MULO Dozen: Fall Brands in Review

Never a dull moment in the MULO (multi-location) brand ecosystem! And this fall has been no exception. From leadership changes to tech innovations, the retail, restaurant, service, and hospitality worlds are ever-changing!

1. Private equity ownership of MULO brands is nothing new. As revealed in a recent press release, Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers has been acquired by investment funds affiliated with Rhône, a global private equity firm, from Thompson Street Capital Partners. The brand has grown from 400 locations to 550 units and is generating $1B in sales (BOOM).
2. After a year off, Andy Wiederhorn returned to Fat Brands as CEO. The company plans to open 100 units this year. (LEADERSHIP).
3. Circle K, a leader in the C-store (convenience store) industry, appointed a new retail media leader. Joell Robinson is the former senior director of retail media at Giant Eagle. Retail media is hardly new to the C-store space, as all the players amp up this sector of their business. (LEADERSHIP)
4. As consumers continue to eat at all hours of the day and night (and demand immediate gratification and convenience), Waffle House has decided to follow trends. They are testing all-night delivery. (CONSUMER VOICES)
5. Speaking of convenience, C-stores are joining forces with restaurant brands. Racetrac recently bought Potbelly for $566M. That’s a whole lotta bread! (INNOVATION)
6. Umbrella drink anyone?  Tropical cocktail bars appear to be emerging as new MULO category (CONSUMER VOICES)
7. Despite the movement toward healthier eating, some brands don’t seem to have enough juice. Planta, a vegan chain, declared bankruptcy. (BUST)
8. DOOH is hot right now. That’s why Clear Channel & Vistar teamed up. (INNOVATION)
9. Ice cream, anyone? Although we have plenty of flavors and brands in the U.S., frozen treats are now going global.  Mixue Ice Cream & Tea, which has 45K locations around the world (making it the largest chain), opened its first U.S. location in New York. (INNOVATION)
10. Hotel chain LuxUrban declared bankruptcy and plans to restructure. Sadly, some visitors showed up at one of the brand’s locations to find out the bad news. Even in times of financial crisis, brands should take care of their customers. (BUST)
11. Now that we’re all living in a phygital world and people want their purchases as quickly as possible, Shipt announced that they are working with Target to deliver hyperlocal delivery solutions. (CONSUMER VOICES & INNOVATION)
12. Farewell Claire’s. Hello Rowan? Ear piercing and jewelry are still popular retail categories. But, like other industries, disruption and lack of innovation can change the game. While Rowan opened is on track to hit 100 stores in 2025 and achieve $100M in revenue, Claire’s is closing stores. (Rowan is now eyeing some of these locations, according to industry sources). (BOOM & BUST)

This month, we’re combining September and October news into one fall column. Street Fight LIVE 2025 just wrapped-up … packed full of inspiration and case studies about AI, MULO (multi-location) brand growth, and agency success stories and insights.

We’ll be back in November with our “top stories of the month.” In the meantime, enjoy the fall and if you have any news, please reach out!