CHICAGO — Technomic has issued its 2007 Top 100 Emerging Chain Concept Report, which features 100 up-and-coming operators that exhibit a strong trend toward success.
According to a news release, to assist in evaluating their performance and drawing broader conclusions and recommendations, the report segregates the top 100 chains into major operational segments (full-and limited-service, as well as quick casual, fine dining, casual dining and midscale), but also examines them within 16 unique concept clusters, including Mexican, pizza, sandwich, beverage, specialty, etc. For the first time, Beyond Restaurant segments of the foodservice industry are also included.
Among the findings cited in the report:
- The continued strength of quick-casual, limited-service concepts is particularly striking. Among emerging chains, this group included 20 concepts, and seven unique concept clusters. But taken as a whole, they led the limited-service segment, showing a 35 percent increase in units in just one year.
- Within full-service chains, seafood represents one of the largest and fastest-growing clusters. Several larger full-service seafood chains tracked by Technomic also have been doing well, supporting the current strength of seafood concepts. However, two emerging players in particular, Fish City Grill and The Oceanaire Seafood Room, get credit for most of the growth in this cluster.
- Beverage concepts, including those focused on coffee, tea, juice and smoothies, also exhibited strong success, with eight limited-service concepts showing total unit growth of 38 percent in 2006.
"We firmly believe that these 100 up-and-coming chains are driving many of the industry's latest trends and represent the leading emerging concepts," said Darren Tristano, executive vice president of Technomic Information Services. "Larger chains wishing to maintain their competitive edge would be wise to take a closer look at this group."
In addition to providing extensive performance analysis, the 2007 Top 100 Emerging Chain Concept Report also includes detailed profiles on each of the 100 emerging chains and compiles related news summaries over the past two years.
To purchase or learn more about the 2007 Top 100 Emerging Chain Concept Report, click here.
