Family-owned business attributes long-term success to mission of “being a blessing” and “keeping it simple”
Founded by Hunt brothers, Don, Charlie, Jim, and Lonnie, Hunt Brothers Pizza is proud to celebrate three decades in business this July. Their 30-year anniversary comes with their 8,000th location milestone as the company continues to bring their leading, nationally-branded pizza program designed for convenience stores and other independent businesses to thousands of partners.
As the nation’s largest made-to-order pizza brand in the convenience store industry, CEO Scott Hunt and the second Hunt family generation (Bryan Meng and Britt, Erin, Adam and Frank Hunt) attribute the success of their program to the company’s long-standing mission of “being a blessing” to c-stores and their communities and “keeping it simple” when it comes to their offerings and how their program operates. These pursuits, paired with strong family values and guiding principles, have led to the company’s continued growth and lasting customer relationships.
When it comes to “being a blessing” to their c-store partners and communities they serve, Hunt says, “We are proud to have grown Hunt Brothers Pizza into the consistent, simple and easily manageable program it is today, one that helps our c-store partners become more valuable, and in turn, more profitable.” Hunt also notes how much pride it brings to hear from longtime partners who have boosted sales and whose businesses have thrived with the help of their pizza program.
Hunt Brothers Pizza began as a family business founded by four brothers. This year, the company is celebrating thirty years of growth in the convenience store industry and reflecting on how the four Hunt Brothers laid the foundation for a simple branded pizza program built on serving c-store owners well.
Hunt Brothers Pizza COO Bryan Meng, agrees, explaining how being a blessing to others started with the company’s humble beginnings. “When the four brothers started this business, they wanted to do things differently, creating a whole new concept of c-store branded programs to help rural markets that were essentially food deserts at the time,” he says. Meng notes further: “In their mission to help others, Hunt Brothers Pizza ended up primarily in rural convenience stores, which have remained the bulk of our business and led to our success 30 years later.”
According to Hunt, the business has maintained consistent growth since the start by “keeping it simple.” He says, “Something we’ve learned over the years is that the key to our c-store partners’ success is keeping our program and offerings simple. While we have adapted to meet evolving industry needs, our flavor profile and approach to partnerships have remained the same.” He adds, “We are cognizant of the labor and capacity of our customers, so we have built a lasting program and consistent menu to ensure we set them up for a manageable and profitable partnership.”
As a 15-year customer with over 20 locations, Matthew Turner of Jet Food Stores can attest to the program’s positive impact on their business, “Hunt Brothers Pizza has been key to making our locations successful in offering quality foodservice in towns that do not have much available. They have a great reputation in our region and are incredibly loyal and fair to their operators so that growth is achieved in a way that helps all locations grow rather than become overly competitive.”
In regards to the support they offer, Turner goes on, “Their Account Managers are supportive and help us focus on the success of a pivotal foodservice program, which is one of my favorite aspects of their program… They have really become a part of our c-store family. Hunt Brothers Pizza is also incredibly committed to their communities, most recently assisting us in giving free pizza away as a thank you to those who served tirelessly during the pandemic. Their involvement in all aspects of the business is really key to long-term success and continued growth of our stores.”
In terms of consistency, Hunt Brothers Pizza gives all partners the ability to operate with existing labor and in stores of all sizes, providing dedicated account managers and nationwide marketing programs. Hunt Brothers Pizza consistently offers original and thin crust in a whole 12″ pizza and Hunk A Pizza (1/4 of a pizza) and has become known for their All Toppings No Extra Charge offering. In addition to traditional pizzas, they offer bone-in and boneless wings and quarterly Limited Time Offers (LTOs).
While their primary offerings have remained the same, Hunt Brothers Pizza recently underwent a complete product packaging transformation. Their partners have been particularly excited about the revamp as it helps to tell the story of the growth and evolution of the brand.
Looking back at the growth of Hunt Brothers Pizza, both Hunt and Meng agree that it can be attributed to the fact that their mission to help partners be successful with simplicity and family values at the company’s core has never changed. As Meng puts it, “If [partners] are successful, we are successful.” It’s a story they hope to continue to tell over their next few decades in business (and more).
For additional information visit www.huntbrotherspizza.com or to find a Hunt Brothers Pizza location nearest you, visit app.huntbrotherspizza.com.
