This week's top story was, NRN editors discuss Popeyes’ 2021 sales decline, RBI earnings and that viral chicken sandwich. The team, meeting in person at NRN’s New York City headquarters, sampled the famous chicken sandwich (as seen below on video) and discussed its merits while also analyzing Popeyes’ massive 2020 in comparison to 2021 following the brand’s fourth quarter earnings.
Also, KFC is looking to make a comeback with major development plans for the Yum Brands-owned fried chicken brand, and a significant part of that will be the smaller, off-premises-focused Next Generation store prototypes. The new store prototypes were initially announced at the end of 2020 and the first opened in Berea, Ky. in Q4 of 2021, followed by Next Gen stores in Westfield, Mass. And Detroit, with the eventual goal of phasing out the heritage American Showman store design.
In other news, Federal authorities are investigating Fat Brands CEO Andy Wiederhorn and his family on allegation of securities and wire fraud, money laundering and attempted tax evasion, as first reported by The Los Angeles Times.
According to court records, federal agents raided the home of Wiederhorn’s son and daughter-in-law Thayer and Brooke, the latter of whom is not named in the court filings, and took away possible evidence including phones, digital storage devices, tax documents and other records. Federal authorities also filed for permission to raid Wiederhorn’s home in Beverly Hills but it is unclear if a raid took place.
See what else was trending on NRN.com this week.
