Why a Wendy’s - Papa John’s Merger Makes Sense

Increasingly in 2018, consumers are finding that the family dinner is a grocerant meal, with 82.7% of family dinners including at least one grocerant niche fresh prepared item. In fact, Americans consume a shocking 350 slices of pizza every second, according to a report from CNBC -- and if that fact does not get you, consider this: 61% of consumers eat a sandwich at least once a week! 

Now, according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®, Papa John’s has the technology to empower delivery that Wendy’s needs.  Wendy’s has burgers - another hand-held food that fits perfectly with consumers’ increasing on-the-go sandwich trends. Then there is the fact that Wendy’s does not sell breakfast system-wide, thus offering a huge opportunity for incremental growth for a combined company.

This new combination could create a platform that encompasses dinner sales, lunch sales, and breakfast sales, given the built-in customer bases and technology platform, according to Johnson.  After all, regular readers of this blog know that since 1991 Steven Johnson has been crafting new non-traditional business relationships edifying legacy brands, while building foundations for start-up and regional chains.

Does your brand need a refresh? If your brand looks more like yesterday than today or tomorrow, it just might be time that you called for outside eyes to help you drive inside results.  What is your new electricity that is driving top line sales and bottom line profits?  Are your customer counts growing? 

So, just what do we mean by a brand’s new electricity? According to Johnson, “Brand relevance is in part driven by innovation in new food products in combination with new avenues of distribution, all of which are the platform for the new electricity.”

Johnson states that “in my mind’s-eye, the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as fresh foods, urban clothing, grocerant consultants, urban farming (produce, seafood, etc.), autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, cash-less payments, and digital hand-held marketing. This program has all of that.

For foodservice retailers to survive the next generation of retail, they must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food that is portable, fresh, with differentiation that is familiar, not different.  That will require brands to embrace new fresh food partnerships now more than ever before, according to Johnson.

For international corporate presentations, educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us, the Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  His extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert and public speaker will leave success clues for all. Visit: www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.