Wendy

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Its customers had answers. One of the first taskws the new management ofthe Dublin-based fast-food chain undertook last fall was to survet more than 5,000 consumers. The results helpeed shape planning for all aspectsx ofthe business, owned by Atlanta-based Wendy’s/Arby’s Group Inc., includint Wendy’s once-heralded new-product development pipeline that had lost its pizzazzx in recent years. “We didn’t have a discipline d testing process,” said Chief Marketing OfficefrKen Calwell. “We’ve rebuilt it.” The resulft is a company-record 14 products in testing.
One of the first to make it throug is bonelesschicken wings, which are hittinf the chain’s more than 6,000o restaurants. Calwell, who was in charge of marketing and researc h and development for before returningto Wendy’s, was the burgere chain’s vice president for new-product marketing, research and plannint from 1998 to 2001. “I was involved in new products,” he “We had great sales and outpaced our but the last few years have been challengingfor Wendy’s.” His group expanded testing to includ more operational measures to better ensure new products can be made efficientlu and still be affordable.
Wendy’s is testin g at franchised operations as well asits company-owned Key to the new procesx is a 256-question survey for each item beforer it can hope to get a greenj light, he said. The questione cover all aspects ofthe product, from its taste to financial issues to operational features. The areas of emphasis will be premiunm andvalue products, based off Wendy’ s core burgers, chicken and dessert The chain introduced two Frostys with coffee flavors this Calwell said consumer research showed Wendy’s was well-regarded for its chicken, so an expansioh of that line into boneless wings made sense.
One of the wing a sweet and spicyAsian variety, will be featuresd in advertising. Calwell said the flavor in particular is popular in dishes at casual and Asian restaurantsand Wendy’s wantesd to offer it. , a Chicago-basefd restaurant research company, singled out the use of ethnicf flavors as an industry trend forthis year.