I am excited to be connecting with all of you early in the year, as 2016 will be fundamental for us in shaping the business in a way that will set us up for continued growth and Guest engagement for years to come. We are building upon a strong foundation. In 2015 we grew the system by over 20% and we are poised to have an even better year in 2016 with Same Store Sales Growth (SSSG) and new store expansion. We plan to open more than 20 new Mary Brown’s stores in 2016 and begin our expansion of Mary’s Diner – a concept only found in Newfoundland today. The future holds nothing but opportunity if we get our fundamentals right and follow processes set in place. Every Operator in every store brings unique talents and leadership styles. These will shape and influence so much of how their store operates, but for me, no store can be great unless the 3 pillars are in place: consistent product, good and timely service and a clean store. This is simply a reflection of our philosophy of Operators Who Care. They care about delighting our Guests every day with Made

Fresh from Scratch Chicken & Taters. Every department in this company will have this as their mandate and it will guide everything we do. We must be grounded in those 3 pillars every day and ensure that the brand delivers “Made Fresh from Scratch by Operators who Care”. You heard it at the regional meetings. I cannot say it enough. It will be central to our 2016 plan and beyond. We absolutely need the 3 basic pillars in order for our marketing, local community engagement and new hospitality programs to have any effect. This investment by all of us is wasted without the 3 basic pillars.

The market articulation of our “Made Fresh from Scratch, by Operators who Care”, is “Honest to Goodness”. This can further be summed up by one word: TRUST. We are well on our way to using a collaborative approach throughout our organization; central to this is the notion of trust. The trust factor is paramount to achieving the Guest Experience we desire. Trust is the key to our hospitality industry. Trust in brands is the reason in 2014, 64% of every dollar spent in the restaurant industry went through a brand. Trust in the Associates instilled by the Operator is what keeps our Guests coming back. Trust of your brand in the community. Trust between Associates and Operator, Franchised and Corporate Operators and the Franchisor. Trust among the

GREG’S WELCOME• • • • • • • • • • Message from the CEO • • • • • • • • • •

i t ’ s t h e ta l k o f t h e t o w n at m a r y b r o w n ’ s

chicken ChattER

winter 2016

Executive Team. Trust among Business Development Consultants (BDC’s), Local Store Marketing Coordinators (LCMC’s), Operators, home office and the Executive Team. Our Cross Functional Team is pivotal in making small and large decisions that affect this company – everything they share is founded on trust and a forum where they are able to challenge status quo and take us to the next level.

My wish for the year is that each and every one of us gets closer to our Guests than ever before. From our Operators, to our Associates in our stores, to our BDC’s and our Home Office team. For any staff not on the front lines each day, I encourage you to visit local stores in your area often with the BDC so that you can get to know the front line people, the Operators and most importantly, the Guest Experience.

I wish you all a happy and prosperous year and I look forward to seeing growth in every store across the chain.

Greg

Chicken Chatter has been refreshed and revamped for 2016! We’re hoping you’ll find it easier to read and more informative.

Going forward, Chicken Chatter will be an even better source of news, views and fun! Every issue will feature a message from the CEO, articles from Guest Experience, Operations, Marketing and Local Community Marketing (LCM) as well as a highlight on an Associate’s ‘wow’ performance. You’ll also find some fun facts, puzzles, trivia and even a contest!

Chicken Chatter now publish every season, giving you 4 issues throughout the year. Look for it in your in-box and also in printed format!

Remember, Chicken Chatter is YOUR newsletter and your opinions and suggestions are always welcome. Email darlene@marybrowns.com with your ideas.

WE’VE HATCHED A NEW

CHICKEN Chatter

By Darlene Giles, Brand Manager

Chicken Pop-Ins are one of the biggest product introductions in Mary Brown’s history and an exciting opportunity for you to develop a new revenue stream. Initial feedback on Pop-Ins has been extremely positive, with Guests providing outstanding reviews of the taste, quality, packaging and appeal of the product.

Pop-Ins are Made Fresh from Scratch with 100% white breast meat from Canada Grade A chicken, a unique attribute that we will emphasize in all our advertising/promotional materials.

