Que.
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $35,000
- equipment/site cost $500,000 to
650,000
- turnkey costs $600,000 to $750,000
- advertising fee 1.5%
- royalty fee 5%
VILLA MADINA
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded in 2003
- 43 units in Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- initial Investment $318,000 to $558,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
WASABI GRILL & NOODLE
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of QSR: Jason Brading
History, Plans
- founded in 2012
- advertising fee 4%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- quality assurance
- site development/location
- staff training
- supplies
WHAT A BAGEL
W.A.B BAKERY FRANCHISING LTD.
7117 Bathurst Street Thornhill, ON L4J 2J6
(905) 707-0101
Jeff Young, Chief Development Officer
jeffyoung@whatabagel.com
franchise@whatabagel.com
647.888.8420
History, Plans
- Established: Established in Toronto ON
in 1997. Formally relaunched a franchise
program in 2021
- 11 units in Canada, 6 corporate,
five franchised
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee: $45,000
- equipment/site cost $600,00-$900,000
- advertising fee: 1.5%
- royalty fee: 3.5%
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
TRIPLE O’S RESTAURANT
WHITE SPOT LIMITED
200 - 8223 Sherbrooke St.
Vancouver, BC V5X 4E6
604-321-6631
Business Development Manager:
Karen Dosen
History, Plans
- founded 1997 in Vancouver
- 70 units in Canada (58 franchised)
- focusing on growth in Western Canada
and Ontario
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $40,000
- equipment/site cost approx. $1,100,000
(depending on site)
- total cost approx. $1,140,000
(depending on site)
- advertising fee 2.0%
- royalty fee 6.0%
- other fees 1.0%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- operational support
- purchasing
- social media
- site location
- staff training (opening)
- supplies
VIE & NAM
MTY FRANCHISING INC.
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
Vice-President: Dennis Ng
History, Plans
- established in 2008 in Montreal
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Service
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
Franchise Costs
- franchise fee $30,000
- initial investment $375,000 to $563,000
- marketing fee 1%
- royalty fee 6% to 7%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
WENDY’S RESTAURANTS
OF CANADA INC.
5515 N. Service Rd., Ste. 201
Burlington, ON. L7L 6G4
905-331-0341
wendys.franchising@wendys.com
Manager: Steven McAnulty
History, Plans
- established in 1969 in Columbus, Ohio;
established in Canada 1975 in Hamilton,
Ont.
- 405 units in Canada (all franchised)
Franchise Costs
- application/training fee $5,000
(new franchises)
- initial franchise fee $50,000
- total investment $1,000,000 to
$2,000,000
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- financial assistance
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
WHITE SPOT RESTAURANT
WHITE SPOT LIMITED
200 - 8223 Sherbrooke St.
Vancouver, BC V5X 4E6
604-321-6631
Business Development Manager:
Karen Dosen
History, Plans
- founded 1928 in Vancouver
- 55 units in Canada (35 franchised)
- focusing on growth in Western Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $75,000
- equipment/site cost approx. $1,900,000
(depending on site)
- total cost approx. $1,975,000 (depending
on site)
- advertising fee 2.5%
- royalty fee 5%
- other fees 0.5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
WILLIAMS FRESH CAFE INC.
52 Abbotsford Rd.
Gormley, ON L4A 2C1
416-637-5976
VP, Marketing: Peter Druxerman
History, Plans
- established 1993 in Stratford, Ont.
- 19+ units in Canada (17 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- total cost $180,000 (express unit) to
$650,000 (sit-down café)
- advertising fee 1%
- royalty fee 6.5%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- franchisee/staff training
- intranet
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- regional director support
- site location
WIMPY’S DINER INC.
160 Konrad Crest., Unit 1
Markham, ON L3R 9T9
888-594-6797
GM: Vasco Andreevski
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 63

History, Plans
- founded 1961
- 54 units in Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- total cost $250,000 to $500,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 4%
Services
- information available upon request
WOK BOX
FRESH ASIAN KITCHEN
19074 22nd Ave., Unit 102
Surrey, BC V3S 3S6
778-545-0233
CEO: Lawrence Eade
History, Plans
- established 2004 in Edmonton
- 53 units in Canada
- expanding in Western Canada during
the next two years; planned growth in
Ontario and Eastern Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $30,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
(THE) WORKS
MTY FRANCHISING INC
8150 Trans-Canada Hwy., Ste. 200
St-Laurent, QC H4S 1M5
514-336-8885
COO of Fast Casual: Marc Benzacar
History, Plans
- established 2001 in Ottawa
- 27 units in Canada (23 franchised)
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $45,000
- total costs $622,000 to $1,063,000
- advertising fee 2%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
YEH!
