Darden Restaurants and Americana Group are joining forces to develop and operate Darden’s Red Lobster, Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse brands in the Middle East. An agreement announced Oct. 19 between the Orlando, Fla.-based restaurant company and the Kuwait-headquartered franchisee calls for Americana to develop a minimum of 60 restaurants over the next five years…

The Leggett & Platt Storage Products Group has new ownership and a new name. Now conducting business as a private entity under the name SPG International LLC, the company was purchased in September by its management team and Pegasus Capital Group. Its brand portfolio includes Amco, ISS, Universal Stainless, Gillis/Jarke, Kelmax, Freestyle, LPI, and ARC.…

Its name alone should give you a clue that Genghis Grill takes conquering new territory seriously. The Dallas chain, already the largest Mongolian grill chain in the United States, is expanding its exhibition cooking style with new restaurants in three states. The company says it will add seven more outlets—primarily in the Southwest, South Central,…

We apologize that many of you received two copies of FER Fortnightly two weeks ago. We launched our new website in June and for some reason—and we think we know what it was—the list-serve program had a hiccup. Again, sorry. 

Thirty deserving noncommercial operators will be able to attend Foodservice Equipment Reports’ Multiunit Foodservice Equipment Symposium for Noncommercial Operators, to be held June 13-15, 2011, on full scholarships. The scholarships will cover airfare, hotel and meeting seminar fees. The meeting, to be held at the Barton Creek Resort in Austin, Texas, will feature an in-depth,…

Orders for soft-serve machines and freezers should be going up soon, at least if Dairy Queen is your customer. International Dairy Queen plans to increase its presence in China by more than 60% by the end of 2011. The Edina, Minn., company already counts China as its fastest-growing and second-largest market (after the United States).…

Halton, the Finland-based company specializing in air-flow management, fire safety and kitchen ventilation, has stepped up its presence in the energy-management business by acquiring Current Energy. The Dallas-based company offers energy-management monitoring to reduce electricity, water and gas usage through Web-based automation and controls technology. Current Energy partnered with Halton last year in developing the…

Brazil, host of the 2016 Summer Olympics, is going to be eating more Whoppers. Burger King Corp. has signed the largest multi-unit development agreement in its six-year history in Brazil with one of its newest franchisees, the Vierci Group. In addition to their current development agreement in the state of Santa Catarina, the Vierci Group…

Never let it be said that Focus Brands doesn’t have wide-ranging taste in foodservice companies. In a deal expected to close later this fall, Focus has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Auntie Anne’s, adding soft pretzels to a brand lineup which already sells ice cream, coffee, baked goods, sandwiches and BBQ. Auntie Anne’s, based…

Tom Dirkx has joined Robot Coupe USA as the company’s new international regional manager. Dirkx, who has more than 20 years experience in the foodservice industry, will cover Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico. Robot Coupe, based in Jackson, Miss., specializes in commercial food processing machines.