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☆ Red Lobster may soon have a new owner
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Two months after filing for bankruptcy, Red Lobster is close to emerging with a new owner. Fortress is one of Red Lobster’s largest lenders and has financed the restaurant chain’s operations, including a new $100 million loan that allowed Red Lobster to stay afloat during its bankruptcy proceedings. Red Lobster has closed around 100 restaurants in recent months and has said it wants to close several dozen more locations. Mismanagement, competition, inflation and other factors brought down Red Lobster, which has been a pioneer in the restaurant industry. Red Lobster cut costs, removed longtime suppliers and implemented strategies that backfired, such as making $20 endless shrimp a permanent menu item.

Persons: Krystal, Logan’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Fortress Credit Corp, Thai Union’s, CNN, Thai Union, Union Locations: New York, Thai Union, Thai

☆ How a global seafood giant broke Red Lobster
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-25 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Former Red Lobster employees say that while the pandemic, inflation and rent costs impacted Red Lobster, Thai Union’s ineptitude was the pivotal factor in Red Lobster’s decline. Kenny criticized Red Lobster employees at meetings and made derogatory comments about them, according to former Red Lobster leaders who worked closely with Kenny. Red Lobster’s annual customer count has dropped by 30% since 2019, Red Lobster said in its bankruptcy filing. Red Lobster employees say they were pressured by Thai Union representatives to buy more seafood from Thai Union. Thai Union representatives also began sitting in on meetings between Red Lobster and seafood suppliers, said one of the former Red Lobster employees who witnessed these conversations.

Persons: “, Ludovic Garnier, Jorge Silva, Red Lobster’s, ”, Les Foreman, Red, Thiraphong Chansiri, Angel, Feng shui, Chansiri, Amanda Mustard, Paul Kenny, Kenny, ’, Kenny’s, Bill Darden, General Mills, Darden, Kelli Valade, Valade, Trin, Tapanya, Kevin Lamarque, Barry Fulghum, Lobster, Leah Millis Organizations: New, New York CNN, Thai Union Group, Red, Lobster, Thai Union, CNN, Red Lobster, John West Foods, longtime, Reuters, Thai, West Coast, Lobster’s, Bloomberg, Getty, Minor, Thai Union —, Union, Darden, Gate, Golden, Capital, Facebook, Thai Union . Thai Union, ” Thai Union Locations: New York, Thai, Thailand, Thai Union, United States, Orlando, Australian, Dallas, America, United, Texas, Spring , Maryland

☆ How Red Lobster’s misguided endless shrimp promotion drove it into bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy Sunday, and the bankruptcy filing sheds new light on Thai Union’s role in the endless shrimp mishap. Red Lobster said it is investigating the circumstances of that promotion, which Red Lobster management opposed. Michael Nagle/Bloomberg/Getty Images“This decision created both operational and financial issues for [Red Lobster]… saddling the company with burdensome supply obligations” to Thai Union, Red Lobster said in the filing. “Certain operational decisions by former management have harmed [Red Lobster’s] financial situation in recent years,” Red Lobster said in its bankruptcy filing. Red Lobster stallsBut Red Lobster fell behind its sister brand Olive Garden under Darden.

Persons: Michael Nagle, ”, Alex Susskind, Susskind, General Mills, Bill Darden, Charley Woodsby, Darden, ” Woodsby, Jonathan Maze, Betty Crocker, Red, Mills, Cyrus McCrimmon, ” Joe Lee, Olive, Red Lobster’s, “ Darden, ” Les Foreman, Anthony Behar, SIPPL, AP Darden, they’ve, John Gordon, “, Patrick T, Fallon, Thiraphong Chansiri, ” “, ” Chansiri Organizations: New, New York CNN, Union became Red, Thai Union, Red Lobster, Bloomberg, Getty, Cornell University, CNN, Baby Boomers, General, Howard, Restaurant Business, Darden, Lobster, Denver Post, Harvard Business School, Longhorn, AP, Gate, ‘, Thai, Getty Images Thai Union, ” Thai Locations: New York, Thai Union, Bangkok, Thai, underinvestment, Lakeland , Florida, Orlando, America, Olive, Square , New York, Sale, Torrance , California, AFP

☆ Red Lobster is abruptly closing dozens of restaurants
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN —Struggling Red Lobster is abruptly closing at least 48 of its restaurants around the country, according to a leading restaurant liquidator. TAGeX Brands is conducting an online auction of Red Lobster kitchen equipment, furniture and other contents at restaurants closing. Red Lobster locations in Buffalo, Orlando, Jacksonville and other cities were listed as “temporarily closed” on Red Lobster’s website, according to local news reports. In 2020, Thai Union, a longtime supplier to Red Lobster, took an undisclosed financial stake in the chain, becoming a key shareholder. Thai Union said earlier this year it would divest from Red Lobster and take a $530 million loss on its investment.

Persons: Neal Sherman, “ Organizations: New, New York CNN —, TAGeX Brands, Thai Union Locations: New York, Buffalo, Orlando, Jacksonville, Thai Union

☆ Red Lobster brought seafood to the masses. Now it’s on the verge of bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

While it was a delicious deal for customers, it was terrible for the company: Red Lobster lost $3.3 million in seven weeks. The deal was once again too popular, and Red Lobster was unprepared for its customers’ insatiable lust for discounted shellfish. Red Lobster is now reportedly considering filing for bankruptcy protection to restructure its debt and shed some of its 650 US locations. Red Lobster stallsBut Red Lobster fell behind its sister brand Olive Garden under Darden. In 2021 and 2022, Red Lobster brought on a new CEO, chief marketing officer, chief financial officer and chief information officer.

Persons: Lobster, “, ”, John Gordon, Michael Nagle, Alex Susskind, General Mills, Bill Darden, Charley Woodsby, Darden, ” Woodsby, Jonathan Maze, Betty Crocker, Red, Glen Martin, Mills, ” Joe Lee, Olive, Red Lobster’s, “ Darden, ” Les Foreman, Justin Sullivan, they’ve, Les Foreman, Thiraphong Chansiri, ” “, ” Chansiri Organizations: New, New York CNN, Lobster, Thai Union, Bloomberg, Getty, Red Lobster, CNN, Cornell University, Baby Boomers, General, Howard, Restaurant Business, Darden, Denver Post, Harvard Business School, Longhorn, Darden Restaurants, Gate, ‘, Thai, “, ” Thai Locations: New York, United States, Bangkok, Thai, underinvestment, Lakeland , Florida, Orlando, America, Olive, Sale, Thai Union, Thailand

☆ Red Lobster is offering an endless lobster feast. What should you know?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( John Towfighi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

In celebration of its annual Lobsterfest, Red Lobster is giving 150 winners an “Endless Lobster Experience,” a two-hour complimentary feast of unlimited lobster, two sides and Cheddar Bay Biscuits. But the Endless Lobster Experience comes at a tumultuous time: Red Lobster reported a record $12.5 million operating loss in the fourth quarter of 2023. And in January, minority investor Thai Union Group announced its intent to exit Red Lobster, citing a $19 million loss from Red Lobster across the first nine months of 2023. Starting February 20 and while supplies last, 150 winners will have a chance to enjoy Red Lobster’s free feast. The chance to win the Endless Lobster Experience will be advertised through Red Lobster’s social media channels, including Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

Persons: ”, headwinds, Thiraphong Chansiri, Ludovic Garnier, Chansiri, “ We’re, Lobsterfest, you’ll, “ I’m Organizations: CNN, Cheddar Bay Biscuits, Thai Union Group, Thai Union, Red Lobster, Facebook Locations: Cheddar, Florida, Maine

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