1851

When Tammy Jordan decided to open a Pizza World franchise in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, it was always meant to be a family affair. Her husband, Bob, who had grown up in the liquor business and later served as a police officer, took on day-to-day operations, while their children each stepped into roles based on their own strengths. Janna Sanders, trained by Disney and seasoned at Nordstrom, took over marketing and social media. Jeremy, a professional chef with years of experience in commercial kitchens, contributed menu items that ended up on Pizza World's national offerings. And Kyle, a beer enthusiast and Certified Cicerone, brought an idea to the table that would ultimately reshape the business.As the family grew their Pizza World footprint, Kyle began advocating for a strong craft beer program to complement their gourmet pizzas. That vision led them to Voodoo Brewing Co., a Pennsylvania-based craft beer franchise known for its quirky branding and high-quality brews. After visiting Voodoo locations during concert road trips, Kyle pitched the idea to his family — and to Pizza World founder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-wortham-871b2127/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=voodoo-brewing-pizza-world-partnership-jordan-sanders-2729394" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Eric Wortham</a>. Voodoo’s leadership was intrigued but cautious at first. Only after a site visit to Iowa and a taste test of the family’s signature dishes — wings, dill pickle pizza and more — did Voodoo leadership sign off on the unique partnership.What followed was months of collaboration and compromise. The Jordans worked closely with both Pizza World and Voodoo to ensure menus wouldn’t compete, even developing new co-branded items like a one-pound hot dog wrapped in pizza dough. The final concept keeps both brands visually distinct — warm red for Pizza World, cool blue for Voodoo — but integrated in layout and customer experience. The family also designed the space as a community destination, with patio seating, shared promotions with neighboring restaurants and plans for live music.Now, as they prepare to open their first Pizza World-Voodoo hybrid on May 9, the Jordans are already looking ahead. With development rights for Pizza World throughout Iowa and additional Voodoo locations in the works — including one in a 70,000-square-foot esports arena — the family has ambitious plans. But at the core of it all is their deep bond, forged through personal challenges and a shared commitment to doing things differently. “Franchises don’t usually play well together,” Bob said. “But we knew this model could work—because it was built on family, good food and great beer.”1851 Franchise sat down with Bob, Janna and Kyle to discuss their dynamic family enterprise, their franchising journey with Voodoo Brewing Co. and Pizza World and their unique melding of the two concepts. Here’s what they had to say:1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?Bob Jordan: I grew up in the liquor business — my family owned a liquor store, and we had a restaurant across the parking lot. I worked there until I was 21, then became a police officer. My kids grew up hearing those stories, and after they all graduated from college, they said, "Dad, why don’t we open a restaurant?" I said, "Okay, but everyone has to be involved. Why did we pay for college otherwise?" So we started looking at restaurant concepts all across the country. We tried everything and kept coming back to Pizza World. We liked the crust, the cheese, and especially the people behind the brand. It felt like family.Janna Sanders: I was trained by Disney, which was my first job. Later, I worked for Nordstrom, another company known for excellent customer service. I moved to Iowa to finish college and was working when I got very sick. I developed necrotizing pancreatitis due to a medication reaction and ended up in the hospital for seven months with complete organ failure. I had to relearn how to walk. It brought our family even closer together. Because of my dietary needs now, we created menu items that I can eat, and that commitment to inclusivity has extended to our customers, too.1851: This is a real family enterprise. Can you tell us who all is involved and what it is they do?Bob Jordan: We bring a lot to the table. My son, Kyle, is a beer expert. Another son, Jeremy, is a hobby chef that helped Pizza World fix some of their recipes — and those went national. My daughter, Janna, does our marketing and social media. My wife, Tammy, has a background in law and HR, so he keeps us sharp on the business side. Even the grandkids are involved. My grandson helped open our first restaurant when he was three — he’s eight now and throws pizza dough better than some of our employees. My granddaughter, who’s five, helps at the counter and answers phones.Kyle Jordan: I’m the general manager and the one who brought Voodoo into the picture. I’ve taken courses to become a Certified Cicerone, which is like a sommelier but for beer.1851: What inspired the partnership between Voodoo Brewing and Pizza World, and how did the idea come together?Bob: It started with Kyle saying we needed really good beer to go with our gourmet pizza. I brought it up with Eric Wortham, Pizza World’s founder, and he was open to it. Eric talked about it with his buddy, the CEO of Domino's, who said branding would be key in the future — everyone is fighting for the same dollar. Gourmet beer and gourmet pizza could stand out.Kyle and his wife traveled to concerts and tried craft beers across the country. Eventually, we landed on Voodoo. It was colorful and quirky, just like Pizza World. We attended Voodoo’s Discovery