YEH! WORLDWIDE INC.
210 Shields Ct.
Markham, ON L3R 8V2
905-479-8762
CEO: Aaron Serruya
History, Plans
- established 2008 in Quebec
- seven units in Canada
- plans to expand across Quebec
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise cost $32,000
- total costs $219,850 to $399,500
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
YOGURTY’S
YOGURTIINC.
210 Shields Ct.
Markham, ON L3R 8V2
905-479-8762
Founder: Aaaron Serruya
History, Plans
- established 1987 in Toronto
- 15 units in Canada
- plans to expand across Canada
Franchise Costs
- initial franchise fee $25,000
- equipment/site cost $153,000 to
$483,000
- total costs $178,000 to $508,000
- advertising fee 3%
- royalty fee 6%
Services
- advertising/marketing
- design
- lease negotiation
- management
- purchasing
- site location
- staff training
- supplies
THE 2022 FRANCHISE REPORT
DON’T SEE
YOUR COMPANY
INCLUDED IN
THIS YEAR’S
FRANCHISE
REPORT?
Email abostock@kostuchmedia.com
to make sure you’re included
in the 2023 edition
64 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

DIVERSITY
ROAD TO
INCLUSION
THE FOODSERVICE INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO WORK TOWARD
A MORE DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE FUTURE
BY DANIELLE SCHALK | ILLUSTRATION BY GIOVANNINA COLALILLO
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 65

Over the past few years, many
companies have made significant
commitments to their HR policies
with the aim of improving diversity
and inclusion within the foodservice
industry. These commitments have
included increased measurement,
accountability and transparency
around workforce diversity.
David Gibbs, CEO, Yum! Brands, Inc. stated in 2021 that, “2020 marked
a turning point for communities and businesses around the world, as the
pandemic deepened existing societal issues and inequalities.”
“Since publishing our commitment to diversity in 2020, we’ve
made strides to advance our actions,” shares Grace Turiano, senior
manager, Internal Communications, Restaurant Brands International
(RBI). “We own the outcome of our Diversity and Inclusion (D&I)
journey and continue to measure our progress around hiring and
representation, diversity in our advertising and in
community support.”
Hiring and Recruiting
Though the foodservice-and-hospitality
industry traditionally attracts a diverse
workforce, that diversity has historically
not been reflected in management and
leadership roles. This has led many of the
industry’s largest companies to publicly
set targets in this area.
For example, McDonald’s goals include
increasing representation of historically underrepresented
groups in leadership roles (senior director and above)
located in the U.S. to 35 per cent by 2025. It’s also working to increase
representation of women in leadership roles globally to 45 per cent in
the same period, with the further goal of achieving gender parity in
these roles by 2030.
However, there has been ongoing debate surrounding the value of
setting D&I targets that prescribe achieving a certain number of diversity
hires. The main concerns revolve around tokenism and the risk of placing
these targets above employees’ merit and achievements.
In its Commitment to Diversity, RBI specifically calls out meritocracy
as a core value of the company, stating: “We believe that you should be
hired, promoted and compensated based on what you do and how you
do it.” As a result, the company’s commitments focus on changing the
way it recruits.
In fact, over the past year, RBI has exceeded its target of “having 50
per cent of final-round interview candidates for any role with RBI be
demonstrably diverse,” shares Turiano. Since mid-2020, 70 per cent of
final-round candidates globally were diverse, resulting in 62 per cent of
all hires through the new process adding to the company’s diversity.
Ian Vickers, Chief Operating Officer of Winnipeg-based Diversity Food
Spotlight:
Diversity
Food Services
Diversity Food Services is a multi-faceted
foodservice company that operates
University of Winnipeg’s foodservice
outlets and offers catering services. This
unique social enterprise is a joint venture
of the University of Winnipeg’s Community
Renewal Corporation and SEED Winnipeg (a
non-profit agency that fights poverty and
helps renew Winnipeg’s inner city), and has
the primary purpose of maximizing social,
cultural, economic and environmental wellbeing
within its community.
A key part of this aim is to provide meaningful
employment and career development
for marginalized individuals, including
those with cognitive/physical disabilities,
new immigrants/refugees, Indigenous
peoples, individuals residing in inner city
low-income households, people exiting the
justice system, members of the LGBTQ+
community and food-insecure students.
