Souplantation, Hangry Joe’s, and Wagamama
Sweet Tomatoes — or actually Souplantation — is coming back to California. The buffet chain that was born in California as Souplantation once had hundreds of locations across the country, though outside California it was known as Sweet Tomatoes. Then COVID killed the buffet concept, and what was then 97 locations shuttered in 2020. But after the brand’s intellectual property was acquired out of bankruptcy, Sweet Tomatoes was born again, first in Tucson in 2024, with a second unit in Florida. On Instagram this week, the chain said it is coming back to the West Coast next year with a unit in Orange County, just south of Los Angeles. And — as it once was — that location will be named Souplantation, though it is the same concept.
Brandon Wilhelm has been named chief executive officer of McLean, Virginia-based Hangry Joe’s, effective immediately. He currently serves on the fast-growing hot chicken chain’s franchising board of directors and most recently served as its acting chief marketing officer. Wilhelm spent nearly two decades developing Subway franchise territory across the Midwest as a development agent, and in 2023, he joined the Hangry Joe’s system as a multiunit franchisee. Hangry Joe’s was founded in 2021 and has since grown to more than 90 locations across more than 20 states.
Wagamama revamped its menu, introducing 26 new items developed within a span of six months. Some are more traditionally Asian, like chicken potstickers and Crispy Rice Ahi Tuna, but others embody the brand’s “east meets west” direction. There are four new beef sliders, for example, like the Korean Fire Glazed topped with kimchi and chili garlic mayo. Ramens now boast six ounces of protein, there are more shareables and bites, the sake list has been edited and elevated, and the service style is improved with food coming out in courses instead of when it’s ready in the kitchen. Read all about Wagamama’s reinvention in Behind the Menu in Restaurant Business.
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