David Leuthold

Exciting news from Craveworthy Brands As many of you know, I love to hint at our next big moves. Some might question this approach, but I believe it’s crucial to show my commitment to pushing our team and our dreams to new heights. Our latest acquisition is a game-changer, bringing Taim and Hot Chicken Takeover into our family! This strategic move will supercharge growth for our beloved Soom Soom and The Budlong Southern Chicken providing them an extraordinary platform to thrive. Additionally, it accelerates the expansion for Sigri Indian BBQ, offering immediate opportunities for two to three new locations. We’re also setting the stage to launch Costeño Rojo, testing a few locations to refine our concept further. But it’s not just about growth—it’s about people. We’re thrilled to collaborate with the fantastic teams at Taim and Hot Chicken Takeover. Their passion and innovation are exactly what we need to reach new heights. I’m excited to see what we can achieve together with this incredible talent. Stay tuned. We’re just getting started! #CraveworthyBrands #BusinessGrowth #Acquisition #FoodIndustry #Leadership #Innovation #RestaurantBusiness #Teamwork #Entrepreneurship #BrandExpansion

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Panera Bread's parent company announced Tuesday that CEO Jose Dueñas is stepping down, effective immediately. The change in leadership is the latest challenge to the company's plans to go public eventually, following several years of hurdles. Panera Brands CFO Paul Carbone will step in as interim chief executive while the board searches for a permanent replacement to lead the company, which includes Panera Bread, Einstein Bros. and Caribou Coffee.

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KFC’s largest domestic franchisee’s restructuring leads to HQ layoffs. KBP Foods’ footprint has grown to more than 1,000 restaurants, including KFC, Taco Bell, Arby's, and most recently, SONIC Drive-In http://ow.ly/Yg0Z105PcLR

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I am continuing to track this transaction! I remain confident that the enhanced divestiture package will continue to add value. I anticipate improvements in pricing discipline, enhanced customer responsiveness, and, ideally, a more diverse product mix achieved through new market penetration. The deal appears advantageous, and I am optimistic that post-merger, we will witness: "lower prices and more choices to more customers [to] secure the long-term future of unionized grocery jobs." The Shelby Report #kroger #albertstons #divestitures

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I recently had the opportunity to pen an article for Forbes Business Council. It was fun to reflect back over a couple decades+ (ack! am I that old?) working in the world of DTC retail. I’ve been able to see the scale and speed of a Fortune 5 (Amazon 🚀), a community-focused consumer co-op (REI 🏕️) and some upstart, innovative models somewhere inbetween (The Pro's Closet ♻️). What have I learned? TLDR: brick and mortar ain’t dead, and in fact many of the principles of the best Main Street, mom-and pop shops, apply at scale… they’re just really difficulty to replicate consistently. IMO Naked Wines 🍇 is in the sweet spot, bringing the efficiency of direct-to-consumer to connect our cadre of rockstar, independent winemakers to a growing network of discerning, premium wine-drinking angels. The muscle of scale + the personalized value of hyper-local… Win. Win. 🏆 #NakedWines #ShopYourValues #SupportIndependentWinemakers

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Identify opportunities to help U.S. consumers tackle time constraints affecting their daily mealtimes. Circana's Kitchen Audit helps you develop strategies to address consumers’ evolving needs in the kitchen.

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Proactive recall prevention is key to protecting your brand and customers—let Manning Resource help you stay ahead of the risks. Recent recalls across food, beverage, veterinary, and pharmaceutical industries highlight the ongoing risks of contamination, labeling errors, and undeclared allergens. From Salmonella in pet treats to lead in cinnamon powder and E. coli in produce, these issues emphasize the importance of proactive risk management. At Manning Resource, we specialize in recall prevention strategies and operational assessments to safeguard your brand and customers. Don’t wait for a recall to strike—contact us today at ManningResource.com to reduce risk and ensure compliance. #RecallPrevention #FoodSafety #BrandProtection #ManningResource https://lnkd.in/eBCtWNWc

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The new arm within US Beverage will leverage its existing network to accelerate time to market for craft and emerging spirits brands.

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Breaking news that will shape the future of American whiskey: the TTB has officially recognized 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐭 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐲 as its own category! As of December 18th, this historic moment marks the first new federal designation for an American whiskey in over 52 years. With this recognition, the category now has a consistent set of standards: 100% malted barley, distilled at one distillery, and aged in oak barrels. But this is just the beginning. These standards ensure quality while giving distilleries the freedom to innovate and bring their unique house styles to life. The ratification of American Single Malt isn’t just about rules—it’s about unlocking the potential of a category that celebrates creativity and craftsmanship. “This is a landmark ruling by TTB and validation for years’ worth of work by American distillers to define American Single Malt. It has been over 52 years since a new type of whiskey was added to our federal regulations. We applaud TTB for formalizing the category which will signal to the world that not only do we believe in and support our own distilleries, but we also recognize that American Single Malt Whiskey is unique and deserves to be defined and protected as other American whiskey categories are. Most importantly, this new definition ensures that consumers worldwide can have every confidence that what they think is in a bottle of American Single Malt Whiskey actually is.” - Steve Hawley, American Single Malt Whiskey Commission President At 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭, we’re proud to work with distilleries that embrace this ethos, pushing the boundaries of what whiskey can be. This is a milestone worth celebrating, not just for distillers but for whiskey lovers everywhere. Here’s to a bold future for American Single Malt—and to the pioneers who’ve made it possible!

