A&W Renewed Success Clue

Legacy brands don’t become legacy brands by doing nothing.  In fact one success clues that Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® reminds regular readers of this blog is “consumers are dynamic not static and brands must be as well”.

A&W restaurants have been around since 1919. That’s right 1919. You cannot survive over 101 years if you do not evolve.  Well guess what.  Rethinking its growth strategy, A&W entered the C-store sector and guess what happened?

Same-store sales at A&W Restaurants’ franchised gas and convenience store locations jumped by double digits in June, although Americans were driving fewer miles and buying less gas than usual. Sales at A&W’s more than 90 C-store locations were up 10.5 percent, following an 8.3 percent increase in May. They were an average of 11 percent higher during the January-February period before falling off in March and April, the result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The strong performance comes as the iconic brand prepares to expand its convenience store and travel center presence from coast to coast with eight new franchised locations. 

“At a time when Americans were staying off the road, it’s remarkable that sales at A&W convenience store locations were so strong,” says CEO Kevin Bazner. “This shows the tremendous value that A&W brings to C-stores and travel centers.”

“A&W truly is an all-American business opportunity that performs very well in all areas of the country,” Bazner added. He noted that in a recent national poll of 15,000 respondents, 74% had eaten at an A&W.

To help new C-store owners succeed, A&W is lowering royalties in the first year of all new franchise agreements from the standard 5% to 3%. Second-year royalties are 4%. Initial fees on multi-unit agreements also are being discounted.

System-wide, A&W experienced double-digit comp-store sales growth in May and June, despite nearly all dining rooms being closed due to coronavirus. Average unit sales have increased by 38 percent since franchisees acquired the company from YUM! Brands in 2011.

“The pandemic is sadly forcing many stores, as well as independent and other chain restaurants, to close permanently,” Bazner says. “We expect more new franchisees will capitalize on these real estate opportunities and convert facilities that once housed other restaurant brands or businesses to A&Ws.” How are you evolving?

Foodservice Solutions® team is here to help you drive top line sales and bottom-line profits. Are you looking a customer ahead? Visit GrocerantGuru.com for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may the clue you need to propel your continued success.

PizzaRev Expanding the Brand with Flavor

Success does leave clues and the first clue of success is listening to your customers according to Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru® Steven Johnson.  When Nicholas Eckerman, co-founder and co-CEO of PizzaRev announced that its custom hot sauces will be available for purchase our Grocerant Guru® new that this successful concept was doing all of the right things to edify his brand.

PizzaRev has built a loyal fan base for its fully customized dining experience, including its ‘Rev It Up’ counter where guests choose from a variety of hot sauces and spices to put the finishing touches on their custom, personal pizzas.  Regular readers of this blog know that personalization and customization are hallmarks of Grocerant niche success.

Eckerman  stated “Since we unveiled our line of custom hot sauces our guests have inquired about purchasing them,” …We’re excited to finally offer our guests the opportunity to bring home their favorite sauces, and our three pack makes the perfect gift for the Holidays.”

Here is what you can get a Gift Pack of three sauces for $12.99 or a single bottle for $4.99. The nine custom hot sauces available for purchase include:

• Ghost Pepper – By far the spiciest PizzaRev sauce, perfect for guests looking for haunting heat. (Scoville Heat Units: 855,000 – 1,000,000)
• Garlic Habanero – This fan favorite features the perfect blend of garlic and aged red habaneros. (Scoville Heat Units: 200,000 – 350,000)
• Habanero – A smooth combination of aged red tabasco and habanero peppers offers medium heat. (Scoville Heat Units: 100,000 – 250,000)
• Cayenne Pepper – Louisiana style hot sauce with a bite that complements any pizza, adding mild to medium heat. (Scoville Heat Units: 15,000 – 30,000)
• Chipotle – This classic features the bold and smoky flavor of the chipotle pepper. (Scoville Heat Units: 12,000 – 30,000)
• Jalapeno – A burst of flavor with smooth peppery notes and delicate heat. Lower in sodium than most jalapeno sauces. (Scoville Heat Units: 8,000 – 23,000)
• Datil Pepper – Sweet and spicy, this sauce features the distinct flavor of the datil pepper without the extreme heat. (Scoville Heat Units: 5,000 – 8,000)
• Mango Scotch Bonney – Light mango and citrus undertones complement the complex kick of this Caribbean inspired sauce. (Scoville Heat Units: 2,500 – 8,000)
• Peach Vidalia – Zesty and sweet, this rich sauce packs a flavor punch.

By the way in case you did not know PizzaRev is a “build-your-own” fast-casual pizza concept that has reinvented the way America eats its favorite food. Guests are empowered to fully customize a personal-sized 11″ pizza for one price. Homemade dough options, flavorful sauces, all-natural cheeses, and more than 30+ artisanal toppings, everything is on display at PizzaRev and assembled right before your eyes.

Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions 5P’s of Food Marketing can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization? Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.usor visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.