Food & Beverage
Whole Foods Market names Guy Cameron as brew master for its new San Jose store’s microbrewery called Mission Creek Brewing Company

Emeryville, Calif., 2014-10-31— /EPR Retail News/ — When it opens on December 9, Whole Foods Market San Jose (777 The Alameda) will house the company’s first on-site microbrewery and tap room in California, and the second on-site microbrewery company wide. The brewery and tap room will be called Mission Creek Brewing Company. Guy Cameron, formerly of Russian River Brewing Company, has been named Mission Creek’s brew master.
Mission Creek Brewing Company is located in a two story, 5,600 square-foot “outbuilding” separate from the main store itself. The ground floor houses coffee and fresh juice bars, along with some seating. The second floor is home to the tap room, with eight bar seats, a birds-eye view of the brewery, and access to outdoor seating for around 75. A retractable roof and outdoor heating protect guests in inclement weather.
The tap room has 22 total taps, with 19 for beer, two for wine and one serving up fresh sparkling water. Three to five of those taps are reserved for house brews, a few go to nationally-available favorites, and the rest feature local beers from Calicraft Brewing Company, Lagunitas, Magnolia Brewery and more. Customers can also order from a restaurant-style menu with cheese plates, pizzas and other pub food.
The brewery’s name celebrates the history of the area’s landscape and community it helped establish. In the days before the Alameda was paved, Mission Creek flowed into irrigation canals along the roadway. This provided water to the mission and allowed early Spanish settlers and Native Americans to establish agriculture in the area (additional fun fact: Thousands of years before anyone named it, Mission Creek was a favorite sipping spot of mammoths*).
Wesley Miller, who oversees the beer program for the San Jose store, envisions a venue that connects customers with craft brews and celebrates the local breweries creating great beer. Miller and the store leadership team consulted with Magnolia Brewing Company to design the brewery and tap room experience.
“Mission Creek is an idea and a space where we hope to get people involved in craft brewing,” says Miller. “Since we have the grocery store component, we can play with how different ingredients affect the beer experience, whether they’re part of the brew, included in a pairing, or offered on the bar menu. The store in general is designed as a gathering place, and the tap room in particular is made for engagement, with tastings, tap takeovers – all kinds of experiential beer events.”
In charge of creating and brewing Whole Foods Market San Jose’s signature beers, Guy Cameron joins the company from Russian River Brewing, where he was a brewer. He got started at Rock Bottom Brewery in Campbell, California, and has specialized in sour beers, IPAs, and ales. Cameron is an award-winning home brewer and member of the Silicon Valley Sudzers homebrew club. He has also completed the Beer Judge Certification Program.
Whole Foods Market’s first tap room company-wide opened at the Coddingtown Mall store in Santa Rosa in 2010. With Mission Creek, there will be 10 tap rooms in the region.
Whole Foods Market San Jose opens at 777 The Alameda on Dec. 9, 2014. The 35,000 square foot store brings 150 new jobs to the city. It is the 42nd store for the Northern California region. Subcribe for newsletter updates at wholefoodsmarket.com/newsletters, and follow the store on Facebook at facebook.com/WFMSanJose.
*source: University of California Museum of Paleontology
###
Business
Casper expands virtual food hall model with Franklin Junction’s Host Kitchen® technology

GHENT, 14-Mar-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — Franklin Junction partners with Casper, a modern day food hall offering 100% virtual orders for takeout and delivery, to expand iconic American restaurant brands to Benelux and France. Franklin Junction founder, Rishi Nigam, and Casper founder, Matthias Laga, presented their expansion plans at the recent International Ghost Kitchen Conference in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Franklin Junction has been named to Fast Company’s prestigious annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2023 as they continue to deliver innovative technology solutions for restaurants in the US and now abroad. Leading the way with their proprietary Host Kitchen® model, Franklin Junction has grown into a full suite of solution services to empower restaurant success in the digital age. In 2022, Franklin Junction introduced its AI-powered digital food hall that allows consumers to order food and earn loyalty from multiple concepts in a single transaction and delivery.
“As industry leaders driving the growth of American restaurant brands in new markets, we have received a tremendous amount of interest to expand to the European market for a few years now,” shares Franklin Junction CEO Rishi Nigam. “After getting to know Matthias and the entire Casper team over the past year, we have full confidence that they are a trusted partner to expand globally with and we’re thrilled to bring iconic American fare to new diners across Europe.”
Casper launched in Ghent, Belgium and raised €5 million for their Series A in 2022 with the objective of creating a hybrid restaurant and food hall model where customers can walk-in to place orders for takeout or order through digital channels for delivery. In just a short time, Casper has expanded to over 10 locations in Belgium, the Netherlands, and France, with an expansion goal of 50 kitchens by 2024.
“We’re very excited to partner with Franklin Junction and begin by introducing Nathan’s Famous’ authentic New York flavors to our European customers in the coming weeks,” states Matthias Laga, Co-founder and CEO of Casper. “Franklin Junction uniquely understands restaurants, multi-concept food halls, and restaurant eCommerce and their proprietary processes are extremely virtuous for all stakeholders.”
SOURCE: EuropaWire
Food & Beverage
Philippine rum maker Tanduay partners with distributor to expand into Austria


