business opportunity

POTOMAC, Md. — Get swept away with the new Taco Tornado Burrito at California Tortilla^®, a fast-casual Mexican-inspired restaurant franchise serving fresh, made-to-order dishes. For a limited-time only, guests can try this new burrito infusing savory flavors from a cheeseburger with the spice of Mexican cuisine. The Taco Tornado Burrito is available at all California Tortilla locations now through January 13, 2019.

The Taco Tornado Burrito combines one of America’s favorite foods, cheeseburgers, with California Tortilla’s signature flavor blends. Using ingredients like rice, taco beef, queso, pickled jalapenos, salsa, fresh avocado and Screamin’ sauce, customers can enjoy this mouthwatering flavor combination for a limited time.

Struggling to find the perfect name for this new and delicious burrito, California Tortilla created a contest on its social media channels to crowdsource a new name. After seeing only the ingredients, loyal Cal Tort fans could submit ideas in the comments using #NameThisCTBurrito. Suggestions from participants poured in and were narrowed to the top three – Baja Beef Burrito, Chesseburg-rito and Taco Tornado Burrito. People were able to vote for their favorite and “Taco Tornado Burrito,” as suggested by Instagram user @rachel_jones5, was selected as the top choice. She was gifted a one-of-a-kind California Tortilla Swag bag and is proudly credited on all the marketing materials for this limited-time offer.

“We are extremely excited to have incorporated our dedicated fan base into the creation of this limited-time offer,” said Keith Goldman, California Tortilla Chief Operating Officer. “At California Tortilla, we’re known for our experimentation with global flavors and unique specialty menu offerings that our customers look forward to several times a year. We’re looking forward to offering this new item to our Cal Tort fans.”

Guests can purchase the regular size Taco Tornado Burrito for $7.99 and a small for $7.19 at all California Tortilla locations. For an extra flavor blast, guests are encouraged to add bacon for an additional $1.

Serving made-to-order burritos, bowls, street tacos, quesadillas and salads, California Tortilla is dedicated to serving farm-fresh, never frozen ingredients where everything is hand prepared in small batches daily in scratch cook kitchens. The innovative menu is grounded in a foundation of Mexican cuisine and features 25 unique chef-created dishes, such as the Korean BBQ Burrito, Blackened Fish Tacos and California Sunset Bowl. Every California Tortilla features a Wall-of-Flame, a towering display of 75 distinct hot sauces, ranging from mild to tongue-melting, allowing guests to further customize the flavor and heat level of their meal.

CARROLLTON, Texas — FASTSIGNS International, Inc., franchisor of FASTSIGNS^®, the leading sign, graphics and visual communications franchise, announced today that CEO Catherine Monson will be the keynote speaker at the European Master and Multi-Unit Franchising Conference on Oct. 23 at the Park Plaza Victoria in London. With over 30 years of experience in franchising, Catherine will share her insights on the strength of the industry worldwide.

Additionally, Mark Jameson, EVP of Franchise Support and Development for FASTSIGNS International, Inc., and Hamdi Osman, FASTSIGNS Master Franchisee for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and North Africa, will speak on Oct. 24 about the franchisee-franchisor relationship in master franchising, building infrastructure, and franchise sales. Osman opened the first FASTSIGNS location in the UAE in 2015 in Dubai and has since celebrated his success as a top international center with the highest country sales volume. As part of his Master Franchise agreement, Osman will open a total of 12 locations in the UAE and 25 centers in North Africa — specifically targeting, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya.

“Since launching our international expansion efforts, FASTSIGNS has built a proven business model that has the flexibility to be replicated in any international market, allowing us to grow to nine countries,” said Mark Jameson, EVP of Franchise Support and Development, FASTSIGNS International, Inc. “With the increasing need for signage and visual communications worldwide, we continue to emphasize the importance of providing the tools and resources that set our Master Franchisees up for success while simultaneously catering to the specific needs of their country and business. We’re looking forward to networking with potential Master Franchisees to explore how FASTSIGNS can continue to grow throughout Europe.”

FASTSIGNS has experienced explosive international growth in 2018, including opening 24 locations in the U.S. and Canada, one in Chile, and two in Australia. In Europe, the brand recently signed a Master Franchise Agreement to open at least 10 locations in Spain, the Balearic Islands, and Gibraltar. FASTSIGNS is continuing to seek qualified candidates to grow its international footprint in markets throughout the world, including Europe, Brazil, Québec, North Africa, Southeast Asia, India, and Latin America.

“The European Master and Multi-Unit Franchising Conference brings together a highly experienced group of international franchise business leaders,” said Therese Thilgen, Co-founder and President, Franchise Update Media Group. “We’re thrilled to have FASTSIGNS be a part of it as we address the growing trend of master franchising as the primary method of international expansion for franchise brands.”

