CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Across the Southeast, the Bojangles’ made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuit, made hot and fresh every 20 minutes, is a true icon. Southeastern locals know where to get the very best biscuit around, while out-of-towners make sure a visit to Bojangles’ (NASDAQ: BOJA) is always part of their trip home. The biscuit is so important to Bojangles’ that each year the company hosts an internal biscuit-making competition, the Master Biscuit Maker Challenge.

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The Bojangles’ made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuit, made hot and fresh every 20 minutes, is a true icon of the Southeast. (Photo: Bojangles’)

The prestigious competition begins every summer with Bojangles’ certified biscuit makers rolling dough in Bojangles’ restaurants across the Southeast, and concludes with the final round in the Research and Development Kitchen at the Bojangles’ Support Center in Charlotte, N.C. Following this year’s competition, Sonya Lewis of Greensboro, N.C., was named Master Biscuit Maker Champion representing Bojangles’ company-owned restaurants, while Taylor Butler of Jefferson City, Tenn., was awarded the honor for Bojangles’ franchised locations.

“We are very proud of all of our menu items at Bojangles’, but for us, it always starts with the biscuit,” said Bojangles’ Chief Operating Officer, Kenny Avery. “Our fans know there’s nothing like the taste of a delicious, made-from-scratch Bojangles’ biscuit. The Master Biscuit Maker Challenge is an important competition to our company to ensure we serve our customers nothing but the very best biscuit all day, every day. I personally want to congratulate Sonya and Taylor on earning this prestigious award. We’re proud to call them our Bojangles’ Master Biscuit Maker Champions.”

As champions, Sonya and Taylor will each take home a $2,500 cash prize, championship trophy and system-wide accolades as the 2016 Master Biscuit Maker Champions. Additionally, all finalists received a $250 cash prize and trophy.

Master Biscuit Maker finalists, including nine from company-owned locations and eight from franchised restaurants, were first required to take a written exam on the proprietary Bojangles’ biscuit-making process. Then, team members prepared a batch of biscuits that adhere to Bojangles’ strict specifications, including the company’s signature 48-step process. Judges from Bojangles’ Support Center scored biscuits based on a variety of factors, including appearance, color, and of course, taste.

Bojangles’ Master Biscuit Makers are skilled in crafting other Bojangles’ favorites, including the returning by popular demand Cinnamon Biscuit (in participating Bojangles’ locations starting Monday, November 21) and the limited time offering, the delicious Cheddar Bo with Country Ham Biscuit, also available at participating Bojangles’ locations.

This year’s Master Biscuit Maker finalists included:

• Heather Sparrow, Lumberton, N.C.
• Rosa Avila, Rock Hill, S.C.
• Cory Sanford, Rockingham, N.C.
• Maria Luciano Dimas, Conover, N.C.
• Sonya Lewis, Greensboro, N.C.
• Christian Degollado, Asheboro, N.C.
• Samira Amadu, Doraville, Ga.
• Andrea Simpson, Clinton, S.C.
• Charles Thompson, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
• Chakemia Sparkman, Georgetown, S.C.
• Edith Chavez, Yadkinville, N.C.
• Crystal Morgan, Toccoa, Ga.
• Ebony Prather, Columbus, Ga.
• John Robertson, Farmville, Va.
• Taylor Butler, Jefferson City, Tenn.
• Ricky McQuillar, Florence, S.C.
• Christian Mendoza, Weaverville, N.C.

To test your biscuit-making knowledge and learn more about Bojangles’ made-from-scratch biscuit menu items, visit www.bojanglesbiscuits.com. For more information about Bojangles’, please visit www.bojangles.com.

About Bojangles’, Inc.

Bojangles', Inc. is a highly differentiated and growing restaurant operator and franchisor dedicated to serving customers high-quality, craveable food made from our Southern recipes. Founded in 1977 in Charlotte, N.C., Bojangles' serves menu items such as delicious, famous chicken, made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuits, flavorful fixin's and Legendary Iced Tea®. At September 25, 2016, Bojangles' had 699 system-wide restaurants, of which 301 were company-operated and 398 were franchised restaurants, primarily located in the Southeastern United States. For more information, visit www.bojangles.com or follow Bojangles' on Facebook and Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements

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