News Briefs

Chester's Chicken welcomes Bill Rice to the executive team as EVP, Head of Sales, Operations and Supply Chain. Rice joins Chester's after a short retirement preceded by nearly four decades of experience in foodservice supply chain management, most recently as a senior vice president at Krispy Krunchy Foods, LLC.

Under Rice's leadership and with a solid foundation already laid, the company plans to accelerate growth and evolution. Rice will ensure team members have the resources needed to achieve Chester's aggressive growth goals while continuing to support existing franchise partners.

"We continue to prioritize investing in the Chester's leadership team and Bill is the perfect complement," said Alexis Lobodocky, General Manager, Chester's Chicken. "He brings extensive expertise in supply chain, an area of opportunity that will drive gains for the Chester's brand and Chester's operators."

Prior to Chester's Chicken, Rice served seven years at Krispy Krunchy where he championed a redesign of the company's supply chain network. Notable achievements also included overhauling procedures on issues including vendor and manufacturer selection, quality control, inventory and organizational management; developing a turn-key branded grab-n-go and breakfast program, in addition to several other menu items and product concepts; and achieving year-over-year double-digit sales growth by establishing and maintaining continuous sources of supply amidst various supply chain disruptions.

Rice has also held leadership roles at Intl. Traders Inc./MBM Corp., Performance Food Group, and Kraft Foodservice Corp.

"The Chester's culture and core values like 'winning as a team' and 'fried chicken is fun' are what drew me in and convinced me to exit retirement," said Rice. "It's refreshing to be working alongside some of the best in the industry who are energized about our future and focused on initiatives that deliver the most value to our operators."

Rice took his position in January and has been working against several Q1/Q2 projects including a supply chain optimization study, adding new and profitable menu items, equipping the team with new sales tools, and bringing on additional resources to the field team.

Domino's Pizza Inc. introduces its new and improved loyalty program. 

Domino's Rewards offers loyalty members even more opportunities to earn and redeem points across its corporate and franchise store locations. Domino's enhanced rewards program allows customers to:

• Earn points for less
  • Loyalty members will now earn 10 points on every order of $5 or more
• Redeem points for even more menu items – and earn free Domino's after just two orders
  • Members can redeem a variety of points for more menu items:
    • 20 points: A free dipping cup, a 16-piece order of Parmesan Bread Bites or a 20 oz. drink
    • 40 points: An order of Bread Twists or Stuffed Cheesy Bread
    • 60 points: A medium, two-topping pizza; pasta; Oven-Baked Sandwich; or a 3-piece order of Chocolate Lava Crunch Cakes
• Earn more rewards
  • Loyalty perks are now even better, as members will have exclusive access to member-only deals, special discounts and opportunities to earn bonus points!

"We are thrilled to give the brand's loyal customers additional ways to earn free Domino's items more often," said Mark Messing, Domino's vice president of digital experience and loyalty. "At a time when most brands are scaling back their loyalty programs and making it more difficult to earn and redeem points, Domino's is doing the opposite. We want to make it easier to reward our customers and give them more options so they can get rewarded faster."

Marketing a LTO 

From now until Oct. 22, 2023, rewards members can take advantage of a limited time offer to redeem 20 points for a free order of Domino's new Pepperoni Stuffed Cheesy Bread, which is normally a 40-point redemption, in celebration of the product's recent launch. 

Comcast Business announced that it is providing Seaport Stays – a collection of boutique hotels and long-term rental properties owned by BG Capital in North Wildwood, New Jersey – with several technology solutions, including Ethernet Dedicated Internet, plus Comcast Business Internet and X1 for Hospitality. These solutions, paired with managed WiFi services, support Seaport Stays’ efforts to create memorable, outstanding guest experiences and streamline internal operations. Seaport Stays aims to shift Wildwood’s seasonal tourism pattern to a year-round destination and believes that technology-enabled amenities in their properties will be critical to that success.

Nestled near the coastline of Wildwood, Seaport Stays provides comfortable, high-quality spaces and experiences for customers through three unique properties that offer a high level of luxury for visitors –Seaport Inn, Seaport Suites and Oasis by Seaport. The company’s owners, real estate investment and management firm BG Capital, chose Comcast Business to equip the Oasis by Seaport’s leasing office and pool area with Business Internet, along with the Seaport Inn and Seaport Suites properties with technology solutions that enable the high-quality experiences and comfort that guests need to feel at home.

“Technology is fundamental to crafting outstanding hospitality experiences, and Seaport Stays’ technology solutions from Comcast Business not only help us delight our guests but also significantly streamline our staff's operations, making their tasks more manageable and efficient. This dual benefit is crucial for ensuring our guests return to our properties,” said Lauren MacDonald, Director of Sales & Operations for Seaport Stays. “Our collaboration with Comcast Business has been a game-changer, offering us reliable Internet speeds and connectivity, plus exceptional support, which collectively help to enhance the entire scope of our hotel operations and guest services.”

