Rogue Ales, a brewer of specialty beers located in Newport, Ore., opened Brewer's on the Bay in May. Lipton Foodservice opened its first Lipton Teahouse in Pasadena, Calif., in December 1996. No, the celebrated Chicago chef isn't putting Slyders on his menu. Some companies, including Columbus, Ohio-based White Castle, have been selling their products via mail order or on store shelves for more than a decade. Now, in a business climate where retail operations are trying to offer more foodservice, many foodservice companies are scouting out retail opportunities.
Product branding can take many forms, allowing room for varying degrees of operator involvement.
Calif.-based Taco Bell, sell the rights to their brand name and enter into partnerships with manufacturers, who handle product development and marketing. That it makes money would be the obvious answer. Rick Bayless, chef-owner of Frontera Grill and Topolobampo in Chicago, points out that branding has become a part of the newfound celebrity of chefs in America. It was the customers' fault, insist many restaurateurs when asked why they became involved in product branding. Patrons would request menu items or components to take home.