Here is a round-up of the latest news, hires, and product releases from around the bar and restaurant industry.
Dine Brands to Acquire Fuzzy’s Taco Shop
Dine Brands Global, Inc., the parent company of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar® and IHOP® restaurants, announced that it has agreed to acquire Fuzzy’s Taco Shop® (“Fuzzy’s”) from Experiential Brands LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of NRD Holding Company, for $80 million in cash. Fuzzy’s is a fast-casual restaurant concept serving Mexican favorites with a Baja twist.
"Fuzzy’s Taco Shop is a compelling business with a loyal customer base and a distinct identity. It is an attractive asset with a tremendous growth trajectory and will be a complementary addition to our highly franchised portfolio,” said John Peyton, Chief Executive Officer of Dine Brands. “By adding Fuzzy’s to the Dine Brands family, we are investing in a high growth concept as part of our longer-term growth agenda, which is aligned with our strategy to build shareholder value.”
Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey Exceeds $100 million in Sales
Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, the most-awarded Bourbon and American Whiskey of 2019, 2020, and 2021, announced that its sales exceeded $100 million through October 2022, with an on-track forecast to more than double that total by the end of 2023. Its recently expanded 323-acre distillery has already welcomed more than 100,000 guests with that number increasing significantly every week.
Last year, Uncle Nearest announced it had become the best-selling Black American-founded, owned, and led spirit brand in U.S. history. With today's announcement, the company has taken on the world's largest. The company's whiskey portfolio includes seven offerings that are available in all 50 states, territories, and districts nationwide.
"We have an entire generation of women and people of color, who represent 70 percent of our country but still feel marginalized and underrepresented, counting on us," said CEO & Founder Fawn Weaver. "This group continues to look to Uncle Nearest as proof that anything is possible. We will not let them down. With the support of one of the most loyal consumer bases in spirits, we will continue to do the 'impossible' so they know, as long as they operate in excellence and refuse to give up, they can achieve whatever their heart believes."
VSPT US Strengthens Domestic Team
Andrés Tauber, President of VSPT US, announced that the company has more than doubled its size since launching earlier this year.
VSPT US is the new Miami-based subsidiary of the VSPT Wine Group, a top 20 global producer,
the leader in premium wine and sparkling wine sales in Chile, and a top 5 producer in the Argentinian domestic market. In the U.S., the group is known for its diverse portfolio of brands that span the value to luxury categories, including GatoNegro, Graffigna, B-Liv, Viña Leyda, 1865, the icon wine Cabo de Hornos from the Viña San Pedro fine wine collection, and the newly launched Ö-61.
With a team of ten now in place across key markets, VSPT US is well-positioned to meet its domestic business goals. “We decided it was vital to our commercial and marketing strategies to have a stronger presence in the U.S.,” explained Tauber. “Our decision to invest in people demonstrates VSPT’s commitment to and belief in this market, our partners, and our portfolio.”
George Dickel 17-year-old to Return
George Dickel is announcing the return of George Dickel 17 Year Old Reserve, an incredibly rare, aged Tennessee Whisky offering. First released in 2016 as a 375mL limited time offering, George Dickel 17 Year Old Reserve quickly became a fan-favorite. Now debuting in a larger format as a 750mL bottle, the new George Dickel Reserve is a cask-strength offering aged 17 years, which boasts the signature big and bold flavors of Cascade Hollow.
General Manager and Distiller Nicole Austin intentionally searched for barrels that captured the notable components of the original liquid. Consistent with the George Dickel signature mash bill of 84% corn, 8% rye, 8% malted barley, this 17 Year Old offering brings a unique tasting experience due to additional years spent in Cascade Hollow's single-story rickhouses.
This perfectly aged release boasts complex aromas of crème brûlée and apricots with hints of plum and juniper on the palate and a rich cedar finish.
Hiro® Sake Anounces the Debut of Hiro Saketini RTD Cocktail
Hiro Sake®, the award-winning, handcrafted, premium sake from Japan, is proud to announce the introduction of HIRO SAKETINI, the brand's first Ready-To-Drink canned saketini cocktail and the first saketini RTD in the US market.
Hiro Saketini will debut with a Black Cherry and a Watermelon Saketini in Florida this month at on-premise accounts initially, following to the off-premise market. In Florida, Hiro has named Breakthru Beverage Group as their distributor partner for Hiro Saketini. Distribution and additional flavors will expand across the U.S. in 2023.
The Saketini is a well-known cocktail that has been around for more than 40 years and is a staple drink at many Japanese and Asian restaurants. The Hiro Saketini is made with imported Japanese Hiro Sake Red, a junmai sake brewed in Japan, which is blended with natural fruit flavorings and carbonated water.
Lightspeed Appoints Global SaaS Marketing Veteran as Chief Marketing Officer
Lightspeed Commerce Inc., the one-stop commerce platform for merchants around the world to simplify, scale, and create exceptional customer experiences, announced the appointment of Kady Srinivasan, former Klaviyo and Dropbox executive, as its Chief Marketing Officer, reporting to JP Chauvet, CEO of Lightspeed.
“We’re thrilled to bring Kady onto the Lightspeed team as our new CMO with her vast experience scaling up SaaS companies, expanding businesses, and launching innovative cloud-based software solutions,” said JP Chauvet, CEO of Lightspeed. "Her unique skill set will be pivotal for Lightspeed as we zero in on our target market of complex SMBs, raise brand awareness, and continue to roll out our flagship retail and hospitality products globally.”
USDA Awards Distilled Spirits Council $1.12 Million to Promote American Spirits Exports in 2023
The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) announced it was granted $1,127,506 through its partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Market Access Program (MAP) to promote American spirits exports in 2023, which represented a slight increase over 2022 levels.
Through the MAP program, DISCUS seeks to facilitate the increase of small U.S. distiller exports and promote the U.S. spirits sector by educating the hospitality industry, adult consumers and media in key international markets on the taste, heritage and style of American distilled spirits.
DISCUS’ promotions focus on the range of American spirits, but with a particular focus on the unique qualities of American Whiskeys, including Bourbon, Tennessee Whiskey, American Rye Whiskey and American Single Malt, which account for the vast majority of U.S. spirits exports worldwide.
SpotOn Names Bryan Solar as New Chief Product Officer
SpotOn, the top-rated software and payments partner for restaurants and small businesses, has named Bryan Solar as its new Chief Product Officer. Solar joins SpotOn from Block, where he was the General Manager for Square for Restaurants. He has also held leadership positions at Google, where he managed various SMB and restaurant-related projects. SpotOn’s Co-Founder and former Chief Product Officer, Doron Friedman, will take on the newly-created role of Chief Innovation Officer.
As SpotOn’s Chief Product Officer, Solar will define the product vision, strategy, and execution, overseeing one of the strongest product and technology teams in the combined software & payments industry. He will also join SpotOn’s Executive Leadership Team.
Guinness Old Fashioned Inspired Ale for the Holidays
Guinness Old Fashioned Inspired Ale transports you back to a time where the holidays were not a moment that flew by, but instead a period of time in which slowing down and spending time with the things that matter most - family, friends, good food (and even better beer) was encouraged.
The ale is brewed with allspice, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then aged in bourbon barrels. This rich, flavorful stout features notes of baking spices, dark, roasted breads, and holiday baking. The bourbon character is present, as is the characteristic vanilla found in barreled beers. Guinness Old Fashioned Inspired Ale is imbued with rich malt notes of toffee and raisin, and a warm vanilla and oak scent to pair.