VIENNA, 2023-Jan-10 — /EPR RETAIL NEWS/ — Philippine brand Tanduay has partnered with Weisshaus, a leading distributor of international spirits, to bring the brand to Austria– making it the first Asian rum brand to enter the country.
Andreas Osler, Weisshaus Managing Director, said they see Tanduay’s enormous potential in their market.
“In our experience, rum connoisseurs in Austria generally like to experiment and are constantly on the lookout for new rums. Asian rums, in particular, are currently very popular, as they are also seen as an expression of the Asian way of life and nightlife, which is very trendy in this country,” he shared.
Rum is the second most popular among spirits in Austria and is consumed more frequently than whisky.
“Rum is enjoyed both at home and in bars and restaurants,” Osler said.
Tanduay President and COO Lucio Tan III shared that the brand’s entry into more European countries is an exciting new chapter in its 168-year-old history.
“It is a great time for Tanduay as we bring our Philippine-made rums to more countries that have a rich spirits culture. With Weisshaus as our partner, we believe that we will reach more customers in Austria,” he said.
Great Potential as a Sipping Rum, Perfect for Cocktails
Osler shared that the Tanduay Double Rum, one of the brand’s most-awarded products, impressed their team the most. They were surprised that no sugar was added during its production.
“It can become a serious competitor for leading rum brands in the premium rum segment in Austria. We see great potential in this rum to position it as a pure sipping rum,” he said.
The Tanduay Asian Rum Gold, Tanduay Asian Rum Silver, and Especia Spiced Rum, meanwhile, are perfect for mixing with trendy cocktails.
“They have what it takes to capture significant market shares from leading rum brands,” Osler pointed out.
Capturing the Austrian Rum Market
Osler shared that for Tanduay to gain a foothold in the Austrian rum market, they need to let consumers know the brand through “liquid to lips.”
To achieve this, Weishauss will bring Tanduay to trade fairs where they could give samples or hold tasting events and master classes.
“Among other things, we plan to offer Tanduay tasting samples in our shop. Due to the excellent quality of Tanduay rums, we assume that the initial spark for Tanduay’s success will have been given after this introductory phase,” he said.
Growing Global Presence
With its entry into Austria, Tanduay is steadily bringing its products to more European countries. In the past two years, it has already entered the markets of Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and the United Kingdom.
Tanduay is also available in 11 U.S. states and the territory of Guam, the United Arab Emirates, China, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
SOURCE: EuropaWire
Apparel
FlowerAura Started Raksha Bandhan Prep Early, Says “Wants To Go Beyond Expectations”


Gururgram, Haryana, India, 2022-Jul-01 — /EPR Network/ — Even though the occasion of Raksha Bandhan is more than three months away, the Indian gifting giant, FlowerAura, has started its preparations with an official announcement right away.
The gifting brand makes Raksha Bandhan shopping easy for the customers as it serves gifts, return gifts, different types of rakhis, sweets, designer rakhi thalis, and combos through its online portal. There are brothers and sisters who don’t get to meet each other in person on the special festive occasion, and that’s when FlowerAura makes things easy for them. Not just one can buy Floweraura rakhi but can also choose from the plethora of rakhi varieties which are hard to find in the market elsewhere. From exploring rakhis and gifts to sending them to the preferred address, everything is taken care of by FlowerAura’s team.
Early preparations are a part of the business strategy that aims to go beyond the expectations of the customers. All the Raksha Bandhan products get delivered through prompt delivery services. “The team is getting connected with local artisans around the nation to get the new and unique rakhi designs and, in return, to help local artisans grow. A lot of focus from the early preparations is laid upon the deliveries and to expand the limit of delivery as many orders around the occasion.”, as per the official announcement.
FlowerAura is also adding more foreign countries where the deliveries can be made of Raksha Bandhan. Ordering rakhi gifts for brother gets easier being miles apart through online gifting options.
In a media conversation, Mr Himanshu Chawal, CEO of FA Gifts Pvt Ltd, said, “We are getting ready early this year as we want to go beyond expectations and want to go above the business numbers of all the previous years. Keeping customer satisfaction on top and making it possible to express emotions perfectly are the key-driven elements.”
SOURCE: EPR Network
-
Business8 months ago
ContactPigeon expands in Cyprus and sponsors the 14th e-Commerce Conference
-
Uncategorized3 weeks ago
Can’t Help Falling in Love lyrics – Elvis Presley
-
Business3 years ago
RCH’s partnership with Jeunes Restaurateurs d’Europe (JRE) to help develop the cash desks of the future
-
Business2 years ago
New service helps European Impact Brands enter and sell on the US market
-
Business6 years ago
NRF support former Labor Secretary Elaine Chao as the new head of the Department of Transportation
-
E-Commerce4 years ago
XPAND Code now installed in about 1,000 small scale facilities all over Japan
-
Apparel3 years ago
Bring Back Civility merchandise to help spread civility across the US
-
Business7 years ago
Futurist Michio Kaku and Girls Who Code Founder and CEO Reshma Saujani among the keynote speakers at the Retail’s Digital Summit