Tuesday 23 August 2016

CMG Company Blog – Fireside Pies Launches Delivery Service Via UberEATS and Amazon Prime

Fireside Pies, a popular chain of restaurants in Texas, has recently started a delivery service using UberEATs and Amazon Prime Now. Their customers can order online through these two membership programs, choosing from their full menu, and can expect to receive their dishes within an hour.

Since the modern consumer is now accustomed to connecting with businesses via the internet, getting responses immediately, and receiving personalized service, Fireside Pies is capitalizing on the opportunity to grow their business. Using technology that’s already in place, company leaders have set up this new system, giving their loyal clientele another reason to keep ordering from them and giving new customers an attractive option when ordering out.

Amazon Prime Now members can get delivery services for free, a point which may set Fireside Pies apart from some of its competition. Members of UberEATS, at this time, can also receive free delivery. So far, this service has expanded throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Its predicted that a significant number of customers will choose to use the online ordering system. Not as many people are living in places that have landlines, and more and more consumers are using their smartphones and tablets to do the bulk of their purchases. Arranging dinner or lunch can be as easy as browsing through an online menu, clicking on choices, and awaiting the knock on the door. And it gets better – instead of having to wonder about where the delivery guy or girl is, customers can track his or her location in real time. To find out if delivery is available with Prime Now and UberEATS, people can visit the websites primenow.amazon.com and ubereats.com/dallas/for more information.

The DFW area is home to a lot of college students and millennials who are next to their phones nearly every minute of the day. Whenever they’re hungry, they can simply tap a few buttons to make their order. People of all ages are expected to use this type of ordering, as calling in an order can sometimes take a few extra minutes compared to online ordering.

Wood-fired pizzas are the main selling point of Fireside Pies, as the crispy and chewy crust can only successfully be pulled off in hot ovens such as the ones at the restaurants. The ovens are watched over carefully, making sure that the temperature is just right. Popular pies are the Texas Beef Sausage Pie, the Meatball Pie, and the Stuffed Pie. Vegetarian options include the Quattro Funghi Pie and the Neapolitan.

There are plenty of appetizers to choose from, like bruschetta, crostini, and garlic breadstick bites. These are perfect for a group of hungry people or a couple who wants to share a few different things. Customers can also pick from a variety of salads and desserts to round out their meals.

Fireside Pies started in 2004 as a single restaurant in a charming, old cottage on Henderson Avenue in Dallas. Since then, it’s grown into a network of four restaurants that are found throughout Greater Dallas. Two are within Dallas, in Inwood and Henderson; one is in Grapevine; and the other is in Plano. Though each restaurant is unique, catering to the neighborhood in which it’s located, you can be sure to find rustic cooking, true hospitality, and a fun, welcoming atmosphere in each one.

In 2014, Fireside Pies was bought by the Chalak Mitra Group, which has extensive experience in the restaurant industry as well as in the hospitality, retail, real estate, manufacturing, and sports industries. The Chalak Mitra Group of Companies is overseen by a group of leaders headquartered in Dallas, and it includes the popular chain of Genghis Grill restaurants.

Chalak Mitra Group of Companies

Fireside Pies Presents Donation to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children

Fireside Pies, one the portfolio companies of the Chalak Mitra Group of Companies, has announced the fundraising total from its annual Peach Fest. Firesides Pies in partnership with Tito’s Handmade Vodka presented Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, a world leader in the treatment of pediatric orthopedic conditions, with a check for $7,343.22.

“We are always looking for opportunities to get involved with the community and give back,” said Kurtis Schart, Director of Operations for Fireside Pies. “With our focus on seasonal ingredients and scratch cooking, our culinary team developed a menu that celebrated the local Peach crop with fun and innovative cocktails, pizzas and complimentary dishes, all while giving our patrons an opportunity to support a great local cause. We look forward to hosting Peach Fest next year and strengthening our relationship with Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.”

Fireside Pies’ special Peach Fest Menu was available from May 25 through July 6. Joe Bozarth, Sr. Operations and Culinary Manager partnered with Cooper Farms in Fairfield, Texas to source peaches for the dishes. This year’s menu consisted of Peach White Sangria, Tito’s Peach Basil Gimlet, Peach and Burrata Salad, Smoked Ham and Peach Pie and Peach Market Crisp.Tito’s Handmade Vodka partnered with Fireside Pies for this year’s Peach Fest and also contributed to the giveback to Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.

Fireside Pies offers a collection of artisan pizzas baked in a rustic wood-fired oven, made-from-scratch appetizers and small plates, garden-fresh salads and heavenly desserts.

Scottish Rite Hospital for Children mission is to improve the care of children worldwide through innovative research and teaching programs, training physicians from around the world. The hospital treats children with orthopedic conditions, sports injuries, neurological disorders and learning disorders. As a leading pediatric orthopedic center, the hospital has treated more than 250,000 children since its inception, with more than 35,000 clinic visits each year.

