Chief Visionary Officer, J.R. Galardi, to Share Company’s Stance on Philanthropy
Wienerschnitzel, the world’s largest Hot Dog chain, is proud to announce that its Chief Visionary Officer, , will speak at this year’s Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) Conference, the most comprehensive executive conference in the restaurant industry. Galardi will speak about the company’s philanthropic stance using recent examples on a panel titled “Cause and Effect: Why Corporate Social Responsibility Matters” in Dallas, Texas on Tuesday, September 22.
Galardi, the son of Wienerschnitzel’s late founder John Galardi and Cindy Galardi Culpepper, current Chairman and CEO, will discuss the company’s dedicated efforts to become part of a larger, more important conversation that goes beyond foodservice. Galardi will share examples from Wienerschnitzel’s tour which raised $200,000 for the nonprofit, Skate for Change, an organization empowering youth to help the homeless and lesser fortunate in their own communities.
“I am honored to have been selected to speak on this topic, as the spirit of giving has been engrained in Wienerschnitzel’s company culture since day one,” said Galardi. “We have a responsibility to use the platform we’ve built to be a voice and support causes that help to improve the lives of others.”
The Hot Dogs for Homeless campaign caught the eye of Sarah Lockyer, editor in chief of Nation’s Restaurant News, who contacted Wienerschnitzel with the opportunity. MUFSO is produced by Nation’s Restaurant News, owned by Penton, and partners with sister brands Restaurant Hospitality and Food Management on the executive conference.
“Wienerschnitzel’s recent Hot Dogs for the Homeless tour is a perfect example of what the restaurant industry can do to not only help the communities they serve but also change the world,” said Sarah Lockyer, NRN editor in chief. “We are excited to tackle social responsibility at MUFSO, and are thrilled to have J.R. speak with the nearly 1,000 MUFSO attendees about his vision, his brand and his company’s efforts to create change.”
The Hot Dogs for Homeless Tour was a month-long philanthropic journey in which Galardi and his team visited shelters and areas with heavy homeless populations to provide hot meals and other necessities to those who needed it most. The tour also stopped at 20 high schools along the way, where the crew addressed close to 50,000 students about creating a positive change in their communities. After traveling 8,000 miles, across 21 cities and handing out more than 50,000 hot dogs, Wienerschnitzel matched the $100,000 in donations raised for Skate for Change during the tour.
Joining Galardi on the panel is Erik Oberholtzer, Co-Founder of Tender Greens, and Chad Houser, Executive Director & Chef at Cafe Momentum. The panel will be moderated by Amanda Hite, co-founder of BTC Revolutions.
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Founded by John Galardi in 1961 with a single hot dog stand in Wilmington, California, Wienerschnitzel (www.wienerschnitzel.com) is a bona fide pioneer of the limited-service food industry. Today, Wienerschnitzel is the world’s largest hot dog chain and home of America’s favorite Chili Dog. Based in Irvine, California, the parent company, Galardi Group, franchises restaurants throughout the U.S., including Wienerschnitzel, Hamburger Stand, and Tastee Freez. An iconic American brand with a devoted following for over 50 years, Wienerschnitzel is poised for exponential growth, both domestically and internationally. With a refreshed marketing focus, Wienerschnitzel has received tremendous media attention and accolades including Franchise Times’ “20 to Watch” and voted Best Fast Food in Southern California by the readers of Los Angeles Daily News for five years and running. Additionally, the company recently introduced a unique next generation store design featuring a smaller footprint and a lower cost of entry; while the simple menu allows for easy execution and lower food costs. As a family owned and operated company, Wienerschnitzel is in a unique position to always put its franchise partners first and is actively recruiting passionate franchise candidates to grow with the brand during this very exciting time. For more information on owning a Wienerschnitzel, visit franchising.wienerschnitzel.com or contact Ted Milburn – Director, Franchise Development at franchising@wienerschnitzel.com.
