Rick Akam, former CEO and President of Hooters of America, is familiar with Moe's and Mama Fu's, two of the fastest growing brands in the fastest growing segment, fast casual. He's watched his counterparts at several of the Hooters Franchises acquired the brands as part of their own portfolio diversification.

With Moe's Southwest Grill growing at a faster pace than the current category leaders and the younger Mama Fu's on schedule to outpace Moe's, Founder and Chief Martin Sprock recognized it was time to add some additional horsepower to an already impressive team. Rick Akam joins Raving Brands! in charge of the operations of Moe's Southwest Grill and Mama Fu's Noodle House.

" Rick's hiring represents our transition from an owner of a few Restaurant concepts in the Southeast to a national restaurant company with plans to exceed 1,000 franchised restaurant concepts by 2005," explains Martin Sprock, founder and chief. "Broadly, Rick will serve as our Vice-Chief of Moe's and Mama Fu's.

" Raving Brands! has emerged quickly as a serious player in the restaurant Franchising business," explains Akam. "It's a great testament to the Moe's and Mama Fu's brands when you have industry veterans like Hooters Founder Neil Kiefer and long-time Hooters management, Jim Hammond and Larry Klinghoffer, not to mention some other impressive restaurant companies like Boddie Noell who are buying into these two brands as a strategy to diversify their portfolios. I can't think of a more exciting restaurant company in
the industry right now."

Sprock's mission for Akam is to put a stake in the ground out West where Moe's and Mama Fu's have tremendous opportunity to become the franchised concepts of choice. Akam, who spent almost 20 years with Hooters of America, the last eight as CEO and President, is well-versed in overseeing growth. He stewarded the Hooters brand from 61 company-owned restaurants and 130 franchised restaurants to 114 and 230, respectively. Revenues for
2003 are expected to hit $750 million.

" Martin started the company exactly the way any one of us in the restaurant business would have wanted," explains Rick Akam, COO, Raving Brands!. "He created concepts with an initial company-owned store that could serve as a test kitchen, making modifications to make it as appealing to the consumer and the franchisee as possible. He embedded the Sprock logic in each one - healthier, affordable food; energetic and enthusiastic restaurant experience; compelling Franchise model; and collaboration across the brands for maximum benefit."

Moe's and Mama Fu's Driving Growth
Moe's numbers going into its third anniversary are very impressive. With 86 stores opened, Moe's expects to reach 100 by year-end and 250 by close of 2004, making it the fastest growing concept in the category. In addition, Moe's expects to have 650 franchises sold before New Year's. Moe's has nothing on Mama Fu's though. By its third anniversary, it expects to have more than 200 restaurants open, given the fact that 165 are already signed.

"We will continue to grow these brands aggressively, but never deviating from the standards Martin's team put in place from the beginning," explains Akam. "Our priority for 2004 is expansion around the country, particularly in areas like California where we are beginning to establish a reputation for having great concepts.

About Raving Brands
Atlanta-based Raving Brands! features a franchisee-centric portfolio of fun, healthy and fresh restaurant concepts. It includes Moe's Southwest Grill, Mama Fu's Noodle House, Planet Smoothie and PJ's Coffee. Moe's, the quick casual Fresh Mex concept, was founded in 2000 and currently operates 86 restaurants in 11 states with 600 franchises signed in 23 states. Mama Fu's, a Pan-Asian restaurant that offers innovative Vietnamese, Korean, Thai, Chinese and Japanese food selections. was founded in June 2003 and currently operates one restaurant in Atlanta with 165 signed. Planet Smoothie, founded in 1995, is the third largest smoothie company in the country with 130 franchises. PJ's Coffee, founded in 1978, is the number one coffee concept in New Orleans and has 30 franchises. Corporate offices for Raving Brands! are on-site at the flagship Mama Fu's Noodle House.

Franchise News Release: Atlanta, GA - (Dec-10-2003)