Rainforest Cafe, Inc: Outline To Rainforest Cafe Research Report :: essays research papers fc

rainforest Cafe, Inc Outline to Rainforest Cafe Research proclaimCORPORATE BACKGROUNDHistoryFormationRainforest Cafe, Inc. was incorporated in Minnesota on February 3, 1994 to ownand operate restaurant and sell facilities under the signalize of "Rainforest Cafe- A Wild Place to Shop and Eat."Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive OfficerElection. Lyle Berman was elected Chairman and CEO of Rainforest Cafe at itsinception in February 1994.Background. Berman has been Chairman and CEO of Grand Casinos, Inc. and itspredecessor since October 1990. He is also CEO and a film director of StratosphereCorporation, and a director of G-III Apparel Group Ltd., youth hostelovative GamingCorporation of America and New Horizon Kids Quest, Inc. He previously was thePresident and CEO of Berman Specialty Stores, Inc. ("Bermans") from 1978 untilNovember 1988 when Bermans was acquired by Wilson suede and Leather, asubsidiary of Melville Corporation.President and Chief Operating OfficerElection. Martin J. ODowd was elected in May of 1995. He is the first to holdthis position. As of November 18, 1996 ODowd has taken a 30 day leave ofabsence for personal reasons. Dennis Nielson, analyst for R. J. Steichen,predicts that if the leave is only 30 days there should not be a fixed impacton the company (Nielson, November 18, 1996).Background. ODowd is a director of Elephant and Castle Group, Inc. He waspreviously the Corporate Director, Food & Beverage Services for Holiday InnWorldwide from July 1987 to May 1995. From August 1985 to July 1987, ODowd wasVice President and General Operations Manager for the Hard Rock Cafe in New York.Management Philosophy. Berman and ODowd state that they are committed toidentifying and acquiring the resources that will allow them to continue theirhigh rate of growth.Main ActivitiesRainforest Cafe has two areas of each facility, the restaurant and the retailarea.RestaurantThe company believes that its large menu selection is an i mportant factor in theappeal of its restaurants. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner entrees whichrange in impairment from $7.95 to $15.95. The theme of the company is mirrored onthe menu with all food and beverage selections including a jungle reference(Annual Report, 1995).The restaurant derived approximately 74 per centum of the companies total revenueduring the 52 week period ending December 31, 1995.Retail AreaIn order to enter the restaurant, all customers must settle through the retailarea. The inventory includes apparel and gifts with the Rainforest Cafe logo andother items with a rainforest theme such as toys and educational games.The retail area derived approximately 26 percent of the companies total revenue