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Compass Group perks up interest in coffee concept that prides itself on its food
Brewing up consistent sales is no easy task, but Caffè Ritazza, a coffee bar-bistro concept, is doing just that as it opens units in hospitals, travel plazas, colleges and businesses nationwide.
A proprietary offering of Charlotte, N.C.-based Compass Group, The Americas division, Caffè Ritazza grew out of a concept called Ritazza, created for the European accounts of the U.S. division's London-based parent, Compass Group PIc. A few years ago Ritazza was overhauled, picking up both its fast-casual orientation and the word "café" in its name. There now are 200 units worldwide, with 15 in the United States and 50 more in the pipeline, says Dee Pettit, vice president of marketing for Compass' U.S. division.
"Caffè Ritazza started in our European market in 1987 in the U.K.," she explains. "We had a concept not really a brand - called Ritazza. Over the years it migrated, and in 2002 we decided to completely reimage it as a brand. It was a joint effort led by our [U.K. arm] and supported by the U.S. market. We took a true European-cafe concept and brought it to all of our divisions - hospitals, education, B&I and travel. It definitely has crossed all of the channels we operate in."
The biggest challenge in bringing the concept across the Atlantic Ocean was figuring out how to adapt the brand's European flavor so that Americans would embrace it without reserve, Pettit says.
"What we tried to do," she says, "was look at the customer base. In the European market there are no drip-based coffees, but that was very important to the U.S. market. The brand also allows us to deliver our core values: expert baristas and fresh food. We have some flexibility to develop products in all of our markets as long as they are fresh and as long as they are great."
The concept's diverse menu sets Caffè Ritazza apart from its competitors, she adds. With an offering of upscale sandwiches that fit into all dayparts plus a plethora of coffees and mixed and alcoholic beverages, the company, with a check average of between $3.50 and $5 has managed to ring up global sales of $100 million...