Day and invited members of the leadership team to visit us in Iowa and try our food. After tasting our menu — especially our wings and our dill pickle pizza — they were on board.We had to carefully coordinate so the menus wouldn’t compete. Pizza World is the engine that drives the train, but Voodoo is the tender car — full of flavor and manpower. We drew up renderings that showed how the spaces would be separate but complementary. Pizza World is warm and red; Voodoo is cool and blue. We even proposed shared menu items like a one-pound hot dog wrapped in pizza dough with beer cheese and chili. Both sides support each other.1851: How do you see the combination of Voodoo’s craft beverages and Pizza World’s menu creating a unique experience for your community?Bob: The big brewers here like Big Grove are dominating the taps by buying up restaurants. Their food offerings are always the same: burgers, quesadillas, salads. It gets old. We want to stay in our lane — gourmet pizza, wings, pasta. Partnering with Voodoo lets us offer something completely different. They don’t have to serve the same cheeseburgers. And our customers can have craft beer that actually pairs well with great food.Kyle: Every Voodoo beer finishes clean. It doesn’t matter how high the ABV is or what the style is — it finishes crisp and refreshing. Their creativity, quality, proprietary yeast and rotating seasonal offerings mean there’s always something new. It’s exciting.1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?Bob: I left the restaurant and liquor business in the '80s and went into law enforcement. I’m a dinosaur now — I like paper and pencil more than POS systems. But my kids had worked in the industry and were more familiar with modern operations. I knew it would take too long to develop a new brand from scratch, so franchising made more sense.1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?Bob: I had a basic idea. We had the liquor store, and a friend of mine growing up had a 7-Eleven franchise. I saw how their family had to get approval for everything and couldn’t just make decisions on their own like we could.Franchising is very different depending on the brand. Pizza World is very family-oriented. You can call Eric, the founder, and he answers. His son Ryan, the VP, owns his own location and understands what operators go through.1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?Kyle: I first heard of Voodoo in 2013 when they released ManBearPig, one of the highest-rated stouts on Untappd. I was too young to drink but loved South Park and remembered the name. Later, my wife and I tried their beers in Ohio and loved them. Every beer is consistent, unique and high-quality. They use a proprietary yeast strain from Belgium. Their branding — cartoony, bright, quirky — is unforgettable. There’s always something new to try.1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?Bob: We want to grow organically. We have the rights to develop Pizza World throughout Iowa. We're opening our first Pizza World-Voodoo combo on May 9, which kicks off Craft Beer Week. We're looking at a second location to serve Ely, Swisher and other nearby towns. We’ve signed an LOI for a third location in Coralville, where the University of Iowa is. That one will go into a 70,000-square-foot electronic gaming arena. Think the esports arena at the Luxor in Las Vegas — except bigger.1851: Is there anything else about your story you want people to know?Bob: Franchises don't usually play well together, but we made it work because it was family pushing it forward. We believed in the idea and carried it on our backs. Our location has a pond, fountains and sits next to the busiest Mexican restaurant in town. We’ve talked about doing collaborative events — live music, food specials. We're trying to build a real community hub here.1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?Bob: Do your homework. A lot of it. Talk to other franchisees. Visit locations. Understand the system. Get a good franchise attorney to go over everything.Kyle: Be ready to work hard. We met people during Voodoo Discovery Days who thought they could just hire a staff and let the business run itself — but that’s not how it works. You have to be involved. If you’re not ready to commit, it might not be the right fit.Janna: Flexibility is everything, especially when you’re working between two franchises and handling marketing. You have to be ready to adapt constantly.ABOUT VOODOO BREWING CO.More than just a brewery, Voodoo Brewing Co. is a community of passionate beer lovers dedicated to pushing the boundaries of craft beer. Alongside world-renowned “liquid gold,” provided directly from the brewery, local owners offer killer food, craft cocktails and hard seltzer in their community-focused brewpubs. Each location has a customized logo, locally inspired menu and consistent local events, allowing Voodoo Brewing Co. franchise partners to become truly immersed in their communities. With 20 locations across multiple states, Voodoo Brewing Co. has already captured the hearts of beer enthusiasts nationwide and has proven itself as the fastest-growing brewpub franchise in the world. Now, it is on track to quickly grow roots across the nation. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://voodoofranchising.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=voodoo-brewing-pizza-world-partnership-jordan-sanders-2729394" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://voodoofranchising.com/</a>.

Iowa Family Blends Craft Beer and Gourmet Pizza Through Voodoo Brewing and Pizza World Partnership

 Voodoo Brewing/Pizza World Partnership Creates Family-Run Franchise

1851 Franchise

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