The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

WENDY’S (Bahamas) has partnered with The Cheese Cake Factory and launched its ‘Wendy’s Café’ concept, the franchise’s Bahamian operator yesterday revealing that these would be incorporated into select restaurant locations.

Terry Tsavoussis, vice-president of Aetos Holdings, the company he heads with his brother, Chris, and which operates the Wendy’s and Marco’s Pizza franchises in the Bahamas, told Tribune Business: “This is a new concept that Wendy’s has created, mostly in the international market, but they do have it in the US as well.

“We did it for the first time because we had to move out of the old domestic terminal. It gave us an opportunity to include a Wendy’s Caf�. We serve all kinds of cold and hot [drinks], fresh brewed from bean to cup.

“It’s a fresh lava and espresso bean that we have the exclusivity for in the Bahamas. Basically we can make caramel macchiatos, we can make lattes, cappuccinos, hot and cold, and we can make iced coffee as well.”

Mr Tsavoussis added: “Basically it’s a separate entity. The Wendy’s side has our grill and deep fryers, so it has to be separate.

“It’s run by either two to three employees. They have to be trained to make these different types of coffee. We also have a full line of savoury and sweet deserts, and different things like empanadas.. We have Cheesecake factory bakery cakes. We are the exclusive distributor for their cakes, cupcakes and cheesecakes. Those are all in the caf�. You can have coffee and any kind of dessert.”

Mr Tsavoussis said the caf� concept was already proving successful in its first week. “There is room for this concept in other locations of ours. The concept has been very successful. It’s only been open three days at the airport but Bahamians an tourists alike are gravitating towards it,” he added.

Mr Tsavoussis said the Wendy’s restaurant in the domestic arrivals and departures and international departures terminal is the first of its kind to have a drive-through.

“We do have a drive-through, and it is designed to service anyone in the surrounding area. There’s no other Wendy’s in an airport that has a drive through.” Wendy’s employs some 65 persons at both its restaurants in LPIA.

The Wendy’s (Bahamas) team recently won the Diamond Award for Marketing Excellence at the Las Vegas Convention on October 18-23.

That is the second time in a row Wendy’s has won for Marketing Innovation, and original products in the Breakfast Category.

Wendy’s Bahamas was also given recognition for the Y-Lane Concept introduced at Carmichael Road, with other franchisees regionally and internationally exploring the use of this design to boost efficiency, and reduce cost.

“We will see some growth with new Y-lane restaurants like the Carmichael Road one in the future, in strategic areas. We haven’t identified those areas as yet,”said Mr Tsavoussis.