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How Cinnabon is expanding from the food court to the front porchHow Cinnabon is expanding from the food court to the front porch

The Focus Brands-owned concept is focusing on a new rewards app, as well as first- and third-party delivery

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

October 5, 2021

Focus Brands-owned Cinnabon doesn’t want to just be known as the snack you grab at the mall food court: they want you to pick up an order of cinnamon buns from your doorstep or down the street from a food truck.

During the pandemic, Cinnabon has been working on spreading its wings, from introducing the brand’s first ever rewards app, to opening ghost kitchens so more people can have access to Cinnabon treats, even when they’re not in a shopping center.

“It’s a huge focus point for us to take Cinnabon street side,” Kendall Ware, chief brand officer for Cinnabon said. “We know we’re strong in malls and there are plenty more malls we can get into and continue to grow in, but we want to grow in non-traditional venues, food trucks, ghost kitchens, and whatever we can get our hands on. We want to open the doors to experience the brand in a way that has not been done before.”

For Cinnabon, that means looking at cobranding opportunities with their sister brands like Auntie Anne’s and Carvel, along with offering both third and first-party delivery, and creating awareness for their customized rewards app.

“Luckily our product travels well,” Ware said.

Contact Joanna Fantozzi at [email protected]

Follow her on Twitter: @JoannaFantozzi

About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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