MOD Pizza

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MOD Pizza
Private
Industry Restaurant
Founded Seattle, Washington (2008)
Founder Scott and Ally Svenson
Headquarters Based in Bellevue, Washington
Number of locations
 90+[1]
Key people
 Scott Svenson, Chief Executive Officer[2]
Kelly Allison, chief financial officer[2]
Products pizza · salad · milkshakes
Slogan Simple Food for Complex Times
Website modpizza.com

MOD Pizza is a chain of fast casual pizza restaurants based in the United States.[3][4] Founded in Seattle, Washington in 2008, MOD currently has more than 90 locations in the United States with plans to expand into the United Kingdom in 2016.[5] MOD is a culture based company that is claimed by its owners to be "more about the people than the pizza" and to focus on paying living wages and providing employees with opportunities to give back to the community.[3]

Concept and products

MOD Pizza offers individual, artisan style pizzas, which are baked for approximately three minutes in an 800-degree pizza oven.[4] Customers can build their own pizza or salad, which cost the same no matter how many toppings they choose. MOD also offers 10 classic pizzas, a pizza salad, and a seasonal pizza. MOD’s pizzas and salads are offered in three different sizes – Mini, MOD, and Mega. MOD pizzas are made with fresh pressed dough by King Arthur Flour, the oldest flour company in the United States.[6] MOD also serves hand-spun milkshakes, fountain drinks, beer and wine.

The decor and layout of MOD restaurants has been described as "family-friendly," with Zagat observing it has a "simple and functional vibe that ties in nicely with its DIY theme."[7] The interior of each MOD restaurant is unique and "locally inspired."[8][9]

The acronym "MOD" in the company's name stands for "Made on Demand." Its menu features pizzas made with organic dough and gourmet ingredients that are cooked in three minutes using 800-degree stone ovens.[10][11] Customers specify which ingredients they want included on their order, and watch the preparation process, though the restaurant also offers recommended combinations. Restaurant trade publication QSR News has characterized the concept as the "Chipotle of the pizza industry."[12]

File:Interior of a MOD Pizza restaurant.jpg
The interior of a MOD Pizza restaurant, pictured in 2014.

Blaze Pizza, Pieology and Project Pie are all considered direct competitors to MOD Pizza.[13][14]

History

MOD pizza was established in 2008 in Seattle, Washington by co-founders Scott and Ally Svenson. The Svenson’s previously founded Seattle Coffee Company, a successful UK based coffee company that sold to Starbucks in 1998. Afterwards Scott stayed on as President of Starbucks Europe. The Svensons also helped found Carluccio’s Ltd., an Italian restaurant in the UK. After moving back to their hometown of Bellevue, Washington, the Svensons started MOD Pizza after being unable to find fast, affordable healthy meals for their four sons. James Markham, who had previously started pizza parlors in San Diego, California and Shanghai, China, was also a part of the founding team and helped developed the house recipes used by MOD.[15] The restaurant's first location was in Union Square and was followed by additional Seattle locations. [16]

File:MOD Pizza at Union Square, Seattle (21903991226).jpg
The first MOD Pizza location, at Union Square in Downtown Seattle, Washington.

By 2010 Markham had left MOD Pizza due to what he later characterized as a dispute in direction with the Svensons. He subsequently started a California-based chain set on MOD's "DIY" pizza concept called Pieology.[15]

In 2013 the restaurant chain was named one of the United States' "Top 50 Breakout Brands" by Nation's Restaurant News.[17] The same year it added its first location outside of Washington, with a restaurant at Cedar Hills Crossing shopping center in Beaverton, Oregon.[18]

By 2014 MOD Pizza had 31 locations in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Colorado, and Texas. The same year the company secured $15 million in private investment. Notable backers included Dunkin' Donuts president Paul Twohig and TOMS Shoes Chief Executive Officer Jim Alling

Growth

In 2015, MOD Pizza raised $40 million in new funding for a total of $70 million in investment capital to fund an aggressive national growth strategy.[19] The main investor was a private equity fund, PWP Growth Equity. MOD plans to have 100 stores by the end of 2015 and twice that by the end of 2016. MOD’s growth is also accelerated by the addition of several franchise partnerships.[20] The "purpose-led fast casual concept" reached the 1,700 employee milestone mark in August 2015.[21] In 2016, MOD plans expansion into the UK with joint venture partner Sir Charles Dunstone and his business partner, Roger Taylor. MOD named John Nelson as CEO of UK operations, beginning Jan. 5. Nelson comes from Nando's UK.[22]

Awards

  • #7 of Fortune Magazine's 20 Best Places to Work in Retail in 2015.[23]
  • 2015 Community Impact Award for "Job Creation and Workplace Development" by Seattle Business Magazine.[24]
  • FEAT Reach for the Stars Award for Best Employer
  • 50 Breakout Brands by Restaurant News in 2013[25]

Gallery

See also

References

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