SPRING, Texas — In honor of Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, Always Best Care of the Woodlands, in partnership with PetSmart, Montgomery County Animal Shelter and Texas Litter Control, will host a free pet adoption event for local seniors from 12-4 p.m. on Oct. 21, 2018, at the PetSmart located at 19075 Interstate 45, South Shenandoah, TX 77385. The partnering agencies plan to cover all qualifying adoption fees for dogs adopted by seniors 65 and older. The agencies will also cover a portion of adoption fees for all ages, including $40 for dogs and $25 for cats. PetSmart will be providing a free adoption coupon booklet that will include a free bag of food, free canned food, money off grooming and boarding services as well as much more.

“In our local community there are so many shelter dogs and cats in need of loving homes, and we’ve found that the seniors we care for experience immeasurable benefits from pet ownership,” said Maggie Fontenot, Always Best Care of the Woodlands Event Coordinator. “Studies continue to prove that pet ownership helps lower stress levels, blood pressure and depression. By teaming up with PetSmart, Montgomery County Animal Shelter & Texas Litter Control, we plan to cover adoption fees for dogs in an effort to combat the ongoing issue of depression in Americans over the age of 65. We’re excited to help connect seniors and their loved ones with pets in need of a home.”

By working with case managers, social workers, discharge planners, doctors, and families, Always Best Care franchise owners provide affordable, comprehensive solutions that can be specifically matched to meet a client’s particular physical or social needs. The hallmark services of Always Best Care include non-medical in-home care and assisted living finder and referral services, with skilled home health care now being phased in throughout the country.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — AtWork Group, a rapidly growing national staffing franchise, was recently recognized as one of the nation’s top 100 most innovative franchises by Franchise Business Review in its Top 100 Most Innovative Franchises report.

Over 24,000 franchisees from a number of leading national brands were surveyed in order to determine the most innovative franchises, based entirely upon franchisee satisfaction. Survey participants were asked 33 benchmark questions about their franchisor that focused on areas such as leadership, training, and core values, as well as 16 more personal questions concerning their business lifestyle and overall enjoyment of running their franchise.

“We’re so proud to be recognized by Franchise Business Review as one of the most innovative franchises in the country,” said Jason Leverant, president and COO of AtWork Group. “This recognition reinforces that by striving to live our mission of being “AtWork for You”—our clients, employees, and franchise partners—and relentlessly providing the industry’s best service, we are able to create an atmosphere of creativity, innovation, and success that will continue to help us realize unprecedented growth.”

AtWork was recently ranked No. 88 in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500® ranking and No. 106 in their Fastest Growing Franchises ranking. The company was also ranked No. 18 in the Franchise Times Fast & Serious list, in addition to receiving a Franchise Times Top 200+ ranking five years in a row. Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) recognized AtWork as being one of the largest staffing companies based on revenues, as well as one of the fastest-growing staffing firms in the U.S. in 2018, and Inc. Magazine ranked AtWork on its Inc. 5000 annual list for the fifth consecutive year, placing the company at No. 3,643.

AUSTIN, Texas — FirstLight Home Care, an award-winning provider of non-medical home care, today announced it will open a new location in Austin next month. The offices will be owned and operated by Bobby and Michelle Scruggs.

FirstLight Home Care of Austin will be serving primarily southwest Austin, including Lakeway, Bee Cave, Westlake Hills, Barton Creek, Oak Hill and Sunset Valley.

FirstLight serves seniors, adults with disabilities, new mothers, veterans, those recovering from surgery and other adults in need of assistance. Their caregivers help with many needs – from personal hygiene and household duties such as cooking, cleaning and running errands to mobility assistance and dementia care.

“This Austin office will help meet the increasing demand for home care in the area as baby boomers choose to age at home,” said Jeff Bevis, FirstLight Home Care co-founder and CEO. “We are eager to extend FirstLight’s culture of care to meet this growing need and help improve the well-being of members of the community.”

Since opening its first franchise location in 2010, FirstLight Home Care has experienced steady growth and is now operating more than 250 locations in 34 states throughout the U.S.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Cover the grill and fire up the drill, it’s pumpkin carving season! The nation’s leading property maintenance, repair and improvement franchise, Mr. Handyman, a Neighborly company, is celebrating Halloween with a photo contest to give North America’s pumpkin carving pros a chance to show off their unique handmade creations.

To enter the Pumpkin Carving contest, visit: https://mrhandyman.app.do/mr-handyman-pumpkin-carving-contest and submit a photo of your pumpkin by Wednesday, October 31, 2018 at 11:59 CT. Mr. Handyman will reward five random winners with a $250 gift card to Lowe’s Home Improvement.

