The Flying Biscuit Cafe Franchise Serves Up Newest Location in Atlanta

Raving Brands announces today the opening of its first franchised location of The Flying Biscuit Cafe at 3515 Northside Parkway in Atlanta on Monday, May 14. Currently with two Atlanta locations, the eclectic neighborhood Restaurant is an Atlanta institution nationally recognized for its natural, hip cuisine and charming atmosphere.

The first official Flying Biscuit franchisee John Slocum has partnered with area investors including renowned restaurateur George McKerrow to bring five additional Flying Biscuits to the Atlanta area. "The combination of quality food for breakfast, lunch and dinner with such unique character made the Flying Biscuit the only choice for us to franchise," says Slocum. "As a long-time Atlantan myself, I am committed to maintaining the neighborhood feel of the Flying Biscuit with this new location in North Atlanta."

Nestled among funky Craftsman bungalows in the heart of Historic Candler Park, the original location of The Flying Biscuit Cafe will always be a landmark destination for travelers near and far. Since its opening in 1993, the Flying Biscuit has become known for its non-stop breakfast menu featuring The High Flyer, the Smoked Salmon Scrambler and Egg-Ceptional Eggs as well as popular lunch and dinner favorites - Turkey Meatloaf & Pudge, Love Cakes, Vegan Southern Style Burrito and Fried Egg Salad to name a few. All dishes are accompanied by fresh, fluffy biscuits, quickly becoming nationally known.

The Flying Biscuit Cafe has been recognized for the Best Pancakes in America by AOL City Guide for its Organic Oatmeal Pancakes topped with warm peach compote, awarded the Blue Ribbon for #1 Best Breakfast in the South by Turner South and featured in Zagat, Bon Appetit and Gourmet.

Flying Biscuit's Founder and Chef Delia Champion, the quintessential restaurant foodie, enthusiast and caregiver of food, believes she offers consumers a little "taste of heaven." Champion will play an integral role in the Franchising of The Flying Biscuit Cafe, a concept that draws travelers, personalities and the music elite thanks in part to the Atlanta music scene's adoption of the Flying Biscuit as a local gathering spot.

Atlanta-based Raving Brands, the multi-concept Franchise portfolio company acknowledged for its success as a fast-casual restaurant franchisor, acquired The Flying Biscuit Cafe in 2006 and is working with Champion to replicate the Biscuit's success with franchised locations.

"Today we are at a point of strength, focus and discipline that is yielding us the opportunity to make progressive decisions with our portfolio," explains Stephen M. LaMastra, president and chief operating officer of Raving Brands. "While full-service has not been on our radar in the past, it's very much in line with our enthusiasm and passion for the food and beverage products we serve at each of our concepts. Flying Biscuit is unlike any concept we have in our portfolio, but it can and will benefit from the infrastructure we have been expanding over the past year."

"What I saw in Raving Brands as a partner is an organization that has passionate people who love food, love their brands and by the fact that we are in Atlanta, have become enamored with the Biscuit," says Champion. "Most important, they have the resources and infrastructure to do things I could never do - better opportunities for employees, better food procurement and deep experience in store and real estate development, all of which will be important to our ability to expand the Biscuit in a way that maintains the integrity of the food and the experience."

"Dine at The Flying Biscuit Cafe for breakfast, lunch or dinner and you will experience the magic that can only be found at the Biscuit," explains LaMastra. "Finding the right real estate and the perfect franchisee partners has been critical for us, and I believe we have accomplished both. The care that Delia has baked into this eclectic destination will be reflected in the care we take to franchising it . slow, selective growth across America's neighborhoods."

About The Flying Biscuit Cafe

The Flying Biscuit Cafe is an eclectic neighborhood restaurant and is a nationally recognized Atlanta dining institution. In 2006, Raving Brands acquired Delia Champion's restaurant, the company's first entry into the casual dining segment. The Flying Biscuit Cafe expects to replicate its recipe for natural, hip cuisine and a charming atmosphere by opening its first franchised locations in 2007.

About Raving Brands

Raving Brands is a multi-concept franchise portfolio company with nine unique concepts including Moe's Southwest Grill, Shane's Rib Shack and Planet Smoothie. Raving Brands ranked #1 in Fast Casual magazine's 2005 "Top 100 Movers and Shakers," with its flagship concept Moe's Southwest Grill, ranking #6. Moe's is also a 2005 Inc. magazine Top 25 Company and was a Nation's Restaurant News' 2004 Hot Concepts! award winner. Collectively, Raving Brands expects to operate more than 1,000 locations of its concepts nationwide by 2009.