Chicken Pop-Ins have excellent potential as a main meal, snack or kid’s meal, with appeal as a lunch option, afternoon treat or for something extra along with a Feast. We will heavily support the Pop-Ins launch with radio, TV in Newfoundland, social media, online media and Guest contests on select radio stations. We will have a limited time offer to drive trial with our Snack size at just $1.99.

NEW!

MORE THAN A SLOGAN, IT’S OUR PROMISE TO OUR GUESTS

By Darlene Giles, Brand Manager

Over the coming months, you’ll be hearing and seeing much more about Made Fresh from Scratch. It will be a key component of our marketing strategy, used prominently in all advertising materials and in-store promotions.

A Meaningful Message Made Fresh from Scratch emphasizes one of our primary points of differentiation. For many Guests, it provides new information about Mary Brown’s – a realization that the chicken they’ve loved for years is the best choice because it’s Made Fresh from Scratch. While our competitors attempt to ‘appear’ fresh, we’ve been making our food fresh from scratch for 46 years!

In-Store Implementation For Made Fresh from Scratch to be successful, it must be supported at the individual store level. That means training Associates to understand that Made Fresh from Scratch should be relayed to Guests whenever possible. If there’s a wait, explain it’s because everything is Made Fresh from Scratch in store, every day. When you’re providing samples, seize the opportunity to mention that Mary Brown’s is Made Fresh from Scratch. Most importantly, be sure that Guests are given a Made Fresh from Scratch experience on every visit – courteous, engaging and with extra effort that demonstrates our genuine warmth and Honest to Goodness caring.

‘SYNC’ OR SWIM TO• • • • • • • • • SUCCESS! • • • • • • • • •

By Doug Loucks, Director of Hospitality

I just returned from my daughters’ synchronized swimming competition and was inspired to write this article. This particular competition was about compulsory figures where each athlete performs four predetermined skills in front of a panel of five judges. Yes, synchronized swimming is generally a team sport and my daughters both participate on different teams – but compulsory figures competition is an individual scoring event where

all athletes compete against one another, all doing the same figures.

A Personal ChallengeThe figures competition is really a personal challenge, making you reach deep inside to push yourself to do the best you can. It is not about how flashy your swimsuit is or how your hair or nails look as everyone wears a black bathing suit and a white bathing cap, no jewelry, make-up or nail polish – it is all about the skill. You need to move your body in a precise way, focusing on the exact right detail of each move. It takes practice, dedication and strength to pull it all together to achieve a great score.

I’m proud to say that my 9 year old daughter finished 2nd out of 138 swimmers!

So you must be asking yourself...what does synchronized swimming have to do with Guest Experience? . . . Plenty!

Great Individual and Team PerformancesAs a brand, Mary Brown’s continues to grow, firmly focused on Made Fresh from Scratch by Operators Who Care. Our commitment is to serve our Guests the Honest to Goodness way. We know that one person cannot do this alone; it has to be done by a great team that works hard together. It takes dedicated individuals who are passionate about what they are doing, digging deep and working harder to improve themselves and make a stronger, more unified team. As in synchronized swimming, we have to ask ourselves: how are our “figures” looking? Are we pushing ourselves to be the best? Are we avoiding shortcuts? Remember, that our “judges” – our Guests – are always noticing. The individual figures make you a better swimmer and team player. When a syncro team routine is performed and they all move in unison to music, it seems motionless and timeless and that is when it becomes entertainment. But if one person is not doing their part, then the routine is out of sync and not fun to watch; the judges see that and their score reflects that.

Teamwork Leads to “Winning” PerformancesWe too have to work as a team! When we don’t, our customers judge us accordingly! We have a great product that we need to ensure we never compromise; this is our “figures”. Using the station verifications and Procedures guide, we have the tools to ensure that we do our figures perfectly every time. It takes all of our team working together, everyone doing their part, to deliver a superior “performance” to our Guests. If we all ask a little more from ourselves and the team works in unison and harmony – we can make each Guest visit a “winning” experience. Honest to Goodness!

WHEN WE FOCUS ON PUTTING OUR GUESTS’ NEEDS FIRST, DELIVERING

Exceptional Guest Experiences• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • IS WITHIN EVERYONE’S REACH • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

By Tony Samuelson, VP, Guest Experience

are to be commended for being such great ambassadors for this brand.

