ATLANTA, Feb. 20, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- With culinary roots deeply entrenched in Louisiana, Popeyes(r) Chicken & Biscuits, a division of AFC Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq:AFCE), is staffing up and stocking up for the 2003 Mardi Gras season which culminates on March 4. During the 12 days of Mardi Gras, Popeyes expects to serve approximately 15.6 tons of red beans and rice, 2.5 million pieces of chicken and 1.25 million biscuits in New Orleans alone. Additionally, the company has joined forces with Mardi Gras expert Arthur Hardy and local radio celebrity Miss Dupree of the Tom Joyner morning show. Extra jobs and overtime pay add to the economic benefit of the celebration.
"For many people, Mardi Gras and Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits are synonymous in New Orleans," said Glen Helton, vice president of operations for Popeyes. "Parade goers rely on Popeyes for quick, authentic Carnival food. With our Executive Chef Billy Jacob, a Louisiana native, Popeyes enacts a plan to ensure that we meet customer demand for our famous fried chicken, red beans and rice, and Popeyes Louisiana Legends dishes like Creole chicken etouffee."
"Partnering with the renowned Arthur Hardy, author of Arthur Hardy's Mardi Gras in New Orleans, was a strategic move to further solidify our Louisiana heritage in the minds of the customers," said Kristi Strickland, Popeyes marketing manager. "And Miss Dupree adds the enthusiasm and fun, as well as further credibility to our heritage message."
"When I bleed, I bleed gumbo," says Miss Dupree, New Orleans native and team member of the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner morning show radio program. "I'm serving Popeyes chicken and those delicious red beans at my traditional open house this year."
Strickland notes that a fully-integrated promotional campaign has been launched to support Mardi Gras initiatives, including point-of-purchase, TV ads, public relations and direct marketing to 700,000 homes in the greater New Orleans area.
Mardi Gras is the final day of "Carnival," the winter celebration that literally means "farewell to the flesh." Mardi Gras is the last celebration opportunity before the onset of Lent on Ash Wednesday, the Catholic season of fasting and repentance.
Many New Orleans Popeyes locations will open as early as 4 a.m. on Mardi Gras Day, while the Canal Street locations will operate nearly 24 hours a day beginning the Friday before Mardi Gras through midnight on Fat Tuesday.
Popeyes is a leader in the Cajun segment of the foodservice industry and is the world's second-largest quick-service chicken concept. Founded in 1972 in New Orleans, Popeyes has more than 1,672 locations in 42 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 21 other countries and achieved 2001 worldwide sales of approximately $1.3 billion. Visit Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits' website at www.popeyes.com.
AFC Enterprises, Inc. is the franchisor and operator of 4,072 restaurants, bakeries and cafes in the United States, Puerto Rico and 33 foreign countries under the brand names Popeyes(r) Chicken & Biscuits, Church's Chicken(tm), Cinnabon(r), Seattle's Best Coffee(r) and Torrefazione Italia(r) Coffee. AFC's primary objective is to be the world's Franchisor of Choice(r) by offering investment opportunities in highly recognizable brands and exceptional franchisee support systems and services. AFC Enterprises(r) had system-wide sales of approximately $2.6 billion in 2001 and can be found on the World Wide Web at www.afce.com.
The Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits company logo is available at: http://media.primezone.com/prs/single/?pkgid=341