A company that is willing and able to expand in a sluggish economy, Wing Zone, a restaurant franchise that offers flavor experiences for takeout and limited dine-in, has moved into a new restaurant model with the potential for tremendous and immediate growth. Wing Zone, where Flavorholics of the world unite, has opened its first military base locations at Fort Lewis, Fort Hood, Fort Riley, Fort Carson and Sheppard Air Force Base.
Additionally, Wing Zone has five more military base openings planned for 2012 with the help of its growing franchisee, Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES). Included in the planned openings are a second location on Fort Lewis, Fort Bragg, and two more locations on California base Fort Irwin.
With the openings, Wing Zone joins the impressive portfolio of AAFES that includes more than 2,300 restaurants, such as Burger King, Taco Bell, Cinnabon and Popeye’s.
“We have been closely monitoring Wing Zone’s growth and felt now was the perfect time to add the growing brand to our expanding portfolio. Not only are we excited to partner with the Wing Zone brand on an operations level we feel their superior product complements our other brands and creates a great variety of dining options at our sites,” said Michael Dillon, Senior Restaurant Program Planner for AAFES.
AAFES is an agency of the United States Department of Defense providing quality merchandise and commissary services to all branches of military service, active and non-active duty. AAFES operates in 30 countries, 5 U.S. territories and all 50 states.
“AAFES’s commitment to our brand further solidifies our rejuvenated growth. With AAFES opening their tenth location this year, coupled with increased unit level expansion within key U.S. markets, we are prepared to have a great 2012,” said Matt Friedman, CEO/Founder of Wing Zone.
The AFFES openings come on the heels of Wing Zone’s Flavor launch. Wing Zone’s 15 flavor names got an overhaul to position Wing Zone as the flavor masters in the wing category. Its Facebook fans had a hand in helping the company select its newest flavor names, renaming flavors Mild, Medium and Hot to Tame, Buffalo Bliss, and Hot Shot – all now proprietary to Wing Zone.
Wing Zone also redesigned its brand to incorporate flavor into everything it does including the logo, menus, marketing items as well as in-store design focusing on new wall décor and new locations like its new drive-thru footprint. The campaign also encompasses a consumer engagement component that celebrates the individual tastes and eccentricities that define people’s favorite flavors.
“We want a single idea to come to mind when people think of Wing Zone,” Friedman said. “And that’s flavor!”
Wing Zone was founded in 1991 at the University of Florida by Matt Friedman and Adam Scott, who were Flavorholics that loved great wings and amazing flavors. The Wing Zone franchise was born in their fraternity house kitchen and the concept started by delivering to fellow college students. After opening several Wing Zone locations around college markets, Scott and Friedman began offering franchises in 2000. Wing Zone now has nearly 100 locations open across the U.S, Panama, Bahamas, and Saudi Arabia, with Dominican Republic, Malaysia and Dubai all scheduled to open in 2012. For more information about Wing Zone visit http://www.wingzone.com. For Wing Zone franchise information, please visit http://www.wingzonefranchise.com.
