Wingstop (WING)

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After the IPO: Wingstop tour brings wings, charitable projects across the country

Aug 5, 2015, 12:46pm CDT
http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/blog/2015/08/after-the-ipo-wingstop-tour-brings-wings.html



The Wingstop food truck is handing out free wings on its Flavor Tour.

After launching a stock offering that returned more than 60 percent during its first day of trading, Wingstop (Nasdaq: WING) hit the road on its Flavor Tour, participating in charitable projects across the country.

After ringing the Nasdaq opening bell on June 12 to signal its stock debut, the company unveiled its Wingstop on Wheels food truck, offering wings to New Yorkers crowding Wall Street. The truck then took off on a cross country Flavor Tour with stops in 10 cities.

The Flavor Tour, a partnership between Wingstop, Coca-Cola, the National Basketball Association and its charitable arm NBA Cares, is promoting and helping fund nonprofit projects across the country. So far, Wingstop has donated more than $100,000 to community projects as part of the tour.

At its first stop in Brooklyn, New York, Wingstop pitched in $40,000 to build a playground in partnership with the Brooklyn Nets basketball team. At its second stop in Atlanta, it worked with Fountain of Hope food bank, in Chicago, it served wings at Boys & Girls Club of Chicago, and in St. Louis, the company served food at the St. Louis Area Food Bank.

“It’s Wingstop’s opportunity to give back to the community,” Wingstop CEO Charlie Morrison told the Dallas Business Journal. “We are … getting involved and supporting organizations specialized in helping children who may be underprivileged or just need our support.”

Wingstop on Wheels made its fifth stop in Dallas-based Wingstop’s hometown on Tuesday, and with the Dallas Mavericks basketball team and the team’s charitable arm the Mavs Foundation, dedicated a basketball court it chipped in $40,000 to build at Youth World Dallas.

The charity, located in Oak Cliff, provides arts, education, wellness and fitness programs for at-risk children. Mavericks point guard Devin Harris was on hand to shoot hoops with Youth World’s kids.

“Youth World fits with our mission,” Morrison said. “This is an organization focused on helping kids advance, get ahead in life, be educated. And Youth World is providing an opportunity for the kids to focus on feeling good about themselves.”

While in North Texas, Wingstop also partnered with the North Texas Food Bank to feed volunteers and community residents and with Boys & Girls Club of Roseland to feed hundreds of North Texas children.

After leaving Dallas on Tuesday, the tour is on its way to visit Denver; Las Vegas; Oakland, California, where it will partner with the Golden State Warriors; and Los Angeles, in partnership with the Los Angeles Lakers. A final stop schedule for Sept. 18 to 22 will be determined by fans. San Antonio is currently the top contender.