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A steady and sustainable growth plan that focuses on adding units and increasing same-store sales has these two BDI-owned concepts on the precipice of bigger things.
Take a look around. How often do you see an Italian restaurant that's not a mom-and-pop or a super high-end restaurant? How often do you come across an Italian chain that's somewhere in between? Until recently, your answer would most likely be, â[euro]oenot very often.â[euro]
Despite being around for the last decade, just in the past year it seems that Columbus, Ohio-based Bravo Development Inc.'s expansion efforts for two of its concepts, Brio Tuscan Grille and Bravo Cucina Italiana, have begun to take noticeable shape, bursting into the â[euro]oepolished casualâ[euro] scene. That means that although Brio and Bravo both pay homage to the informal but modern atmosphere, timely service and reasonable prices on which many casual, full-service chain restaurants capitalize, they have also bumped everything up a notch. While many consider Brio to be slightly â[euro]oedressierâ[euro] and Bravo to be more family- and neighborhood-oriented, both are equally known for their higher quality food, thanks to better ingredients and executive chefs in each restaurant, plus upscale décor, and bar areas where guests linger.
It's pretty clear what's happening. About two years ago, BDI recruited Saed Mohseni, then the chief executive officer of McCormick & Schmick's, to serve in the same role at BDI, although Mohseni was already on BDI's board of directors. One could say Mohseni has done for polished casual, Italian concepts what he's done with McCormick & Schmick's in the polished casual seafood arena. In short, he's virtually created a whole new segment. Mohseni's job when he came to BDI was to help enhance the Brio and Bravo images, and rev up the expansion engines. Not only has he done that, but to put the concepts' success into perspective, they brought in a combined $240 million in sales last year. Bravo increased its sales from $115 million in 2005 to $130 in 2006. Brio went from $83.2 million in sales for 2005 to $110 million in sales for 2006. Both concepts were able to accomplish these high sales growths with an expansion of just four units each. And what's more, both concepts appear to be in a...