Buffalo Wild Wings invests in taco concept

 

Casual-dining operator acquires majority stake in Dallas-based Rusty Taco

Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. has made a majority investment in nine-unit Rusty Taco Inc. of Dallas as it continues to buy into emerging brands, the company said Monday.

Terms of the Minneapolis-based casual-dining operator’s investment in the fast-casual concept were not disclosed.

The deal follows Buffalo Wild Wings’ minority investment in March 2013 in PizzaRev, a Los Angeles-based fast-casual pizza chain that at the time had three units. Buffalo Wild Wings has 1,030 casual-dining restaurants in the United States and Canada.

“Rusty Taco’s fresh approach to tacos truly sets this concept apart,” said Kathy Benning, Buffalo Wild Wings’ executive vice president and chief strategy officer who oversees new business development, in a statement.

“Buffalo Wild Wings’ investment is part of our strategy to partner with emerging restaurant concepts that have the potential for significant growth, can work throughout the country and have a highly engaged management team with a passion to grow the business,” Benning said.

Rusty Taco, which opened in 2010, has two company-owned restaurants and seven franchised locations in Dallas, Denver and Minneapolis, St. Paul and Maple Grove, Minn.

Customers order at the counter and pick up their food when their name is called. Tacos are priced and sold individually and range from beef fajita and barbecued pork to chicken and vegetarian. Breakfast tacos are served all day.

“We are delighted to be partnering with Buffalo Wild Wings and believe it can have an immediate impact in helping accelerate our growth,” said Steve Dunn, chief executive officer of Rusty Taco, in prepared remarks.

“Our co-founder Rusty Fenton always said, ‘Tacos are the most important meal of the day,’ and we truly live that every day by providing our guests with the freshest ingredients and authentic tasting tacos at an affordable price,” he added.

PizzaRev, which now has 11 units in California, two in Minnesota and three in Utah, is set to add restaurants in California and to enter Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Texas.

“As part of our long-term growth strategy, we are actively looking for additional concepts to invest in to build a portfolio of emerging brands, and continue to build a dynamic restaurant company,” said Benning.

For its second quarter ended June 29, Buffalo Wild Wings reported a 43.8-percent increase in net income, to $23.7 million, or $1.25 per share, compared with $16.5 million, or 88 cents per share, in the same quarter the previous year. Revenue rose 20 percent, to $366 million, including same-store sales gains of 7.7 percent at company-owned restaurants and 6.5 percent at franchised locations.

Back

Duke Witte absolutely was amazing! 

I am writing to express my sincere gratitude to Duke Witte for his assistance in finding me a new job in the hospitality industry. I was disgruntled with my previous job, and I was feeling very discouraged about my prospects. I had been working in the restaurant industry for many years, and I had a lot of experience and skills, but I was having a hard time finding a better opportunity.

I was contacted via LinkedIn by Duke, and thank goodness I was.  Mr. Witte was incredibly helpful and supportive throughout the entire process. He took the time to understand my skills and experience, and worked tirelessly to find me a job that was a good fit.

Duke was also very honest and upfront with me about the job market. He didn't sugarcoat things, but also didn't give up on me. He kept me motivated and encouraged, and never gave up on finding me a job that I would love.

I am so grateful to Duke Witte and his team for their help. I am now happily employed, and I am so happy that I was able to find a job that I love. I would highly recommend him to anyone who is looking for a job in the restaurant industry. He is a true professional, and is dedicated to helping his clients find the perfect job!

Thank you again for everything!

Nick Grubbs

Working with Chris Bovio made job searching so much easier! 

Not only was he available and involved in my search, but also knowledgeable regarding the position. Chris used his industry experience and recruiting network to find the best position for me and my skill set. My only regret is that my new job is so perfect for me that I won’t need to use Chris or Patrice & Associates later.

Thanks,

Nick Guarino

Michael Greig was absolutely fantastic in every way! 

He gave me options and suggestions & eventually found a great for me. Communication was easy and he went above & beyond. Also, he seems like an all around good dude. Thanks again Michael. Solid work out there. You’re hired :)

Nic Callahan

Bryan Curtis was fantastic to work with!

Bryan was very on top of things throughout my recruiting process to the engineering firm I accepted my position with.  I responded to his LinkedIn posting and heard back from him within 24 hours. He continually spoke with me throughout the process checking in regularly and answering all my questions. Bryan was instrumental in helping me find a great job.

Thanks!

Austin

Frank Rondeau was a really big help! 

When it came to helping me find my new job, he knocked it out of the park!  He was very honest and thorough throughout the entire process. We had multiple conversations along the way and he always checked in after interviews. Frank was amazing to work with, and I'm super excited to start my new journey thanks to him.       

Many Thanks,

Chyanne

Read More Testimonials

© Copyright Patrice & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved. | Powered by ClickTecs