Lightning Round: James Franco and the Hamburglar stand up for McDonald's

By Frazer Jones
Its always nice to have the endorsement of a celebrity on your side, especially when your business is going through tougher times. This week McDonalds...
  • It’s always nice to have the endorsement of a celebrity on your side, especially when your business is going through tougher times. This week McDonald’s received a passionate endorsement from James Franco, who penned an op-ed in the Washington Post supporting its new business strategy and explaining the affection he still feels for the chain from his time as an employee while just starting out in LA as a struggling actor.  “I want the strategy to work,” says Franco. “All I know is that when I needed McDonald’s, McDonald’s was there for me. When no one else was.” ~ Washington Post
  • A new McDonald’s strategy that was launched this week: bringing back the Hamburglar. It would seem that, since his last appearance, the burger-centric villain has turned over a new leaf and found a new life as a scruffy dad in the suburbs—but a reminder that McDonald’s still sells Quarter Pounders might just drag him out of petty theft retirement. Could nostalgia work alongside the new global strategy to help bring back similarly wayward customers? ~ Mashable
  • This week Whole Foods announced that it is branching out with the launch of a spin-off retail chain in a brand new smaller value-priced format. While the prospect is exciting, analysts are also approaching the new format with caution as it’s a considerably risky proposition. “We have never seen a food retailer operate an entirely new format successfully, especially one that is so different,” one analyst told Supermarket News. Also concerning is the possibility that Whole Foods could end up competing with itself. ~ Supermarket News
  • Tim Hortons has teamed up Ferrero on a whole host of limited time only breakfast treats featuring the only and only Nutella hazelnut chocolate spread, from Nutella-filled Chocolate Hazelnut donuts and pastry pockets to Nutella spread made available for bagels. Available until August 18, that’s one partnership we can definitely get behind. ~ QSR Magazine
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