Nextbite, a leader in virtual restaurants, announced that Brian Furano has joined the company as Vice President managing its new celebrity and brand partnership program for branded virtual restaurants. Nextbite is the only virtual restaurant company that combines restaurant and technology expertise to help existing restaurants be more successful in the fast-growing off-premise dining model.
Following its recent $120 million dollar funding round, Nextbite is expanding its work with an array of talent and entertainment brands, including celebrities, recording artists, sports teams and celebrity chefs to launch innovative high-quality delivery-only restaurants.
“Virtual restaurants are an exciting new marketing channel/engagement opportunity for celebrities and brands, enabling them to extend their visibility and build new revenue streams,” says Furano. “By engaging with Nextbite, celebrities and high profile personalities are assured of the highest quality experience, from menu development to marketing. For restaurants, our Nextbite brands open the door to complete celebrity concept menus that would be challenging to execute on their own.”
Furano joins Nextbite with deep experience in celebrity partnerships and entertainment, most recently as Founder of boutique talent and brand license agency Outer One where he led and advised on collaborations for Rock & Brews Restaurants with Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS and George Lopez’s Chingon Kitchen restaurant concepts. Before that, he worked as an artist relations executive collaborating with iconic artists like Beyonce, KISS, Madonna, One Direction, The Beatles, Dolly Parton, Ozzy Osbourne, Kanye West, and the Black Eyed Peas.
“With strong relationships in the entertainment, music and restaurant industries, Brian is the ideal person to lead our celebrity and brand partnership efforts,” adds Alex Canter, CEO of Nextbite. “We provide an incredible opportunity for select celebrities to create their own food industry brands with the hottest company in the virtual restaurant world.”
Each Nextbite menu concept is being developed by the company’s experienced culinary team, based in Denver, working with the celebrity brand owners. These high-quality menus are designed to scale for regional and national distribution, and optimized as delivery-only items.
Working with Nextbite, its celebrity and brand partners lend their marketing influence and support to the menu, including posting on their social channels and other creative marketing programs.
Restaurant partners of all sizes and geographies are invited to work with Nextbite to fulfill its high-quality, delivery-only virtual restaurant concepts.
