Il Fornaio’s Corner Bakery inks 5-unit franchise dealIl Fornaio’s Corner Bakery inks 5-unit franchise deal

RIDGELAND Miss. Corner Bakery Cafes franchisor CBC Restaurant Corp. has granted franchise rights for five units in Mississippi to Resolute Bakeries LLC, a newly formed concern whose principles include a Back Yard Burgers franchisee.

The units are required to be developed within the next four years. Dallas-based CBC, an affiliate of Il Fornaio (America) Corp. of Corte Madera, Calif., said the first café would open in the first quarter of 2009 in Flowood, Miss., a suburb of Jackson. CBC operates or franchises more than 100 Corner Bakery restaurants in total.

Resolute Bakeries here was founded by Bridgforth Rutledge, an attorney and real estate developer who owns seven Back Yard Burgers units through another company. Rutledge is president of Resolute, and Ed Ferrell is chief operating officer. Rutledge’s partner is John Cocke.