News

Noble Roman's plans to add thousands of take-and-bake grocery locations

November 7, 2014

Noble Roman's Pizza and Tuscano's Italian Style Subs this week announced results from its third quarter, which included a 9-percent jump in revenue.

Royalties from upfront fees, nontraditional franchises, grocery locations and standalone take-and-bake locations were up double digits in each category. 

The company continues to focus on growth in its three primary venues, which include nontraditional franchises/licenses other than grocery stores, the sale of take-n-bake pizzas through grocery deli departments and stand-alone take-n-bake franchised locations. 

So far in Q4, the company has signed an additional 161 locations for the grocery store take-n-bake, which brings the new license agreements for the grocery store take-n-bake to 465 new locations signed in 2014 through Oct. 31.

"We are currently in ongoing discussions with a number of grocery store chains representing over 7,000 possible additional grocery store locations and in discussions with two large grocery store distributors and, if signed, will add several thousand more grocery store locations for possible addition to the company's license take-n-bake in grocery stores," CEO Paul Mobley said in a news release.

Mobley added that interest in grocery store locations has been very positive and should lead to additional growth through 2015.

Packaging, product enhancements

The brand's grocery store take-n-bake pizzas are now displayed in bakeable, treated aluminum pans with a clear plastic top. Consumers bake the pizzas in these pans and the anodized treatment on the bottom is designed to increase home baking performance, drawing in more heat to make the pizzas crispy on the bottom but soft in the middle, the release said.

The new products also include a gluten-free crust designed to appeal to a growing segment of the population and three varieties of 14-inch mega-topped pizzas, which are called "Mile-High Extra Meat Pizza," "Extra Cheese Four Cheese Pizza" and "Double-Topped Pepperoni Pizza."

Outside of the grocery channel

Additionally, through the end of October, the company has signed 33 additional new franchise/license agreements for non-traditional locations other than grocery stores and is in discussion with numerous other convenience store chains and entertainment facilities for additional non-traditional locations. The primary source of growth in this segment comes from existing franchisees and exhibiting in various industry trade shows, the company said.

"During the second and third quarters we signed agreements, with a chain of approximately 300 convenience stores, for seven locations, all of which are now open. The chain has targeted 21 additional locations which it intends to sign agreements for soon with development continuing thereafter until they have put Noble Roman's Pizza in nearly all of their locations," Mobley said.

Finally, the company has entered into agreements for 68 standalone take-n-bake locations.

"Our stand-alone take-n-bake development is still relatively new and we are continuing to look at further enhancements to improve sales and to make the operation even more appealing," Mobley said.