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Häagen-Dazs Is Shaking Things Up for Company's 50th Birthday Celebration	Classic Shakes come with the chance of a lifetime this summer MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.– In honor of the company's 50th Birthday Celebration, participating Häagen-Dazs Shop locations are hosting the first ever Classic Shakes Scratch to Win promotion. Classic Shakes are available in the company's three original flavors of vanilla, chocolate and coffee. Each Classic Shake purchase comes with a Scratch to Win game piece that is guaranteed to bring a smile to any ice cream lover's face, according to Julie Fleigle, Brand Manager of Häagen-Dazs Shoppe Company. Every card is a winner, with prizes ranging from free scoops of Häagen-Dazs ice cream to a Grand Prize of free Classic Shakes for a year. “This summer, we’re celebrating where it all began. Our three original flavors (chocolate, coffee and vanilla) provide customers with a taste of the long standing Häagen-Dazs tradition. It reinforces why our products have stood the test of time and why 50 years later, we’re still enjoying them,” said Fleigle. “The new twist on these classics is that each one comes with a Scratch to Win game piece that really is just that – every card is a winner!” The Scratch to Win promotion runs through September 6, 2010 and is valid only at participating Häagen-Dazs Shop locations (while supplies last). "In the 50 years since Reuben Mattus, the company's founder, created the first super premium ice cream brand in Brooklyn Heights, NY, the company has become synonymous with delicious ice cream for discerning customers around the globe," said Fleigle. "We now have 32 flavors to choose from, ranging from the exotic, to the unusual, to the familiar – like our Classic Shakes." “The Scratch to Win promotion is a fun way to give back to our customers who have helped make us the successful ice cream brand we are today,” said Dawn Uremovich, President of the Häagen-Dazs Shoppe Company, Inc. “In addition, we hope the promotion will prompt new customers to step inside our Shops for an exceptional, one of a kind ice cream experience.” For more information, visit http://haagendazs.com/shops/.
Papa Murphy’s Among Fastest-Growing Restaurant Franchises in the U.S.	Take ‘n’ bake pizza leader’s impressive 2009 new store and sales growth place chain on annual industry census report VANCOUVER, Wash. – July 27, 2010 – Papa Murphy’s International announced today that in 2009 it outpaced all pizza-industry competition in new store growth and U.S. systemwide sales, based on year-over-year percentage change. According to the 37th Annual Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN) Top 100 census report, Papa Murphy’s growth in U.S. franchise units from 2008 to 2009 landed the take ‘n’ bake pizza chain among the top 10 restaurant franchises, which also include Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Jack in the Box and Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar. Papa Murphy’s is the only pizza chain to secure a spot in the top 10. “Papa Murphy’s is an attractive option because we have one of the lowest investment levels of any pizza chain,” said John Barr, Papa Murphy’s Chairman and CEO. “That's often a deciding factor, given the current difficulty for new business owners to secure financing. We signed over 130 franchise agreements last year, including some in major new markets in the Southeast." Additionally, the NRN report indicates that Papa Murphy’s saw the greatest growth in U.S. systemwide sales within the pizza category in 2009. “The key to sustaining our momentum this past year is that we’ve continued to remain an affordable meal solution and we haven’t compromised the quality of our product,” added Barr. Papa Murphy’s success is reflected in its system’s franchisee satisfaction. Recent results from a survey conducted by Franchise Business Review indicate that Papa Murphy’s has some of the most satisfied franchise owners among nearly 100 major brands. The company scored as one of the top food franchises for 2009 based on overall franchise owner satisfaction. For more information about Papa Murphy's click here.
