october-2010

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BUSINESS
DC, in 2008; Vapiano, an innovative German pasta and pizza chain,
where customers move from station to station, placing their orders
on chip cards, began opening branches up and down the East Coast
in 2007; and the Korean chicken joint Bon Chon—with locations
in New York, New Jersey, Los Angeles and the DC area—has been
attracting a rabid fan base of Korean ex-pats and American-born
foodies who crave the crispy, twice-fried wings and drum sticks.
Such companies enter the market with established clienteles,
drawn from immigrants and American travelers who have tasted
the fare abroad. Before Pollo Campero, a 39-year-old Guatemalan
fried-chicken chain, opened its first American branch, its stateside
devotees found other ways to satisfy their cravings.
“Visitors to Guatemala were known to load their carry-on
luggage with Pollo Campero chicken for their return flights,” says
Campero USA president and COO Roberto Denegri. “With the
Hispanic population growing by leaps and bounds in the US, we
felt like we could leverage that passion.” But, he continues, it’s not
just immigrants who are drawn to these new fast-food offerings.
“America’s taste buds have evolved so much in the last 10 years.
Consumers are looking for bolder, richer flavors,” he says.
When Pollo Campero’s first Los Angeles outpost opened its
doors in 2002, people lined up for hours, and the store broke $1
million in sales after only 22 days. The company has since grown to
50 locations in 15 states, with plans to open more by the end of 2010.
In addition to the more exotic menu items, many of these
GO MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2010
establishments re-imagine the American fast-food model, with
stylish settings, signature drinks and healthier options. Nando’s
emphasizes design with leather booths and African art on the walls,
while Bon Chon has a line of cocktails made with soju (a Korean
vodka-like beverage). Nooï, the French chain that opened in New
York in July, offers better-for-you, freshly made pastas. “McDonald’s
and KFC are very big in France. This was a healthy alternative,” says
Christopher Sanchez, Nooï’s North American chief operating officer.
And like Nooï, Vapiano markets itself as a healthier choice, calling
itself “a fuel stop for grownups.”
And thanks to the experience of Vapiano president Kent Hahne,
the company spared no expense when it came to the design of its
American outposts. Before founding Vapiano—currently numbering
78 worldwide and nine in the US—Hahne was the youngest McDonald’s
franchisee in Germany. While he calls McDonald’s “one of the
best companies in the world,” Hahne felt its signature look needed to
be altered to appeal to German tastes. He added marble tables and
movable chairs to his stores, and while he invested more money than
other German McDonald’s, he estimates that sales were 50% higher.
For Vapiano, Hahne worked with renowned Italian architect
Matteo Thun, who gave the chain a crisp, minimalist feel, using
clean lines and materials like Italian leather, slate and marble. This
style—combined with the point-of-service computerized ordering
system, large communal tables and on-site herb gardens—gives the
restaurants a modern vibe. CEO Bill Bessette says it’s been particu-