News

KC Masterpiece Barbecue and Grill to serve up BBQ online

StoreFront e-commerce Solution Plays Key Role in Enabling Famous Restaurant Chain to Reach New Markets.

December 20, 2004

12/21/2004 12:04:00 PM KANSAS CITY, Kan., Dec 21, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Kansas City is known for its barbecue; and KC Masterpiece® Barbecue and Grill has earned its spot as the nation's number one brand in barbecue. With the advent of a new web store, its unique and authentic barbecue restaurant fare is now available to a wider national audience. In keeping with the tradition of serving only the finest foods, KC Masterpiece Barbecue and Grill chose to launch their store on LaGarde®'s industry leading StoreFront® platform (www.StoreFront.net). The public response has been spectacular, and the site is receiving rave reviews. Bruce Frazey, CEO of KC Masterpiece Barbecue and Grill notes: "We project that our online offering will contribute significantly to the overall growth of our company. By serving our customers with 'state-of-the-art' technology via the web, and opening 50 new restaurants in midwestern states, we position ourselves to dramatically expand our reach into broader markets. The KC Masterpiece Barbecue & Grill e-store's mission is to deliver our unique dining experience in cities and towns where we do not currently have a restaurant. To accomplish our online goals, the site had to embody the same quality and attention to detail that diners come into contact with in our restaurants. We believe the StoreFront solution has accomplished that -- web shoppers will discover ease, comfort and a highly satisfying experience." The KC Masterpiece Barbecue and Grill e-store (www.masterpiecebbq.com) allows online shoppers to purchase high-quality, prepared-to-order, authentic barbecue selections from the restaurant -- no shortcuts. "When developing our e-commerce strategy, we knew we could not waver from our core philosophy of preparing and serving only authentic, fresh, premium barbecue. We differentiate our products by shipping slow smoked foods, prepared individually by order. By not following the TV dinner approach, our products arrive fresh with all the qualities of authentic barbecue," said Shawn Stewart, Director of Internet Operations. "We chose the StoreFront solution based upon its rich e-commerce functionality, reputation and client references. Our selection criteria included the ability to customize the software to meet the unique needs of our business. The LaGarde team immediately stepped up to customize the StoreFront product to meet our specific shipping needs, thus, ensuring the company's essential requirement of freshness," said Stewart. Stewart, who brought extensive web development experience to the restaurant chain, found LaGarde's responsiveness and service level to be exceptional. "I found their approach to be a refreshing change from some software companies I have worked with. I was particularly impressed with their ability to be flexible, logical and available. The LaGarde people have been a pleasure to work with," said Stewart.About LaGarde®Founded in 1996, LaGarde is a leading global provider of e-business solutions. LaGarde's StoreFront software products and services offer robust, feature-rich solutions to develop and maintain e-business sites that deliver high-end functionality at an affordable price point. LaGarde offers advanced e-business solutions, easy shopping cart services, e-commerce software for developers and enterprise e-commerce solutions for high volume sellers. StoreFront powers nearly 50,000 Web stores in over 70 countries around the world. For more information, visit www.StoreFront.net or call 800-943-5823.About KC Masterpiece® Barbecue and GrillFor over 20 years KC Masterpiece® Barbecue and Grill has served authentic barbecue and other smoked meats in combination with original, premium side-dishes and desserts, earning the reputation as the premier barbecue brand in the nation. By employing authentic barbecue cooking methods, KC Masterpiece® Restaurants distinguish themselves from their competitors. KC Masterpiece® Barbecue and Grill restaurants have received rave reviews in Bon Appetit, Gourmet, Good Housekeeping, New York Daily News and many other regional and national publications. As a result of these successes, KC Masterpiece® restaurants have acquired significant catering opportunities including events at the White House for two United States Presidents; on-site movie catering across the USA and internationally. The online store features 80% of the menu items available in the restaurants, as well as packages offered only on the webstore. For more information, visit www.masterpiecebbq.com. LaGarde, StoreFront and StoreFront Now are either registered trademarks or trademarks of LaGarde Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.source:LaGarde