Foodservice

New York -- Global brand agency CBX will help Friendly Express update the design and branding of its 42-store network of community-focused convenience stores in southeast Georgia.

Under the assignment, the firm will update the chain’s logo and redesign the interiors and exteriors of its convenience stores, which range in size from 2,000 sq. ft. to 3,500 sq. ft. Friendly Express stores, which also offer gasoline, are located in several different southeast Georgia communities, including Waycross, Jesup, Folkston, Brunswick, and St. Simons Island.

Dallas -- Fast-casual restaurant chain Corner Bakery Café announced two multi-unit development agreements with California-based businessman Anil Yadav, CEO of JIB Management, who plans to open 16 cafes in Seattle, and seven in Las Vegas, over the next seven years.
 

Oakville, Canada – The Tim Hortons TimmyMe iOS app now includes support for Passbook. Customers can add their prepaid Tim card to Passbook, which they can then scan to pay in-store or at the drive-thru in participating locations.

The TimmyMe app also offers a store finder and nutritional data.

Walmart’s new convenience store test concept, Walmart To Go, is located in its hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas.  

The approximate 2,500-sq.-ft. store is a hybrid. Part grocery store, part c-store and part quick-serve restaurant, it offers a mix of groceries, c-store staples, and refrigerated and fresh prepared foods, complete with a deli counter. Products are priced the same as they would be in a regular Walmart store.     

San Antonio – Convenience store operator CST Brands plans to open 38 new stores in North America during fiscal 2014. That includes 30 new stores in the U.S. and eight in Canada.

New York – Barnes & Noble Inc. reportedly plans to open about 300 new stores on college and university campuses in the next five years. According to Reuters, Barnes & Noble wants to expand its college bookstore footprint from the current 696 locations to 1,000.

Fast-casual pizza concept, PizzaRev, is positioned for growth

PizzaRev opened a concept test kitchen in Los Angeles in April 2012. Today, it has nine company-owned restaurants with 19 more company and franchised stores on the way.

New York -- Energy Transfer Partners, parent company of Sunoco, plans to acquire Susser Holdings Corp in a stock-and-cash deal valued at $1.8 billion.

Susser operates 630 convenience stores under the Stripes and Pac-N-Sac banners, in Texas and surrounding states. Sunoco operates more than 5,000 stores, primarily on the East Coast.

West Palm Beach, Fla. -- Wing chain Hurricane Grill & Wings has signed five multi-unit development agreements, representing 22 new locations slated to open in 2014-2015.

The Florida-based franchised brand opened two locations in early 2014, with plans for a total of 14 new units by the end of this year.

New York —River Bay Plaza in Riverview, Fla., has sold for $5.8 million. Cohen Real Estate represented the buyer and seller, both private investment firms.

Located in Hillsborough County, the 79,288-sq.-ft. neighborhood shopping center is anchored by Winn Dixie, which recently exercised a lease option. Other recent developments include a new 10-year lease for Aaron’s and an option exercised by Dollar Tree.

About 163,000 people live within a five-mile radius of the center. Average annual household income is $70,000.