Bojangles

Delivered November 10th, 2019. Contributors: Eunice O. and

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Biography - Jose Armario

Jose Armario boasts of over 25 years of working experience with Global brands like McDonald's and Burger King. The alumnus of the University of Miami loves football, basketball, and baseball. His net worth is at least $5.1 million.
Personal InformationFamilyJose Armario was born 1959 in Cuba and is married to his high school lover, Mary with whom they have three children 
Hobbies/InterestsHis favorite sport is football and is even a member of the Miami Hurricanes. He is also a fan of ACC basketball. His other favorite game is baseball
 Cajun Filet Biscuit is his favorite Bojangles' menu. Fried Chicken: An American Story by John T. Edge is his favorite book. Jose Armario loves to work out and travel.
Charity WorkJose Armario is an advocate of Good Samaritan Hospital. He is also a member of the Greg Olsen Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides support to people affected by cardiovascular diseases and cancer
LanguagesMr. Armario is fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Net WorthAccording to Wallmine, Mr. Armario's net worth is at least $5.1 million.  He "owns over 18,215 units of Avon Products stock worth over $86,703, and over the last 13 years, he sold AVP stock worth over $4,807,158. In addition, he makes $206,061 as Independent Director at Avon Products."
ControversyIn October 2019, Jose Armario, alongside other directors of Avon, was summoned by the "Supreme Court of the State of New York County of Kings" to answer a case on breach of fiduciary duty. The lawsuit was filed by Paul Berger, a shareholder at Avon.
Professional InformationEducationJose Armario studied Masters in Professional Management and Latin America from the University of Miami from 2002 to 2003. He holds a Certificate in Finance from Northwestern University, where he also did a CEO Perspective course in Management in 2007. 
In 1979, he graduated with an Associate's Degree in Business Administration from Miami Dade Community College.
Past and Current Work ExperienceMr, Armario started working in 1977 as the director of Burger King Corporation. In 1992, he moved to Lens Crafters, where he worked as the Senior Director until 1996. 
Afterward, he joined McDonald's Corp as the president of McDonald's Chile. In 1993, he became the senior vice president and International Relations Partner. He served in this position for four years before becoming the President of McDonalds's Latin America.
In 2011, he became the corporate executive vice president, where he was in charge of the global supply chain, development, and franchising. He served as a member of LCDA for one year and a member of the board of directors of USG for 12 years.
Jose Armario is currently serving as a member of the President's Council at the University of Miami. He is a board of directors member at Avon. 
Mr. Armario founded his company Armario Enterprises, in 2016. He also founded Power C, LLC in 2016. 
Jose Armario is a director at the Reception for Research: The Greg Olsen Foundation and Golden State Foods. He joined Bojangles' Restaurants Inc in January 2019 as the CEO.
StrengthsHis strengths include"building talented teams and partnerships, establishing strategic alliances that are important in critical decision-making processes."
Awards and RecognitionJose Armario has been honored by the Chicago United Business Leaders of Color.
Other Facts About Jose ArmarioAfter migrating to Miami from Cuba, Jose Armario worked in a gas station at the age of twelve. 
He bought his first Shelby Mustang at $250 when he was 15 years old.

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Biography - Jackie Woodward

Jackie Woodward boasts of over 30 years of marketing experience both in the global and domestic markets, with eight years in the beer industry. Her favorite quote is "you can't build a reputation on what you are going to do," by Henry Ford.
Personal DataFamilyJackie Woodward is currently 57 years old and she is married to Steve, a restaurant entrepreneur, and a digital media consultant. They have a daughter called Aleksandra, whom they adopted when she was seven years in Russia, and they live in Pinehurst.
Jackie Woodward is the firstborn daughter to a teacher and Navy Captain.
Hobbies and interestShe is passionate about food, as evidenced by the variety of culinary pinned on her Pinterest page. She also loves fashion and vegetation. Her favorite musician is Kristian Bush, and she loves Bichon Frise.
Her favorite places and spaces include Charleston Historic Homes, the South's Prettiest Porches, Southern Methodist University, Sydney Opera House, Pinehurst Golf course, the Eiffel Tower in France, Naples Florida, Dallas Hall, and Playa Del Carmen, among others.
Charitable workShe spends her free time as an international adoption advocate.
Professional DataEducationJackie Woodward studied Bachelor of Journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia from 1979 to 1983.
Past and Current Work ExperienceJackie Woodward started working as an account supervisor at Golin Haris from 1983 to 1987. She then became a senior director at McDonald's from 1990 to 2000. Later on, she joined Utimatebid.com as the General Manager of Consumer Products, where she worked for one year.
In the year 2001, Jackie Wood joined McDonald Corporation as the vice president of global marketing. She worked for five years before joining MillerCoors in April 2006 as the vice president of media and marketing services. In August 2008, she became the VP Media and Marketing Services and Marketing Connections in the same organization.
In September 2014, Jackie Wood joined General Mills as the Vice President of Global Media. She has worked at Krispy Kreme as the Chief Marketing Officer. Afterward, she became a member of the board of directors at Craft Brew Alliance, a position she holds till present.
She Joined Bojangles' Restaurants Inc in April 2019,and she is currently working as the Chief Marketing Officer of the company.
Key StrengthsHer key strengths include," Leadership, Marketing Strategy, Omnichannel, Board of Directors, Social Media, Media Strategy, Strategic Partnerships, Agency Relations, Consumer Experience, P&L Management, Women's Mentor, Organizational Transformation."
Awards and achievementsHer notable input in her career has earned awards and recognition like Brand Innovator’s Top 50 Brand Innovators, the Ad Woman of the Year by Chicago Advertising Federations, and the Media Maven by Advertising Age.
In 2011 she was named Sports Business Journal's "Game Changers." In 1999, she featured in the list of 25 Most Powerful Women in Sports.
While working at McDonald's, Jackie Woodward is one of the leaders that created global marketing. She contributed to launch of the "I'm lovin it" campaign, the first award-winning advertising campaign with global recognition.
 Jackie Woodward also "oversaw the expansion of McDonald's sports and entertainment strategy worldwide, including the launch of global partnerships with the International Olympic Committee and FIFA and the 10-year alliance with the Walt Disney Company."
Research StrategyAfter a thorough search, we found no controversy associated with Jackie Woodward. We started by analyzing several media publications Like Fortune, ABC News, Glamour, NBC Chicago, Business Wire, National Restaurant News, and others. Such sources are likely to highlight any controversy that surrounds an individual or company. However, these sources celebrated her new appointments, provided an overview of her professional background, and even acknowledged her commitment to meeting the needs of the customers in various organizations that she worked with.

