Emerging Franchisors to Watch: SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza

With James Beard Award-Winning Chef, Michael Smith, creating the menu, there’s no way SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza was ever just going to be another pizza place. A mixture of full-service and fast-casual, SPIN! creates a unique and inviting atmosphere for customers to enjoy their food whether it’s a quick trip for lunch or an extended dinner with friends and family. Guests pay and order at a counter but are then served at their table by the wait staff so they can still receive personal attention and service. When it comes to the food–you can expect a gourmet meal experience without the price of one.

Since the brand began franchising six years ago, it has grown to 17 total locations, both company and franchise-owned, in Kansas, Texas, California and Nebraska. Because of their unique service style and gourmet menu, so far, their reputation has preceded them. All of their franchisees have reached out to them to learn more and inquire about owning their own SPIN! Franchise. On top of that, each franchisee has signed multi-unit development agreements of at least five restaurants. Clearly, franchisees see the potential of working with such an innovative and exciting, emerging brand. And with so much room for growth, franchisees who are interested in owning a SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza now will be able to choose where they want to develop.

Initially when the brand started to franchise, there was a period of very quick growth that led the brand to refocus and being a strategy of slow and steady growth.

“We expanded very quickly with lots of openings in a small time span in 2014. We learned a lot during that time period–about what to do and what not to do. We did grow too fast, looking back, and because of this we now we have shifted our focus to growing, but in a controlled and slower pace,” said Ellen Koch, DIrector of Marketing with the brand.

Looking back at 2017 and the plan for this year, Brownell sees potential in one of its recent hires–Koch. “Our large focus for 2017 and 2018 has been to keep the brand current and fresh, streamline processes with our franchisees and marketing campaigns, and with Ellen back on board as Director of Marketing, we have been able to do just that. We look forward to what she is able to accomplish in 2018,” said CEO Ed Brownell.

Koch’s philosophy on working with franchisees and providing the support they need will help lead the brand to continued growth, since a franchisor is only as successful as its franchisees.

“The most important part of working with franchisees is making sure we are all working together for a common goal, and I think all of our franchisees would agree that we are. While we as the franchisor work on big picture projects in terms of marketing, we look to our franchisees to engage in local store marketing, and we give them all the resources and support they need to do so,” said Koch.

SPIN! Is offering something that other pizza brands don’t and it’s helping them differentiate from so-called competitors in the crowded pizza segment. Koch explains, “We give a full-service experience, from our service to our menu, with fast-casual pricing.”

Photo courtesy of SPIN!'s Facebook page.