Friday, September 30, 2011

Franchisee Profile: Vishal Bhatnagar, Franchisee of Menomonee Falls, WI

Recently, we sat down with one of our newest franchisees, Vishal Bhatnagar, opening a Toppers location in Menomonee Falls, WI on January 26, 2012. Read below to find out his background and the process he went through to become a franchisee of Toppers Pizza.

Q: Where are you from?

A: I am originally from India although I spent most of my childhood and teenage years in Kenya. My family moved to Africa when I was seven and I stayed until I was 18.

Q: What was your career before franchising?
A: I came to the United States to go to college. I attended Purdue University and earned a degree in aviation technology. Unfortunately, the events of 9/11 made it very hard to get a job in my field, as many of those jobs were being eliminated so I went to New York and worked for an engineering company. After a year of working there, my visa expired and I was forced to go back to my home country of India. Even though it wasn’t the most ideal situation, it gave me a chance to know the country of my origin. I also went back to school for my MBA and upon completing that, I worked for the largest coffee exporter in India. While there, I met my wife, Shruti, and we got married. During this time, my parents had applied for my Greencard so I could get back to the United States. In 2009, I was granted it and left India to come back to the U.S.

My dad had got into franchising in the U.S. and bought a Quality Inn & Suites in Menomonee so when I came back to the states, I helped him run that business. I’ve been doing that for the last 2.5 years and now I’m desiring to change things up a bit.

Q: How did you learn about the brand?
A: Toppers is very established in Whitewater, WI which is where my cousin went to school. My uncle also lives in Whitewater. I was initially exposed to the brand through them. It’s been a part of my life since 1998 or so.

Q: Why did you decide to open your own business?
A: My MBA has really added value to my understanding of running a business. With that background and the experience of helping my dad with the hotel for several years, I feel like I have the necessary skills to be a great business owner. I’ve also been very successful on the marketing front. Shruti, my wife, has a degree in restaurant and hospitality management and will be helping me part time with the new location. I believe that we have the necessary business skills and industry knowledge to be very successful!

Q: What was appealing to you about joining a franchise system?
A: I like the support of a franchise system. The hotel is also a franchise and I know from that experience about the tremendous amount of support corporate provides. I like that everything is standardized which helps with brand recognition and a consistent brand proposition. One very appealing thing about joining Toppers is that I’m getting involved in its prime growth stage. When the company really takes off into a national brand, I believe it will be very beneficial for me.

Q: With regard to your previous experience, what skills do you feel helped you in your business?
A: I believe my marketing experience will help me the most in this new business. I worked in an integrated marketing communication position at the coffee company in India. I was responsible for national marketing opportunities. I brought new ideas to market the product. I look at marketing as a holistic approach where there are several different pieces to the puzzle that make the engine run. I also have an appreciation for the customer experience and understanding consumer needs – all of which will be critical to build up my business. Fortunately, I am very familiar with Menomonee since the hotel is also in the area. It gives me a leg up on knowing how to cater to the consumers in the area.

Q: What obstacles have you overcome to get where you are today with your business?
A: Personally, I had to overcome the challenges of having to go back to India because my visa expired. Ideally I would have found a work visa to be able to stay in the U.S., but I look at that positively because I got my MBA, was able to get to know my home country, and met my wife.

Q: What are your expansion or development plans?
A: Yes. I would love to keep developing new Toppers locations. I’m in for as many as Toppers can give me in the future.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Share A Meal: Toppers Pizza Forms National Partnership with Feeding America


There’s no better birthday present than giving to those in need. That’s what Scott Gittrich, Founder and CEO of Toppers Pizza, thought when the brand turned 20 years old this year. Therefore, on the heels of its milestone birthday, Toppers Pizza announced a new partnership with the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity, Feeding America®.

“The Toppers Pizza executive team spent a lot of time choosing a charity that aligns with our mission,” said Gittrich. “At the end of the day, Feeding America® encompasses what we stand for, which is feeding people.”

Every dollar donated will help provide eight meals for Feeding America. Even prior to Toppers officially launching the partnership on August 8, it has raised $8,000 from employee contributions, putting it nearer to its year-end goal of $40,000.

According to Gittrich, another reason the booming pizza franchise selected Feeding America® as its national charity is because they reached an agreement where 75% of the money raised goes back to the local market in which it was raised.

“Our franchisees are fully ingrained in their local markets and the fact that Feeding America was able to work with us so that the monetary contributions raised for Feeding America® in a local market will directly impact that market was huge for us,” Gittrich said.

As Toppers Pizza continues to expand nationwide through its franchising model, the relationship with Feeding America® will continue to grow as well. Next year, it has committed to donate a minimum of $70,000, which helps provide 560,000 meals. When it adds 100 locations by 2013, it has promised Feeding America® a minimum $100,000, which helps provide 800,000 meals.

All franchisees will make Feeding America® a focal point at their specific locations, from Topperstix eating contests to special menu promotions. Toppers franchisees will also ask the community to help it achieve its goals through special campaigns and partnerships with their local food banks..

“This is a partnership that we hope will last another 20 years when we are celebrating our 40th birthday. By that time, hopefully we will have donated millions of dollars and helped millions of hungry people,” said Gittrich.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Toppers featured on 95.9 KISS FM

Toppers was recently featured in a segment on 95.9 KISS FM Green Bay featuring Joe Kirschling , owner of Toppers Pizza in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The segment features Joe chatting about the line that is already forming outside of the restaurant for the first 50 customers to get free pizza for a year. Joe along with his partner Aaron Johnson have set a new record by having the earliest person in line outside of their newest location. The segment can be heard below:

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Toppers Pizza featured in Green Bay Press Gazette

Toppers Pizza was recently featured in an article in the Green Bay Press Gazette called, “Toppers Pizza plans grand opening on Green Bay's west side” which published Sunday, September 4. The article highlights the Grand Opening event and how the first 50 people in line will receive free pizza for a year. A portion of the article is included below and can be read in its entirety by clicking here.

Toppers Pizza plans grand opening on Green Bay's west side

Toppers Pizza has scheduled a grand opening on Saturday for its new west-side store in the Market Square shopping center at the intersection of Military and Shawano avenues.

The event will be from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and include a variety of giveaways, including free food for a year to the first 50 people in line who buy at least $10 worth of stuff. They'll get coupons for a free item each week, such as a large two-topping pizza or triple order of toppers sticks.

The store is owned by Aaron Johnson and Joe Kirschling, who also own the store at 2042 Main St. Jason Schmitzer is store manager.

(Read More)