AGENDA

5:00 pm | Opening Keynote Session

The Winding Road to Success as an Entrepreneur, Franchisor and Innovator

Being successful today is about persistence, tenacity and being able to pivot your direction each step of the way, values that FAT Brands CEO Andy Wiederhorn has learned over the years and will share during this hour-long keynote address. Under his leadership, the company’s burger chain, Fatburger, has expanded across the world, with 150 locations open to date and more than 300 under development in 29 countries. Andy has also overseen the purchases of several other restaurant brands and taken his company public. Each of these milestones has reminded him that his franchisees are his top customers, not the consumer.

“You better make sure that they are profitable and growing, if not, we all know what happens,” said Wiederhorn, who will touch on mastering the franchisee/franchisor relationship during his keynote. He will also share his ups, downs and how he was able to turn a once failing brand into a thriving franchising company.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER
• Andy Wiederhorn | CEO | FAT Brands

Andy Wiederhorn
Chief Executive Officer
FAT Brands

Upgrading Your Delivery Game

Delivery is hotter than ever as customers expect high-quality, yet economical food delivered in minutes. And it’s no longer a pizza and sandwich issue; every type of foodservice franchise from sushi to burgers are competing for marketshare.

This session will explore the available tools to help brands deliver a faster, cheaper and more accurate delivery experience.

PANELISTS
• Tommi Tervanen | CEO | Kotipizza Group
• Alice Theunissen | Director of Operations & Development | New York Pizza
• Yuval Tori | Head of Europe | Bringg
• Thayer Wiederhorn | CMO | FAT Brands

MODERATOR
• Cherryh Cansler | Managing Editor | FastCasual.com

Cutting the Costs of Doing Business

Obtaining the funding to open a full-service kitchen may seem nearly impossible these days, but there are a variety of ways to cut costs. From renting kitchen space and embracing food halls to exploring mobile operations and streamlining processes, this session will help you nurture your business without facing some of the usual restrictions.

PANELISTS
• George Bertram | Commercial Director | Rocket Restaurants
• Paul Hurley | Founder | Dum Dum Donutteries
• Steven Novick | Founder | Farmstand

MODERATOR
• Stacey Kane | CMO | Mahana Poke & Firenza Pizza

2:00 pm | Panel Session

Creating Craveable Food and Experiences to Liven Up Your Menu and Drive Traffic

Your menu is the No. 1 way in which your brand speaks to customers, so incorporating the latest menu trends is just as important as offering unique food items that customers can only get by visiting your concept. Striking the right balance between the two is a must, so this panel dissects the science, myths and the secrets to creating menus that result in “return-for” restaurant visits.

PANELISTS
• David Baer | COO | Firenza
• Ron Simpson | Co-Owner | The Avocado Show
• Maxine Vogt | Research Analyst | Euromonitor International

MODERATOR
• Aaron Brewer | Associate Director of Franchise Relations | Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants

9:00 am | General Session

Three:15

In this session, you will hear three 15-minute, thought-provoking talks that will leave you challenged and inspired.

How Restaurants can get Gen Z to Come to the Table
• Alex Gallagher | CMO | UNiDAYS

Driving Profits through Accounting Automation and the use of KPIs
• Alan O’Neill | Co-Founder | Freshii GB

Well-Being at Work: How LEON has aligned its Employer Brand to the Consumer Brand
• Marco Reick | People Director | LEON Restaurants

10:30 am | Panel Session

Feng Shui Your Way to Increased Profits

Most franchises must find a way to operate in as little as space as possible, which can often lead to cramped kitchens and packed dining rooms. Both create chaos and unhappy employees and customers, which leads to turnover and a decrease in profits.

This session will show you how to reconfigure dining rooms and kitchens as well as how to choose equipment and partners to help you get the most out of your space.

PANELISTS
• Sylvia Bennett | Feng Shui Consultant | Feng Shui Living
• Laura Rea Dickey | CEO | Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants
• Rodrigo Moreno Masey | Director | MorenoMasey

MODERATOR
• Vickie Sims | Global Brand Marketing Manager | Taylor

11:45 am | Panel Session

Preparing Your Leaders to Go Global

After deciding to franchise outside your home country, the next step is finding the right person to undertake that massive responsibility. The ideal candidate will have the perfect balance of respect for the corporate brand and the passion for the area in which the company is targeting.

This session will not only discuss how to choose the right leader from within or outside your brand to expand your global footprint, but will also talk about the tools the franchisor must give to that leader in order to ensure success.

PANELISTS
• Mario C. Bauer | Entrepreneur & Advisor | Vapiano & Curtice Brothers Organic Ketchup
• Kris De Coster | Business Unit Manager International Markets | Burger Brands Belgium
• Daniel Spinath | Founder & Managing Director | Crepeaffaire
• Judd Williams | International Development Director | Boparan Restaurant Group

MODERATOR
• Jacob Neal | Director | Avalanche Enterprise

1:30 pm | Panel Session

Joining the Clean-Movement Trend without Losing Profits and Customers

The trend of ditching chemicals and preservatives isn’t going away, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to remove them from the menu. It can be expensive, time consuming and may even leave a few loyal customers angry about losing their favorite menu items.

Experts on this panel will share how and why they cleaned up their menus without isolating customers or losing too much money.

PANELISTS
• Peter Fagerholm | CEO & Co-founder | FRIENDS & BRGRS
• Phil Peters | Managing Director | Zing Zing

MODERATOR
• Chris Fung | ex-CEO | Crussh Fit Food & Juice Bars & Non-Exec Director of various Food/FoodTech businesses

3:00 pm | Closing Keynote Session

How to Navigate Your Franchise Through Today’s Choppy Retail Waters

Steering the ship of a thriving franchising business is quite a challenge, but Matthew Kirby has prevailed by getting creative with his business model and menu offerings.

In his closing keynote, the CEO of Chozen Noodle and Chow Asian Kitchen, will talk about how he overcame challenges while guiding his businesses into a variety of retail formats, including shopping centers, motorway stations and stand-alone units.

Kirby will not only offer his business advice and tips but will show attendees how to sail through the unpredictable storms that often emerge on the voyage to becoming a captain of the franchising industry.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER
• Matthew Kirby | CEO | Chozen Noodle & Chow Asian Kitchen

Matthew Kirby
CEO
Chozen Noodle & Chow Asian Kitchen