The Fast Casual Alliance and the National Restaurant Association will join forces to create the new Fast Casual Alliance – An NRA Industry Council. The group will serve as a model for future National Restaurant Association industry councils and will reside under the NRA umbrella.
The partnership was unveiled today during the Fast Casual Summit in Dallas.
During a luncheon keynote address, NRA chairman Michael Kaufman announced the partnership, which will bring together executives from the fast casual segment and the NRA.
Kaufman said the industry has been fragmented in recent history in part because of the high number of independent industry groups and associations.
"The new partnership allows us to consolidate and work together," he said.
By entering into new partnerships and reimaging its overall strategic plan, Kaufman said the NRA will position itself to better tackle industry issues. NRA members also should expect from the reimaging more tangible value, an aspirational platform communicating the industry story and the bringing together all segments of the industry.
"We each need each other to create the success that we want," Kaufman said. "Through this, we think we'll be able to tackle some of these challenges as well as some of the challenges for America: healthcare, employment and immigration. We have not acted as collaboratively as we need to."
The Fast Casual Alliance was created in 2007 by Paul Barron, publisher of FastCasual.com. Louis Basile, CEO of Wildflower Company, has served as association president.
"Our goal is to back away from the FCA to truly let it become the operators that lead it from this point forward," said FCA chairman Paul Barron.
