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IN THE NEWS

FIFTH GROUP RESTAURANTS SELLS SALA-SABOR DE MEXICO
New Owner is Twelve Grapes, LLC

Fifth Group Restaurants announced today that Sala-Sabor de Mexico has been sold to Twelve Grapes, LLC, which also owns Vine restaurant adjacent to Sala in the Virginia-Highland neighborhood. The new owner plans to keep the restaurant the same, with no menu, décor or staff changes planned.

“We are proud of our success with Sala and its popularity in Atlanta,” said Robby Kukler, a Fifth Group owner. “This is a very positive move and we are excited about the opportunities it will open up to our company.”

Fifth Group Restaurants loyalty program points and dining cards will no longer be valid at Sala. However, the ownership change in no way affects the company’s other restaurants.

Sala-Sabor de Mexico is located at 1186 North Highland Avenue N.E.

FIFTH GROUP RESTAURANTS TRANSITIONS INTO THE NEW YEAR
Atlanta Restaurant Company Resolves to Remove Trans Fats from All Outlets

Fifth Group Restaurants® has already achieved its New Year’s resolution by reaching trans-fat-free status. As of January 8, the popular restaurant company has banned the use of trans fat in preparation of its food in all six of its restaurants (Ecco, La Tavola Trattoria, Food Studio®, South City Kitchen® Midtown, South City Kitchen Vinings) and its catering company, Bold American® Catering. Fifth Group’s owners are the first to announce this commitment in Atlanta.

“As a restaurant company, we believe in offering guests the foods they want without sacrificing taste, but we also believe in offering healthy options for our patrons,” Fifth Group Restaurants Partner Robby Kukler said. “Trans fats do not benefit the taste, texture or quality of food in any way, and so now when customers dine at a Fifth Group Restaurant, they can focus on enjoying the meal instead of worrying about harmful trans fats. It is still an individual’s decision on whether or not to eat healthy, but most people are unaware that they are eating trans fats so we simply have removed them from our restaurants.”

Trans fats are found primarily in partially hydrogenated oils, which are used in such foods as breads, cakes, cookies and fried foods. These fats help increase the shelf life for baked products and fry-life for cooking oils but also raise levels of bad cholesterol while lowering levels of good cholesterol.

The Food and Drug Administration estimates that each person eats a total of 4.7 pounds of trans fat per year. Harvard University studies have shown that if trans fats were removed from the food industry in the United States alone, it would prevent up to 100,000 deaths per year that are primarily due to coronary heart disease. Even though Fifth Group Restaurants has opted not to use trans fats in preparing food company-wide, the chefs are still able to create their signature foods with the same outstanding flavors. In other words, signature dishes like South City Kitchen’s biscuits and Ecco’s fried goat cheese with honey will still taste great and be a bit healthier.

“There are substitutes readily available and as the general public becomes increasingly interested and aware of the origin of their foods, the food industry as a whole must adapt to be sensitive to their interests,” says Kukler.

FIFTH GROUP RESTAURANTS: ONE OF THE ‘BEST PLACES TO WORK’ IN ATLANTA
Home-Grown, Hands-On Approach Earns Company A Top Slot In Business Rankings

Employees at one of Atlanta’s premier restaurant companies feel they work for one of the best employers in town, and the Atlanta Business Chronicle agrees. On September 15, the Chronicle announced the results of the 2006 Best Places to Work survey and ranked Fifth Group Restaurants No. 5 in the medium-sized company category (101-500 employees). This is the first time a restaurant group has been ranked in the survey. Fifth Group Restaurants Partner Robby Kukler said the company has always strived to offer a diverse group of people a great place to work. Kukler, along with partners Steve Simon and Kris Reinhard, also believes in hands-on management whereby his staff can participate in the decision-making process and voice their concerns about the business. As a result, Fifth Group employees recognize this sense of respect, which trickles all the way down from upper management to each and every guest that enters a Fifth Group Restaurant.

“Our employees are the key to making Fifth Group Restaurants and our patrons’ experiences great,” Kukler said. “We are honored not only by this recognition but by our employees’ satisfaction as well. We’re proud to be a company that’s all about its people – this award just further reinforces that this commitment is being recognized in a tangible way.”

This is the fourth year the Atlanta Business Chronicle has accepted nominations for Atlanta’s best places to work. Job satisfaction surveys, created by an independent research firm and completed by the employees of nominees, determine winners. More than 230 companies participated in this year’s survey with 50 companies making the final ranking: 10 large-sized companies with 501 or more employees, 20 medium and 20 small with 10-100 employees. Fifth Group Restaurants employs 300 full-time staff members. Fifth Group continually trains its staff and is often able to promote from within, which builds a company culture and camaraderie among employees. As a result, employees cited open communication, integrity, thorough training, respect from management and feeling valued as some of the reasons why their jobs were so fulfilling.