KANSAS CITY, Mo., Nov. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Applebee's
Neighborhood Grill & Bar® recently named The Rose Group its
2015 Franchisee of the Year, and pork producer Smithfield Farmland
Sales Corporation its 2015 Vendor of the Year at its annual
franchise conference.
Each year Applebee's recognizes the top performers in its
network of 33 domestic franchisees for their financial performance,
operational excellence and community support. The Vendor of the
Year award goes to the vendor that has made the greatest
contribution to the Applebee's system during the past year.
Newtown, Pa.-based The Rose
Group was named the top performer in a variety of financial,
operational and community-building categories. Kansas City-based Smithfield Farmland was
chosen by Centralized Supply Chain Services (CSCS) the
franchisee-owned purchasing cooperative that serves as the
exclusive buying agent for the Applebee's system.
"These award winners are the best of the best and demonstrate
how we rely on our world-class franchisees and vendor partners to
help us drive success," said Applebee's President Julia Stewart. "I am proud to serve alongside
these winners."
Franchisee of the Year: The Rose Group
Established in
1985 and operating 56 Applebee's in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and New
Jersey, The Rose Group was recognized for its financial
performance, operational excellence and innovation of new products
and systems.
In 2015 The Rose Group excelled in sales, bar sales and guest
count. It has also been consistently a top performer in all
operational metrics, has helped to drive online and to-go sales,
and has innovated new products and systems.
Beyond the numbers, The Rose Group's success is based on its
sharp focus on its people and teams. Their employee turnover rates
are among the best not only within the Applebee's system of
franchisees, but in the entire casual dining category.
It's employee retention numbers are supported by important
culture-building efforts like executive-employee roundtables in
each market, where team members are able to speak directly with
leadership, and rewards of $100 for
any team member idea adopted by the business.
The Rose Group also won the Pennsylvania Restaurant
Association's 2015 Restaurant Neighbor award for its contributions
to the communities it serves.
Vendor of the Year: Smithfield Farmland
Smithfield
Farmland was cited for developing key programs and new products in
partnership with Applebee's culinary team, along with strategic
cost management.
Smithfield Farmland assisted Applebee's culinary team in the
development of several pork-based menu items, and was honored for
delivering value, product consistency and quality, service and
responsiveness, reliability and innovation.
"Smithfield Farmland's ability to be great partners in the
product development life cycle while providing excellent ongoing
support for other key products is what sets this vendor apart,"
said Mike Leikam, president of
Applebee's purchasing cooperative Centralized Supply Chain
Services. "The company received high marks across all criteria from
the culinary, quality assurance and supply-chain teams."
About Applebee's
Applebee's is the world's largest
casual dining chain, with more than 2,000 locations in 49 states,
16 countries and one U.S. territory. Based in Kansas City, Missouri, Applebee's offers a
lively bar & grill experience with an array of flavorful,
hand-crafted drinks, appetizers and entrees that constantly evolve.
Applebee's Grill & Bar® restaurants are franchised by
DineEquity, Inc. (NYSE: DIN).
Visit us: www.applebees.com
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SOURCE Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar