News Briefs

Focus Brands says dual branding is the future of QSR, and the parent company of Auntie Anne’s®, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, McAlister’s Deli, Moe’s Southwest Grill, and Schlotzsky’s, is leading the charge. Today, the Focus Brands portfolio boasts 175-plus open dual branded units with at least 65 more in various stages of development across the country. 

Drive-Thru Convenience

The Focus Brands portfolio brands have signed agreements to open more than 50 dual and tri-brand locations in the coming year, many of which include drive-thrus for added convenience as interest in dual branded franchise opportunities continues to surge.

Flexible Store Formats

Focus Brands is among the brands introducing new store formats, including Krystal, Jack-in-the-Box and Panera Bread, which opened its Panera To Go, solely offering Rapid Pick-Up and Delivery shelves where guests and delivery drivers can easily pick up orders.  

Focus Brands has long pioneered the concept of dual branding, predominately in malls and non-traditional locations with Auntie Anne’s and Cinnabon. Now, the company’s portfolio brands have found new opportunities with streetside dual branded units, which is paving the way for immense franchise growth. 

“Dual branding is the future of our brands, especially on the specialty side of the business,” said Brian Krause, Chief Development Officer at Focus Brands. “There will always be a place in malls, but there is an immense amount of growth opportunity in streetside venues, and, by dual branding, there is more opportunity for enhanced revenue.”

The company invested heavily in consumer research to identify how to create combinations of its iconic brands to resonate with consumers and meet them where they want to be met.

Focus Brands has identified four dual-brand concepts:

• Auntie Anne’s/Cinnabon
• Auntie Anne’s/Cinnabon/Carvel
• Auntie Anne’s/Jamba
• Cinnabon/Carvel – Cinnabon Swirl. 

While key consumer benefits vary by dual-brand combination, one consistent benefit has been convenience. Having these brands together in one location makes them far more accessible than they are individually. This convenience also creates opportunity for franchisees, as co-branding leads to an expansive menu that drives enhanced unit-level volume. 

 

Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux is making its largest technological investment in brand history.

Walk-On’s is implementing a systemwide aggregator to consolidate third party orders, partnering with Lunchbox to upgrade its online ordering platform and guest loyalty program, and introducing a partnership with Toast to level up its POS management system.

71% say the ability to integrate with other systems is driving their POS purchase decisions, according to HT’s2 2023 POS Software Trends Report.

Walk-On’s new loyalty program and app, designed by Lunchbox, are scheduled to launch in the first half of 2023 with an improved interface and back-end integration that will create a more seamless user experience for guests and operators alike. 

Continuing with marked enhancements to the guest experience, Walk-On’s is also partnering with BOWEN to modernize the brand’s website presence and streamline the online ordering experience. 

In addition to the upgraded Toast POS system, Walk-On’s is installing Toast Kitchen Display System, and rolling out Toast Go 2 mobile handheld POS devices for tableside and curbside use at current and future locations. 

Walk-On’s will implement a phased rollout across all current locations throughout 2023 and begin immediate implementation at all new restaurants in their development pipeline. 

Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced the completion of the Dream Hotel Group lifestyle hotel brand and management platform acquisition, bringing a vibrant portfolio of lifestyle hotel brands – including Dream Hotels, The Chatwal and Unscripted Hotels – into the Hyatt portfolio. The asset-light acquisition includes 12 lifestyle hotels (nine managed and three licensed), with another 24 signed long-term management agreements for hotels expected to open in the future.

Dream Hotel Group properties are known for their progressive design and vibrant dining and nightlife that are the soul of each hotel. They boast unique and authentic hospitality experiences built on inventive activations and design-savvy spaces that inspire creativity and act as social hubs for guests as well as local communities.

The acquisition welcomes more than 600 new colleagues into the Hyatt family, bringing deep expertise in experiential hospitality to Hyatt’s global portfolio of lifestyle offerings and extending Hyatt’s brand footprint in strategic destinations including Nashville, Hollywood, Las Vegas, South Beach, Saint Lucia, Doha and several new locations new in New York City. It will also include new markets such as the Catskills in New York and Valle de Guadalupe in Mexico.

