Originally a restaurant chain in Brazil, the limited-service concept, Spoleto, wanted to expand to the U.S. Before taking that major step, Spoleto consulted Culimetrics Restaurant and Hospitality Consultants to get advice about back-of-the-house solutions and TCreative, a branding/marketing agency, to bring about a total branding renovation, according to a company recent press release.
TCreative focused on the concept, the operational menus, local-store marketing, quality- assurance checks and front-end work, including logo redesign, an updated restaurant interior and a revamped website. It also advertised via social media, ad placements, grand opening events and street teams.
On the other hand, Culimetrics’ involvement consisted of market research, kitchen restaurant facilities design, financial models, budgeting strategies and various standard operating procedures. Additionally, Culimetrics assisted Spoleto with updated purchasing technology and inventory management systems, according to the release.
The re-engineering culminated in a restaurant that redefined its image from a QSR brand in Brazil to a fast casual Italian restaurant in America, with seasonal menus and different food combinations of favorites such as pastas and salads.
With the help of these two consultants, Spoleto opened its first two locations in Florida with plans to open more in the near future, according to the company.