Craveworthy Brands to Become Managing Partner and Investor of Shaquille O'Neal's Big Chicken
Multi-Brand Platform Company Prepares to Lead Big Chicken's Restaurant Operations, Powering its Future Success and Legacy
CHICAGO, March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Craveworthy Brands ("Craveworthy,") the innovative multi-restaurant platform company, will become a managing partner, investor and stakeholder of Big Chicken, the award-winning and acclaimed fast casual chicken brand founded by Hall of Fame basketball player, Shaquille O'Neal. In addition to the new Craveworthy investment and management role, Big Chicken is backed by O'Neal, JRS Hospitality ("JRS") and Authentic Brands Group ("ABG"), the renowned brand management company.
Current Big Chicken CEO Josh Halpern will continue overseeing the Brand, working alongside Craveworthy Brands CEO and Founder Gregg Majewski to drive growth at Big Chicken and across the broader Craveworthy portfolio.
Big Chicken will join Craveworthy's robust portfolio of 15 brands that operate in various culinary segments including chicken, contributing to the collective growth of its family of brands. Leading operational initiatives and leveraging its proven playbook throughout Big Chicken's locations, Craveworthy will focus on driving long-term growth and reinforcing the Brand's distinctively energetic "Big Flavor. Big Food. Big Fun." guest experience.
In collaboration with O'Neal, JRS and ABG, Craveworthy will manage and provide expertise across key functions such as operations, training, supply chain management, culinary development and customer service, while the Brand retains its core identity. Its deep bench of accomplished restaurants operations leaders and the power of its platform model pairs well with Big Chicken to optimize performance and fuel continued growth at all levels.
With 40-plus locations open and more than 350 in development, Big Chicken continues to grow globally, bringing its signature bold flavors and Shaq-sized personality to guests everywhere. The Big Chicken menu features today's trending bold flavors, while also paying homage to many of O'Neal's favorite home-cooked childhood favorites. Beyond its treasured chicken sandwich and tenders line-up, the menu includes Lucille's Mac N' Cheese (mother), Shakes and Wings, all key aspects of O'Neal's personal and professional lives.
The alignment between the two companies will further Big Chicken's commitment to innovation and streamlined processes, while also leveraging shared resources to strengthen market position and franchise expansion.
Leadership Commentary
"This one-of-a-kind opportunity truly embodies the mission behind why I founded Craveworthy—to build a full-stack platform that aligns with top brands like Big Chicken and infuses broad-reaching support through proven systems and support to thrive in the evolving restaurant industry," said Majewski.
"I'm excited to team up with Gregg and the Craveworthy team. It's a marriage of two BIG time talented organizations," said Halpern, the brand's first and only CEO and the architect of its impressive franchise growth. "Gregg and I have a strong professional relationship and he's the type of leader we'll match with well. I feel fantastic about our future."
Majewski added, "As investors, managing partners and leaders in restaurant operations, we're going to fully leverage the Craveworthy team's deep industry expertise to propel Big Chicken to new heights, all while preserving what makes the Brand so unique to its loyal guests."
"We believe the combination of a great brand and a great operator in Gregg's a unique opportunity for us as investors. Shaquille O'Neal himself is an iconic brand and Big Chicken will become the iconic chicken sandwich," said Lee Larson, CEO and Founder of Everstar Asset Management ("Everstar.")
"By applying our platform's operational excellence and strategic growth strategies, we're ready to take the next step in shaping Big Chicken's bright future—expanding the Brand's reach, elevating the guest experience and driving innovation on all fronts to ensure its continued resilience, success and legacy for years to come," concluded Majewski.
"The drive and determination that runs throughout Big Chicken mirrors what I've seen within the entire Craveworthy organization," added Halpern. "It's the right time to go even BIGGER with the brand, so this is an incredible step forward for the entire brand ecosystem. Let's gooo!"
Transaction Advisors and Partners
Everstar serves as a valued strategic advisor to Craveworthy and has invested through Everstar Funds in both Craveworthy and the newly formed partnership with Big Chicken. Everstar is the manager for a private investment fund and offers actively managed portfolios for institutions and high-net-worth clients.
Entrepreneur and Super Bowl Champion Ndamukong Suh is an active investor in the newly cultivated partnership with Big Chicken and partner in Craveworthy. Suh is a steadfast believer in the Company's vision and his commitment will help fuel its continued growth and innovation.
To learn more about Craveworthy Brands, please visit www.craveworthybrands.com. To learn more about Big Chicken, please visit www.bigchicken.com.
ABOUT CRAVEWORTHY BRANDSCraveworthy Brands, the parent company of Shaquille O'Neal-founded Big Chicken, Bd's Mongolian Grill, Dirty Dough, Flat Top Grill, Fresh Brothers Pizza, Genghis Grill, Hot Chicken Takeover, Krafted Burger Bar + Tap, Lucky Cat Poke Co., Nomad Dawgs, Pastizza Pizza & Pasta, Scramblin' Ed's, Sigri Indian BBQ, Soom Soom Mediterranean, taim Mediterranean Kitchen, The Budlong Southern Chicken and Wing It On!, is dedicated to invigorating and supercharging legacy brands while nurturing and growing emerging brands. The company brings together diverse, yet complementary brands and an accomplished, veteran leadership team in the growing culinary space. In addition to building and operating leading restaurant brands, Craveworthy Brands is active in the communities it serves and creates exciting career opportunities for its team members. Bridging the distinctive individuality of its concepts with a shared culture and spirit of collaboration, the Company's goal is to create truly unique and craveworthy experiences every day, every shift and at every turn. Learn more about Craveworthy and its brands at www.craveworthybrands.com.
ABOUT BIG CHICKEN Founded in 2018, Big Chicken is backed by a dream team of partners; JRS Hospitality, an accomplished Las Vegas-based ownership group; Authentic Brands Group, a multi-national, multi-billion-dollar brand development, marketing and entertainment company; and Hall of Fame basketball star Shaquille O'Neal. In early 2025, Craveworthy Brands, a leading, multi-brand restaurant platform company, made a strategic investment in the Brand, which included managing operational control. Big Chicken fuses O'Neal's home-cooked childhood favorites with today's trending flavors. From crispy chicken sandwiches and tenders to Cheez-It® crusted Mac n' Cheese and hand-crafted ice cream shakes, each menu item tells a story all while offering guests an inside look into the life and personality of Shaquille O'Neal. With several traditional locations currently open and in the development pipeline, Big Chicken is prepped to begin U.S. and international expansion through franchising. To learn more about Big Chicken, visit www.bigchicken.com.
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