Freshii named FastCasual's top brand of the year

Cherryh Cansler, editor of FastCasual, far left, celebrates Freshii’s Top 100 win with the brand’s VP of Supply Chain Amardeep Rai,VP of Marketing Melissa Gallagher, and Taylor Company’s Dan Domberg.

FastCasual’s editorial team has released its annual list of the industry’s most significant brands, awarding Freshii the No.1 spot.

The 2018 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers publication is now available for free download and comes on the heels of last night’s awards gala that recognized the winners.

This year’s list included 75 brands in which judges narrowed down from hundreds of nominations. Criteria included innovation, growth, social responsibility and overall contribution to the industry. The last 25 spots on the list went to the year’s most influential people.

“The idea behind our Movers and Shakers list is to recognize brands that are going beyond simply generating positive sales and unit growth,” said Cherryh Cansler, editor of FastCasual. “The process has a bit more subjectivity to it. Judges identify the brands that are taking risks and making fundamental changes that are leading the industry. Based on that criteria, Freshii received our top spot this year.”

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Freshii is one of the fastest growing health and wellness brands in the world, opening its first 200 stores faster than Starbucks, Dominos and even Subway, Cansler said.

By making superfoods like kale and quinoa more convenient and affordable, while continuing to introduce the latest culinary healthy trends, it has become a household name for guests looking to fuel on the go.

In 2017, Freshii reported same-store sales growth of 5.5 percent over 2016, went public, increased its staff count at HQ by 85 percent, grew to 370 restaurants worldwide, opened inside sports arenas and hospitals and began serving food on Air Canada flights.

The company, founded by CEO Matthew Corrin in Canada, plans to have between 730 and 760 stores by the end of 2019, and is projecting an annual same-store sales growth outlook of between 3 and 4 percent for the period fiscal 2017 through fiscal 2019.

“I can’t think of a more deserving brand than Freshii,” Cansler said.

Posted with permission from www.FastCasual.com
Photo Credit: Networld Media Group

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Cherryh Cansler

Cherryh Cansler has been a reporter and editor for nearly 15 years, writing on a variety of topics, ranging from the restaurant industry to business and health and fitness news. Before joining Networld Media Group as managing editor of Food/Retail Publications, she was content specialist at Barkley ad agency in Kansas City and has served as editor for several publications. She's also written for several daily newspapers, magazines and websites, including Forbes, The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine.

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