Operations
Modern Market moving HQs, focusing on catering
February 8, 2022
Modern Market Eatery has big plans for 2022, including moving its headquarters to downtown Denver, placing a heavier focus on a refined catering program and opening corporate locations. The headquarters will allow the brand to combine its restaurant support office with its research and development kitchen. The brand also plans to add up to two corporate locations in Colorado.
"2021 was a year for growth and resurgence across the fast casual industry," CEO Rob McColgan said in a company press release. "Modern Market met that resurgence through a focus on refining our online ordering systems and working closely with third-party partners. We also kept a focus on menu innovations to keep up with the ever-changing health-forward food trends in addition to maintaining our value of being a purpose-driven brand through community giveback efforts. With that in mind, Modern Market is equipped with a launchpad for success in 2022 through our new lineup of business goals."
The brand has outlined four themes to drive 2022 business initiatives, including growing traffic to restaurants, attracting and retaining employees, opening company-owned restaurants and improving their catering program.
Digital sales technology and third-party partnerships continued to play a large part in driving success for the brand in 2021, with the concept leveraging delivery partner relationships to increase their marketing and brand awareness efforts. In the year ahead, the focus will shift to catering with plans to exceed 2019 sales numbers as the catering aspect of fast casual service begins to rebuild itself.
Community giveback remained a constant throughout 2021, setting Modern Market up as a philanthropic example for the restaurant community through the donation of nearly $100,000 during the year. The concept's donation destinations included various non-profit organizations where the brand aligned monthly giveback initiatives with both online and in-restaurant donations.
"While internal brand improvements have been at the forefront of all our efforts, we also take pride in our unbeatable level of hospitality and core commitment to give back to the communities we serve and beyond. It's at the core of everything we do and instilled in each team member, license partner and franchise candidate," McColgan said. "Our brand continues to prioritize adaptability and remain a modern concept that offers delicious, nourishing food at a reasonable price."
Modern Market, which has nearly 30 locations, is seeking franchise partners to develop it in underserved metropolitan areas as well as smaller communities.