We then searched through her social media profile. Our focus to identify any post by Jackie Woodward seeking to clarify any controversy about her. After searching through different similar profiles of persons with the same name on social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, we found her only on Twitter. However, on this platform, there is no negative post about her. Most of her tweets involve pictures of different food offered at Bojangles and Krispy Kreme.

Lastly, we searched for interviews and podcasts. Most interviews and podcasts usually ask questions and seek clarifications about controversies surrounding an individual. After a thorough search, we found one interview that was published in 2011 by Sports Business Journal. In the interview, no question about controversy is asked. The questions are about her achievements, role model, challenges she faces in her career, and others. In her response to challenges that she faces, she talks of finding new ideas and not controversies. We have therefore concluded that Jackie Woodward has not been involved in any controversy.

Note that during the search, we found articles about Jackie Woodward that are more than 24 months old like AdAge, Sports Business Journal, Speakerpedia, and Mobile Marketing Association. The articles not only provided an overview of Jackie Woodward's professional background before joining Bojangles, but also provided relevant information about her family background, so they have been included despite their age.

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Bojangles - Competitors

Popeyes, Biscuitville, Raising Cane's Chicken Finger, and Church's Chicken are four of the main competitors of Bojangles. They offer at least one specialty similar to Bojangles. Bojangles specializes in buttermilk biscuits, cajun seasoning, and fried chicken. 
 Popeyes
Why It is a CompetitorThey also specialize in fried chicken, cajun spices, and buttermilk biscuits.
 They operate primarily in the Southeastern USA.
Value proposition
They provide fried chicken with a "secret recipe" and a diversified menu at an affordable price. They have a store locator that enables their customers to identify a nearby Popeyes restaurant. They also have offers where their customers get to purchase more food at affordable rates.
 Biscuitville
Why It is a CompetitorBiscuitville is a fast food restaurant that specializes in buttermilk biscuits that also houses eggs, fried chicken, ham, bacon, and other deliciousness. They mainly operate in the southeastern US.
Value proposition
Biscuitville understands the importance of proper nutrition, and they, therefore, provide their customers with a right and complete nutrition information on the different menus that they offer.
They specialize in freshly baked biscuits from locally sourced ingredients.
 They also have seasonal promotions where their clients get to have special treatment on their birthdays and free meals.
 Church's Chicken Church's Chicken is a chain of quick-service restaurants whose specialty is fried chicken, and they also have butter biscuits in their menu. Their headquarters is in Atlanta, Georgia, and they also have locations in other parts of the southeastern US.
Value PropositionThey serve freshly prepared home-style and high-quality complete meals for their customers. Their fried chicken is served in unique flavors and big portions. They also offer coupons that their customers can use to buy meals in large quantities and at affordable prices.
 Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers

Why It is a Competitor
Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers is a chain of fast-food restaurants in the US that specializes in fried chicken.
 They also operate in the southeastern US.
Value Proposition
The restaurants offer high-quality chicken fingers by providing a limited menu to maintain an unmatched quality in the industry. Customers can also access gift cards, which allows customers to purchase food at a more affordable rate.
Research Strategy
To identify the real competitors of Bojangles, we first sought to understand their specialties and the geographical locations where they operate. During the search, we determined that Bojangles operates in the southeastern US, and their specialty is buttermilk biscuits, cajun seasoning, and fried chicken. We then focused on identifying fast-food restaurants with similar specialty and have locations in the southeastern US. After a thorough search, we identified Popeyes, which also specializes in fried chicken, cajun spices, and buttermilk biscuits. We then searched for additional three quick-service restaurants with locations in the Southeastern and have at least one specialty similar to Bojangles. We then identified Biscuitville, Raising Cane's Chicken Finger, and Church's Chicken.

