News Briefs

A Las Vegas sandwich chain is quickly growing its store count.

Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop has been opening in new markets across the country as part of its goal to reach over 750 locations by 2032. The chain says its “craveable menu,” which includes hand-crafted cheesesteaks, turkey subs, and more, and “fan-first” approach is resonating with consumers.

"At Capriotti's, we are very proud of our support structure for new franchise partners and we while we have always been focused on setting them up for success from day one, we have really upped our game and the results speak for themselves," said David Bloom, chief development and growth officer at Capriotti's. "That being said, while our support is vitally important, this level of initial success would not be possible without our franchise partners' deep ties to their local communities – that is truly the game-changer."

Recent Capriotti’s store openings include:

• Rancho Mirage, Calif.
• Rancho Cordova, Calif.
• Star, Idaho
• Abilene, Texas
• Madison, Ala.
• Princeton, N.J.

The sandwich chain says it has dozens more new locations planned in key markets throughout the year. Upcoming openings slated for the next six months include:

• Enfield, Conn.
• Huntsville, Ala.
• Warren, Ohio.
• Pearl, Miss.
• Post Falls, Idaho
• Springdale, Ark.
• Phoenix, Ariz.

[READ MORE: McDonald’s, Starbucks among world’s 25 most-valuable restaurant brands]

Founded in 1976, Capriotti's is most famous for its 49-year nightly tradition of in-house slow-roasting whole, all-natural turkeys and hand-shredding them each morning to feature in various subs. The chain operates more than 175 locations across the United States.

Costco Wholesale Corp. maintained its momentum in March, amid strong digital growth and a calendar shift that added an extra shopping day to its results.

The membership warehouse club giant’s net sales rose 8.6% to $25.51 billion in the “retail” month of March (the five weeks ended April 6). Total comparable sales increased 6.4%, rising 7.5% in the United States, and 4.1% in Canada. International comp sales rose 2.9%. 

Comparable e-commerce sales at Costco rose 16.2% in March.

Total comparable sales excluding the impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange rose 9.1%, rising 8.7% in the U.S., and 10.6% in Canada. E-commerce comps rose 17.5%.

March had one additional shopping day versus last year, due to the calendar shift of Easter, noted Costco. This positively impacted total and comparable sales by approximately one and one-half percent.

Net sales for the first 31 weeks rose 8.3% to $158.87 billion. Comparable sales for the period are up 16.8%.

[READ MORE: Online grocery sales up 21% in March]

Costco currently operates 903 locations, including 623 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 109 in Canada, 41 in Mexico, 36 in Japan, 29 in the United Kingdom, 19 in Korea, 15 in Australia, 14 in Taiwan, seven in China, five in Spain, two in France, and one each in Iceland, New Zealand and Sweden. Costco also operates e-commerce sites in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Australia.

A DTC purveyor of meat and seafood products is expanding its digital reach with Target and Shopify.

ButcherBox is now available on Target Plus, the third-party digital marketplace operated by Target. The ButcherBox offering on Target Plus is centered on meals for occasions, such as steak lovers and breakfast essentials, priced from $99 to $189. No subscription is needed for purchase.

Butcherbox is connecting to the Target Plus ecosystem via the Shopify Marketplace Connect app. Target entered into a partnership with global commerce platform Shopify to offer a curated selection of popular Shopify sellers and their products in June 2024. 

[READ MORE: Target expands third-party assortment in new partnership]

"As we look to further build the ButcherBox brand, our focus is on getting intentionally sourced protein into the homes of more Americans and eliminating the subscription barrier," said Reba Hatcher, chief commercial officer at ButcherBox. "Target Plus has done an incredible job curating brands and products that will add value to their guests' online experience, and we believe the addition of ButcherBox allows us to provide our premium products to Target's guests in a new way without subscription costs."

ButcherBox also has an ongoing relationship with DashMart, the DoorDash banner which operates online storefronts with inventory provided by third-party partners.

ButcherBox delivers 100% grass-fed, grass-finished beef, free-range organic chicken, pork raised crate-free, and wild-caught seafood directly to consumers' doors. 

Minneapolis-based Target Corp. operates nearly 2,000 stores and the Target.com e-commerce site.

Yesway started the year by expanding its footprint in two of its key markets.