“Our technicians are experts at wielding cordless drills, jigsaws and sawzalls to not only create pumpkin masterpieces, but to also cut down the time it takes to carve pumpkins,” said Mr. Handyman President J.B. Sassano. “We are interested in seeing what tips, tricks and pumpkin carving techniques people use at home to create their own ghoulish gourd.”

To learn more about Mr. Handyman’s Pumpkin Carving Contest, please visit: https://mrhandyman.app.do/mr-handyman-pumpkin-carving-contest. For additional decoration inspiration, visit Mr. Handyman’s website for free pumpkin carving templates, power tool tutorials and tips to make your pumpkin the best on the block at: http://www.mrhandyman.com/pumpkin.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Assisted Living Locators, a leading senior care referral and placement agency, announced today it is partnering with Seniorly, a powerful open online marketplace specializing in senior living search. This partnership offers families nationwide a “first-of-its-kind” service that adds the personal touch by offering customized tours of pre-screened facilities. This collaboration solidifies both companies’ commitment to transforming the way aging citizens and families connect to senior housing. Free to users on Seniorly.com, this unique booking service for personal tours extends nationwide.

Through this partnership, Seniorly will connect families via their online platform with Assisted Living Locators senior living advisors. These local experts will provide families a personalized experience with tours of vetted facilities, as well as share insider-knowledge on short- and long-term care options. Seniorly’s easy-to-use online marketplace lets users on web and mobile devices search, compare, save, share and select from thousands of facilities based on factors including location, cost, size, languages spoken and non-medical needs, as well as provides property ratings and reviews.

The collaboration between the two companies reinvents the senior housing search process and challenges the status quo of today’s online senior resource platforms, according to Assisted Living Locators CEO RN Angela Olea.

“This partnership combines Assisted Living Locators’ local placement expertise with Seniorly’s easy-to-use, intuitive search platform technology to reinvent a new service that has never been provided in the senior housing search process,” said Olea. “Families want more engagement and personalized service from online senior resource platforms. With our alliance, we are bringing a new physical reality to today’s digital services. Families will find our new service an appealing alternative to the limited offerings of online platforms.”

“Seniorly is excited to partner with Assisted Living Locators and their experienced team of eldercare advisors to give families this innovative tool in the senior housing search process,” said Seniorly CEO Arthur Bretschneider. “We are thrilled to be the first online platform to offer this new personal dimension to provide an even better experience for families once they are ready to tour and narrow their list of the right options for their loved one.”

Irvine, CA – Like any holiday, National Taco Day is about celebrating something we love: in this case, tacos. That’s why Taco Bell is observing the holiday with the magical gift of tacos and saying “seasoned beefings” with the $5 National Taco Day Gift Set, available in restaurants nationwide exclusively on October 4.

“Holidays certainly differ across the globe, but we know that a celebration of taco love is nearly universal,” said Marisa Thalberg, Global Chief Brand Officer at Taco Bell Corp. “National Taco Day has become a beloved tradition in the United States, and it is our honor to help translate that tradition to our friends around the world.”

With an unparalleled collection of four incredible hardshell tacos, the National Taco Day Gift Set includes the Crunchy Taco as well as the Fiery, Cool Ranch® and Nacho Cheese Doritos® Locos Tacos for just $5 – for fans to enjoy on their own or to gift this holiday season. To show that special someone they care, fans can send a digital gift card for $5 plus applicable taxes to their friends to gift the exclusive set along with a personal message because no holiday exchange is complete without one.

Forget that special box of chocolates or sparkling diamonds, Taco Bell is bringing taco season to fans leading up to October 4 with holiday commercial parodies highlighting the $5 National Taco Day Gift Set as the hottest gift of the season. With the return of National Taco Day also comes the return of many Taco Bell holiday traditions, including airings of the classic animated tale “Glen and the Magic Taco,” a magical digital short inspired by Taco Bell’s founder Glen Bell that tells the story of National Taco Day’s origin according to the brand.

Tomorrow might be the big day, but Taco Bell kicked off celebrations back on September 20 and has been helping fans get into the holiday spirit for weeks with a host of activities on Ta.co/day. While seasons come and go, Taco Bell is forever and fans can rep their love of tacos year-round with an exclusive National Taco Day t-shirt from the Taco Bell Taco Shop.

Celebrations officially kick off in U.S. restaurants nationwide tomorrow, but as Taco Bell announced in September that for the first time ever, the global brand will celebrate National Taco Day in more than 20 countries across the world. Follow #NationalTacoDay for festivities happening across the globe and for more suggestions on how to celebrate the big day.

CANTON, MA – Baskin-Robbins, the world’s largest chain of specialty ice cream shops, is inviting its ghoulish guests to enter Baskin-Robbins locations at their own risk this October to enjoy frighteningly delicious frozen treats that celebrate the scariest month of the year. Guests can enjoy a spooktacular product lineup that includes the Fang-Tastic Monster Cake, Trick OREO® Treat Flavor of the Month and wickedly good deals such as a small Cappuccino Blast® for $2.99.

