COLUMBUS, OHIO – Bob Evans announced a partnership with foodservice company AVI Foodsystems Inc. to develop and license a new prototype concept Bob Evans Express.

Bob Evans Express is a non-traditional restaurant concept designed for venues such as workplace cafés, universities, airports, malls, service plazas and hospitals. The first unit opened at the BMW Manufacturing Co. in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on August 19, where AVI is the foodservice provider. A second Bob Evans Express location will be introduced at the campus’ employee café this October.

Each Bob Evans Express will offer a menu of portable Bob Evans menu items such as Wildfire Chicken Salad, sausage gravy and biscuits and slow-roasted turkey.

This project allows Bob Evans to leverage its brand and explore opportunities in non-traditional locations, and the arrangement will initially provide AVI with exclusivity. The concept’s footprint is a fraction of a traditional Bob Evans restaurant at just 500 square feet, and will be managed and operated by AVI.