Chalak Mitra Group of Companies

CMG Sponsors Dallas Concert to Benefit Sankara Eye Foundation

In keeping with its commitment to support worthy charitable causes around the world, the ChalakMitra Group of Companies recently offered its help to the Sankara Eye Foundation or SEF, a 501(c) organization and the largest free eye care provider in the world. CMG was able to help SEF with its Dallas concert featuring Shankar Ehsaan Loy with New Generation held on May 6 at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas.

Shankar Eshaan Loy is a fascinating and popular music group in the Bollywood tradition. Second only to A.R. Rahman in popularity, the group features the talents of Shankar, a former Indian jingle singer who launched “Breathless,” his first album, in the 1980s. Ehsaan, the second member of the group, was also a jingle singer in Mumbai and Loy was a television writer in Delhi when the three met. After collaborating on the “Hindustani” soundtrack, the band was born. With a fresh, vibrant sound and great melodies, the group went on to become a national byword with hits like “DilChahta Hai” and “Kal Ho Na Ho,” a National Award winner.

As a platinum sponsor of the event, CMG was proud to donate money and time to help make the concert a huge success. The concert was part of a five-city megatour featuring the fantastic live music of the Shankar Ehsaan Loy trio. All proceeds were used to benefit the blind through the efforts of SEF.

What Is SEF?
Sankara Eye Foundation has provided funding for more than 1.4 million eye surgeries to date and operates eight hospitals in India that provide much-needed care for millions of patients. Three new hospitals are planned for Jaipur, Hyderabad and Indore, and funds are continually being raised to support these projects.

SEF is a non-profit organization with a single goal: to eradicate all curable blindness throughout the world. Consistently rated four stars, the highest rating possible for accountability and fiscal responsibility by Charity Navigator, USA, SEF has targeted India because of the country’s high rate of blindness.

India is currently the country with the largest population of blind people in the world. One out of every five blind people on the planet lives in India, with more than 55 million Indians suffering from visual impairment. Of these, eight million are totally blind. Four million new cases of blindness are added each year to this total.

However, there is good news. Experts estimate that 80 percent of these cases can be easily cured if funds are available for surgery and treatment. Sankara Eye Foundation meets these needs whenever possible, providing professional eye examinations, surgery, medication and treatment to those most in need. Their ultimate goal, designated as Vision 20/20, is to eradicate curable blindness in India by the year 2020. This lofty goal is supported by a network of charitable donations that allow SEF to expand its reach in India and provide on-the-spot treatment for a wide range of eye issues that lead to blindness. Their specialty eye care centers are available to the rural poor who might otherwise have no means of treatment for curable blindness.

To raise money for its endeavors, Sankara has established a network of highly-rated fundraising events, including music concerts and other exciting activities. These events raise millions of dollars every year and support SEF’s goals. Now, CMG has been given the opportunity to participate in one of these fantastic events at a very meaningful level.

How Does CMG Help Sankara?
Not only has CMG become a platinum sponsor of the recent concert, but Jamaica Tallawahs, the CMG-owned Jamaican cricket team has also become a gold sponsor of the event with a $10,000 donation.
The Chalak Mitra Group of Companies or CMG is a fresh and dynamic group of young entrepreneurs who are doing what some say is impossible: taking a strong approach to investment with multiple strategies and raising private equity capital to aggressively grow businesses. While many doubted that CMG could expand so quickly, the group has proven that it has the resources and foresight to raise more than $50 million in investment capital and to achieve substantial and sustainable expansion for its investors.

One of the secrets to CMG’s success is its diversification. The company works in restaurant and hospitality investments and diversifies its holdings among several well-known restaurant and hotel chains as well as real estate, including retail shopping centers.

CMG and its subsidiaries are proud to be part of the support of local communities. In fact, CMG is dedicated to providing support for a number of charitable organizations, including the Sankara Eye Foundation. By offering sponsorship and support for SEF, CMG continues to help those in need throughout the world.

Chalak Mitra Group of Companies

Fireside Pies Holds Fundraising Event for ATO

In the aftermath of the July 7 tragedy that occurred in Dallas, the city stood united in wanting to support Dallas law enforcement officers. The community reached out to help in any way they could and, for many restaurants, that meant offering free meals to police officers or holding fundraising events.

Fireside Pies, one of the portfolio companies of the Chalak Mitra Group of Companies, wanted to help ease the tension around the city and assist with the healing process. They held a fundraising event on July 14 and donated all proceeds to the Assist the Officer foundation, which provides immediate assistance to police officers and their families in times of need.

