LongHorn is well positioned to become a national brand with 600 to 800 restaurants generating $2 billion to $2.5 billion in annual sales. Today, with more than 400 restaurants, average unit sales volumes of $3.0 million and $1.2 billion in annual sales, the brand is more than halfway there. And LongHorn generates enough cash to not only fund its own expansion, but also reinvest in enhancing its brand and sustainably growing same-restaurant traffic. In fiscal 2014, LongHorn will continue its journey toward national penetration with approximately 37 to 40 net new unit openings.

With the recent additions of two popular growth brands — Eddie V’s in luxury seafood and Yard House in polished casual dining — SRG is positioned to make a significant contribution to Darden’s annual sales and operating profit growth. Each brand in the group generates high average unit sales volumes — $8.2 million at Yard House, $7.0 million at The Capital Grille, $6.2 million at Seasons 52, $5.8 million at Eddie V’s and $5.5 million at Bahama Breeze — and collectively they produce sufficient cash to fund nearly all the group’s new restaurant growth. The group has nearly doubled the number of restaurants from 89 to 169 with the addition of Eddie V’s and Yard House, and plans to open 25 to 27 net new restaurants in fiscal 2014.

With total sales of $986 million, SRG has the potential to deliver 17 to 19 percent total sales growth each year, driven by same-restaurant sales growth of 2 to 4 percent and new restaurant growth of 15 percent. We anticipate that this level of sales growth will contribute 35 to 40 percent of Darden’s total annual sales growth in the future. In fiscal 2014, total sales for the group are expected to exceed $1.2 billion.