Daily Newsletter

10 August 2023

Daily Newsletter

10 August 2023

QDOBA unveils new ten-year expansion plan

The restaurant plans to open 100 new outlets by the end of 2024 and more than 80 locations annually from 2025.

Umesh Ellichipuram August 10 2023

US-based fast-casual Mexican restaurant brand QDOBA has announced plans to double its store footprint over the next ten years.

The brand currently operates 750 restaurants in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico.

QDOBA, which is part of Modern Restaurant Concepts, plans to open 40 new venues this year, followed by 60 in 2024 and more than 80 locations annually from 2025.

Modern Restaurant Concepts CEO John Cywinski said: “QDOBA is an exceptionally well-positioned brand in one of the most attractive restaurant categories.

“We possess long-standing momentum, strong unit economics, a compelling operating model, an extraordinarily passionate guest following and significant untapped geographic potential.”

As part of its selective re-franchising strategy, the Mexian restaurant chain recently divested 77 company-owned restaurants to the existing North Fork Fresh Mex franchisee.

With this deal, North Fork now operates 97 QDOBA restaurants located across various US states, including Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Virginia.

As QDOBA's largest franchise partner, North Fork has also committed to building 73 new restaurants over the next seven years.

North Fork co-owner Jacob Stauffer said: “Without a doubt, this agreement with QDOBA provides us with a tremendous opportunity to not only further expand our business but also benefit team members throughout our organisation.

“We've seen great success since aligning with QDOBA years ago and know the brand provides a distinct business advantage as we tackle important yet underserved markets in the months ahead.”

Generative AI remains an untapped potential across the consumer industry

GlobalData estimates the total AI market will be worth $909 billion in 2030, growing at a CAGR of 35.2% between 2022 and 2030. The consumer goods, foodservice, and packaging sectors are undergoing digital transformation, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and changing consumer preferences. AI can help companies operating in these sectors by significantly reducing costs and production times. In Nestlé's 2022 full-year results, the company announced a renewed focus on digitalization to drive growth. Financial and reputational pressures associated with supply chain disruptions and sustainability concerns are also driving interest in the digitalization of supply chains. Data science and ML are strong investments across all areas. However, the sectors cannot stop at AI-powered data analytics applications. They must also explore computer vision (CV), smart robots, AI sensors that automate manufacturing and distribution logistics, and generative AI tools that increase efficiency across corporate departments and customer service operations and enable innovation in product design. For the most part, the consumer goods, foodservice, and packaging sectors will not play a significant role in creating and developing AI hardware or platforms. Instead, these sectors will help scale up the adoption of AI technologies, such as CV, conversational platforms, and smart robots. This adoption will be driven by the financial benefits and potential cost savings AI automation delivers across global supply chains.

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