Diversity Food Services’ Chief Operating
Officer Ian Vickers explains that these values
have fostered a culture of caring that both
attracts and retains a diverse workforce.
“As of September, 66 per cent
of our employees self-identified as belonging
to groups we’ve identified as being
marginalized from traditional employment,”
he shares, noting this is one of the lowest
results Diversity has recorded in its history
— attributed in part to pandemic-related
circumstances. For comparison, in 2017,
that number was 78 per cent.
“We invest in people [and] we really
value the different lived experiences that
people bring to the table,” says Vickers.
“We’re made a stronger company by
having more diverse voices and opinions
coming to us all the time.”
66 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022

Services, highlights connecting to the community
and reaching out through channels that will reach
marginalized groups as key to diverse recruitment.
“By just starting our search there, we
end up way ahead,” he says of the strategy
employed by the social enterprise, whose
vision includes “providing meaningful
employment and career development
for individuals traditionally marginalized
in our economy” (see sidebar).
Beyond creating diverse workforces
that reflect the reality of the communities
they operate within, ensuring equal
opportunity and equal pay are important
aspects of eliminating bias. And, this is an area
where measurement is especially pertinent.
On this front, Starbucks Canada has
committed to achieving “equal pay for
work of equal value.” On International
Women’s Day 2021, Lori Digulla, president
of Starbucks Canada, shared: “I’m pleased
to confirm once again this year that
Starbucks Canada is pay-equity compliant,”
adding, “Our compensation practice also
requires each role to have a set pay grade regardless
of the partner who fills the position, and we review
and validate our pay grades both internally and
against external market data annually.”
Franchising
Among the large restaurant franchisors, workforce
commitments/targets tend to focus on corporate
employees. However, there have also been commitments
to franchisee diversity.
Recipe Unlimited’s 2020 Corporate Social
Responsibility Report includes a commitment to
work with its franchisees to inform and enhance the
company’s diversity goals, “including the development
of programs to attract and better support
diverse franchisees.”
McDonald’s also includes franchisee diversity
in its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion strategies.
In 2021, the company announced a franchiseerecruitment
initiative for McDonald’s U.S. and all McDonald’s
International Operated Markets (including Canada) with the goal
of helping to increase the number of franchisees from historically
underrepresented groups.
Last year, Yum! also launched the Yum! Center for Global Franchise
Excellence at the University of Louisville. A key focus of this first-ofits-kind
education and research centre is educating under-represented
people of colour and women on the possibilities of franchising as a
pathway to entrepreneurship.
On the Ground
While large chains play a significant role in the industry, it’s important
to acknowledge that small foodservice operators do not have the
In 2021,
Yum! Brands
accelerated
its goal of
reaching
gender
parity among
its senior
leadership,
bumping its
target from
2030 to
2025.
resources or scale to approach D&I the way big
franchisors have. As foodservice operations often
lack formal human-resources departments, these
issues have long been a challenge.
However, Vickers shares that policies and targets
are not the only way to achieve an inclusive culture.
“We’re not a policy-driven company, we are a culturedriven
company,” he explains. “We start off with that
underlying idea that we’re going to pay the true value
of products all the way along the supply chain —
inclusive of our own people.” And, through this holistic
approach, he says, “we sort of bake that equity and
inclusion piece into the recipe right from the start.”
This approach is centred on inviting everyone to
the table and valuing each team member and their
unique perspective through a culture of “participative
management.” (This is evident in the company’s
menus, which feature family recipes from employees
past and present.)
There are also external resources that operators can leverage to aid
the development of inclusive workplace culture, including training and
accreditation programs and collective commitments.
Kostuch Media Ltd. has formed an Anti-Racism Framework in partnership
with Easton’s Group of Hotels, which is intended to help the
foodservice-and-hospitality industry create a more equitable and just
workplace, while also ensuring that diversity and inclusion are part of
the fabric of their businesses. Companies can sign this commitment
document stating their intention to “actively support a culture of antiracism
equity and inclusion for all.” FH
foodserviceandhospitality.com/anti-racism-framework/
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 67

Higher Lea
SEGMENT REPORT
When COVID-19 forced
college and university
students to evacuate
campuses to curtail its
spread, campus dining
was left in the dust.
As part of its portfolio,
Smoke’s Poutinerie, for example, has roughly 40 franchised
campus locations in partnership with foodservice providers
such as Compass Canada, Aramark and Sodexo. Unable
to serve its core demographic, all campus locations were
temporarily shut down at the onset of the pandemic
and suffered severe revenue losses.
