In the post-pandemic landscape of America, many restaurateurs seeking franchise and real estate opportunities are embracing the thriving pizza industry as a lucrative choice. The pizza sector has demonstrated resilience during the most challenging of times and continues to grow as a popular dining option among consumers. To identify exceptional franchise and real estate prospects, restaurateurs are conducting extensive market research to understand local preferences, demographics, and competition.
Many operators then collaborate with experienced franchise consultants and real estate agents specializing in the food industry to provide valuable insights and assistance in locating prime locations with high foot traffic. Armed with that knowledge, they are establishing partnerships with reputable pizza franchises that offer comprehensive support and training programs can further enhance the chances of success in this competitive market.
By leveraging the enduring popularity of pizza and employing strategic decision-making, restaurateurs can navigate the post-pandemic landscape and seize rewarding franchise and real estate opportunities in the American market. At the top of that list of franchise options poised for success is Connecticut based Riko’s Pizza.
“We’re growing, and we’re going to do something fantastic,” noted Rico Imbrogno, co-founder and CEO of Riko’s Pizza. The pizza franchise company has seen a slow-but-steady growth since opening the doors of its first location in Stamford, CT in 2011, thanks to its leaders’ strategic franchise-forward moves. Riko’s is known for its thin crust pies, craft drink menu, and vibe that features a friendly and local atmosphere that rewards franchisees with a loyal and repeat customer base franchise owners as they expand nationwide.
Riko’s began a soft launch of its franchisee program in 2019, but Imbrogno said that he had plans to franchise from day one. A carpenter by trade, Imbrogno was brand new to the restaurant and franchise world when he partnered with Luigi Cardillo, COO, and the two opened the first location. They decided to take a slow growth approach, a decision that ultimately worked in their favor. “We talked to a lot of people, hired a consultant, read a lot, and saw how other people did it,” Imbrogno added “That’s why it took from 2011 to 2019 to launch because we were committed to getting it right.”
But the wait was well worth it, and the Riko’s franchisee program is enjoying steady growth in 2023. The team hired finance veteran Robert Furnari as Chief Financial Officer last year to assist in managing financial systems as the company expands. By the start of 2024, Riko’s will have 10 sites across Connecticut, New York, and Florida. Operations are also expected to open in Austin, Texas; Charleston, South Carolina; and Suffolk County, New York (Long Island). “We are thrilled to close out the soft launch phase with so much momentum and begin our strategic expansion throughout the U.S.” Cardillo elaborated.
To attract potential franchisees, Riko’s focuses on two marketing strategies. “We do a lot of Facebook advertising,” he detailed, “that’s how we get our leads.” In addition, the company hosts Discovery Days, in which franchisees visit the corporate home in Stamford to learn about the company, its operations, and to talk with the Riko’s team.
“When I first started making the dough, nobody would speak to me,” Imbrogno continued. “Now, we’re able to break through doors where we never could before.” And although Riko’s now has no trouble finding franchisees, they continue to take it slow in order to make smart, strategic decisions. “We want to partner with likeminded people who understand me and our vision and what we want to do with the company,” Imbrogno said.
Part of Riko’s Pizza’s vision is to maintain consistency with both quality of the menu and service at its locations across the US. This is especially true in regards to its pizza. After diving into the world of franchising, Imbrogno said that they kept the recipe identical to what it always had been. “We will never change the recipe, because that’s what makes it so distinct and so good,” he said.
Imbrogno and his team understand the importance of providing their franchisees with the highest quality pizza prep and ovens. After much testing, Riko’s utilizes Edge impingement oven technology. “It allows us to cook three pizzas to cook across and have seven pizzas to in the chamber at once. Our goal was to maintain the quality of a traditional Bakers Pride oven while embracing the speed and consistency of conveyor technology.”
One of the keys to success for Riko’s has been the work of the company’s culinary R&D team. “We’ve been able to lock in consistent pizza’s dough and sauce, which ensures consistency among each franchise restaurant. Great pizza is dependent on consistent dough. That can be a real challenge at locations outside the Northeast due to the differences in the water’s PH. Riko’s is committed to ensuring customer satisfaction and franchisee success,” said Cardillo, and with a product that looks and tastes the same from Connecticut to Florida, both are
guarantees.”
Riko’s franchisees also go through regimented training and cross-training procedures so everyone in the kitchen can do the job, even the delivery drivers. Along with ensuring that employees are well-trained and working comfortably, the company strives to understand and respond to the needs of its franchisees and their employees. “To accomplish that goal, we have taken a very different approach. Our corporate home stores in Stamford are structured like any franchisee including the payment of all fees. It enables us to really understand what our Riko’s franchisees are dealing with on a day-to-day basis,” Imbrogno continued.
Imbrogno’s vision for growth includes working on a program that would allow employees to be able to own their own franchise someday. In addition, he has a simple and refreshing mission: “To save this country from s#%&ty pizza.” So far, it’s looking good.
For more information on franchising, visit rikosfranchise.com.
