
The MULO Dozen: January in Review
January, the first month of 2025, was jam-packed with announcements of leadership changes, innovative new store designs and menu items, and game-changing technologies. Brands are suiting up for the Super Bowl. The TikTok “pause” created mass panic among influencers and agencies.
As the 2025 progresses, watch this space for the trends, perspectives, and data that will shape the MULO (multi-location) world. Have news to share? Reach out to me.
- Franchises are “gobbling up” market share as Perkins and Huddle House sold 88 new agreements. Although they are legacy brands, they are seeing a resurgence in popularity (CONSUMER VOICES)
- MULO brands have found that affiliations with celebs and sports figures is a great loyalty-building and marketing strategy. To that end, CAVA partnered with an Olympic athlete (Gabby Thomas) for the launch of its new menu items. (INNOVATION)
- Props (a creator consultancy and Street Fight LIVE subject matter expert) has tapped Lee Sosin as Chief Client Officer. (LEADERS)
- Consumers love the green stuff (salads) and they don’t love getting out of their cars. That’s why Just Salad is testing drive-thrus. (CONSUMER VOICES)
- Ulta named a new CEO. The beauty category is hot-hot-hot. Watch our February articles as we delve into the opportunities. (LEADERS)
- Walmart refreshes its brand for the first time in 17 years. The logo change is subtle, and consumers quickly took to social media to question the brand’s use of investment dollars for such a minor cosmetic update. (INNOVATION (or is it?))
- Daytime dining is growing as a category, and fast-scaling Turning Point is considered a “breakout brand.” (BOOM)
- Successful MULO executives often make switches from one industry to another. That’s proven out by the fact that the CEO of Wynn Resorts was appointed the President of the Authentic Brands Group. (LEADERS)
- As we’ve discussed in previous articles, MULO brands often restructure to scale. Denny’s closed 88 locations last year, but 2025 is looking strong. (BUST & BOOM)
- Industrious was acquired by CBRE, which has the commercial real estate and co-working worlds talking. As brands look for more cost-effective places to house their teams, this could be a game-changing move for both companies. (BOOM)
- Not your momma’s (or poppa’s) sports bar! Twin Peaks was valued at $1.2B. (BOOM)
- What did people order from C-stores in 2024? Ask the doctor — Dr. Pepper, that is!