Founders of Panda Restaurant Group Strategically Invest in Urbane Cafe

VENTURA, Calif., Oct. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Urbane Cafe, a 12-unit fast casual concept serving scratch made, healthy and delicious sandwiches and salads, is honored to announce a strategic investment from Andrew and Peggy Cherng, co-founders of Panda Restaurant Group (PRG), one of America's largest and most renowned family-owned organizations.

"We are proud to have Panda Restaurant Group as a partner to help support the growth of Urbane Cafe," said Tom Holt, founder and CEO of Urbane Cafe. "After spending time with Andrew, Peggy and the Panda team, it was evident that we share many of the same values and commitment to delivering delicious food and hospitality to every guest, every time. Both Panda Restaurant Group and Urbane Cafe truly recognize that our team members are our greatest assets, making this a strategic fit for both companies."

Recently named the Best Sandwich by Ventura County Reporter, Urbane Cafe is rapidly expanding its footprint throughout California, with locations opening in Santa Maria and Encinitas before the year's end. With this new partnership, Urbane Cafe aims to fuel its development for the future and gain from PRG's 40-plus years of restaurant industry and organization-building experience. Urbane Cafe is now positioned for sustainable growth within the market, while continuing to establish itself as a premier destination for crafted sandwiches and salads.

"Urbane Cafe's focus on food quality and service is aligned with Panda's dedication to offering our guests exceptional dining experiences," said Peggy Cherng. "We look forward to partnering with the Urbane Cafe team to support its growth and are available to offer our industry experience when needed."

Founded in Ventura, Calif. in 2003, Urbane Cafe continues to serve the freshest ingredients sourced from local, family businesses, whenever possible. Known for its fire-baked focaccia breads, hand-carved meats and hearty salads, the restaurant has been popular with health- and budget-conscious customers for over a decade. Urbane Cafe prides itself on its made-from-scratch cooking techniques and believes that a truly enjoyable dining experience requires fast, friendly service and a warm, inviting environment. As a family-owned business that feels a deep commitment to its Team Members and the communities it serves, the restaurant is a natural partner for PRG.

About Urbane Cafe
Urbane Cafe is a family business dedicated to helping each community it serves. "As we've grown," Holt said, "we have continued to appreciate the importance of supporting the people who support us. We buy our ingredients and supplies locally when we can, supporting other family businesses whenever possible."

The lunch and dinner menu at each Urbane Cafe restaurant features fresh, healthy sandwiches and salads served in a warm, inviting setting. Though the restaurants span from Southern California to the Central Coast, owner Tom Holt retains a close, hands-on role in every aspect of the business, ensuring that standards of quality are consistent throughout each cafe.

Urbane Cafe is currently serving scratch made sandwiches and salads in the following California communities: Ventura, San Diego, Valencia, Agoura Hills, Oxnard, San Luis Obispo, Camarillo, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Northridge, Mira Mesa, and Temecula. Urbane Cafe can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

About Panda Restaurant Group
Founded in 1973, the privately-held Panda Restaurant Group is the world's leader in Asian dining experiences with over 1,900 locations. The successful chain of concepts includes Panda Express, Panda Inn and Hibachi-San. Panda Express is best-known for its wide variety of original recipes including its Original Orange Chicken^™, SweetFire Chicken Breast®, award-winning Honey Walnut Shrimp and Shanghai Angus Steak. For more information, visit pandarg.com.

SOURCE Urbane Cafe