Salsa's Fresh Mex Grill: what are their plans for the next 2 years?
QSR Media recently got together with Brett Carman the recently appointed GM for Salsa's to find out what's happening with the brand and what direction he will be taking it in.
QSR Media: 26 stores now, plans for 50 in 2 years, how are you going to achieve this?
Brett: As a relatively new business, we've already had some fantastic growth in terms of store numbers. Achieving our growth targets will depend on getting the right mix of great properties, great partners and great operations. Salsa's connection to Boost gives us a flying start on all three points.
Store performance is also critical. We are already averaging sales of +$1m p.a. per store. The more we can continue to build top line performance, through excellent operations and great properties, the better the business model stacks up. Great business models have a way of attracting great operators!
Company stores are part of our strategy. While we will predominately focus on franchised stores, we want to ensure that we are running company operations that deliver strong profits and fund future growth.
The other opportunity we have for growth is in street sites. We recently opened our first street site, and are learning what makes these tick. Our restaurant formats are licensed and represent a terrific casual dining experience, and we think there is real opportunity for our brand in this space.
QSR Media: You have cited local area marketing as critical to the growth of the business, what plans do you have here?
Brett: The food business is a highly competitive one, and there are a lot of great food offerings out there. I think for a food business to be really successful, it has to connect with their customers at a deeper level than simply transactional. A focus on local marketing, with an emphasis on supporting local clubs, businesses and schools helps to build these connections. People want to be able to connect, and marketing initiatives that support locals helps to build trust and loyalty. No doubt, in our food court models, it's a greater challenge to find and build these relationships.
QSR Media: What changes do you plan on making to Salsa's?
Brett: The fundamentals of the business are terrific. We have a great product, and there is real excitement about the Mexican food category, so we don't need to make wholesale changes for the sake of change. For me, the key to success for any hospitality business is its' commitment to customer service, and having teams in our stores who are passionate brand ambassadors. Developing this passion will be a key focus. There is also an opportunity to celebrate the freshness of our product, so we will continue our evolution of store and menu designs to reflect this.
QSR Media: What have you learned from your experiences with Grill'd and Gloria Jeans that you will apply to Salas's?
Brett: I've been very fortunate to be part of a couple of great brands. Both have taught me the importance of being bloody minded about providing a high level of customer service. My time at Grill'd in particular was very rewarding, and I have enormous respect for the focus Simon Crowe has on brand alignment. He is very clear about what his business stands for, and every decision runs through that filter.
QSR Media: Brand alignment, tell us a bit more about this.
Brett: It's critical for a business to be able to articulate who it is. For any business the challenge is to take the internal brand position and communicate that to customers, so they can identify with your business. To be able to do so effectively, every touch point the business has with its customers must be reinforcing that core message about who you are. The obvious touch points are store design, menu and staff, but it's also your marketing strategy, who you support in your local community, your service experience; the list goes on. For Salsas we're about making fresh Mexican accessible to everyone, and delivering service touched with the spirit of a Mexician fiesta.
QSR Media: Tell us in what ways the relationship with Boost benefits Salsa's, ie is co-branding an option in some sites?
Brett: The obvious benefit comes from the experience, learnings and success that Janine and Jeff Allis have had with Boost. There is also a terrific back of house infrastructure at Retail Zoo that a business of Salsa's size would otherwise not have access to. Also, through Boost, we have built strong relationships with landlords and have proven to be good tenants, so I hope this give us some great opportunities on a property front.