An Excellent Suggestion Jennifer, the Associate on cash, went on to ask if I could help her with a suggestion she had on the POS system to better serve her Guests. It was an excellent suggestion related to helping accurately fill Guests’ requests for splits between spicy and regular chicken and would definitely speed service and help order accuracy. The suggestion has now been put in place in the POS! Great suggestions often come from great Guest Experience driven operations!

Passion for Great Guest ExperiencesThis operation has the perfect combination of great Guest experience and superior product – it is no coincidence that they are reaping the rewards with increasing average weekly sales.

There are so many aspects of Guest experience that each of you can affect every day. A culture of great Guest experience does not happen by chance and it will take time. You need to inspire and empower your Associates. You need to be relentless in the recognition you give them for going the extra mile. Together, we can stand out in the sea of the QSR market by being passionate in our pursuit of delivering great Guest Experiences every day across the chain.

way it is prescribed - neatly and with care – as opposed to the just crumpling the bag shut. (Yes, it’s just a little thing, but makes a difference and demonstrates that “we care” attitude).

What was even more noteworthy is that for each completed take out order, Jennifer came around the counter and passed the order to the Guests one-on-one! She went the extra step to engage the Guest and add a personal touch. For the eat-in orders, she walked the tray to the table as opposed to calling out the Guest’s name.

Compliments to the FranchiseeBeing very pleased with the operation, I introduced myself to the staff and Franchisee, while complimenting them on such great service. I asked them why they did things like carry trays to the tables and bring the bags around the counter. I was told that the expectation had been set and reinforced by the Franchisee and they upheld it every day – they were recognized for doing it – and besides, it simply felt good to be helpful!

Clearly, our Franchisees in this store, Mr. and Mrs. Poonia (a husband and wife team), are very hands-on and focused on doing those little extras for our Guests. I told them that I was very proud to be associated with Mary Brown’s while in their store and that they and their staff

Exceptional Guest experiences are not taught in a classroom, but created every day

by Franchisees and Associates who show genuine caring and go the extra mile. Below is a great story of how one of our Associates at our Brampton, Ontario (Gateway) location was able to make a significant positive impression on our Guests.

I had stopped at the store on my way to the airport. I was wearing non-branded clothes and simply stepped up to the counter to have my order taken like any other Guest. The positive Guest Experience began there and continued as I observed the remarkable staff performances.

Exceptional First ImpressionThe first impression made related to dress code - all of the Associates in sight had their hair pinned up securely and were very professional looking with hair nets plus clean crisp visors, etc. Something that should be automatic but isn’t as common as one would hope. A big plus was that they all seemed to be happy, smiling and focused on serving their Guests.

A True AmbassadorThe Associate on cash (Jennifer) was a true ambassador. She helped me (and other Guests) with my ordering decision and made suggestions. She folded the order bag exactly the

A successful year of business always calls for a celebration and that is exactly what our Sarnia owners decided to do!On November 21st and 22nd of last year, Corinne and Doug Loucks invited their Guests to celebrate with them for their 2-day anniversary event. They pre-promoted the event with newspaper and radio ads and in-store posters, as well as inviting all their Guests as they came into the store.Event DetailsDuring the event, the Loucks had a radio remote with a local station to create excitement, both in the store and around the neighbourhood. They offered their Guests two great Anniversary Specials to say thank you: $3.99 Big Marys and 9 pieces of our Signature Chicken for $9.99. As well, Guests were invited to fill out a ballot to win Free Big Marys for a Year or Free Feasts for a Year! Our Sarnia franchisees also made sure they gave back to their community: Guests could drop off a coat for donation to a local program in return for a Free Kid’s Meal. ResponseWow, did the community respond! The Saturday of the promotion was the location’s second highest sales day ever, second only to their Opening Day! Over the 2 days, they had over 500 transactions and they sold over 300 Big Mary Specials and almost 300 9 for $9.99 specials. The Importance of Customer Events Whether an anniversary, customer appreciation event or sampling event, these occasions provide a great opportunity to connect with your Guests and give back to those who have helped you on the road to success. They allow you to build rapport and loyalty with your Guests, way beyond our delicious products! Consider how you can host an LCM event that will show your Guests your ‘Honest to Goodness’ commitment. You’ll find it goes a long way in building trust and encouraging trial, with both your current and future Guests.

