Name change can be risky business

NEWS HIGHLIGHT

Name change can be risky business
The company: Lettuce Eatery. The challenge: Operate the chain under
different names in Canada and the U.S. The plan: Promote menu
alternatives rather than risk name-brand equity. The payoff: Higher
profit margins and a wider customer base.

The company: Lettuce Eatery. The challenge: Operate the chain under
different names in Canada and the U.S. The plan: Promote menu
alternatives rather than risk name-brand equity. The payoff: Higher
profit margins and a wider customer base.

When Matthew Corrin lived in New York City, his lunch of choice was
often a custom-made salad at the mom-and-pop deli around the corner
from his office. At the time, the Winnipeg native was working in PR for
fashion label Oscar de la Renta. "They had this great salad station
where you touch nothing and point to everything," the 27-year-old says.

That's how he got the idea for Lettuce Eatery, a chain of
quick-service restaurants in Toronto. "I realized, if someone could
take this amazing salad line and create a brand around it, it would be
an opportunity to 'Starbucks' the salad business," he says. | READ MORE