Pollo Campero Delivers Strong Sales Performance During Pandemic Through Innovation and Convenience

DALLAS – While the pandemic has roiled the restaurant world, Pollo Campero, known for its fresh and flavorful chicken meals, announced record sales growth as a result of its focus during the COVID-19 pandemic. The brand has posted strong results by elevating and strengthening off premise, delivering high value, pivoting to 100% digital communication and continuing to focus on operational excellence.

During the past six months, a period where other QSR concepts faced difficult times, Pollo Campero leaned on off-premise initiatives to offset dine-in restrictions. By innovating its digital platforms and initiatives to generate new guests, the brand was able to deliver positive same store sales growth when the balance of the industry still experiencing negative comp store sales.

“The pandemic has been challenging in many ways, but we were prepared. In 2019, we completely overhauled our digital sales platforms as we looked to deliver more convenience to guests: our mobile app, online ordering website, third party delivery partnerships and integrations with our POS, a robust loyalty system—we had a strong and scalable base to build upon during the pandemic,” said Federico Valiente, Director of Marketing for Pollo Campero. “In the last 25 weeks, we strengthened our off-premise platforms and built on them: we launched drive thru pick-up, curbside pick-up, expanded our last mile delivery partnerships and enhanced every single one of our platforms to meet our guests’ needs in this new environment.”

“We’ve paired a new level of convenience with our unique flavor, strong value programs and consistent digital marketing to deliver strong guest acquisition and retention which has fueled strong comparable sales growth,” said Valiente. “In the midst of the pandemic we achieved several historic sales goals since our arrival to the U.S.: Mother’s Day was our highest selling day ever and a few weeks ago we had the highest sales week ever. July experienced our highest sales month ever only to be topped by August one month later.”

The brand continues to find ways to grow its fanbase through flavor and quality leadership that brings existing guests back and new guests in, all drawn by strong differentiators and unique offerings that helped generate the momentum for Pollo Campero to grow.

“Given the resilience of our business model, we feel more ready than ever before to transform our restaurants into a franchise-focused system over the next five years, with a growth goal of more than 250 stores across all major U.S. metro markets,” added Valiente. “Our successful business model, along with our best-in-class support system, makes now the perfect time for franchisees to join our family culture, built on the passion of generations of raving fans.”

Pollo Campero’s strong performance during these challenging times comes as the brand announced a strategic franchising initiative in the United States, targeting expansion in both existing markets and new priority growth regions including Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas.

The ingredients for Pollo Campero’s continued success include incredibly flavorful food, a franchise focused system with real estate, construction, training and marketing support for franchisees, and most of all, Pollo Campero’s family culture. All of this is built on the foundation of the passion of generations of raving fans.

Despite the pandemic, we are generating more inquiries from potential franchisees who see great potential in our brand. Prospective franchise owners looking to become a part of the Pollo Campero family should possess financial, operational and development capabilities, as well as leadership skills and a passion and commitment to the Campero family. Ideal candidates have multi-unit operational restaurant experience, as well as the capital to invest in area development agreements for at least three to five Pollo Campero locations.

About Pollo Campero

Pollo Campero is a leading chicken QSR brand with a mission to inspire a flavorful life with friends and family. In 1971, Pollo Campero began as a small, family-owned restaurant in Guatemala. With recipes for traditional Fried Chicken, Citrus Grilled Chicken and Extra Crunchy Chicken that offer a combination of recognizable and unique flavors, Pollo Campero has grown into a worldwide favorite for all generations.

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