Feeding America

By: Christopher Upchurch

The greater Fresno County has a little over 3,600 homeless people, most of which reside on city highways and in downtown districts. And while the local city government has done much to facilitate housing and relief efforts, there remains a sizable homeless population that falls through the cracks.

Part of our commitment to our communities is not only serving quality food in our restaurants, but also gifting that food to those in need. We believe that as members of the community, we should do our part to help end the homelessness crisis. On Septemebr 24th, our company had the pleasure of donating 150 Chicken Sandwiches and 250 orders of nuggets, including sides of fries and biscuits, to the homeless at the Poverello House. Poverello House serves three hot meals 365 days a year to anyone in need and serve anywhere from 1,200 to 1,600 meals a day. We hope to serve even more people with our contributions in the hopes that we can prevent hunger in our county.

On a nationwide level, Popeyes bought over one million nuggets from several brands, including Popeyes, and donated them to various foodbanks to “End the Chicken Wars.”

Additionally, The Popeyes Foundation has joined with the No Kid Hungry Campaign to end hunger and poverty among children in America. In the wake of the pandemic, one in six children could face hunger this year. No child should go hungry in America, so Popeyes endeavors to support the campaigns efforts to provide free and affordable meals to families in need.

Keep up with all things Popeyes and follow our social medias! In the meantime, please enjoy pictures of our neighbors Loving that Chick’n at the Poverello House.

Turlock Grand Opening and Brand Revamp

Written By: Rebecca Baxter

Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen Turlock’s Grand Opening unveiled the brand's new fresh look!

We are proud that the Turlock location that opened on January 17, 2021 is part of the QSR Management family. This was a milestone celebration as this is the first Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen in California to open with the brand’s revamped logo and design. Amy Bublak, Mayor of Turlock was there for the Grand Opening and Imran Damani, CEO & President of QSR Management, served as the first customer for the Turlock Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen. When you visit this location, you will also get to experience a new digital drive-thru menu boards along with the new look.

Meet the Turlock Team!

Vanessa Balero is leading the Turlock team. She is a passionate leader who made a move from Fresno, CA to Turlock, CA to manage the day-to-day restaurant operations. She has put together a strong service-focused team that is ready to serve each guest just like they were family. The team has already served more than 42,000 customers since their opening in January. Check out what customers who have already visited the Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen have to say:

“"Omg I can’t believe this .... I’m from Illinois and the Mississippi southern Louisiana and this is so right on flavor from the real Popeyes® from back home and they go above and beyond to make sure I get what I’m wanting exactly how I asked right down to the ice .... They are the first place I’ve been to in this state that reminds me of home true southern style taste and feels just like you're there at a family's place..."

Timmy Palmer, Customer

“The assistant manager Vanessa (?) was super nice and the service was exceptional. It has been great having a better choice for chicken in town. The lines are always long but well worth the wait!"

Sabrina Vickroy, Customer

“Very great experience with the help of Justine and Vanessa over the phone. They helped

me by showing me how to work the app and also by making sure my order is going through

with the door Dasher and everything ran smoothly. Thank you”

Vanessa Flores, Customer

"Best One Ever"

Ana Rendon, Customer

More about the brand’s new identity!

During a time when many restaurants are having to make tough decisions to scale down and identify cost-saving changes, Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen is launching an ambitious global expansion with a new brand identity. Imagine a clean, modern white exterior that is the canvas for joyful pops of color. You’ll notice a revised color palette, colorful decals, handwritten graffiti of the famous classic motto “Love That Chicken”, and a new chicken logo. In a release from Popeyes® shared with Fox New media back in June 2020 the brand shared “To further spread the product love to even more guests, it was time for Popeyes® to translate its Louisiana roots in a more modern approach by completely redesigning the brand’s visual identity and restaurant image”.

We are excited about the positive changes that have come with thoughtful purpose, and we are excited to see the new look come to life at our restaurants.

One thing you can count on is that with each bite you won’t miss that well-known Louisiana flavor!

See the brand’s new identity in these images of the exterior, interior, and new packaging:

In Marrero, LA, Popeyes® opened its first remodeled restaurant. Courtesy of Popeyes®

“The clean contemporary white exterior of our new restaurant image serves as a canvas for the joyful pops of color from Popeyes® new color palette and hand-drawn iconography such as Love That Chicken” – quote from Popeyes® development brochure

The interior of the first renovated restaurant in Marrero, Louisiana. Courtesy of Popeyes®

“Our new restaurant image show we are a proudly electric brand, inspired by our roots and celebrating our food craft” – quote from Popeyes® development brochure

New Packaging. Courtesy of Popeyes®

“Popeyes® New Packaging: Unapologetically orange, the new packaging proudly leverages the new hand-drawn brand pattern representative of Popeyes® Louisiana heritage” – quote from Popeyes® development brochure

Content and Images shared were sourced from the following online articles:

• Alexandra Deabler, Fox News, posted June 1, 2020 – click to access full article.

• Irene Jiang, Business Insider, posted May 29, 2020 – click to access the full article.

• Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen official website and development brochure.

A History Lesson Packed with Flavor!

