Craveworthy Brands to Become Managing Partner of Shaquille O'Neal's Big Chicken
Craveworthy Brands, a multi-restaurant platform company, is set to become a managing partner and investor of Big Chicken, the fast-casual chicken brand founded by basketball star Shaquille O'Neal. The partnership aims to drive growth at Big Chicken and across Craveworthy's portfolio.
Craveworthy Brands is set to become a managing partner, investor, and stakeholder of Big Chicken, the fast-casual chicken brand founded by Hall of Fame basketball player Shaquille O'Neal. The partnership is expected to drive growth at Big Chicken and across Craveworthy's portfolio.
Big Chicken will join Craveworthy's portfolio of 15 brands that operate in various culinary segments, including chicken. Craveworthy plans to lead operational initiatives and leverage its proven playbook across Big Chicken locations to drive long-term growth and reinforce Big Chicken's distinctively energetic guest experience.
In collaboration with O'Neal, JRS, and ABG, Craveworthy will manage and provide expertise across key functions such as operations, training, supply chain management, culinary development, and customer service. The partnership aims to optimize performance and fuel continued growth at all levels.
Big Chicken continues to grow globally, with over 40 locations open and over 350 in development. Its menu features today's trending bold flavors while also paying homage to many of O'Neal's favorite home-cooked childhood favorites. The partnership between the two companies will further Big Chicken's commitment to innovation and streamlined processes while leveraging shared resources to strengthen market position and franchise expansion.
"This one-of-a-kind opportunity truly embodies the mission behind why I founded Craveworthy – to build a full-stack platform that aligns with top brands like Big Chicken and infuses broad-reaching support through proven systems and support to thrive in the evolving restaurant industry," said Gregg Majewski, CEO and Founder of Craveworthy Brands.
"We believe the combination of a great brand and a great operator in Gregg is a unique opportunity for us as investors. Shaquille O'Neal himself is an iconic brand, and Big Chicken will become the iconic chicken sandwich," said Lee Larson, CEO and Founder of Everstar Asset Management.