At Seaport Inn and Seaport Suites, redundant solutions from Comcast Business enable fast, reliable connectivity in guest rooms and at the pool, restaurant, and bar areas, helping visitors to stay connected across the properties’ locations. X1 for Hospitality delivers video viewing experiences to guests, supported with the Voice Remote, while also helping staff streamline the management of their video devices, including TVs in guest rooms and bars. In addition, managed WiFi offers the hotel brand connectivity capabilities for onsite WiFi solutions and 24/7 support, helping to increase staff efficiencies, manage operating costs and reinforce guests’ positive views of hotel amenities.

“As a leading provider of business technology solutions, Comcast Business recognizes the critical role that hospitality organizations like Seaport Stays play in attracting tourists and energizing communities,” said Michael Louden, Regional Vice President of Comcast’s Freedom Region. “In an era where tech-enabled experiences are increasingly prioritized to support the new demands of guests, we are proud to support Seaport Stays with the technology backbone designed to meet and exceed their expectations.”

Hotelogix, a global cloud-based hospitality technology provider, and Sabre Corporation, a software and technology provider that powers the global travel industry, announced the integration of Hotelogix Property Management System (Hotel PMS) with Sabre SynXis Central Reservation System (CRS), powered by their global cloud-based commerce and distribution platform, to help hoteliers improve their distribution and reservation capabilities to increase revenue.

With two-way seamless connectivity, this collaboration between Hotelogix PMS and the SynXis CRS enhances hoteliers’ ability to centrally monitor and manage room rates, availability, and restrictions across all their distribution channels, including Global Distribution Systems (GDSs), Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), and booking engines.

Aditya Sanghi, CEO at Hotelogix, said, "Adding SynXis to our comprehensive list of integration is a testament to our commitment to work with best-in-class solutions to help hotels meet their evolving operational needs. By leveraging the strengths of both platforms, hotels can ensure real-time distribution, more sales, and enhanced revenue."

Hosted on a global cloud-based commerce and distribution platform, SynXis CRS offers a user-friendly solution for managing rates, inventory, and bookings. Integrated with hundreds of third-party solutions, including PMSs, revenue management systems, customer relationship management tools, and channel managers, it powers 40% of the world’s leading hotel brands.

"Our collaboration with Hotelogix underscores Sabre Hospitality's dedication to empowering hoteliers across the globe by simplifying their operational complexities through streamlined distribution and enhanced reservation management capabilities,” said Frank Trampert, Senior Vice President, Global Managing Director of Community Sales for Sabre Hospitality. “We are excited to partner with Hotelogix and integrate its robust PMS with our global cloud-based commerce and distribution platform, SynXis. Together, we're creating a collaboration that aims to enhance the ease of hotel management, contributing to improved efficiency and service quality in the hospitality industry."

Hotelbeds, part of HBX Group, has unveiled its latest collaboration, joining forces with TH Resorts, a prominent hospitality chain in Italy. This collaboration marks an exciting milestone as it adds 30 modern 3 and 4-star properties to Hotelbeds' preferred portfolio, offering clients exclusive access to special rates and enhanced travel experiences.

The partnership with TH Resorts aligns with Hotelbeds' commitment to expanding its accommodation portfolio and providing clients with diverse and high-quality travel options. The addition of TH Resorts' properties offers clients the opportunity to explore popular summer destinations such as Sicily, Sardinia, Puglia, Calabria, as well as renowned ski destinations in the Italian Alps. Additionally, properties in cities like Rome, Assisi, and Lazise (Garda Lake) provide clients with convenient access to cultural attractions and urban experiences.

“Partnering with TH Resorts aligns perfectly with our mission to provide clients with diverse and high-quality travel options.”, said Carlos Muñoz, Chief Commercial Officer at HBX Group. "This strategic collaboration enables us to expand our preferred portfolio and offer our clients exclusive access to a diverse range of accommodations in highly sought-after destinations. Together, we look forward to enhancing the travel experiences of our clients and showcasing the best of Italy's hospitality offerings."

TH Resorts boasts an impressive collection of properties totalling 6048 rooms, making it the largest regional chain in Italy. With a focus on delivering exceptional hospitality experiences, TH Resorts has been recognised for its excellence by winning the TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Awards for multiple establishments, including hotels, villages, and resorts, receiving outstanding reviews from travellers worldwide.

"We are excited to collaborate with Hotelbeds and offer their clients access to our properties in Italy", said Stefano Maria Simei, Sales and Marketing Director at TH Group. "This partnership allows us to expand our visibility and showcase the high-quality hospitality we offer at our properties in Italy to international guests. We look forward to welcoming travelers to our hotels and ensure they have an unforgettable stay."