“A fraction of them re-opened in September 2021,
but we’ve been hit hard again [with the rapid spread of
the Omicron variant,] says Ryan Smolkin, founder and
CEO of Smoke’s Poutinerie.
In response, operators kicked digital innovation into
high gear to fuel economic recovery, meet safety standards
and offer students and faculty convenient and flexible
food options that align with their busy schedules.
“We’ve adapted our services throughout the pandemic
to best meet the needs our students,” says Brandon
Cebulak, Compass Canada’s general manager at George
Brown College. “As we welcome students back, we know
they’re looking for pre-packaged and contactless options.”
College and univer
operations in respo
BY NICOLE DI TOMASSO
ISTOCK.COM/SIPHOTOGRAPHY
RE-IMAGINED FOOD DELIVERY
Although campuses have a number of fast-food and
casual-dining options, Smolkin says some students will
continue using third-party apps to get food delivered
from a restaurant off campus. In turn, campus-based
operators will struggle to boost their bottom line.
“Now, students can be sitting in a campus food
court amongst all these different brands, but they’ll
get something else delivered to campus,” says Smolkin.
“Operators can’t just assume that because the customer
is there, they’ll come to your restaurant.”
To compete with the heightened demand for thirdparty
food delivery, post-secondary institutions are
creating their own.
68 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

ning
sities pivot foodservice
nse to COVID-19
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
In spring 2021,
the University of
British Columbia (UBC) launched
UBC Eats, a meal-delivery subscription
service that’s proven to be a successful
concept among upper-year students,
staff and faculty.
“The demand for food delivery surged, with more
than 1,000 individual meals delivered on campus daily
through third-party services like Uber Eats, DoorDash
and SkipTheDishes,” says Colin Moore, director of
Foodservices at UBC Vancouver campus. “In response,
we created a new revenue stream called UBC Eats. It’s
a more sustainable answer to food delivery because
it’s coming directly from our kitchens on campus and
there’s no delivery charges or tips.”
Generally speaking, the Agri-Food Analytics Lab
(AAL) at Dalhousie University estimates that more than
$12 billion has been committed to online-interface
services, from delivery apps to curb-side grocery pickup,
in Canada’s food industry for the next five years.
SELF-SERVICE TECHNOLOGY
Self-service technology is critical to help campus operators
recover from the pandemic. Kiosks, mobile apps
and other technologies will improve order accuracy and
speed while also promoting physical distancing and safe
environments.
In March 2021, Humber College
launched food lockers at its North
Campus in collaboration with Chartwells Canada, the
education division of Compass Canada, and Apex Order
Pickup. Students can order from Grill & Co using Boost,
a mobile-ordering app created by Compass Digital Labs,
and have their meals delivered to a food locker for convenient
and contactless pickup. Once an order is ready,
students will receive a QR code to unlock and retrieve
their meals from the lockers. This concept is the first of
its kind at any post-secondary institution in Canada.
“With the increased role of digital technologies in
foodservice, we recognize the need to meet students
where they are, which is increasingly on their mobile
devices,” says Brandon Cebulak, Compass Canada’s
general manager at George Brown College. “Early on
in the pandemic, we realized that ordering food with a
mobile device was no longer a ‘perk’ but a requirement
to prevent crowding and get food to students safely and
efficiently. Last year alone, we processed 570,000 transactions
from our mobile apps.”
Similarly, UBC partnered with Nutrislice, an online
menu software, to offer safe and convenient mobile
ordering from its residential dining halls.
“We’ll also be introducing online ordering, payment
and pickup at three of our retail locations,” says Moore.
“It allows students to order from our full-service restaurants
like the Point and Mercante Pizza, as well as some of
our national brands.”
In addition, UBC recently partnered with UpMeals to
install fresh-food vending machines to provide students
with healthier food options, such as salads, entrée bowls
and cold-pressed juices, and further reduce traffic in
dining halls and cafeterias.
ENHANCED DIGITAL MARKETING
Campus operators must ramp up digital-marketing
efforts to drive customer loyalty and provide incentives
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 69

to encourage repeat ordering once pre-COV-
ID-19 campus activity resumes.
“Campuses are the ultimate database,” says
Smolkin. “If there’s 50,000 students, that’s a
50,000 person database, so [operators] have
to step it up with loyalty apps and push-pull
messaging. Accessing that data base allows for
better targeting and student support, both on
and off campus.”
“Social-media marketing will continue to
be part of our digital toolkit to make sure
we’re getting the right message to our students
at the right time,” says Cebulak. “We
know students rely heavily on online reviews
and testimonials when considering food
options, which is why we focus on quality and
exceptional customer experience, along with
advocacy from trusted on-site influencers, to
support the decision-making process and help
us stand out.”
