Beloved pizza company prepares to accelerate expansion under his leadership
As Adam Oldenburg completes his first year as CEO of Toppers Pizza, the brand has seen significant achievements and a visionary shift towards empowering franchisees. Oldenburg, who took the helm last May following the 30-year leadership tenure of founder Scott Gittrich, has led Toppers through an exhilarating phase of growth and transformation.
The 39-year-old started working for Toppers 18 years ago as a delivery driver. In his early 20s, the future CEO had big plans to run the company someday. Now that he is in the top position, he remains laser-focused on growing the franchisee network, menu innovation, leveraging cutting-edge technology and marketing – all to support current and future franchisees. In addition to his role as CEO, Oldenburg also owns six Toppers franchises himself.
Among Oldenburg’s most successful initiatives thus far is the re-franchising of company-owned locations. In a strategic move to enhance the brand’s success while fostering growth from within, Toppers Pizza re-franchised 11 stores, all of which transferred to existing Franchisees or current internal operators. This has created unique ownership opportunities for dedicated team members who have grown within the Toppers family – in keeping with the CEO’s personal history.
Another franchisee who started within the Toppers system is Chester Ison who, along with his investment partner, Marcus Tincher, purchased 4 existing stores and signed a franchise agreement to open a new unit in Beloit, WI. Ison previously won the Toppers Spirit Award and was recently honored with the President’s Award at the 2024 Toppers Annual Convention.
Under Oldenburg’s leadership, Toppers Pizza aims to expand to 100 stores by 2026 and 500 units within the next decade. Toppers currently has 70 stores in 11 states, primarily in the Midwest. The re-franchising strategy aligns with these goals, ensuring that the brand’s efforts are concentrated on supporting and expanding its franchisee network.
Other areas where Toppers plans to bolster the profitability and success of its franchisees include:
Supply Chain Efficiency – By leveraging shared services, the brand is able to reduce costs and boost sales.
Technology Integration – Oldenburg aims to improve the guest experience through the use of advanced technology that streamlines operations, improves accuracy and cuts down on wait times.
Financial Support – Reducing costs for franchisees by refinancing and negotiating systemwide vendor contracts will set each store up for success.
Menu Innovation – With a high frequency of rolling out popular new products tied to unique promotional strategies, Toppers has been able to increase profits and margins on these new items.
Customer Data – Since Oldenburg has taken the reigns, Toppers has started utilizing both qualitative and quantitative customer data with great success.
As the delivery business continues to evolve in the post-COVID economy, Oldenburg has shifted the brand’s focus to increasing carryout business. This has allowed Toppers to provide price-point value to consumers during a challenging inflationary period. By adapting to changing consumer behaviors and focusing on value and convenience, Toppers has experienced a notable increase in carryout orders due to new promotions and other marketing initiatives.
“My vision for Toppers is to build a brand that our team members and franchisees are proud of, and our guests are loyal to,” said Oldenburg. “Our focus on providing the best franchise support system in the pizza space is absolutely foundational to achieving our long-term growth goals.”
As Toppers Pizza continues to evolve under Oldenburg’s leadership, the brand remains focused on delivering exceptional value to its guests and franchisees. For more information about franchise opportunities and the latest updates, visit Toppers.com.
Founded in 1991 as an alternative to big-box pizza, Toppers is built on a bold attitude with the product to back it up. Headquartered in Whitewater, Wis., 70 Toppers locations are on a mission to redefine what customers should expect from QSR pizza. The menu features unique flavors, bold recipes, crave-worthy Topperstix, signature wings, specialty desserts and a growing selection of offerings for a diverse lifestyle. By consistently giving customers what they want, Toppers has forged an untapped space in the pizza industry and is thriving in a digital-first, post-pandemic world. World-class technology ranking among the top QSR pizza concepts, consistent menu innovation, a powerfully focused digital media strategy and Gen Z-centric social media channels drive 75%+ of sales online for the brand. With franchisees achieving a $1,100,000+ average unit volume across the entire system, Toppers Pizza is primed for major growth and is looking for like-minded franchisees to join its system. For more information, visit Toppers.com/franchise and follow the brand on Facebook and Instagram.
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