“Hyatt’s acquisition of Dream Hotel Group represents an exciting chapter in our asset-light growth as we expand our lifestyle offerings, providing global travelers with an increased number of elevated experiences – now, and in the future,” said Mark Hoplamazian, president and chief executive officer, Hyatt. “Together, we will carefully preserve the spirit and individual identities of the sought-after Dream Hotel Group hotels while adding the commercial strength of Hyatt’s marketing and sales channels, all united under the World of Hyatt loyalty program.”

Dream Hotel Group founder Sant Singh Chatwal will continue his commitment as an owner of four open and two future hotels that are expected to join the Hyatt portfolio.

“Hyatt has a proven track record of preserving what makes lifestyle hotels special and is the ideal new home for our growing Dream Hotel Group brands,” said Sant Singh Chatwal, chairman and founder, Dream Hotel Group. “As an owner of Dream Hotel Group properties, I look forward to the next part of our journey, and I am confident there is a bright future ahead for our hotels, owners, guests and team members as part of the Hyatt family.”

Former Dream Hotel Group CEO Jay Stein is joining Hyatt as Head of Dream Hotels to guide the integration of Dream Hotel Group brands into the Hyatt portfolio; former Dream Hotel Group Chief Development Officer David Kuperberg is joining Hyatt as Head of Development – Dream Hotels; and former Chief Operating Officer Michael Lindenbaum is joining Hyatt as Head of Operations – Dream Hotels.

Dream Hotels will join as a brand within Hyatt’s Boundless Collection. The Chatwal and Unscripted Hotels brands will be welcomed into Hyatt’s Independent Collection, joining The Unbound Collection by Hyatt and JdV by Hyatt brands, respectively.

To learn more about these new properties, visit hyatt.com/info/dream-hotel-group-announcement. On January 19, 2023, The Chatwal, a hotel in New York City, joined the World of Hyatt loyalty program. Stay tuned for when and how other Dream Hotel Group properties will participate in World of Hyatt.

The term “Hyatt” is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates.

OYA Resorts — where rooms average $450 a night and large private villas, up to $1,500 per night — is offering 1,500 members the opportunity to purchase a lifetime membership to the exclusive members-only OYA Resorts via their Local, Global and Corporate NFTs.  Those with Lifetime memberships will enjoy bespoke experiences not offered to with a standard membership, and will not incur the annual standard membership dues of $1,999.  To join the exclusive Lifetime membership whitelist, please visit, OYA.io.

OYA is not the traditional volume driven first-class hospitality resort, but rather a platform focused on individually-curated, bespoke experience. Current and future resorts have a boutique setting with a maximum 60 guests limit, spread through a vast land between 100 - 250 acres to ensure absolute privacy to all members.  Although OYA locations offer all the high end luxuries of traditional resorts, including private chefs and exclusive spa services, the longevity retreats offer an experience a "traditional" resort does not.  OYA's cabins are designed and built to experience how nature and its elements work, an outdoor spa which celebrates ancient wisdom and tradition, holistic chefs preparing farm to table meals, and a team of experts who introduce members to the latest and greatest technologies available to achieve one's longevity goals. Visitors can also choose to be in full control of their daily routine -use the facility to explore one's inner potential, explore the gardens and AI-operated aquaponic containers harvesting the produce, cook their own meals and set their own schedule.

The Lifetime memberships range from $1K for the Local level membership to $5K for the Global membership.  Lifetime membership holders will have access to one (Local membership) or all (Global membership) OYA locations whenever they choose.  OYA locations, opening this year, include The Catskills in upstate New York, Virginia, and the Dominican Republic. Global lifetime membership gives members lifetime access to all three current locations and all future OYA locations.  In addition to the current three locations, OYA plans to open an additional resort on Zakynthos Island in Greece and a safari resort in Rwanda, both are scheduled to open by 2025. 