FUTURE FORECAST
Currently, return-to-campus dates vary from
province to province. Although the winter
semester will be wrapping up shortly, campus
operators are excited to welcome back students
next fall.
“We’re hopeful that we’re nearing the end
of this new wave and we’ll be able to welcome
students back to campus soon with smiling
eyes and a warm meal,” says Cebulak.
“[The] majority of our campus locations
are just sitting and waiting,” says Smolkin.
“I’m not expecting a lot of [activity] in the
next two or three months. Realistically, it’s
going to be a September gig.”
“We’ll continue to pivot along the way,”
says Moore. “The good thing is we’ve already
learned how to do that over the last two years,
so whatever the next thing is, we’ll be more
than ready to change and innovate. We’ve
learned a lot throughout the pandemic, and
we’re a lot stronger because of it.” FH
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TECHNOLOGY
Sign
of the
Times
Digital menus are taking hold in the
post-pandemic foodservice world
BY ANDREA VICTORY
ISTOCK.COMSIBERIANART
The appeal for digital menus is clear. Patricia Rodriguez,
director of Marketing & Sales at Netvisual Corporation,
an Oakville Ont.-based digital-signage company, makes
the point clearly: “What you show is what you sell.”
But prior to the pandemic, digital signage wasn’t the
hot ticket it is today. The pandemic placed extraneous
demands on the foodservice industry and part of the response has
been demand for technology to step in and fill the gaps.
Going Digital
Digital signage is becoming more the rule than the exception thanks
to COVID-19. Graydon Stock, executive director of Account Services
for Toronto-based Cineplex Digital Media, notes a significant increase
in demand for digital menu boards over the past couple of years.
“With the recent pandemic pressures, businesses are looking for a
more efficient way to manage their bottom line, while still providing
exceptional experiences for their customers. Digital menu boards are
the solution that meets those needs.”
He says there’s been an increased interest in digital drive-thru as
well, attributing this to operators looking to handle in-store restrictions
and closures. “Digital drive-thru offers the convenience factor for the
customer while still driving ROI for the business,” he says.
In addition to convenience, digital menus offer agility. Operators are
able to instantly update menu items that have been 86’d or are unavailable.
“Many restaurants had to make modifications to their menus over the past
two years due to a bevy of issues ranging from supply-chain issues to the
cost and availability of supplies and staffing shortages,” says Keshav Kiran,
senior director of Global Strategic Partnerships at Oracle Food and Beverage,
“Digital menu boards make it easy for restaurants to make these modifications
with a few clicks so the customer can see what’s available before they
try and order it — only to be disappointed when it is not available.”
Growing Up Fast
The surge in demand means the technology is quickly improving.
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
“We’ve seen a marked increase in everything digital over the last 24
months. From kiosks, self-checkout, QR-code menus and ordering,
and digital payments, the omni-channel environment is teeming with
innovation”, Kiran says. “We’ve made several investments in this area
of the business to help brands stay agile to test and deploy new digital
experiences quickly, and with very little IT resourcing. Customers are
able to tap into these endpoints exceptionally fast due to our open API
architecture and robust partner ecosystem.”
All About Experience
Digital menus can provide opportunities for customer engagement
through upselling or featuring promoted items. But the opportunity
to go beyond is also present. “It’s all about the harmony between
touchpoints on the customer journey,” says Stock. “At Cineplex Digital
Media, we’ve proven that experience design strategy does create a more
engaging and impactful menu-board experience that drives results.”
He notes CDM’s in-house Experience Design Team is solely devoted
to experience design. “Our ability to design user-friendly touchpoints
with optimization strategies based on things like eye movement and
customer behaviour, matched with our strategic digital creative-design
capabilities, makes for engaging menus that go beyond just linear text.”
For those still on the fence, Kiran says tech will just keep getting
more personalized. “In the future, don’t be surprised when sensors in
your car can talk to the digital display,” he says. “My trip in a drive thru
may start with the display showing “Hi Keshav, welcome back...can I
get your usual?” and then showing my regular order.” FH
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 71

EQUIPMENT
GOING
WITH
THE AIR
FLOW
Major system overhauls aren’t the only way to improve ventilation in foodservice operations
BY DENISE DEVEAU
A
ir quality and ventilation may be making daily
headlines, but for many operators, the prospect
of investing even more resources in large
system changes is simply out of the picture.
