This week on Nation's Restaurant News the top story was the Extra Serving episode where NRN editors discuss that New York Times article, Subway’s sale, and loyalty programs. Plus, hear from Keith Goldman, COO of California Tortilla.
In other news, Crumbl Cookies has grown to just over 700 locations nationwide, a swift and sizable number given its short, 6-year history. Despite that growth, its runway remains long given that industry giants like Domino’s and Taco Bell are about 10 times its size.
Its potential is even greater considering its digital footprint. Though significantly smaller than most legacy brands, Crumbl Cookies is a digital juggernaut. In fact, the concept has the No. 6 most downloaded app in the food and drink category in Apple’s app store – ahead of giants like Domino’s, Taco Bell and Chipotle. The app was downloaded 500,000 times alone in December, according to SensorTower.
Also, ever since Memphis Meats (now Upside Foods) was founded in 2015, the food technology world has been curious, skeptical, and waiting with bated breath for the first consumer launch of cultivated meat. Also known as lab-created and cell-cultured meat, cultivated meat (the industry-preferred term) is a form of cellular agriculture that allows for the growth of animal tissue from cells invitro. In the future, cultivated meat — which would not involve animal husbandry or slaughter — could be a humane and eco-friendly solution to a growing global hunger crisis.
See what else was trending on NRN.com this week.