As part of OYA's onsite wellness services, guests can expect at each location to have access to the latest technologies in biohacking and health tracking to create individualized health plans. They will experience a one-of-a-kind Ancient Trail, a trail of global indigenous structures where they can partake in indigenous healing rituals and be transported to that part of the globe as they do so.  In addition, each location's spa services will be integrated into the beautiful natural outdoors settings inspired by these ancient traditions.

Due to the limited capacity of the resorts and exceptionally curated personal service, until further notice OYA is releasing only several thousand memberships worldwide.

Duetto, a Revenue Management Software (RMS) provider for the hospitality industry, has announced the results of its second annual Trends & Predictions Survey.

The Duetto Outlook & Trends 2023 Survey has shown that business and corporate are the two segments most revenue teams will focus on for the year ahead.

“We surveyed hoteliers and revenue professionals from around the world and talked with industry experts, to get their outlook on what 2023 may bring. Changes in guest behavior, staffing challenges, and new technological innovations are all shaping the hospitality industry – making it more agile, adaptable, and stronger,” said David Woolenberg, CEO, Duetto.

When asked how they planned to optimize business mix in 2023, the top five responses were:

• Group business - 59.5%
• Corporate business – 51.9%
• Channel management – 48.1%
• OTAs – 38%
• Tour operator, wholesale, FITs – 30.4%

Other respondents also cited growing revenue per guest, segmentation, and length of stay as important factors for revenue management in 2023.

While business travel is tipped to return in 2023, many are already stating that it probably won’t return to 2019 levels. This may explain why business travel also topped the list of biggest challenges for the hotel industry in 2023.

The top five challenges, as identified by those taking the survey, were:

• Business travel – 60.8%
• Staffing - 55.7%
• Increased costs - 53.2%
• Government restrictions - 45.6%
• Lead times - 43%
• Cancellations came in sixth place, with 36.7%.

The Duetto Outlook & Trends 2023 Survey also gauged market sentiment in terms of technology investment.

Of those surveyed, 82.3% were already using a revenue management system (RMS). Of those not using an RMS, 71.4% planned to invest in revenue management technology in 2023.

Looking back on tech investment in 2022, 72.2% said their hotel tech spend had either increased or stayed the same. Looking ahead, 60.8% expected their hotel tech spend to increase in the next three years.

The survey included input from revenue managers, property-level and corporate-level directors of revenue management, revenue consultants, revenue and distribution analysts, and property general managers.

Most respondents (51.9%) worked in leisure hotels, but there was also good representation from business hotels, casino resorts, and hostels.

Geographically, respondents came from North America (39.5%), Europe (21.1%), Latin America (21.1%), APAC (14.5), and the Middle East & Africa (3.9%).

Duetto conducted this survey among its software users and other hospitality industry professionals including revenue consultants and educators from across the globe from December 1, 2022, to January 16, 2023.

For more insight on industry trends & predictions for 2023 read Duetto’s latest eBook: Targeting Greater Profitability In 2023. Download your free copy today: https://www.duettocloud.com/special-reports/targeting-greater-profitability-2023-trends-predictions-to-boost-your-revenue-strategies

INSPIRE, a global event solutions company owned by Ashford Inc., is pleased to announce the appointment of Sayi Puligandla as Chief Operating Officer.

In this position, Puligandla will oversee human resources, hospitality operations, information technology, and other projects to support the entire organization.

Puligandla brings to INSPIRE an extensive background in the hospitality industry and valuable experience in data, analytics, and building efficient operational units for accelerated growth. He was an executive vice president and a founding member of Nor1 (acquired by Oracle in 2020), a known pioneer and industry leader in hospitality upsell technology, where he architected and developed the analytics and BI infrastructure that paved the way for Nor1’s upsell science.

Upon Oracle’s acquisition of Nor1 in 2020, Sayi continued managing all aspects of Nor1’s Global Gaming business as its Senior Director, as well as Business Development and Strategic Account Management for all Nor1’s Global Accounts which included several of the ten largest hotel chains.

“Sayi is incredibly talented and a proven leader. His unparalleled background and expertise will propel us toward our goals and ensure we achieve individualized, valuable solutions for our clients,” said Chuck Bauman, CEO of INSPIRE.