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Emerging Brands: Is fun on the menu
Salsa has rivaled ketchup as the No. 1 condiment in America, and burritos are getting wrapped up with more spice and speed than traditional fast food. In an April 2005 report published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), "ethnic" and an "interest in regional foods including Mexican" are among the top 10 global food trends of 2005. With American taste embracing more adventurous, fresher fl avors, it's no surprise to see monster fresh-Mex chains swooping into new neighborhoods across the country. This is the case with Texas-based Freebirds World Burrito, which will break ground in San Antonio in late 2005 for its 13th restaurant. "We listen to our customers and take their requests very seriously," said Free-birds CEO Alan Hixon, who fl ew into the burrito segment of fast casual after seeing a need for a fresh-food burrito that allowed for customization. "We spend a great deal of time and effort evaluating markets and locations. We are focused on unit economics and good locations versus just getting a specifi c number of stores on the ground," Hixon said. This is evident in the Freebirds fanat-ics who have been spotted standing in lines up to 100 yards long, paying an average bill of $7.50, and waiting two and a half hours from point-of-service to cashier to get what they want, whether a signature burrito, salad, quesadilla, taco or nachos. In addition to Freebirds' signature elements—cloudscapes, bright yellow-andblack color schemes, non-uniformed employees and customers who stand on concrete fl oors surrounded by metal and wood fi xtures—the San Antonio location will feature glass windows, a tree-shaded patio and a playscape area. "We try to give each store a few unique components that create an individual identity once we have confi rmed that all the inherent components are in place," Hixon said. Mexican food remained one of the top fi ve most-ordered take-out items among casual restaurants last year, according to IFT. In addition, curbside orders grew to 20 percent of all meals in 2004, up from 17 percent in 1990. The drive-and-go mentality continues to dominate the fast lane, with "take-out sales from full-service restaurants reaching $14 billion in 2004—just shy of 10 percent of sales." Such fi gures may be one reason that fast casuals such as Freebirds are looking to incorporate technology-driven strategies that include wireless networks, curb-side service, Internet ordering, expansion into college markets and opportunities outside of Texas to increase volume. Freebirds will remain true to what Hixon believes makes the restaurant stand out from the rest—quality of product and number of selections. He quickly adds that, "Simple will be important. Too much can be a problem in expansion. We will focus on quality and economics." There will be a focus on quality real estate as well. "Pushing the model into freestanding units is challenging. Our model has to be fl exible."
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