M E D I A C O V E R A G E

“I was a kid from Hoboken with an idea that became my dream come true. I am proud and extremely thankful for all the people who love Blimpie and keep coming back time and time again for more.” — Founder Tony Conza with Michelle Charlesworth, WABC-TV

“Blimpie amounts to an American success story, one that proves that a great idea and perseverance can be more important than capital, or lack thereof.”— Peter Genovese, The Star-Ledger

“After briefly leaving their mom’s Patterson, NJ Blimpie store, Alvaro (rejoined brother Julio) and the two brothers retook the Blimpie training program; the store is now “a gold mine.”— Ian Mount, New York Times

Blimpie was recently featured by major National TV shows like Fox and Friends and Good Morning America LIVE. Those two hits alone reached more than 10 million viewers nationwide!

“Non-profit organizations are increasingly turning to franchising as a viable revenue stream. Non-profits are relying on social enterprise efforts with high-profile franchises like Blimpie to fuel their annual funding efforts.” — Dana Mead, Franchising World

7/24/2014

Blimpie, Tim Hortons extend 50th anniversary promotions

http://nrn.com/print/quick-service/blimpie-tim-hortons-extend-50th-anniversary-promotions

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RELATED• Tim Hortons 4Q profit risesdespite unit closures• Blimpie debuts lighter menu• More quick­service restaurantnews

print | closeBlimpie, Tim Hortons extend 50th anniversary promotions

Mark BrandauWed, 2014­04­09 16:28

Blimpie and Tim Hortons are making a big deal out of turning 50 by leveraging the golden anniversary into a

yearlong opportunity to reintroduce their brands while showing off new features and growth markets.

Last Friday, Blimpie commemorated its 50th birthday by offering its signature Blimpie Best sub for 50 cents

to the first 200 customers at each of its nearly 600 franchised units. Founder Tony Conza, who opened the

first Blimpie in Hoboken, N.J., with two high school friends in 1964, was on hand at a Blimpie location in

Jersey City, N.J., to unveil a 50­foot sub made as part of a charity fundraiser during the day.Conza had filmed a news segment at that Jersey City Blimpie restaurant,

which is only a block away from where he attended grammar school, he

said, “which was a real walk down memory lane.”“I don’t often think too much about the roots of the company,” Conza

said, “so it’s been interesting for me the past few weeks, and I’m looking

forward to what we’re doing all year.”Blimpie’sinitiatives for

2014 include the Golden Giveaway contest, in whichevery customer who orders a combo meal receives ascratch card to enter to win several prizes, like avacation to Hawaii — the 50th state — or free tabletcomputers, free subs for a year or $50 Blimpie giftcards.

“We have high hopes for this year,” added SteveEvans, vice president of marketing for Blimpie, whichis owned by Scottsdale, Ariz.­based Kahala Corp.“The goal is to reintroduce the brand, get more trialand awareness, and we think it gives us a greatstepping stone to build on. These types of[anniversary] things only set you up for success onlater promotions.”

Other major platforms for Blimpie this year include the eventual rollout of online ordering and a branded

mobile app that complements its Blimpie Run game for smartphones and tablets. The chain’s third­quarter

limited­time offer will pay tribute to Blimpie’s origins: the Hoboken Hero, which will be an Italian sub with

capicola, salami and pepperoni.

“Since its (pepper jack) promo began last month, sales of the cheese have doubled at Blimpie, VP of Marketing Steve Evans says. The key: Millennials love the stuff. ‘They tend to be more adventurous with what they put on a sandwich.’” — VP of Marketing Steve Evans with Bruce Horovitz, USA Today.

Blimpie has been featured by dozens of the nation’s leading news and restaurant publications, including USA Today, Huffington Post, T ime Magazine, QSR Magazine and Nation’s Restaurant News

“Nonprofit executive Bobby Calvillo and Blimpie area developer Alan Crites found their visions for a community impact could intersect in a powerful way. The two teamed up to establish a Blimpie unit in southern Texas that channels funds to Calvillo’s affordable housing organization.” — Carrie Schmeck, QSR Magazine

“Blimpie is hiring! They are looking for 1500 people between now and the end of the year. They’ve got a really great new program I want to highlight. It’s for veterans. If you want to be a franchise owner and you are a veteran, they will waive the franchise fee for you which is normally $18,000.” — Cheryl Casone, Fox Business Network

11/25/13

Newsday.com

www.newsday.com/business/blimpie-employee-becomes-franchise-owner-1.6459110?print=true

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advertisement | advertise on newsday

Blimpie employee becomes franchise

owner

November 24, 2013 by SHERYL NANCE-NASH. Special to Newsday

At 16, Jitin Choudhury's job was cleaning up at

Blimpie in Westbury. Today, at 27, he owns a

Blimpie in East Meadow.

He learned store management in his two years

in Westbury and moved on to stores in Freeport

and Hicksville. In 2007 he was hired as the

manager in East Meadow. When the owner

retired last year, Choudhury bought the

franchise.

"Blimpie is what I know. I always thought one

day I would own a store," says Choudhury.

