QSR July 2023

ONES TO WATCH / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16

FRANCHISE FORWARD / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

fourth birthday, hosting a week-long series of events, deals, donations, and giveaways. Through the annual Big Day of Giving, Burger Patch donated proceeds from its Blackberry Patch Shakes to local non profit Blackberry Creek Farm Animal Sanctuary. This year, Horn unveiled a sister concept to Burger Patch, hailing from the KIND Lab: Burrito Patch, a fast-casual brand serving 100 percent vegan Mexican dishes. A sneak peek of the menu features burritos, chimichangas, and quesadillas, also known as “patchadillas.” Burrito Patch is still in the works, but Horn is hopeful that it will be brought to market in the coming months. “We’ve always envisioned Burger Patch as the gateway to other vegan innova tions [like Burrito Patch],” Horn explains. “We’ve always thought that it would never be just Burger Patch.” Other examples include seasonal chili and pulled pork alternatives. Horn points to the familiarity of a burger as being the draw for customers who are on the fence.

“We have to get people to take that leap of faith,” Horn says. “We must present peo ple with something savory and delicious. That nostalgic taste gives people the com fort to know that they are doing a good thing by taking the first leap [into plant based].” With Burger Patch, Horn has expe rienced the rises and falls of plant-based trends. He has watched the segment evolve as a young space and is ready for what he calls “the second wave.” He looks forward to strengthening the nostalgic feel of Burger Patch while catering to a target market that might be searching for more. “We have this incredible core group of customers who are really into what we do, but they cannot eat a burger every day. So, what else can we do for them?” Horn says. “We want to present something that is still comfortable and familiar but in a different format. That is where we are at as a brand right now.”

of digital products that allows for a tech nology-forward model. This digitized approach helps Dodo Pizza ensure qual ity despite quick expansion. Now, Dodo Pizza has a team of over 200 software engineers who have successfully moved the back of house into the cloud and developed an app, a website, and other cus tomer-facing digital products. According to the Dodo Pizza website, over 90 percent of delivery orders are made through the app and website. In Estonian locations, the app is responsible for 60 percent of revenue. The company uses technology from R&Digital to adapt to customer prefer ences. Menu research is done with data from the Dodo Pizza app, measuring things like flavor intensity, temperature, and visual appeal. The process makes it easy for customers to give their feedback in a few clicks and lets the brand custom ize its offerings to consumer tastes. Since its inception, Dodo Pizza has grown to 917 company-owned and fran chised units in countries like Belarus, Estonia, Germany, Kazakhstan, Poland, the U.K., and the U.S. In 2019, the brand saw $313 million in systemwide sales, a 46 percent increase from 2018. In 2019, it was named the third fastest growing restaurant brand in Europe and the chain continues to be a market leader in both Russia and Kazakhstan. According to the brand’s website, 89 percent of sales in 2019 were generated in Russia, but the brand is eager to put the money toward scaling globally. For the eco-conscious customer, Ovchinnikov has his eyes on Warsaw, Poland, for the second test market with PIZZcyle boxes. His goal is to fill 100 per cent of delivery orders with reusable boxes and to utilize them in every location, but he is keen on gathering a thorough under standing of how it impacts the company’s systematic efficiency. Dodo Pizza may have reached over 700 locations in only 10 years, but Ovchin nikov has set a goal for 10,000 stores in the future. Additionally, an IPO is planned for the chain in 2024. He invites fellow sustainability pioneers to join him on a mission of honesty and “good old pizza, done well.”

Satyne Doner is a staff writer at QSR . She can be reached at sdoner@ wthwmedia.com .

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Satyne Doner is a staff writer at QSR . She can be reached at sdoner@ wthwmedia.com .

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JULY 2023 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com