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A pizza chain created by a former Starbucks exec should worry Pizza Hut and Domino'shttps://www.businessinsider.in/a-pizza-chain-created-by-a-former-starbucks-exec-should-worry-pizza-hut-and-dominos/svenson-sees-mod-as-a-bridge-into-where-they-employees-want-to-be-in-life-it-also-happens-to-be-a-good-place-to-grab-a-pizza-/slidelist/59207586.cms2017-06-18T22:02:08+05:30

A pizza chain created by a former Starbucks exec should worry Pizza Hut and Domino's

Jun 18, 2017, 22:02 IST

Svenson sees MOD "as a bridge into where they [employees] want to be in life." It also happens to be a good place to grab a pizza.

"Our people are at the core of everything we do," Svenson said. The company hires people from all walks of life, regardless of their criminal history, experience, or disability.

I would eat at MOD again — if not for the affordable, crave-worthy pizza, then to support the company's people-first mission. What sets MOD apart from its competition is its culture and focus on employees. Svenson said the company puts its team before even customers.

I'm not a barbecue-pizza lover, so the Caspian did not appeal to me. It has a savory mix of mozzarella, gorgonzola, barbecue chicken, barbecue sauce, and sliced red onions.

The Crosby, a seasonal pizza topped with mild sausage, roasted asparagus, and a balsamic fig glaze, became an instant favorite. It was sophisticated.

But the cheese was cooked to perfection. Stringy, gooey mozzarella hung from the sides.

The Tristan, which features mozzarella, asiago, roasted red peppers, mushrooms, and pesto, was understated and delicious. By now, however, I realized the crust is rather tough at the center because of its thinness. It resembled matzah more closely than pizza dough.

I started with the Mad Dog, a meat-lover's dream pie topped with mozzarella, pepperoni, mild sausage, and ground beef. I finished off my first slice without blinking. The mushrooms tasted fresh from the market, while the sausage packed heat.

A pizza order to-go is transferred to mini delivery box with a removable lid. It improves the experience of eating out of the box because there's no cardboard flap hanging off your lap.

Then the pizza goes into a gas-fire oven for about 90 seconds. The cook spins the pie with a palette to ensure it cooks evenly, and removes it when the crust starts to burn.

Customers with bigger appetites can order a "Mega" pizza, which stacks any two pizza crusts on top of each other. It costs $3 extra and is very Instagram-worthy.

For about $8, customers can order all the toppings they want on an 11-inch custom pizza.

An employee takes an order, sauces and "cheeses" the pie, and sends it down the line.

The dough, a proprietary recipe, gets pressed in a machine so it's as thin as a tortilla.

Staff, called "the MOD squad," slice and prep ingredients daily to ensure freshness.

The chain draws inspiration from fast-casual king Chipotle with its assembly line. Customers can choose from a selection of toppings in front of them.

The couple founded MOD Pizza a year later out of Seattle. Today, the fast-casual chain has 227 locations across the US and the UK and expects to grow by another 60 stores in 2017.

But in 2007, restaurant entrepreneur Scott Svenson saw "a shocking lack of innovation" in pizza consumed outside of the home. He and his wife, Ally, saw a business opportunity.

Innovation in pizza delivery is in no short supply. These days, you can order a pizza by speaking to an Amazon Echo, texting a pizza emoji, or poking whatever this thing is.

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