Loyalty360 Reads: November 3 | Corner Bakery Partners With Pandya, McDonald's Takes McRib Season Nat

Corner Bakery Partners With Pandya Restaurant Growth Brands
Corner Bakery has been acquired by Pandya Restaurant Growth Brands, one of the Rohan Group of Companies, owned by the real estate investor and restaurant operator, Jignesh (Jay) Pandya of Bucks County, Pennsylvania. PRGB will now assume ownership of Corner Bakery, purchasing the brand from affiliates of Roark Capital Partners. Terms of the private transaction were not disclosed.

The Rohan Group of Companies is a well-established organization with ownership interests in a wide array of business enterprises, including operations with multiple franchised restaurant concepts. Rohan Group affiliate Engage Brands purchased the Boston Market chain of Restaurants in April and has been working to expand the Boston Market brand by opening restaurants and expanding its menu. Pandya sees opportunities for strategic alliances between Corner Bakery and Boston Market.
 
McDonald's Takes McRib Season Nationwide in 2020
McDonald's is bringing the McRib back for the first time since 2012 starting December 2.

"The McRib has been a beloved menu item at McDonald's since its inception nearly 40 years ago," says Vice President of Menu Innovation, Linda VanGosen. "There's nothing quite like the taste of the McRib. To our customers, it's become more than a delicious, saucy moment… it's a season, and it's taking the internet by storm. That's why this year, we're proud to serve the McRib nationwide for everyone to enjoy."

The McRib made its national debut at McDonald's in 1982, and today it's one of the most anticipated, limited-time menu items offered around the world. Customers in Germany are lucky enough to enjoy the sandwich year-round.
 
ESPN Among NFL Partners to Scale Back Super Bowl Plans in Tampa
ESPN executives have been told not to plan for travel or hospitality for the Super Bowl in February, according to multiple people familiar with the conversations, becoming the latest major NFL partner to scale back its presence at America’s biggest sporting event because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Disney-owned network isn’t alone. Both mattress company Sleep Number and financial services provider USAA say they’re nixing standard plans for in-person activations on the ground in Tampahttps://sports.yahoo.com/espn-among-nfl-partners-scale-175452777.html. Last week Sportico  reported that Anheuser-Busch, one of the league’s most visible partners, would not be hosting its standard 600-person hospitality at the big game.
 
Lowe's To Hire 20,000 Associates For Holiday Season
Lowe's announced it will hire 20,000 associates across its U.S. stores and regional distribution centers to support customer demand this holiday season and beyond. The announcement comes as the company commits another $100 million in discretionary bonuses to thank front-line hourly associates and support their families during the holiday season.

In addition to seasonal help for the holidays, Lowe's is actively filling permanent full-time and part-time roles at stores and adding 2,500 team members at regional distribution centers nationwide. Available supply chain openings include day, night, weekend and overnight shifts for team members, and store positions include cashiers, customer service associates, receivers, unloaders, load pullers and sales specialists.

Active hourly associates at U.S. stores, distribution centers and call centers will receive the bonus on Nov. 13 as they support customers preparing their homes for holiday celebrations and winter weather. Full-time hourly associates will receive $300, and part-time and seasonal associates will receive $150.
 
Stoner's Pizza Joint Signs Ten-Unit Franchise Agreement with New Franchisee
Stoner's Pizza Joint, a quick-service pizza franchise, says that it would expand its footprint via a ten-unit expansion with franchisee group, Pie Enterprises, LLC. This new partnership supports Stoner's Pizza Joint's plans to further develop the Florida Market and move into new areas. The first new Florida location is slated to open in December 2020 in Daytona Beach, FL.

Stoner's Pizza Joint is a delivery and takeout focused concept featuring fresh, high-quality food prepared in-house daily with minimal production time, including proprietary recipes for the pizza dough, sauce, and cheese blend. Menu items include a variety of specialty pizzas, calzones, strombolis, sandwiches, hickory-smoked chicken wings made daily in-house, freshly prepared salads, and freshly baked desserts.