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AVI Foodsystems, Bob Evans Launch Express Concept
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Bob Evans Farms Inc. and AVI Foodsystems Inc. in Warren are working together to develop and license a new line of nontraditional food service units, the companies jointly announced Tuesday.
The first Bob Evans Express opened Monday at BMW Manufacturing Co.’s Spartanburg, S.C. plant, where AVI is the food service provider. Bob Evans Express is a non-traditional restaurant concept designed for venues such as workplace cafés, universities, airports, malls, service plazas and hospitals. It includes a menu of portable Bob Evans favorites including Wildfire chicken salad, sausage gravy and biscuits, and slow-roasted turkey.
The second unit will open in October at Bob Evans Farms’ new corporate campus in New Albany.
The concept grew out of discussions between Bob Evans Farms and AVI when the Warren company was selected to be the food service provider at the new Bob Evans campus, said Margaret Standing, senior director for corporate communications at Bob Evans Farms. “AVI’s experience in taking brands and developing nontraditional food venues is really what makes them the perfect partner for this venture,” she said.
This project allows Bob Evans to leverage its brand and explore opportunities in non-traditional locations, and the arrangement will initially provide AVI with exclusivity, according to the release. The concept’s footprint is a fraction of a traditional Bob Evans restaurant at just 500 square feet, and will be managed and operated by AVI.
“This new Bob Evans Express concept was a natural evolution of our relationship with AVI after discussing plans for our corporate campus,” said Steven A. Davis, Bob Evans Farms chairman and CEO.
As of late July, Bob Evans Farms owned and operated 560 Bob Evans Restaurants in 19 states, primarily in the Midwest, mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions of the United States. Through its BEF Foods segment, the company also produces and distributes refrigerated side dishes, pork sausage and a variety of refrigerated and frozen convenience food items under the Bob Evans and Owens brand names.
“This is the perfect opportunity to focus on the strengths of both companies. We’re looking forward to further developing our partnership,” Davis said. “We’re pleased that two great Ohio companies are partnering together on this new innovative concept, which is full of possibilities for both companies."
Added Anthony J. Payiavlas, president and CEO of AVI Foodsystems, in a statement: “We are focused on providing our customers the family difference in hospitality services, making a quality brand such as Bob Evans a perfect fit. This is a tremendous example of synergy -- two Ohio-based companies creating a winning concept that capitalizes on our core strengths.”
An AVI spokeswoman referred further questions to Bob Evans Farms.
AVI Foodsystems provides customized hospitality and food-service solutions for clients in business, manufacturing, education, leisure and health-care settings in 34 states.
Standing said discussions of additional locations were premature Tuesday, including possible locations in the Mahoning Valley, but that “nothing is off the table at this point.”
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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