Blaze Pizza
Fast casual pizza chain offering customizable personal pizzas with quick cooking times.
PE-OWNED
Acquired by Brentwood Associates2016-10-17
What Made It Great
Fast-fired artisanal pizzas with unlimited toppings and assembly-line customization
What PE Will Likely Do
Blaze Pizza will likely reduce portion sizes for their pizzas while maintaining or increasing prices
Blaze Pizza will likely switch to cheaper, lower-quality ingredients like less expensive cheeses, meats, and vegetables
Blaze Pizza will likely reduce the variety of toppings and customization options available to customers
Blaze Pizza will likely reduce kitchen and service staff, leading to slower service and potential declines in food quality and consistency
Expected Timeline
“0 to 6 months months”
Minor changes to portion sizes, ingredients, and menu variety begin
“6 to 12 months months”
Customers start noticing smaller pizza sizes and lower-quality ingredients
“12 to 24 months months”
Significant reduction in pizza quality and customization options, leading to customer dissatisfaction
“24 to 36 months months”
Accelerated store closures as brand reputation declines and customers abandon Blaze Pizza
Similar Cases
Other companies that followed a similar path after PE acquisition
What You Can Do
Actions
Customers should be alert for changes in pizza portion sizes, ingredient quality, and customization options at their local Blaze Pizza locations
Customers should provide feedback to Blaze Pizza management if they notice a decline in food quality or service
Customers may want to consider alternative fast-casual pizza options that maintain a focus on quality and customization if Blaze Pizza's offerings deteriorate
Alternatives
Publicly traded restaurant group
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