Wiseguy Pizza, launched by Nuri Erol and now owned by Thompson Hospitality, had 5 places within the D.C./Maryland/Virginia area. The model has grown with its emphasis on good meals and repair.
What occurs when one man units out to create the right pizza? The result’s Wiseguy Pizza, a Washington, D.C. model with 5 places, which launched in 2012 by founder Nuri Erol. Erol, a local of Turkey, was on a mission to create the right pizza and traveled the world over trying to find recipes.
He began Wiseguy Pizza with a New York-style dough, “however he is taken every part — what he is discovered internationally — and cherry-picked secret trades. Everyone makes pizzas, and everyone claims to have good pizza,” mentioned Alex Berentzen, COO of Thompson Hospitality Group, in a cellphone interview with Pizza Market. “However we have now a very good pizza, and I will let you know why: what makes our pizza so profitable is it is put in stone deck ovens at 550 levels. We use a pizza peel, clearly, however we do not use screens. We would like the pizza to be straight on the stone.”
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Supplied by Wiseguy Pizza |
On the menu
The result’s a golden-brown crust with a crispy, puffy, bread-like texture. It may be folded, however diners hear a fragile crunch to the dough. Those that normally go away the crust behind do not at Wiseguy. The entire slice is loved.
Berentzen mentioned consistency and high quality components makes Wiseguy a standout within the trade. The model makes use of an all-natural cheese from Wisconsin, filtered water, a tomato sauce sourced from California and costly olive oil. Sauces are made in home on the Navy Yard store in a basement kitchen that capabilities as a commissary by a long-time worker to make it constant. Dough is made on web site at every location, nonetheless, in small batches.
“We serve 18 various kinds of pizza,” Berentzen mentioned. “It seems like loads, however we have gotten excellent at it. While you scale an idea and prepare for progress — which we’re there now — it is about proudly owning your craft and simply getting it proper. It is repetition, repetition, repetition.”
Pizza accounts for 95% of Wiseguy’s gross sales. Earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic, the model offered pizza by the slice, however afterward gross sales have shifted to entire pies as effectively. At this time, gross sales encompass 70% slices and 30% pies, Berentzen mentioned.
Thompson Hospitality Group partnered with Erol and finally took over the model final yr, bringing with it years of expertise in each menu improvement and scaling manufacturers.
“The explanation we’re so profitable is we do not mess with the manufacturers,” Berentzen mentioned. “We do not change something. That is a mistake that different operators do when you may have an proprietor/operator founder create an exquisite restaurant model, develop it to some places after which another person companions they usually begin messing with the components or how issues are executed. We have not modified a factor.”
Together with the consistency of the model are long-time staff which have been with Wiseguy for 12 or 13 years or longer.
Other than pepperoni, at all times an enormous mover, the model’s Hen Paneer Pizza is a prime vendor on the menu. It features a home masala sauce, hen, paneer cheese, mozzarella, inexperienced and chili peppers, onions, tomato, cilantro and jalapeño sauce.
The Korean Hen can also be standard with home chili and candy sauce, crispy hen, mozzarella, cabbage combine and sesame aioli. Friends additionally just like the Buffalo pizza, which options spicy hen, buffalo sauce, cheddar, mozzarella cheese and Parmigiano.
“They’re a bit bit off the overwhelmed path, however as soon as folks are available they usually strive them, they’re hooked,” Berentzen mentioned.
Garlic knots are standard, as are do-it-yourself chocolate chip cookies.
Operations
Thompson has helped the model add to its tech stack, together with a brand new POS system to interchange an outdated one. On-line ordering was added, and a few retailers are so busy they’re placing in kiosks to hurry up the ordering course of.
“Folks need know-how. I would say about 40% of our orders are ordered off-premise by know-how, both by third-party distributors or supply or on-line ordering,” Berentzen mentioned. “We now have to (embrace know-how). With our new options, it is seamless. … That is the assist that Thompson Hospitality may give them — the construction, the techniques and assist the model scale that means in order that we will develop a bit higher. Expertise is necessary for us.”
The model has additionally redesigned some packaging to incorporate branding, which can roll out within the subsequent 4 to 6 weeks.
Wiseguy Pizza has 5 places within the D.C./Maryland/Virginia space. Thompson Hospitality has about 60 eating places within the space, together with the Wiseguy model, in addition to models in South Florida. A sixth Wiseguy Pizza might be constructed within the Ft. Lauderdale space.
By the top of subsequent yr, Berentzen mentioned the Wiseguy model may have doubled in measurement.
“We might simply deal with this within the DMV space. We might go to 30 or 40 places and never have to alter a factor,” he mentioned, including he would not fear in regards to the model rising too rapidly. “We now have it right down to a science.”
Thompson Hospitality has 19 manufacturers beneath its umbrella and opened 14 or 15 eating places this yr alone. With shopping for energy and expertise on its aspect, Thompson helps Wiseguy Pizza develop in a methodical, however accountable, means.
“Our energy is our tradition, so after we knew (the Wiseguy’s location at) Wheaton (Mall) was opening, we employed folks early on and put them within the different shops to coach,” Berentzen mentioned, including the brand new location had staff who had already been on the payroll for almost two months.
Recruitment and retention have not been a difficulty, and gross sales have been up yr over yr.
“Our shops are doing nice,” Berentzen mentioned. “I want we had extra (Wiseguy places). Sooner or later we need to franchise the model out, too.”
There is a hyperlink on its web site for people involved in franchising, and the model is simply beginning to accumulate a few of that info.
“We now have huge plans for this model,” Berentzen mentioned. “I do know this could possibly be a nationwide model. It is good.”
Mandy Wolf Detwiler is the managing editor at Networld Media Group and the location editor for PizzaMarketplace.com and QSRweb.com. She has greater than 20 years’ expertise masking meals, folks and locations.
An award-winning print journalist, Mandy brings greater than 20 years’ expertise to Networld Media Group. She has spent almost 20 years masking the pizza trade, from impartial pizzerias to multi-unit chains and each measurement enterprise in between. Mandy has been featured on the Meals Community and has received quite a few awards for her protection of the restaurant trade. She has an insatiable urge for food for studying, and might let you know the place to search out the most effective slices within the nation after spending 15 years touring and consuming pizza for a dwelling.
