Welcome
50th Anniversary Recognition
General Manager of the Year
Banks Weinstein
Keynote Speaker: Carlos Herrara, Chief Economist Coca Cola
State of Mellow with Mike Clock, CFO and Anne Mejia, VP Brand Development
Now & The Future of Mellow Mushroom with President and CEO, Richard Brasch
Closing Comments
This year’s keynote speaker, Carlos Herrara, Chief Economist for Coca-Cola, will provide an historical look at the past 50 years and an outlook on current economic conditions and some thoughtful insights for restaurant operators.
The main thrust of his work is to increase the visibility of ‘what’s to come’ through a deeper understanding of the Foodservice industry from an economic perspective. His forecasts are a key input to the development of strategic and operational plans.
Carlos regularly shares his insights on the impact of the economy on consumers and the restaurant industry with the executive leadership, boards of directors, and franchisees of leading foodservice companies around the world.
He has spent the last 30 years at Coca-Cola North America serving in various capacities in Operations, Finance, Marketing, and Strategic Planning. Prior to that, Carlos worked for 8 years at Federal Express and holds a Master’s Degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Georgia Tech.
He is a member of the board of the National Association for Business Economics, the National Business Economists Issues Council and the Harvard Industrial Economists Discussion Group. Carlos is Chairman of the Board of the Institute of Mexican Culture in Atlanta.
1. PROJECT WONDERLAND
Uncover the innovative strategies behind the new cutting-edge prototype Mellow Mushroom restaurant. Join Ahsan Jiva, Sr. Director of Digital & Strategy, and Elizabeth Brasch, Sr. Brand Director, as they dive into details of the concept and what it means to the Mellow Mushroom system.
2. RESTAURANT TECHNOLOGY
A dynamic exploration of current and future advancements poised to revolutionize the operational experience. Led by esteemed members of HGI Operations and IT teams, this fast-paced session will spotlight the introduction of a KDS system and the revamped Aloha POS.
3. BEVERAGE AND PROFITABILITY
Unlock the secrets to boosting profitability with beverages. Spend time with Kynyetta Lester, Associate Director of Beverage and discover expert strategies for maximizing beverage sales to drive bottom-line growth at your restaurant.
4. IN IT TO WIN IT: BETTER P&L MANAGEMENT
•The P&L (profit and loss statement) is an operational “picture” of how well your restaurant is executing financially. No surprises here. Success begins with the basics: a rock-solid General Manager; Prime Cost Goals; Manage “the pennies”- controllable costs; etc. Learn from CFO Mike Clock and some Mellow Mushroom owner/operators how to best improve your cash flow.