“From my observations, major air-handling equipment
overhauls are simply not an affordable option
at this point for operators,” says Doug
Feltmate, principal, Planned Foodservice
YOU KNOW YOU
HAVE AIR FLOW ISSUES
WHEN….
•
The doors are sticking –
that’s a sign of an imbalance
in the supply and exhaust air
•
Odours are emanating from
the kitchen into the front of
house
•
There are temperature
differences between the
ceiling and the floor
Solutions in Ottawa. “While the publicly
funded institutions like schools and
long-term-care facilities are getting the
money to make these changes,
restaurants and other businesses are
only seeing wage and rent subsidies, and
nothing for air-quality improvements.”
Operators are not putting in new
ventilation equipment unless they
are mandated to do it, observes Mark
McEwan, Western Canada sales director
/executive chef for Food Service
Solutions in Calgary. “It’s just another
extra expense on an already strapped
industry. They’re not really interested
in allocating more dollars.”
As the owner of two smaller restaurants
in Edmonton, Dave Manna says he can’t afford
to rip apart his Rosso and Bianca restaurants for new
ventilation systems. “It’s just too expensive. We’re a small
business and margins are tight. There are lots of higherpriority
items.”
However, ventilation-system investments are becoming
a necessary evil, says Joel Primeau,
mechanical engineering consultant and
ASHRAE instructor in Ottawa. “The
industry is at a point where people care
about ventilation. Operators appreciate
that premises can make people sick if
they’re not well ventilated.”
The good news is, not every
improvement has to involve expensive
equipment, he says. Optimizing air flow
is the key. In some cases, conditions
can be improved at a relatively low cost.
Typically, restaurants have negative
pressure in the kitchens, where supply
air is provided in the eating area and
gets exhausted through the kitchen
hoods, explains Primeau. “That means
everybody gets exposed to the same air.
In a regular setting, that’s usually not a
72 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

problem. In the pandemic era, it is spreading potential bacteria.
That has really raised the bar on ventilation requirements for
restaurants and public areas.”
The underlying goal is to replace as much air as possible
throughout the day, he adds. “That involves re-thinking air flow
patterns in your space in the right quantities. If you have proper
air flows, you should be able to generate a comfortable and
clean environment.”
He recommends operators work with an air-balancing
professional to determine the ratio of outside air coming in
and exhaust air going out. “You want to find out how much air
is being moved, how much is supplied from outside, and how
much is re-circulated.”
Next, check the filtration system and how well it is operating,
and upgrade filtration where required. Replace filters often.
“Keep in mind that improving filter efficiency also requires
changing the power of the fans pushing the air through because
they are thicker and denser,” he cautions.
Open restaurants tend to have poorer ventilation because the
warm air rises to the ceilings, especially in the winter, he adds.
“It’s very common to see both ceiling diffusers and return grills
near the ceiling. It makes a lot of sense to move the return grills
closer to the floor because it forces the air to sweep the occupant
area. It just requires adding some ductwork which isn’t that big
of an expenditure.”
Primeau also suggests extending HVAC equipment operating
hours. “Start it up sooner than the time people come in and run
it a few hours after closing to make sure you really clear the air
in the space” If possible, program your equipment to increase
the amount of outside air.
Some operators are investing in UV lighting in their air
filtration or UVC lighting sanitizers, says McEwan. “They can
sanitize air as it comes through. The problem is, UV lighting
needs exposure time, which depends on fan speeds and the ability
for it to really saturate the air.”
McEwan believes there is some validity in investing in
portable air quality and air exchangers in smaller spaces, but
you have to do it right. “There is no point putting in a basic
entry-level filtration system that doesn’t do multiple exchanges
a day. It would need to be commercial grade.”
There are two main factors to consider when assessing airexchange
systems: fan speed and level of filtration. “It has to
have a powerful enough motor to push air through a commercial
grade filter,” says McEwan.
Manna did a test run of a Jasp’r Air plug-in unit for his Rosso
Pizzeria. “Our space was small, so our options were limited. We
brought in an air-exchange unit at the beginning of COVID to
improve the air quality and to help people feel safe.”
Manna says that beyond the cost of equipment, awareness
is also a challenge. “There has to be a demand from customers.
It takes time for people to educate themselves on health
and wellness.”FH
Breath of Fresh Air
Toronto’s Miller Tavern has re-opened with new COVID-19-fighting
air purifier to help reassure customers and staff of a safer indoor
environment. The Miller Tavern is the first restaurant in Canada to
install Aura Air, which has already been successfully deployed at
several SUBWAY restaurants, as well as select Sheraton and Hilton
hotels in the U.S., and the Vogue Hotel in Montreal. The technology,
developed in Israel, uses a four-stage purification process to filter and
treat airborne pathogen droplets.
