| Retail Food Group bids for Michel's
TONY Alford is now Australia's fast-food franchise king. First it was Donut King, then Brumby's Bakeries, now Michel's Patisserie. Yesterday Mr Alford, the managing director of Retail Food Group, made an $88 million offer to buy 346 franchised Michel's cake outlets in Australia and New Zealand, sealing his position as the country's leader in the fast-food franchise fiefdom. Soon he will be in control of 1020 food outlets -- among the most in the country -- with 322 Brumby's Bakeries stores, 290 Donut King shops and 70 bb's cafes, besides the 346 Michel's cake shops. The move on Michel's sent RFG's share price soaring more than 28 per cent to $1.84 -- the biggest one-day gain since the company listed in June last year. And Mr Alford will not be stopping at cakes. He is now eyeing a chain of coffee shops to complement his food empire.
Alou's hitting streak reaches 30 with HR
New York Mets left fielder Moises Alou extended his hitting streak to a franchise-record 30 games Wednesday night with a two-out solo homer in the first inning against the Washington Nationals. Alou, who has already established the longest hitting streak in the majors this year, belted an 0-1 pitch from Mike Bacsik over the wall in right field. It gave the Mets a 3-0 lead and finished off back-to-back shots, following Carlos Beltran's two-run blast. Alou, who had four hits in a 10-9 Mets loss Tuesday night, has the longest hitting streak in the majors since Houston's Willy Tavares hit in 30 straight from July 27 - August 27, 2006. The Mets lost Wednesday's game, 9-6, and watched their lead reduced to a game over Philadelphia in the NL East. At 41, Alou is the oldest person in major league history to have a 30-game hitting streak.
Medicine Shoppe International, Inc. Expands Presence to Middle East
Dubai - Medicine Shoppe International, Inc. (MSI) is expanding its global presence into the Middle East this fall with five Medicine Shoppe pharmacies in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The first two stores are scheduled to open in Dubai in September 2007, with the remaining three opening later this year.
"We are excited to continue MSI's global growth through our new master franchise agreement in the Middle East," said Bruce Burnett, vice president, international for MSI. "The Medicine Shoppe brand and retail pharmacy model have been very successful in India and other Asian markets, so the Middle East market is a natural next step for expansion. The UAE and the Gulf are experiencing economic growth, and we are confident that the Medicine Shoppe pharmacy concept, which focuses on providing personalized care and counseling, will perform well in this region."
MSI's expansion into the Middle East is possible through a new master franchise agreement with the Al Zahrawi Group in Dubai.
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