With his savings and financial support from

family, last November his dream came true.

However, transitioning from employee to owner,

with new responsibilities for managing those he

had worked side by side with, proved

challenging.

"Being in the owner's shoes is different," he

said. "As a manager you think week to week,

but as the owner you have to think big picture.

Where will you be a year from now?"

Experts say the change is significant. "Your

mind-set must shift from contributor to a

leader," says Marsha Ershaghi Hames, a

practice leader in the Washington, D.C., office

of LRN, a governance advisory firm.

Relationships are key. "You must transition your

relationships with employees from that of a

friend, and sometimes a close friend, to a boss.

A new owner also needs to develop 'sounding board' relationships with other business owners,"

says Marc Newman, a partner in the accounting firm Anchin, Block and Anchin in Manhattan.

Clarify mission, plan

The new owner should present the company's mission and strategic plan from his or her point of

view, even if it's essentially the same as the previous owner's, and share it with the entire staff,

http://www.newsday.com/business/blimpie-employee-becomes-

franchise-owner-1.6459110

7/24/2014Franchise Players: From Blimpie Employee to Franchise Owner | Entrepreneur.com

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/234474

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Image credit: I like | Flickr

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Franchise Players is Entrepreneur’s Q&Ainterview column that puts the spotlight onfranchisees. If you're a franchisee with adviceand tips to share,email ktaylor@entrepreneur.com.

Even though Jitin Choudhury only became aBlimpie franchisee two years ago, he has beenworking at the sandwich chain for over adecade. Choudhury started out at Blimpie atage 16, working at the same shop thatemployed his mother. He worked his way upthe ladder as manager, gaining the respect andsupport of local customers. When anopportunity emerged to buy his own Blimpielocation, Choudhury jumped on it. Here's howhe's made the transition from employer toemployee.

Name: Jitin Choudhury

Franchise owned: Blimpie, in East Meadow-

KATE TAYLORENTREPRENEUR STAFF

Staff Writer

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165 Million: Blimpie stories have reached more than 165 million customers in the first half of 2014 alone.

Blimpie media coverage has generated more than $10 million in media value in the past six months. Jan. 2014 - June 2014

“Another successful mobile game designed to boost sales and customer loyalty, Blimpie’s Blimpie Run, rolled out in mid-Septem-ber. After nine weeks, nearly 4,400 people had downloaded the Blimpie Run game, and it had generated an opt-in rate of almost 38 percent to Blimpie’s e-mail club.” — Christine Blank, QSR Magazine

“(Blimpie Owner) Jitin Choudhury says his first year is a success. Sales this summer were 15% to 20% higher than those in summer 2012. He projects sales of more than $300,000 in 2013.”— Sheryl Nance-Nash, Newsday

“What we kind of hang our hat on is our flexibility, which involves the menu items, as well as trying to work with the space that they have. It’s kind of our motto — if you’ve got a space and it’s a good-traffic location and you’re willing to add it, we’re going to make it work.” — Blimpie spokesperson with Angela Hanson, Convenience Store News

7/24/2014

How one QSR brand is taking advantage of the c-store resurgence | QSRWeb

http://www.qsrweb.com/articles/how-one-qsr-brand-is-taking-advantage-of-the-c-store-resurgence/?style=print

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How one QSR brand is takingadvantage of the c-store resurgence

As revenues from gasoline and tobacco products fall, foodservice sales are

increasingly becoming convenience stores' most profitable category.

New research from Technomic projects that c-store foodservice will continue to

grow by 2.5 percent throughout each of the next two years. The segment is

particularly benefitting from consumers' increased demands for convenience,

portability and speed of food service.Some brands are taking advantage of this better positioning and developing a ubiquitous presence at c-

store chains. One such brand is Kahala-owned Blimpie. QSRweb recently discussed the brand's c-store

strategy with Jillian Clothier, Kahala's director of franchise development.

QSRweb: Have you witnessed a trend toward c-store footprints?

Jillian Clothier: For sure. We were one of the first brands to enter the c-store space. Of our more than 750

locations, about one-third — 250-plus — are c-store locations. Most of our competitors have now entered

the segment.QSRweb: How has Blimpie evolved with the growing trend?

JC: Back in the day, we'd squeeze a Blimpie into small space for the benefit of us and the c-store. Now we

want customers to get same experience as they do in traditional (restaurant). If a c-store doesn't have the

space to offer that, we have to consider our options. We used to take small spaces within c-stores and

offer a limited menu — sort of like a Blimpie Express concept. Now it's almost the opposite. We have a

large footprint within a large c-store. We're looking at c-stores that are now building out at 5,000 to 6,000

square feet. Ultimately, instead of limiting our menu, we're now broadening it.

QSRweb: Why did your model change within the c-store setting?

JC: This is part of a larger trend of c-stores offering more devotion to foodservice. The money isn't in gas

and cigarettes like it used to be, so they're focusing on food. Plus, people trust c-stores more than they

used to. The bathrooms are cleaner, they can purchase healthier food now and it's more of a one-stop