“COVID-19 is airborne, therefore, technology is needed to ensure
continuous protection against this particular type of transmission,”
says Yehuda Ordower, managing partner for Aura Canada. “The Aura
Smart Air technology includes air-quality monitoring and reporting
capabilities where, via its app and QR code, users can see IAQ
performance in real-time.”
Two independent studies from the U.S. and Israel confirmed the Aura
Air system can destroy 99.99 per cent of airborne COVID-19 in the test
facility within 60-minutes.
“Air purification is emerging as an important part of the defence
against COVID-19. This is especially true for restaurants and other
places where masks need to be removed,” says Ordower. “But when
customers and staff know they are in an environment with a technology
proven to remove 99 per cent of COVID-19, this can only be good for
business. It could be the way back for the hospitality industry.”
Alonzo stresses that all designs meet ASHRAE standards that meet
COVID requirements.
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 73

Humber College
IS UPPING ITS AIR QUALITY
At Humber College’s culinary labs and restaurants, ventilation improvements
are an ongoing process. Daniel Alonzo, associate director of
Facilities Management at Humber says because ventilation rates need to
be “very, very high” in those environments, they require specialized design
requirements. Here are some of the projects that are helping improve
ventilation, reduce energy costs and keep occupants safe and comfortable.
To achieve proper air pressurization between the North Campus baking
and culinary labs and adjacent corridors, Humber implemented a building
automation control strategy to manage supply and exhaust airflows. This
required the installation of a quick-acting HVAC system to maintain the
proper air pressurization of the building.
In the Business School’s demonstration kitchen, Humber’s energy team
replaced an air-handling unit, and introduced heat recovery into the HVAC
System. The system has improved energy costs and reduces contamination
of the supply air.
The main foodservice kitchen is being renovated to help maintain proper
room temperature while cooking. Humber’s new kitchen will have a separate
variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system to supplement the cooling. The VRF
system adjusts to the temperature of the room, making the staff feel more
comfortable while working.
Alonzo stresses that all designs meet ASHRAE standards that meet
COVID requirements.
74 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

POURING FOR PROFITS
Beer sales volumes may be climbing, but profitability is suffering
BY DENISE DEVEAU
The Canadian beer industry
has been suffering multiple
hits since the start of the
pandemic, particularly on the
brewpub and restaurant front.
Even where revenues are growing,
profitability is shrinking in many
quarters, with observers saying
the challenges will continue for
the foreseeable future.
Beer Canada, based in
Stittsville, Ont., reports that
nationally, the beer industry is
running at 3.8 per cent below
pre-pandemic volumes, with
the hardest-hit regions being
B.C. and Alberta, while Atlantic
Canada is the least affected.
“Nobody is doing great,” says CJ
Hélie, president of the Stittsville,
Ont.-based association.
While Beer Canada does not
have breakout data on licensed
bars and restaurants compared
to home consumption, a telling
indicator is draught-beer sales,
as they are exclusively consumed
on premise, he notes. “They are
down 55 per cent from prepandemic
volumes. All
of the draught-beer occasions
are gone because of the
restrictions, and
people drinking beer at home
was not enough to offset the
on-premises loss.”
“When bars and restaurants
closed, all draught-beer sales
dropped, which is probably the
most profitable [sales channel]
for brewers,” confirms Scott
Simmons, president, Ontario
Craft Brewers Association in
Toronto. “Even if you replace that
with bottles and cans, grains and
packaging costs are up 20 to 30
per cent so profitability is being
hammered.”
Brewpubs were the hardest hit,
says Jason Fisher, owner of Indie
Ale House in Toronto’s Junction
area. “We’re down 80 per cent in
revenues because we haven’t been
able to operate our 140-seat
restaurant fully in more than a
year-and-a-half. The largest part
of our revenues went to zero.”
However, Rick Dalmazzi,
executive director of
the Canadian Craft Brewers
Association in Ottawa, reports that
overall, 2021 volumes are starting
to approach what they were in
2019, especially for larger brewers
with established distribution
channels. “Some of the larger ones
have approached or are exceeding
their numbers. The largest brewers
increased bottle and can sales 115
to 120 per cent during COVID.
Even with that, we’re talking
revenues, not profitability.”
