News Briefs

UK hotel technology company Journey Hospitality has announced the launch of its first Consultancy division, dedicated to helping hoteliers digitally transform their business and the industry as a whole. 

As part of the company’s mission to revolutionise hotel ecommerce, the new Consulting division is headed by Strategic Director Simon Kaye and Susanne Williams as Commercial Director - Consulting. 

Kaye joins Journey from his role as VP Services and Client Delivery for Alliants. HIs technology background, paired with commercial nous, sees Kaye act as a surrogate CIO for hospitality companies, identifying gaps in technology stacks and providing solutions to ensure businesses are performing well today and in the future. 

Williams returns to Journey Hospitality from Alliants to deliver strategies that drive growth in the commercial and technology space for hotels. Her expertise in driving profitability across all revenue streams with commercial frameworks that deliver business change at board level will provide Journey’s clients with unique analyses and recommendations to improve performance. 

Simon Bullingham, founder and CEO of Journey Hospitality, said: “It’s important to us that we engage with our partners and customers to drive wider change in hotel ecommerce - and a more profitable future for the industry. The launch of our Consultancy division allows Journey Hospitality to further extend support to the industry, helping investors, owners and operators identify opportunities to improve both today and tomorrow.”

Williams said: “Returning to Journey was an easy choice. I know how much value they add to their clients and how customer relationships are integral to the way they do business. The new Consultancy division will build upon that ethos in an area of the industry that Journey has previously not explored - working closely with investors, owners and operators to identify transformational opportunities for growth.”

Kaye said: “With our proven track record of delivering strategies that drive growth in both the commercial and back-of-house for hotel groups and individual properties, I’m excited to lead this new chapter for Journey Hospitality along with Susanne. I look forward to helping companies through digital transformation and improving their operational effectiveness whilst keeping guests at their heart.”

Journey’s new consultancy team has experience in reinvigorating hospitality companies, including leading brands such as Four Seasons, Warner Leisure and Soho House’s venture Mollie’s Motel and Diners. 

In March 2022, Journey Hospitality launched its revolutionary all-in-one ecommerce platform, onejourney® servicing over 130 luxury hotels and resorts worldwide, facilitating multi-product shopping baskets, and driving sales of non-accommodation facilities and services, and ancillary revenue streams. 

Up and coming QSR  Salad and Go  is expanding in Texas with three new locations opening in February in the Houston markets of Katy, Richmond and League City.

The Katy store located opened February 1, the Richmond location at  is set to open February 17, and the League City store plans to open its doors on February 22. These new locations will mark the start of rapid brand expansion across the Greater Houston area.

These suburbs were strategically selected as ideal markets for Salad and Go as some of the fastest growing communities in the region. Conveniently located in some of Houston's most popular suburbs, the new locations will provide fresh, high-quality meals with quick and easy convenience at an affordable price.

As Salad and Go continues growing its national presence with a strong focus on Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, and Nevada, the brand's expansive growth has it on a positive trajectory to provide fresh and affordable food to communities in more than 125 locations by the end of 2023. Houston is the next step in the brand's expansion across Texas with plans to open additional stores in the market throughout the new year.

Salad and Go's chef-curated menu provides guests with food for any time of the day by offering a variety of delicious and healthy items including salads, wraps, breakfast burritos and soup as well as beverages including hand-crafted lemonades, teas and cold brew coffees.

Salad and Go ensures each meal contains fresh, quality ingredients while keeping prices low by vertically integrating operations and distribution, and sourcing ingredients directly from high-quality local farmers and suppliers whenever possible. The brand's mission to make fresh, nutritious food convenient and affordable for ALL extends beyond its stores and is demonstrated in the work the brand does to donate 4,000 meals every week to those in need, as well as in partnerships with nonprofits to support and fundraise for various worthy causes.

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. 

 

Nomadix^® Inc​., a technology provider in the hospitality and multi-tenant industries, announced a partnership with Wide Computer Systems, one of the Middle East’s solution and service providers for hospitality. This partnership will bring significant benefits to both existing and new customers, combining Nomadix's high-quality product portfolio with Wide Computer Systems’ expertise in customer support, quality management and hotel operations.

The Middle East is one of the fastest and strongest developing markets in the world. Wide Computer Systems will capitalize on the increasing regional demand for technologies to enhance global digital experiences, as well as employee safety by offering Nomadix Alerts – a 2-in-1 staff safety and productivity solution and Angie Voice Assistants – the multilingual digital concierge for hospitality.

“Wide Computer Systems is one of the most experienced and reputable solution and service providers in the Middle East. Kamal and his team have a proven track-record of delivering outstanding results, having served more than 500 customers over the past 24 years,” said Hauke Lenthe, managing director, EMEA and APAC at Nomadix.

Lenthe continued “We’re honored to partner with them to continue to expand further in the region, and we believe the Wide Computer Systems team complements both of our efforts for implementing secure, reliable and quality technology that creates better, more connected experiences.”

“Development and growth are strong across the region, and we have seen continuous demand for new cutting-edge technologies,” said Kamal Bhatia, managing director of Wide Computer Systems.

Bhatia continued “Nomadix has a well-established history in the Middle East, and we are very excited to partner with them to offer their world-class solutions across the region. Through our partnership we will introduce new and innovative solutions to our customers from one trusted, expert provider.”

 Sabre Corporation, a software and technology provider that powers the global travel industry, has announced an enhanced agreement with Kempinski Hotels, the Europe’s oldest luxury hotel company, to enable the luxury hotel chain to upgrade its customer booking experience.

Kempinski Hotels, which celebrated its 125^th anniversary in 2022, launched a contemporary new website, powered by Sabre’s state-of-the-art SynXis Custom Booking Engine. Through this innovative solution, Kempinski Hotels has been able to create its own bespoke user design and experience, with features including soft date availability search, upsell capability, and the ability to engage and convert shoppers to bookers using modern ecommerce features such as price comparison and alternate availability.

“We hugely appreciate our ongoing strategic collaboration with Sabre, who we have been working with for over five years,” said Riko van Santen, Chief Information Officer, Kempinski Hotels. “Sabre’s advanced technology solutions continue to support our business goals as we enter into our 126^th year, by allowing us to streamline operations and improve the guest booking experience.”

Additionally, through the use of Sabre’s Data Warehouse solution, Kempinski is able to connect its CRS directly with its Guest Intelligence System, thereby enabling the best-in-class technology solutions to work seamlessly together and allowing Kempinski to build its own internal reports based on the data received.

“Today’s guests expect a seamless experience across devices and touchpoints,” said Frank Trampert, senior vice president, global managing director – commercial, Sabre Hospitality. “By utilizing Sabre’s technology-leading hospitality solutions, Kempinski Hotels is able to differentiate itself through a more modern booking experience, allowing it to increase conversions and enhance its offering to guests through greater personalization.”

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.