By Stephanie Ferguson, Local Community Marketing Manager

HAPPY 1ST ANNIVERSARY!• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

SARNIA FRANCHISEESCelebrateWITH THEIR COMMUNITY• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1. Number of provinces that we have stores in?

2. Percentage of growth in store openings in the last 2 years?

3. Number of stores due to open in 2016?

4. Number of stores to be renovated in 2016?

5. Percentage of sales growth in 2015?

6. How many consecutive years of Same Store Sales Growth have we had?

7. Number of Facebook fans we want by the end of 2017?

8. Number of years in a row we won the CFA “Franchisee Award”?

9. Number of Associates across the country?

10. How old will we be in 4 years?

11. Number of Big Marys sold in 2015?

12. How many pounds of potatoes we hand-cut in a year?

13. Number of litres of gravy we sell in a year?

14. Number of cans of pop we sell in a year?

15. Number of Guests through our doors in a year?

16. Number of Mini Marys we sell in a year?

17. Number of litres of mayonnaise we use in a year?

18. Number of cases of fries we sell in a year?

TOP 20 OPERATIONS FAST FACTS• • • • • • • • • • TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE! • • • • • • • • • •

It’s All in the Numbers!The correct answers to the Top 20 Mary Brown’s Fast Facts

on the LEFT are SCRAMBLED on the RIGHT.Can you match them up correctly? Only Mary Brown’s Gurus will know them all!

Answers are on the last page…don’t peek!

A. 7 million

B. 1,213,936

C. 5

D. 12

E. 468,890

F. 10

G. 92,484

H. 50

I. 20

J. 2,000

K. 4,532,150

L. 3,679,597

M. 40

N. 50,357

O. 9

P. 20

Q. 100,000

R. 4,727,088

By Scott McCarthy, VP Operations and Shelley Berman, VP Marketing

CHICKEN CROSSWORD

Top 20 Operations Fast Facts Answers1.O 2.M 3. I or P 4.F 5.I or P 6.D 7.Q 8.C 9.J 10.H 11.L 12.K 13.B 14.R 15.A 16.E 16.G 18.N

We found these two clucking in a corner at Home Office.

But what are they saying??? SEND US YOUR SUGGESTION AND

The person sending the cleverest, funniest reply wins a $25 Visa Gift Card,

recognition in the next Chicken Chatter and bragging rights that they know what

chickens really think!Email darlene@marybrowns.com by

Monday, March 14th with your answer.

WIN!

ACROSS 1.predators 4.coop 5.outside 6.owls 7.droppings 9. snakes 12.ventilation 13. opossum 16.waterers 18.straw 19.dirt 21.perch 23.chicken wire 25.gravel 27.gates 28. oyster shell 29.yard DOWN 2.roosts 3.doors 4.chicken house 8.hawks 10.fences 11.gather 14.scratch 15.nesting boxes 17.feeders 20.incubator 22.hatchery 24.feathers 26.litter

ACROSS1. lock up to keep these out4. house other word5. chickens spend their days6. hooting predator7. leave these day and night9. eat eggs & chicks12. fresh air13. climbing predator

16. fill daily18. nesting material19. chicken bath21. sit on roost23. good for fencing (2 wds)25. gizzards need27. open to enter yard28. source of calcium (2 wds)29. outside area

DOWN2. sleep on these3. close at night4. building (2 wds)8. predators by air10. to contain chickens11. collect eggs14. corn & grain mix15. lay eggs in (2 wds)

17. for pellets20. hatching device22. for hatching eggs24. shed these26. on floor of coop

• ALEKTROPHOBIA - Fear of Chickens.

• Chicken drumsticks have lower ratio of meat to bone and skin than other parts of a chicken.

• The chicken was once a sacred animal symbolizing the sun.

• The longest recorded flight of a chicken is thirteen seconds.

• There are more chickens in the world than any other domesticated bird. More than one

chicken for every human on the face of the earth.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

TALK ABOUTCHICKEN CHATTER

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

CHICKENFACTS!

HAVE Fun!• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •