already in a bargain with Chick-Fil-A, Atlanta, in which that range anchors food courts in a handful of Atlanta-area units, Kroger more recently teamed up with Atlanta-based America ‘s Favorite Chicken Co., the parent of Churchs Chicken and Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits. Both are long-familiar chains in the South .
A Popeyes was installed in one Kroger unit and a Churchs in another since the beginning of the class. And that ‘s fair the begin, said Joe Genovese, executive vice president of business development for AFC.
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“ In the following few months, we ‘ll be in two extra Kroger locations in Atlanta and in 20 to 30 Kroger stores by summer. Some of those will be in other Kroger divisions. Our brands happen to be popular in most of the areas where Kroger has stores, and Kroger is committed to putting restaurants in their supermarkets, ” Genovese added .
He said his party is besides talking to two early big supermarket chains about installing Churchs or Popeyes .
Neither officials at Kroger ‘s Atlanta division position nor at the corporate office here could be reached for comment. initial sales of the Popeyes and Churchs restaurants in the two Kroger stores have been strong. “ They ‘re bringing in $ 15,000 a week in sales and the average for our units is $ 9,000, ” Genovese said. Three-quarters of sales are take-out and the average check mark at Churchs ‘ is $ 4.50 ; it is $ 5.50 at Popeyes, he added .
AFC operates the programs in the Kroger units, and its abridge involves sharing a share of sales. The setting up, facility of equipment and staff are done by AFC .
“ We ‘ll besides be very active with advertise with Kroger and with in-store couponing, ” Genovese said.
He said the restaurants offer a broad menu featuring chicken in a diverseness of forms and respective side dishes, including newly developed hot blend greens. “ Our presence in the memory makes sense, peculiarly because we offer items that are appropriate for evening meal substitution, ” Genovese said, adding that he sees that as particularly important as consumers have less and less time. “ Restaurants that are wholly lunch-oriented are going to have to change what they ‘re doing, ” he said .
In the two Kroger units, AFC ‘s chicken restaurants are up front and have their own entrances ampere well as access from inside the storehouse. Popeyes in the one store and Churchs in the other are the only brands and the only hot, prepared food offered. Seating for about 40 is available off to the side, but the area occupied by the kitchen and homework area — 600 to 700 square feet — is relatively belittled, Genovese said .
Genovese said his caller is will to be in the company of other branded food concepts, angstrom long as it ‘s not another chicken course of study. “ I could see a pizza place or Mexican potentially bundled with our restaurants, ” he said .
Asked to comment on Chick-Fil-A being in other Kroger units in Atlanta, Genovese said, “ There ‘s board for all of us. Those would n’t be contest for us. ”
Churchs ‘ and Popeyes ‘ menus differ slightly in that San Antonio-based Churchs ‘ items have more of a Southern or Southwest season and Popeyes, based in New Orleans, reflects a decide Cajun influence, Genovese said. One food adviser said she felt having one brand, with a fasten menu, could be limiting.
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“ It ‘s significant to be able to vary the menu. particularly if people are picking up something to take base for dinner, ” said Marcia Schurer, president of the united states of Culinary Connections, Boulder, Colo .
“ The trade name would have to be a antic draw into the store, and that would depend on the particular area, ” she added .
On that subject, Genovese said that AFC ‘s miss of market saturation helps make the supermarket partnership particularly appealing. “ other restaurant chains that have a unit on every corner could n’t do this, but we can. It ‘s a set for us to grow. The traffic is beneficial. We ‘re highly felicitous with sales in these foremost two months. ”
