Burger King Corporation introduces task-winning Western Angus Steak Burger
in 7,800 BURGER KING(R) restaurants nationwide
MIAMI, Jan. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- During Thursday's season premiere of "The
Apprentice," Trump's management team served up a mammoth task to the latest
crop of contestants: name, build, market and sell a new menu item at BURGER
KING(R) restaurants. What the Trump trainees didn't know is that Burger King
Corporation would actually flip for the winning burger - the Western Angus
Steak Burger - and begin serving it nationwide the next day.
As the smoke cleared atop Trump Tower, BURGER KING restaurants from coast
to coast began to prepare for the fastest new product launch in the company's
50-year history.
"At BURGER KING, our HAVE IT YOUR WAY(R) philosophy puts our customers in
charge. It's all about empowerment and getting what you want, when you want
it," said Russ Klein, chief marketing officer, Burger King Corporation.
"That's why we couldn't wait even a day to take this burger from the boardroom
to the lunchroom."
The Task
Faced with a meaty challenge, teams "Street Smarts" and "Book Smarts"
beefed up their knowledge of the fast food industry by completing a
substantial food safety and restaurant management-training course. Teams then
consulted with Burger King Corporation Chief Concept Officer Denny Post and
Senior Director, Product Innovation, Chef Calvin Harris to develop a marketing
campaign with support from Burger King Corporation's promotional agency.
Finally, each team took charge of a different Manhattan BURGER KING
restaurant, running all operations and sales for the day.
During their stint, the winning "Street Smarts" team used their natural
know-how to turn their new product into a cash cow, avoiding a trip to the
boardroom and a heated showdown with "The Donald."
Getting the Product to Market
BURGER KING(R) franchisees and employees nationwide didn't know they'd
have to fire up the grills for a new product until minutes after the first
contestant was fired. On Friday morning, each store received a shipment
including ingredients, instructions and "Apprentice"-themed promotional
materials, giving them a matter of hours to add the new item to their menus.
The high-speed turn-around was a first for both "The Apprentice" and Burger
King Corporation, and is unprecedented in the chain restaurant industry.
For fans of "The Apprentice" who are hoping to try the winning product,
the new Western Angus Steak Burger will be available for a limited time now
through February 4, 2005.
About Burger King Corporation
The BURGER KING(R) system operates more than 11,000 restaurants in all 50
states and in more than 61 countries and territories worldwide. Approximately
90 percent of BURGER KING restaurants are owned and operated by independent
franchisees, many of them family owned operations that have been in business
for decades.
Burger King Holdings Inc., the parent company, is private and
independently owned by an equity sponsor group comprised of Texas Pacific
Group, Bain Capital and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners. In fiscal year ending
June 30, 2004, Burger King Corporation had system-wide sales of $11.3 billion.
To learn more about BURGER KING, please visit the company's Web site at
http://www.burgerking.com .
SOURCE Burger King Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.burgerking.com
CONTACT:
Alison Russell of Burger King Corporation,
+1-305-378-7277 or arussell@whopper.com
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