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Community Call: Whole Foods Market - Updates for Local and Emerging Brands Kristin Sherman, Principal Local Forager at Whole Foods Market, and Casey Gaston, Executive Leader of Local and Emerging Brands, join Community Call to share essential updates and strategies for local and emerging brands who want to get their products on shelf including: *Changes to how the local and emerging team operates *Current differentiation and innovation the team is looking for *Inside tips for submissions and pitching *Distribution recommendations *Pricing strategies *Special diets and macro trends of note

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When Craveworthy Brands acquired Untamed Brands a couple months ago, culinary and supply chain expert Becca McIntyre got thrown into a "melting pot." Last week, Bret Thorn was on Nation's Restaurant News' Extra Serving podcast with Becca talking how acquisitions impact her areas of the business (https://lnkd.in/erC95cea). And by the way, Craveworthy's #restaurants use Toast. If you have it stacked right, #technology is a major advantage in navigating the complexities of culinary and supply chain management. For #culinary teams, preparing the right amount saves #food costs, and streamlining prep schedules does the same for #labor & #operations. Accurate #forecasting optimizes these things, while maintaining quality. #Supply chain experts ensure that the right ingredients are available at the right time. In cases like this, ordering the right amount can be especially similar to prepping the right amount (again IF you have the right technology). ClearCOGS helps with all of this, by turning data into actionable insights. We bridge the gap between culinary creativity and supply chain efficiency. What strategic advantage is your cutting edge in this rapidly evolving industry?

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Meanwhile in CPG news... Kroger and Albertsons announced the agreement to combine in October 2022 amounting to over 4,000 stores, which would have been one of the biggest US grocery deals in history. Today, both retailers issued statements that will end the over 2-year saga. Albertsons terminated the merger and filed a lawsuit against Kroger for several breaches of the agreement including: refusing to divest necessary assets, ignoring regulators’ feedback, and rejecting stronger divestiture buyers. Kroger issued a response suggesting Albertsons had also breached the contract. #cpg #merger #food #retail #retailers

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Saker Properties expanded their ownership of several ShopRite stores throughout Ocean & Monmouth counties by acquiring the Manahawkin Commons Shopping Center, this past December, for $36.5 million. This acquisition includes the Manahawkin ShopRite located at Stafford Square Mall and extends Saker's ownership to other ShopRite stores in Ocean County that were previously owned by Perlmutter, purchased in 2021. These include locations in Toms River, Lacey, Waretown, Manchester, Jackson, and Bayville. Currently, Manahawkin Commons has multiple vacant spaces, notably the large Kmart store that shut down in 2017. The future plans for the retail center by Saker have not been disclosed, as no official proposals have been filed with the Stafford planning board. Previously, there were discussions about filling the vacancies with major retailers like Burlington Coat Factory, Old Navy, and Ross Dress for Less. Manahawkin Commons continues to house several other tenants, including TJ Maxx/Home Goods, Regal Cinemas 10, Michael's, and Famous Footwear. Photo Creds: MCB Properties #CRE #NJProperties #NJRealEstate #NJRealtor #CommercialProperty

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Chain Restaurant Business Model is Broken #FoodserviceSolutions #GrocerantGuru #Food #Beverge #Pizza #Coffee #Burgers #Steak #Restaurants #Foodservice #Takeout #Delivery #Technology https://lnkd.in/g3h4d7NX

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Exciting update in the convenience world! 🚀 7-Eleven plans to open 500 new stores from 2025 to 2027. Check out the full article from Supermarket News for all the details! #IndustryNews #711 #Convenience #Expansion

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Grocerant Boom Shakes Up Restaurant Landscape: Consumers Seek Convenience and Value #Food #Beverage #FoodserviceSolutions #Grocerant #foodservice #Retail #CPG #Equipment #GrocerantGuru https://lnkd.in/gkJasFw5

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This Veteran’s Day, I am proud to spotlight Marco's Pizza (Marco's Franchising, LLC) franchisee McLain Hoogland, President of Hoogland Restaurant Group and our largest franchisee, operating more than 100 Marco’s locations.   McLain’s background as a Marine infantry officer who completed two combat tours has powerfully shaped his approach to the restaurant industry. The skills he developed in the military such as operational discipline, team training, and strategic decision-making, are the same skills he uses to lead and grow a successful multi-unit franchise network. Under his leadership, @Hoogland Restaurant Group experienced significant growth in comparable same-store sales last year, showcasing remarkable increases in sales and order counts.   But McLain’s story is not just about numbers; it’s about impact. Through his disciplined approach to growth, he’s expanding into new territories and opening approximately 20 new locations each year, inspiring both veterans and entrepreneurs to leverage their own experiences to reach new heights. His recent opening in Milwaukee is just one more step in his growth journey with Marco’s Pizza.   If you’re a veteran or an entrepreneur seeking a path to build something meaningful, McLain’s story is a reminder that the skills you have today can drive incredible success in business.   Interested in joining a brand that values experience and empowers growth? Learn more about our franchise opportunities at marcos.com/franchising. #BusinessOpportunity #Franchising #BusinessOwnership #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #MarcosPizza #Success #Veterans

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