Loyalty / Rewards Programs
Shula’s Restaurant Group Launches First Rewards Program
Shula’s Restaurant Group recently announced the launch of Team Shula in partnership Thanx, marking the 30-year-old brand’s first rewards program. Shula’s Restaurant Group is made up of 28 locations across eight states. “Our guests are extremely loyal to our brands,” said Shardul Kiri, CBMO of Shula’s Restaurant Group. “Because of that, we felt they deserved a well-crafted, bespoke program with rewards commensurate with their dining frequency. We are confident that with the flexibility and customizability of the Thanx technology, our guests will enjoy interacting with the Team Shula app and receiving the perks that our loyalty program will provide.”
Restaurants
IHOP Announces “Pancakes for Life” Sweepstakes as Part of National Pancake Day Celebration
IHOP National Pancake Day returns on Tuesday, February 25, at participating restaurants across the country – but this year IHOP is ramping up the event. Guest who visits IHOP from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (or until 10 p.m. at select locations) can enjoy a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes and try their luck at winning one of more than 250,000 instant win prizes plus the grand prize of “Pancakes for Life.” “IHOP launched its National Pancake Day event 15 years ago as a way to celebrate the best food ever – pancakes – and put a purpose behind the day by partnering with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and other charities to help kids in our communities,” Stephanie Peterson, Executive Director of Communications, IHOP, said in a release.
Retail
1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire PersonalizationMall.com
1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. recently announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire PersonalizationMall.com, a leading online retailer of personalized products. “PersonalizationMall’s extensive product offering and industry-leading personalization capabilities will be an excellent addition to our growing family of popular gifting brands,” Chris McCann, CEO, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc., said in a company release. “The broad assortment of customizable products and processes that have made PersonalizationMall.com a premier provider of keepsake items will help us further our company’s vision to inspire more human expression, connection and celebration while enhancing our position as the leading one-stop destination for all our customers’ celebratory and gifting occasions.”
Walmart’s grocery business is winning over more affluent shoppers
Company executives told investors Tuesday at an event in New York that Walmart is bringing in higher-income customers — including some new ones — with its online grocery business. A CNBC.com article states: “As its online grocery business grows, the company is seeing pricier items like choice cuts of meat and organic fruits and vegetables in customers’ virtual baskets, said John Furner, president and chief executive officer of Walmart U.S.”
Innovation
Barry Callebaut opens world’s first 3D Printing Studio to craft unseen chocolate experiences
The Barry Callebaut Group recently announced the “launch of the world’s first personalized 3D printed chocolate at scale, through its global decoration brand Mona Lisa,” according to a company release. The move combines industry-leading production technology, bespoke design and Barry Callebaut’s chocolate expertise and allows chefs to craft unique creations and reproduce them rapidly and affordably. Mona Lisa has teamed up with pastry chef Jordi Roca to help him use his creativity through a unique 3D piece made of chocolate.