Some initiatives are helping
bring numbers back, including
policy adjustments to allow home
delivery and takeout, and designating
the industry as an essential
business. “Without breweries
being named essential businesses,
the industry would be gone right
now,” says Simmons. “It’s been a
life-saver for our industry.”
Home delivery was a big
winner for brewers as well, says
Fisher. “A lot our deliveries
were done by our own employees.
It has also worked to grow our
LCBO sales. Eataly has also been
a huge partner for us. However, it
takes time to build those channels.”
Breweries have also seen
growth in some unexpected areas,
such as ready-to-drink (RTD)
and non-alcoholic beer offerings.
But the struggles will continue
in the coming months. Hélie says
the industry took another hit
when the federal government’s
automatic escalator raised beer
excise duties during the pandemic.
“That didn’t help anybody.”
The problems moving forward
will be increased costs and supply-chain
delays and shortages,
says Dalmazzi. “Smaller breweries
will be hit harder because they
don’t’ have the accessibility and
economies of scale the biggest
players have.”
Although closures may have
been relatively few for the craft
beer industry to date, Simmons
says it too early to say things are
improving. “A lot of businesses
are highly leveraged and the
money will be coming
due. We’re not out of the
woods yet.” FH
ISTOCK.COM/KUZMIK_A
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 75

CHEF’S CORNER
SUSTAINABLE
SOLUTIONS
Chef Shannon Boyle promotes
sustainable food choices, one
shuck at a time
BY NICOLE DI TOMASSO
Chef Shannon Boyle started her culinary career in her
teens as a garde manger at a small hotel in her hometown
of Hudson, Que. She went on to obtain a Bachelor of
Education at McGill University, where she worked as chef
de cuisine at Bar Tapas Taza Flores and as sous chef at
Bistro La Société in the Vogue Hotel in Montreal. Since
moving to Vancouver three years ago, Boyle was most recently chef and
manager at Meat & Bread before opening and becoming executive chef
and general manager at ShuckShuck, a sustainable oyster bar, in 2020.
“The original concept was to promote oysters as a sustainable food
source by making them more accessible to people who might be intimidated
by the confines of a traditional oyster bar. This is the reasoning
behind our flagship product, the topped oysters,” says Boyle. “Since then,
we’ve adapted, as many restaurants do in their early days, to expand our
menu and include other sustainable-seafood options, as well as local
wines and craft beers.”
ShuckShuck now offers various seafood
dishes, in addition to its traditional oysters
and toppings, such as Calamari Noodle Salad
($11), Oyster Chowder ($12.50) and Steamed
Clams & Lap Cheong ($18).
At the onset of the pandemic, ShuckShuck
pivoted to takeout and delivery. Served in
compostable packaging, ShuckShuck provides
customers with EZ Shuck oysters, which are
raw, high-pressured oysters that are easy to
shuck by hand.
“It’s important to me to create a sustainable
environment in our restaurant. We source
local products and minimize our use of plastics
and waste. We also work closely with Ocean
Wise to make sure we stay up to date with their
recommendations,” says Boyle.
Boyle is passionate about creating a healthy and sustainable food
system as more consumers become conscious of where their food
comes from. That said, she says all chefs have an opportunity to fuel
“
IT’S IMPORTANT TO ME
TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE
ENVIRONMENT IN OUR
RESTAURANT. WE SOURCE
LOCAL PRODUCTS AND
MINIMIZE OUR USE OF
PLASTICS AND WASTE. WE
ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH
OCEAN WISE TO MAKE SURE
WE STAY UP TO DATE WITH
THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS
”
positive changes in eating habits that benefit both consumers and
the environment.
“Many chefs are starting to adopt this culinary style. With climate
change [intensifying], it’s our responsibility as chefs to do our part in
helping people choose healthy, sustainable
options,” says Boyle.
Among her hundreds of kitchen gadgets,
Boyle’s indispensable tool is tweezers for
stability and precision, allowing her to bring
plating visions to life. “When it comes to
beautiful plating or small items like our oyster
toppings at ShuckShuck, my tweezers really
come in handy,” says Boyle.
Moving forward, Boyle wants to further
educate herself as she re-imagines what the
future of sustainable restaurants might look like.
“I want to continue to expand my knowledge
of sustainable food options and practices to
share with our community,” says Boyle. “I’m
most proud when I see what I create bringing
people together.”
When she’s not working, Boyle enjoys visiting
farmer’s markets and exploring different cuisines with her husband,
who’s also a chef. If she isn’t in a kitchen, Boyle can be found boxing,
reading, painting or enjoying various outdoor activities. FH
76 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MARCH/APRIL 2022 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM

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