Written By: Rebecca Baxter

There is a lot to debate about chicken like … what came first the chicken or the egg, who has the best chicken bursting with flavor, or who has the best chicken sandwich. Let’s keep things simple and dive into how those bold Louisiana flavors were inspired and how they collided with Popeyes® signature chicken – that’s something that doesn’t need to be debated.

About Cajun and Creole Cuisines

Louisiana has some of the most prized cuisines across the globe, that’s a big responsibility and locally - they do not take it lightly! They own the coveted Cajun and Creole cuisines, both of which have been used so loosely and interchangeable when referencing Louisiana's style of food. While many of the ingredients are similar, the two cuisines are not the same. Cajun and Creole are two separate cultures, and while over time they continue to blend their parallel lines, there is still an immense distinction in Louisiana where they carry their own unique stories. A key difference is that Creole cuisine is known as ‘city food’ while Cajun cuisine is referred to as ‘country food’.

People and their culture are what stand these two famous styles on their own. As with most cuisines if you want to immerse yourself - you are likely to start with a visit to a family kitchen or family-owned restaurant. In Louisiana, you’ll find the best and most authentic Cajun and Creole cooking in homes across the state, which is what makes these styles of food so special. Many of the expert Chefs of these cuisines learned their talent right in their family kitchen from their parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. The heart of these cuisines was built on traditions, flavors, and techniques.

More about how Cajun Food came to life!

The word ‘Cajun’ comes from the term ‘les Acadiens’ - used to describe French colonists who settled in the Acadia region of Canada. With the British Conquest of Acadia in the 1700s, the Acadians were forced to flee their homes. Many ultimately settled in the southern region of the US state Louisiana. The Acadians were extremely resourceful living off the land. They crafted this rustic cuisine or ‘country food’ which was inspired by a truly unique combination of the flatlands, bayous, wild game of South Louisiana, and flavors of the Gulf of Mexico. The exceptional taste of the Cajun cuisine was heavily influenced by a diverse blend of cultural roots including African, Native American, German, French, and Italian – a true melting pot of flavors. Cajun food is famous for being well seasoned, which can be translated as spicy. Its flavor base and heart of the cuisine are in the seasoning and medley of vegetables, including onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery, which are used in the foundation of each dish.

More about how Creole Food came to life!

The word ‘Creole’ references the people who were born to settlers in French colonial Louisiana, more specifically New Orleans. Back in the 18th century, Creoles were descendants of the French and Spanish upper class that ruled the city, although over time other cultures have blended into this cuisine including Italian, Spanish, African, German, Caribbean, Native American, and Portuguese, to name a few. Because of its roots, the Creole cuisine was typically prepared and served to well-to-do members of society and is still thought of as more distinguished compared to Cajun. Each dish consists of more exotic ingredients, an array of spices from a variety of regions, and creamy soups and sauces. For example, a remoulade sauce, which consists of nearly a dozen ingredients, would not typically be found in Cajun kitchens.

Louisiana is the one place where true Cajun and Creole food will never stray far away from its roots - with each new generation, there remains a vested interest in the history and culture of the cuisines.

How chicken and the Popeyes® brand evolved!

We here at California QSR Management believe in the power of family, and the historical roots of the Louisiana’s flavors is on point with our company culture – family, quality and service is our foundation! That’s also why Popeyes® is the right choice for us, and they have an interesting history of their own in how chicken became their primary ingredient and how it has evolved over the years.

Popeyes® was founded in New Orleans, St. Bernard Parish, in a suburb called Arabi, Louisiana. The first restaurant opened June 12, 1972, with the name ‘Chicken on the Run’. Al Copeland, Owner wanted to compete with Kentucky Fried Chicken. His original restaurant served donuts, then he noticed a neighbor having more success selling fried chicken, so he traded in his dough for some poultry, changed the name, and crafted that signature spice recipe – which he maintained ownership of until 2014 when Popeyes® purchased the license.

His ‘Chicken on the Run’ restaurant failed after several months, but Copeland didn’t give up – we all know perseverance prevails and he had it. A short four days later he rebranded and reopened as ‘Popeyes® Mighty Good Chicken’. Ultimately, by 1975 the company had been renamed again to Popeyes® Famous Fried Chicken, and a year later Copeland began franchising the restaurant locally in Louisiana. The brand quickly grew into Canada by 1984, and by the next year, they were celebrating the 500th restaurant opening. The expansion continued as B.P. Newman of Laredo, Texas acquired several franchises in Texas and surrounding states.

Today, the brand continues to expand bringing its time-honored cooking techniques, beloved Louisiana signature spice flavor, and friendly service to people all around the world. The brand has recently refreshed the look and feel of their Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen’s with a modern version of that classic Louisiana style – no worries though, you can still count on that crispy chicken packed with flavor!

Information shared in this blog was sourced from the following online websites:

Louisiana Travel Site: https://www.louisianatravel.com/articles/cajun-vs-creole-food-what-difference

Wikipedia Site: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popeyes & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cajun_cuisine

Mashed.com Site: https://www.mashed.com/170062/this-is-why-popeyes-chicken-is-so-delicious/?utm_campaign=clip