Flip Flop Shops and Soles4Souls Announce Plans for 2011 Summer Celebration	Expand Partnership to Aid Individuals in Need with Month-Long Shoe Drive ATLANTA – Three years into its robust expansion plan, Flip Flops Shops has quickly established itself as the premier destination for flip flops and sandals, and one of world’s hottest retail concepts earning this year’s International Council of Shopping Centers Hot Retailer of the Year Award. Along with the worldwide admiration from industry insiders and franchise investors spanning the globe, Flip Flops Shops has continued to grow its relationship with Soles4Souls, as part of its pledge to help provide footwear for individuals in need. Today, amid swelling summer heat, the two partners jointly announced plans to kickoff the start of summer 2011 with a month-long charity promotion, nearly a year to the date. Details of the promotion remain to be solidified, but the charitable effort will focus on facilitating Soles4Souls’ mission to collect more shoes and distribute more shoes to the people who desperately need them. “No doubt, we promote a laidback, adventurous lifestyle, but we have a serious commitment to Soles4Souls and want to empower the organization to carry out its mission,” said Brian Curin, the President (Size 10) of Flip Flop Shops. “We can’t think of a better way to get people psyched about summer, and into the ‘Free Your Toes’ state of mind than with a cause that so many can connect with on an emotional level.” Less than a year ago Flip Flop Shops and Soles4Souls announced their partnership and instantly all Flip Flop Shops locations became a hub for consumer shoe donations. As part of their Free Your Toes…Bring Your Soles program, customers who bring in a pair of gently used or new close-toe shoes to donate, receive a significant discount on the purchase of new flip flops to Free Their Toes. Through their partnership, Flip Flop Shops recently leveraged its relationship with popular flip flop brand Scott Hawaii to have more than 500 pairs of flip flops donated to Soles4Souls. Additional core brands sold at Flip Flop Shops will be part of next year’s charitable summer celebration. “With our presence expanding quite rapidly we know we can help bring attention to Soles4Souls mission to collect and distribute more footwear,” said Darin Kraetsch, the CEO (Size 10) of Flip Flop Shops. “The need for footwear worldwide is tremendous. It’s hard to put your arms around the number of individuals that we can impact through our partnership with Soles4Souls. For more information about Flip Flop Shops, click here.
AllBusiness Designates AlphaGraphics as Top-ranked Printing Franchise for 2010	Salt Lake City, UT (Grassroots Newswire) July 27, 2010 - Marketing and communications franchisor AlphaGraphics, Inc. has been named in the top 25% of AllBusiness "AllStar Franchises" for 2010, with an overall ranking of 65 out of the 300 "best of the best" franchise companies selected. This distinguishes AlphaGraphics as the top-ranked printing franchise for 2010. Employing a systematic analysis of more than 800 franchising companies, the AllBusiness research team evaluated a number of criteria compiled by Dun & Bradstreet to rank the winners, including financial strength scores and franchise unit growth rate, in order to pick the top 300. The comparison ranking ensures that only those companies with strong, balanced business models achieve the highest scores. AlphaGraphics ranked in the top 25% for factors such as D&B financial strength, longevity and web visibility. "We are always pleased to have the viability, strength and innovation of our Network recognized," said AlphaGraphics CEO Kevin Cushing. "This ranking underscores AlphaGraphics' commitment to continually improving and growing our company in order to better serve and position our customers for success in their marketing communication efforts. We believe it is important that prospective entrepreneurs have the opportunity to review all elements of a thriving business model before taking that leap into ownership, and we feel that this ranking highlights our focus on supporting our franchisees in all aspects of their business." The AllStar ranking notes AlphaGraphics' successful transition from a print shop to a modern digital service center, as well as the company's stringent quality standards. Also recognized was the marketing and communication provider's commitment to the environment, with more than 60 of its locations nationwide holding Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, and AlphaGraphics' strong international presence. AlphaGraphics offers solutions for design; digital, offset and large-format printing; marketing communications; promotional products; digital archiving; and mailing services for small- to medium-sized businesses as well as corporate entities. For more information about AlphaGraphics, please contact Cassie Salt at 801-595-7254 or visit www.alphagraphics.com .

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