“We have a sense of duty to show support for our police officers,” said Kurtis Schart, Director of Operations for Fireside Pies. “We were honored to be able to give back to the police officers that protect and serve us daily. There’s only so much any one person can do to show our sincere gratitude so we wanted to bring the community together by openings our doors and asking people to join us in supporting and celebrating the Dallas police department.”

The fundraiser saw a generous outpouring of support from the community. In the four locations throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Fireside Pies saw hundreds of people come to support the cause.  The restaurant was honored with the response and the opportunity to present a check from the proceeds to the Assist the Officer foundation.

If you were unable to come to the Fireside Pies fundraising event but are interested in donating to the Assist the Officer foundation, donations can be made at ATODallas.org.

Chalak Mitra Group of Companies

Mitra QSR Supports Kentucky Society of Washington Through KFC

Mitra QSR, a subsidiary of the Chalak Mitra Group of Companies (CMG), often donates time and money to charitable organizations such as the Kentucky Society of Washington through its many KFC franchises. Recently, Mitra QSR was able to offer support for the annual Kentucky Society Pre-Derby party, which was held the weekend of the famous Kentucky Derby.

The Pre-Derby Party Was A Smashing Success!
Each year, the Kentucky Society brings the very best of the Derby to the Alexandria, Virginia area with a huge bash, the proceeds of which benefit various charities and scholarship funds, including the Henry Clay Internship program. The party is always a huge hit with fans of the Derby and embodies much of the spirit of Kentucky parties, occurring simultaneously and giving Derby participants a “run for their money!”

This year was no exception. The Derby celebration featured mint juleps, beautiful ladies’ millinery, burgoo, bourbon balls and Bluegrass music. The famous Run for the Roses was the focus as guests enjoyed many of the same amenities as those in the coveted arenas surrounding the actual race. Everyone dressed in their best and enjoyed the day celebrating one of America’s most famous events.

KFC Makes The Kentucky Derby Special
What would the Kentucky Derby be without real Kentucky Fried Chicken? Fortunately, that question never needs to be answered for those participating in the Derby Celebration at the Kentucky Society of Washington.

Mitra QSR was able to partner with the Kentucky Society to provide generous contributions of food and support that helped to make the party a success. Despite bad weather, the Pre-Derby event was a great success, with more than 700 guests enjoying popcorn chicken and biscuits from Mitra QSR’s restaurants. Guests enjoyed the iconic meal for Derby-goers, as well as other great snacks, while also enjoying the ambiance and music surrounding the pre-Derby festival. Mitra QSR has donated chicken and biscuits to this event for two years running.

In thanking Mitra QSR for their hospitality, the event organizers noted that not only was the Pre-Derby food delicious but that the delivery was seamless and well-organized. The event sponsors showed their appreciation for the donations, noting that the president of the Kentucky Society of Washington called the food a “game changer” for the event. In fact, the event was so successful that the president is determined to find a way to have a Colonel Sanders impersonator join the Bluegrass Ball during the Presidential Inauguration in January.

The Kentucky Society of Washington will use the proceeds gathered from this and other events to sponsor its many charitable endeavors. One of these is The Henry Clay Internship in Public Policy. This internship allows two accomplished Kentucky college students to serve in the Kentucky congressional delegation. The participants will gain first-hand knowledge of how the government works while performing jobs such as researching pending legislative issues and responding to constituent inquiries. Money raised by the Kentucky Society of Washington helps to fund these internship opportunities.

The Kentucky Society of Washington also sponsors a contestant in the Miss Cherry Blossom beauty pageant each year. Participants in this pageant compete for the opportunity to win scholarships and other prizes that will help them with their future career goals. Money raised by the Kentucky Society of Washington helps to pay for pageant expenses so that all young women have an opportunity to participate.

Who Is Mitra QSR?
Mitra QSR is the subsidiary that oversees the Quick Service Restaurants of the larger Chalak Mitra Group of Companies. CMG is a private equity firm with several young entrepreneurs who are dedicated to creating diversified investment portfolios and growing investments for their clients. CMG has made it possible for many investors to reach their financial goals and expand their companies through its proven growth formulas.

The Chalak Mitra Group of Companies is intensely involved in the restaurant industry, and Mitra QSR is one of the main subsidiaries of the company in this regard. Based in Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas, Mitra QSR owns and operates Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell, Long John Silvers, and franchises as well as other quick service restaurants. Many of the company’s franchises are branded with both KFC and other restaurants in a co-operated location. Mitra QSR was created in 2009.

Besides acquiring and managing hundreds of franchises, Mitra QSR and the Chalak Mitra Group of Companies also focus their efforts on giving back to the community. As part of these efforts, they often donate time, money and food to various charitable enterprises. For the Kentucky Society of Washington, this resulted in great food, great fun and a great day celebrating the most famous race in the country.

Chalak Mitra Group of Companies