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Bojangles - Competitors: The Findings

Popeyes has been in the restaurant industry for over 40 years, while Biscuitville has been in operation since 1966. Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers earned $966 million in revenue in 2017, while Church's Chicken's revenue was $785,96 million in 2017.
PopeyesHeadquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Popeyes is a global chain of fast-food restaurants that have been in operation for more than 40 years. The company was founded in 1975 in New Orleans. Its menu features chicken tenders, fried shrimp, and spicy chicken, and other delicacies. 
Their 2018 annual revenue was $3,732 million, and they have more than 5,000 employees. As of 2018, they were available in 3,102 locations, both globally and the US.
Competitive AdvantageBy changing its brand name to Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen from Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits, the company was able to attract a wider audience, and also expand its menu beyond their signature offering. 
The company has also created a more personalized and detailed product-invention process. From time to time, the company invites delegates from its franchises, as well from other departments of operations. The representatives are then sent to a specific city in the US, like Seattle, Portland, Charleston, and Ore. These cities are known for having bustling scenes of food.
When sent to these cities, the delegates get to learn the history of their local cuisine as well as eating the food offered in fine- dining spots to roadside stands. Afterward, the team brainstorms on learned concepts and then determine how their new food product would be accepted in the market. Before it is introduced in the market, the company spends adequate time developing and testing the product.
WeaknessAfter the company introduced the chicken sandwich to its menu, the company encountered a high demand, which led to their employees spending over 60 hours with limited breaks. The long working hours made many employees want to quit as they were unable to handle the unprecedented high demand. Also, some employees have complained of poor pay.
BiscuitvilleBiscuitville is a privately held fast food restaurant with headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina. Burney Jennings founded it in 1966. They specialize in freshly baked biscuits from locally sourced ingredients.
They have 55 locations in Virginia and North Carolina. Their estimated annual revenue is between $10 million-$50 million. Their employee size is between 1001-5000.
Competitive AdvantageThe company sources its ingredients locally. They are also known for making fresh biscuits every 15 minutes. The biscuits "have a sturdy and slightly crisp exterior that holds them together but are light, fluffy, and creamy inside ⁠— making them perfect for sandwiches as they can stand up to cleanly taking a bite without falling apart."
WeaknessExcept for the college campus location at Elon University, the chain cannot be accessed past 2 pm because they only offer breakfast and lunch.
Raising Cane's Chicken FingersRaising Cane's Chicken Fingers
 is a fast-food restaurant that was established by Todd Graves in 1996. Their specialty is "quality chicken finger meals." Their headquarter is in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The company's 2017 annual revenue was $966 million. They have 465 locations available in eight countries and 28 states. They have more than 10,000 employees.
Competitive AdvantageThe company provides its employees with a great working place. They have a culture of appreciation, which in turn makes their employees more productive. As a result, Raising Cane's Chicken Finger received the Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award. They were recognized as the best place to work in 2019.
WeaknessThey don't have a diversified menu as it is only centered on chicken fingers and nothing else.
Church’s Chicken
Church’s Chicken is a fast food outlet that was established in 1952 in San Antonio, Texas. The company operates outside North America as Texas Chicken. Their menu includes butter biscuits, chicken sandwiches, tender strips, and the famous original and spicy chicken.
Their annual revenue in 2017 was $785,96 million. They have 1009 locations in the US and employee size of 1001-5000 employees.
Competitive Advantage
 The company had a complete brand transformation touching every aspect of the company from recruitment, packaging, advertising, service delivery to product innovation, which directly and positively impacts the touch-points of their customers.
They also have a department of digital marketing and technology that was created to address opportunities, challenges, and their unique needs across non-digital and digital platforms.
Their brand positioning is based on their tradition and heritage that has a strong element of Texas-style.
Weakness
Some of their franchises have been closed indefinitely due to defaulting in rent payment.
Research StrategyDuring the search, we were unable to locate the actual number of employees of each competitor, but we were able to find an approximated number from their LinkedIn profiles
We first started by analyzing each competitor's website as most companies do publish the number of their employees on their websites. Unfortunately, none provided their total employee numbers.
We then searched for annual reports of the competitors. Most companies usually provide the total number of employees in their yearly reports. However, we were unable to locate the annual reports of these quick-service restaurants, probably because they are privately held companies.
We proceeded to search for articles and blogs from several sources, including QSR Magazine and Restaurant Business. These sources provided the annual revenue and number of locations but not for employees. Lastly, we searched for the estimated number of employees from each competitor's Linkedin profile, which we have provided in our findings above.