Franchising

Modern Market gets 'Honest' about pizza

Operating out of a Modern Market in Broomfield, Colorado, the delivery-only concept comes from the chefs behind Modern Market, a 26-unit healthy fast casual concept.

Modern Market Eatery has launched a pizza concept called Honest. Provided

December 17, 2020 by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Modern Market Eatery has entered the pizza business with the launch ofHonest Pizza. Operating out of a Modern Market in Broomfield, Colorado, the delivery-only concept comes from the chefs behind Modern Market, a 26-unit healthy fast casual concept.

"While there is no shortage in takeout food, we noticed that there is a shortage of clean, better for you pizza," Modern Market co-founder and CEO Anthony Pigliacampo said during an interview with this website. "While Modern Market Eatery has always had pizza, it is not something we are known for and is only about 10% of our sales. We have a great understanding of how to make amazing tasting, clean pizza and thought expanding that knowledge into a new concept could resonate well with our customers."

Honest's menu is completely different from Modern Marke and includes:

• New Mexico: Green chili, organic mozzarella, fresh jalapeño, Berkshire pulled pork, cilantro, cotija and lime.
• When Pigs Fly: House red sauce, organic mozzarella, Creminelli uncured pepperoni, Polidori Italian sausage, nitrate-free bacon and Mike's hot honey.
• Backyard BBQ Sweet Potato: Lillie's smoky BBQ sauce, organic mozzarella, roasted corn, sweet potato, red onion, fresh jalapeno and smoky crema.

"We have had ideas for additional pizzas for years, but with our broad menu, we could only put so many options on the Modern Market menu, Pigliacampo said. "The Honest Pizza concept gives us an outlet for so much of the great pizza R&D we have done."

Although it's a little soon to measure the success of Honest, Pigliacampo said if it does well, he will expand it to other Modern Market restaurants.

Did you say something about a ghost?

Pizza isn't the only new revenue stream in whichPigliacampo is dipping his toe. Earlier this month, he opened his first ghost kitchen, which serves nearly the entire Modern Market menu but by delivery only. Its home is in Tempe, Arizona, a state whereModern Market Eatery already had three brick-and-mortar locations.

"Not only did it make sense to open the first ghost kitchen in a market where the brand is already thriving in, but Tempe was an ideal area because of the demographics which include students, young professionals and families," Pigliacampo said. "The location is running a full menu in approximately 200 square feet, which is an exciting way to bring our scratch-made food from a small space in a big way. We expect the economics will be favorable as a result."

As is the plan with Honest PIzza, Pigliacampo will monitor sales to determine if he'll add other ghost locations.

"Further, we expect the ghost kitchen test site may spark guest demand for traditional Modern Market street locations in the market," he said.

There's also a chance for future franchising plans.

"It's a corporate initiative at this time," Pigliacampo said. "However, we expect it could be an expansion opportunity for both corporate and franchised markets."

About Cherryh Cansler

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Cherryh Cansler is VP of Events for Networld Media Group and publisher of FastCasual.com. She has been covering the restaurant industry since 2012. Her byline has appeared in Forbes, The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine, among many others.

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