Terrifyingly Tasty Treats

The frighteningly-friendly and fuzzy Fang-Tastic Monster Cake is a festive orange cake that can be customized with a guest’s favorite ice cream and cake flavors, including Trick OREO® Treat, the October Flavor of the Month.

Trick OREO® Treat is a classic Halloween favorite featuring the perfect combination of some of the best Halloween candies in one indulgent bite. This festive flavor features vanilla ice cream with orange crème-filled OREO® cookies, Baby Ruth® and Butterfinger® candy pieces and can be enjoyed in a cup, cone, sundae or even blended into a thick, creamy milkshake.

Wickedly Good Deals

Baskin-Robbins is scaring guests all month long with spooky deals, including a small Cappuccino Blast® for $2.99. The Cappuccino Blast is a delicious frozen coffee beverage that features a rich combination of coffee from 100% Arabica coffee beans, milk and ice cream blended with ice and topped with whipped cream and a cinnamon garnish. This fully customizable beverage can be created with seasonal flavors like Pumpkin Pie, Caramel Praline Cheesecake and Banana Nut.

Guests will also scream for ice cream throughout October when select ice cream cakes will be available for purchase beginning at $12.99. This includes the new OREO® Cookie Crumb Mini Roll Cake, a round ice cream cake topped with chocolate sauce, whipped topping and OREO® Cookies, and the Celebration Mini Roll Cake is a festive roll cake adorned with colorful frosting ribbons. These cakes will be available at participating U.S. locations as well as online at www.baskinrobbins.com/onlineordering.

Finally, mummies, ghosts and vampires alike can lift their spirits this Halloween with October’s Celebrate 31* promotion. This October 31st, guests can celebrate Halloween in the sweetest way possible with any regular or kids-sized scoop of ice cream for $1.50 at participating locations nationwide – bone appetite!

“We know how much our guests love Halloween and we’re so excited to treat them to a hauntingly delicious lineup of Halloween-themed desserts and wickedly good deals all month long,” said Carol Austin, Vice President of Marketing for Baskin-Robbins. “We are especially thrilled about the October Celebrate 31 promotion, where guests can stop by any Baskin-Robbins location for a Halloween treat.”

For more information about Baskin-Robbins’ wide variety of premium ice cream flavors and frozen desserts, visit www.BaskinRobbins.com or follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/BaskinRobbins), Twitter (www.twitter.com/BaskinRobbins) or Instagram (www.instagram.com/BaskinRobbins).

OREO is a trademark of Mondelez International group, used under license.

* Offer valid on October 31st. Offer varies in Detroit, Michigan, Houston Texas, San Jose, California and Fresno, California. Participation may vary. Scoop offer good on every size scoop. All listed flavors are optional amongst Baskin-Robbins’ stores. Waffle cones and toppings are extra. Cannot be combined with other offers. Plus applicable tax.

NEWPORT BEACH, CA – PRNewswire

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) will donate half of all sales from its 60 North Carolina restaurants on Sunday, September 30 to the United Way Hurricane Florence Recovery Fund. The fund will help local United Ways meet storm-related needs and support mid- to long-term recovery throughout the affected regions.

“Our communities – including our employees and our customers – across North Carolina are dealing with the destruction of Florence, and we want to do what we can to help rebuild,” said Brian Niccol, Chipotle CEO. “Since the storm hit, we’ve fed volunteers, worked with our local suppliers to donate food, and made sure our employees were compensated even when restaurants were closed. Being part of the community means taking care of each other, and we hope to do just that by raising funds for the United Way Hurricane Florence Recovery Fund.”

“United Way is grateful to work with organizations, like Chipotle, that share our commitment to helping those in crisis find a path to recovery,” said Mary Sellers, U.S. president, United Way Worldwide. “The Florence-affected areas of North Carolina are, and will continue to face severe challenges. United Way is continually assessing storm damage and resulting needs. With Chipotle and its customers, we’ll continue to fight for the health and safety of every North Carolinian affected by Florence.”

To contribute to the cause, residents can simply visit any Chipotle in North Carolina at any time from open to close (10:45 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.) on Sunday, September 30, and half the pre-tax proceeds of all food and beverage sales will be donated to United Way. Digital, catering and takeout orders placed for September 30, in addition to any orders placed in the restaurants, will also be included in this fundraising effort.

In addition to the fundraiser scheduled in the 60 North Carolina restaurants, Chipotle has donated more than 1,500 burritos to feed first responders over the last two weeks. Chipotle also made a cash donation to the Red Cross for immediate emergency efforts.