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Pizza Patrón: 'Edgy' brand seeks to expand

The time may never be better for Pizza Patrón with its mission to promote what it sees as the true "spice of life" -- an edgy multi-cultural take on pizza.

April 25, 2018 by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Call it "brand love" or "franchisee infatuation," but Pizza Patrón's reincarnation over the last several years under the guidance of two extremely dedicated franchisees, is among the most recent examples of brand transformation via what you might call "new" leadership that's been around awhile. 

At this particular 32-years-old concept — which fuses the Italian-born pizza restaurant approach with the mindset of Latino culture — the franchisees who picked up the pieces of the brand two years ago are the current Pizza Patrón CEO Charles Loflin and President Chris Partyka. 

As Pizza Marketplace readers might recall, back in January the two pizza leaders officially relaunched the then-90 store chain with a new logo, brand visuals, updated website and online ordering platform. The emphasis of all of that activity was to drive expansion of the franchise with that growing group of restaurant customers who want - as the company puts it -- "cultural experiences and influences beyond pizza."

If that sounds particularly bold in a restaurant sector that many Italians claim as that country's "offspring," or at the very least "property," perhaps it is intended. That's because, as Loflin said back earlier this year, this brand aims to be one that is in your face. Or as he put it, "colorful and edgy."

The two franchisees bought the brand from its founder Antonio Swad in 2016. At that time its unique connection to Latino food and culture was among the top priorities, along with an overall modernization of the brand. Intense flavor and a mindset fixed on the values and assets of a multicultural world where variation truly is the spice of life is the "soil"  the brand now firmly plants its feet.  

In that respect, the timing may never be better, since restaurant trends today lean heavily toward the consumer's love of the exotic, worldly and hyper-flavorful when it comes to their food. Pizza Marketplace wanted to know more about the brand and where it's headed.

That's why Pizza Marketplace fielded the following questions with Loflin and Partyka to give readers a closer look inside Pizza Patrón's plans as it sets out to attract new franchisees in Arizona, Illinois, Louisiana, Oklahoma and its home base of Texas.

Q: Your roots are still firmly planted in Latino flavors, but is that the direction you will continue to move, and how will your offerings differ and remain the same along this key differentiator of the brand?

Loflin: We hired a chef as part of the rebranding process, and he is continuously bringing new recipes to the table along with different ingredients to add to our current menu items. The new ingredients build on the great existing flavors and really elevate existing products to another level. 

He is doing R&D to find Latin-inspired products and is not changing our current product, instead offering added ingredients to the already existing menu items. In the past, our Cheese Stix have been a frozen product and our pizzas are baked fresh in-house daily. Chef Andy [Wittman] figured that if we make fresh pizzas then we should apply the fresh baked process to the Cheese Stix as well.

Pictured left to right, CEO Loflin and President Partyka.  (Photo provided)

Q: What's your unit count now and geographically where are most stores located?

Partyka: Unit count is 93 and majority of our locations are based in Texas and Phoenix.

Q: Do you have other areas in mind, and if so can you share some information about the direction of that growth?

Partyka:We want to concentrate on areas where we have a footprint in the past, such as El Paso, Las Vegas and Florida. Guests continue to express the want for Pizza Patrón to be back in their market, and we want to bring Pizza Patrón back to them.

Q: What makes Pizza Patrón a brand that truly is different, better and prime for future success?

Loflin: We use our Latin inspiration to craft pizzas powered by culture. Our unique flavors and the freedom to create your own experience is what guests can expect when they visit us.

Q: The brand previously had an in-house ad agency of sort, but you've opted to go to an outside agency now [Barkley]. Why was that change made and how does that plan into Pizza Patrón's growth strategy?

Loflin: We made a significant shift in rebranding and knew that in order to see our vision come to life, there would need to be a major change in the in-house creation process. The overall direction of staying true to our Latin roots while reaching a younger, modern and urban demographic has been fueled in large part to the type of modern changes that are becoming increasingly popular across the nation. 

Barkley is a highly credible agency, and after meeting with their team, the collaboration was a perfect fit. They were able to take our product and vision of incorporating a new vibe and culture to appeal to millennials and set the foundation to grow in the future.

Q: Ethnic flavors have perhaps never been bigger in the U.S. than right now. Granted, this brand was there before that shift occurred, but how do you ride that wave without becoming just one of the increasingly large crowd following that credo?

Partyka: We don't want guests to be hesitant when looking at our specialty selection of pizzas but rather explore the unique flavors that we have combined to elevate a typical pepperoni pizza and adding our Latin twist to the cuisine. Our execution is what takes the Patrón experience to the next level--when we execute with passion and skill, that allows our unique culture and flavor to really shine through. 

Our locations are in the neighborhoods many people have grown up in as children, giving us a unique opportunity by expanding our flavor profile as those same children growing into adulthood expand their palates.

Q: Are you still targeting the blue collar and ethnic customer, and what does your market research indicate this customer wants in both their food and their brand features?

Partyka: In the past, guests have expressed that they felt like Pizza Patrón was not a place to eat for them because it was predominantly Hispanic and they were of another ethnicity. We want every person to feel that Pizza Patrón is a place where they are welcome and free to create their own flavor that is as unique as they are. 

We still serve blue collar and ethnic customers along with everybody else who would like a great tasting pizza at a great value. The fresh and made-to-order pizza at a great value is what we pride ourselves on.

Q: I also noted you do not deliver. Is that going to change as it seems like an increasingly important part of business strategy, especially in the pizza space?

Loflin:We have delivery on our radar for the future.

Q: Pizza Patrón also emphasizes its' connection to urban art and really has a kind of tough, gritty vibe. How will you push forward with those aspects with the brand?

Loflin: The new direction we have transitioned towards is definitely aimed at connecting to the urban community, and with the use of artwork, we can make that connection to really showcase our brand and vibe through symbolically relating to our guests.

Our goal is to allow guests to come to our locations with the intent to be bold and create flavors that fit their unique tastes and have a great experience. Incorporating urban art evokes creativity and a sense of ownership, in the sense that art can be interpreted in many ways. One guest may make a connection with the art displayed on our swag or wall mural in a completely different way than another person might. But both are able to make a personal connection with the art we are merging with our brand. 

Feature photo: iStock

About S.A. Whitehead

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Pizza Marketplace and QSRweb editor Shelly Whitehead is a former newspaper and TV reporter with an affinity for telling stories about the people and innovative thinking behind great brands.