Randolph, MA (December 10, 2002) -- Jon L. Luther, a veteran of 35 years in the food service industry, has been named Chief Executive Officer of Allied Domecq Quick Service Restaurants (ADQSR), which includes the Dunkin' Donuts, Baskin-Robbins, and Togo's brands. ADQSR brands include more than 10,000 shops in the United States and 44 countries worldwide. ADQSR is part of Allied Domecq PLC (NYSE:AED), headquartered in the United Kingdom.
Jon Luther succeeds Jack Shafer, who retires at the end of this month after a highly successful 30-year career with ADQSR. During Shafer's four-year tenure as CEO, annual sales grew 22 percent to $4.1 billion, and annual profits grew 57 percent to $116.7 million.
!["Dunkin']("http://www.dunkindonuts.com/images/aboutus/pressroom/releases/12_10_2003/luther.jpg")
In making the announcement, Philip Bowman, Chief Executive of Allied Domecq PLC, said, "Jon Luther has the skills to build on the substantial contribution that Jack Shafer has made to ADQSR. Jon's talents will help extend the success of ADQSR's complementary daypart branding strategy, combining two or three of our brands under one roof, and he'll take ADQSR into its next phase of growth."
Jon Luther is a proven leader at creative brand development and at satisfying consumers who seek quality, convenience, and value in a quick service restaurant setting. He comes to ADQSR from Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits, where he had been president since 1997. He is also a corporate officer of AFC Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: AFCE), the operator and franchisor of several major quick service restaurant brands, including Popeyes. AFC Enterprises has a history of consumer and franchise success, with commitments in place for more than 2,000 new franchise units.
During his term as president of Popeyes, that company's store count grew 67 percent to 1,672 units. Average annual unit volume grew to nearly $1 million, the highest in the chicken QSR category. With Jon Luther at the helm, Popeyes won industry awards for menu strategy, store re-design, and customer satisfaction. The Popeyes brand includes both franchised and company owned locations.
From 1992 to 1997, Jon Luther spearheaded a major turnaround while serving as president of CA One Services, a subsidiary of Delaware North Companies, Inc., that handles food service and concession business in airports. During his time as president, CA One set new standards for airport dining. The company established partnerships with leaders such as Wolfgang Puck and Disney Imagineering, creating gateways for travelers to experience regional differences in food and culture. During his tenure, CA One's profits grew substantially. By the end of Jon Luther's term as president, CA One was serving 250 million travelers annually in 38 airports.
In 1987, Jon Luther founded Benchmark Services, Inc., a food service management firm specializing in dining for corporations. Over a five-year period, he acquired several companies specializing in food service and vending in employee environments.
Prior to founding Benchmark, Jon Luther served as vice president in the Marriott Corporation's Corporate Dining division. In 1983, Luther utilized his industry experience and strong entrepreneurial spirit to establish his own consulting firm, where he assisted companies and investors entering the restaurant field. The firm also provided counsel to food service organizations with franchising, marketing, strategic planning and cost control.
Jon Luther's career in the food service industry dates back to 1967, when he joined ARA Services in Philadelphia. He held several leadership positions in the company, and was named president of ARA's Davre's restaurant subsidiary in 1982.
"Jon Luther's track record establishes him as one of the leading innovators in the quick service restaurant industry," said Allied Domecq PLC Chief Executive Philip Bowman. "I look forward to working closely with Jon to continue our growth and success in this area."
Allied Domecq Quick Service Restaurants has 10,000 Dunkin' Donuts, Baskin-Robbins and Togo's stores worldwide. ADQSR's complementary daypart branding strategy involves combining its three brands in either combo (two) or trombo (all three) form under one roof. In more than 500 of these multibrand stores in the U.S., consumers can enjoy their favorite products throughout the day. Headquartered in Randolph, Massachusetts, ADQSR is part of Allied Domecq PLC, one of the world's largest spirits and retailing companies.