The Texas-based convenience chain opened four new Allsup's locations in the first quarter of 2025, including three in New Mexico (Belen, Las Cruces, Chaparral) and one in Oklahoma (Ardmore). The four openings mark the 81st new store or major rebuild Yesway has completed over the past three and a half years.

"Through the effort and hard work of our exceptional teams, we have maintained the rapid pace of growth for which Yesway has become known," said Thomas N. Trkla, chairman, president, and CEO at Yesway. "The successful completion of 81 new stores or major rebuilds in just over three years is a remarkable achievement, and we extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who made it possible."

[READ MORE: Yesway expands portfolio with five new stores]

Each of the new, large-format Allsup's stores spans 6,277 sq. ft. and operates 24 hours a day. They offer a wide selection of products, including Allsup's "World Famous Burritos," Yesway private label snacks, and more. Most locations also feature a beer cave, Western Union services, ATMs, and cryptocurrency and digital currency ATMs.

"We're especially grateful to our Real Estate Site Selection team, New Store Integration team, and our Operations, Fuel, Marketing and Merchandising, and IT teams, as well as to our dedicated new store managers and associates," said Thomas Brown, Yesway's chief real estate officer. "Their collaboration and commitment drive our success, enabling us to deliver outstanding customer service."

Founded in 2015, Yesway operates 443 stores between its Yesway and Allsup’s banners across Texas, New Mexico, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Wyoming, Oklahoma and Nebraska.

Carl’s Jr. has entered a new European market.

CKE Restaurants, the parent company of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, has opened the first Carl’s Jr. location in the United Kingdom at St. David’s Shopping Centre in Cardiff, Wales, home to more than 130 retailers and 35 food and beverage chains.

Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG) has been selected to open, operate, and franchise future restaurants throughout Ireland and the U.K. as the Carl's Jr. Master Franchisee.

"We are thrilled to bring Carl's Jr. to Cardiff. The team at BRG has been working hard to bring the Carl's Jr. experience to life," said Satnam Leihal, CEO of BRG. "We've seen incredible excitement from fans eager to try our food, and we're confident our range of juicy 100% Angus beef burgers, hand-breaded chicken burgers and tenders, and irresistible ice cream shakes will become customer favorites."

[READ MORE: Restaurant veteran named CKE Restaurants CEO]

CKE says the U.K. debut location saw more than 200 transactions within the first hour of opening. The company currently operates more than 1,100 international restaurants in more than 35 countries around the world.

"We're very excited about the expansion of Carl's Jr. into the UK and Republic of Ireland," said Rodrigo de la Torre, interim president of CKE International. "This was one of our most successful openings in Europe to-date and we look forward to seeing Boparan's continued success.”

GoTo Foods (formerly Focus Brands) is bringing together two its brands to launch a new quick-serve dessert concept.

Cinnabon Swirl will open its first location in May, in Hillsboro, Ore. With more than 30 locations in the pipeline, Cinnabon Swirl plans to open three additional stores later this year in Peoria, Ariz., Kennesaw, Ga., and Pasadena, Calif.

The new shops will serve classic menu items from Cinnabon and Carvel, along with “exclusive” items such as a “Bonini,” a Cinnabon roll filled with Carvel vanilla soft serve that is warm-pressed similar to a panini. Other exclusives include a Cinnabon Swirl Sundae, featuring warm, center swirls of a Cinnabon Classic Roll chopped and topped with Carvel vanilla soft serve and a caramel drizzle.

The first Cinnabon Swirl location in Hillsboro will also feature two limited-edition soft serve flavors each month.

“GoTo Foods has a unique competitive advantage by operating as a dynamic platform company with powerful enterprise engines including supply chain, technology and revenue management,” said Jim Holthouser, CEO of GoTo Foods. “By combining the global recognition of Cinnabon with the passionate fanbase of Carvel, Cinnabon Swirl is well-positioned to become the most irresistible dessert destination in the industry.”

[READ MORE: Focus Brands changing its name to GoTo Foods]

As of Dec. 29, GoTo Foods, through its affiliate brands, is the franchisor and operator of over 6,900 restaurants, cafes, ice cream shops, and bakeries in all 50 states and over 65 countries and territories under the Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, Moe’s Southwest Grill, McAlister’s Deli, and Schlotzsky’s brand names, as well as the Seattle’s Best Coffee brand on certain military bases and in certain international markets.