Greenwich sports a young, modern look
For Greenwich Pizza president Albert Cuadrante, being young is a state of mind.
Having been previously the vice president for marketing of Jollibee Foods Corp. where he was among the younger executives, Cuadrante now leads the country’s leading pizza and pasta chain in a room full of millennials, and yes, that includes himself.
“I consider myself a millennial,” the 46-year-old said. “Greenwich is actually very dynamic, very energetic, and very fun. Nakakabata (It makes me feel young).”
Cuadrante’s unmistakable alacrity to embrace latest trends and the social media has completely transformed the pizza chain from a family-friendly fast food restaurant to a modern-day pizzeria for young adults—and it has proven to be a successful strategy.
In just four years since he took over in 2013, Greenwich revenues kept growing and has been expanding its reach in the country with an average of 30 new stores every year. To date, it has over 300 branches nationwide.
Cuadrante said the pivot to a younger market was a way to ensure the brand would always remain relevant, anchored on many points of interests.
“What makes this brand very exciting is that it’s so flexible since we are placed in the market landscape at the moment where we’re not too old and we’re not too young, that’s why there are so many opportunities with it,” he said.
“With the millennials, there are less limitations. You can be a little more risqué and sarcasm works for them,” he added.
Although Greenwich’s new brand of customers can be fickle which was the reason why it needed to continually evolve as a brand, Cuadrante liked to think of it as a fun challenge, and what he considered as “the most exciting part of my job.”
“There are more things to do because the format itself which is pizza, is you can throw so much things in it and you can play with flavors because it’s such a versatile product,” he shared. “So it’s hard, but it’s fun hard.”
Part of the company’s continuing transformation are the stores, which were redesigned to be reflective of its new DNA. Greenwich’s new look plays on the mid-century and industrial style of wood and brick, a marriage of traditional and modern. There are comfortable seats, fresh colors, and attractive murals that, Cuadrante assured, would be changed from time to time so that “it will be a different experience all the time.”
Cuadrante said Greenwich still has a lot of room for growth. Compared to its larger and more established sister restaurant Jollibee, Greenwich’s penetration in the market is still relatively lower.
Moving forward, the seasoned executive is eyeing to open new stores beyond the annual target goal and introduce more innovations both in the physical and digital space. Cuadrante said they were also looking at improving the delivery digital touchpoint.
Just recently, Greenwich launched its chicken wings offering called “wacky wings” that come with “potato waves” on the side. The brand would also be expanding its products, including two new pizza flavors and other beverages.
A new endorser would also be joining the ranks of actor on-leave John Lloyd Cruz.
With decades of experience in the consumer goods sector under his belt, Cuadrante said competition in the food business was not limited to one’s segment.
“You have to look at competition as a share of stomach. As long as you eat, everybody is a competitor.”
This philosophy, it seemed, has gotten the famous pizza chain a bigger slice of the food sector pie.