What If Growth Didn’t Mean Compromise?
Humble Beginnings
The conversation opens with a surprising contrast. A low-key operator, someone who dislikes the spotlight, quietly built a coal-fired pizza institution into a 50-plus-location brand while also launching a fast-growing clean-label sauce business. The origin story begins under the Brooklyn Bridge, where Grimaldi’s earned top Zagat ratings before expanding west to Scottsdale and beyond. Growth wasn’t fueled by hype or shortcuts. It came from discipline—codifying operations, creating position agreements, rigorous training, and a franchise model that scaled without diluting quality. The mantra was simple: never cheapen, only improve.
Scaling Internationally
International expansion added complexity. A chance visit led Lulu Group to bring the brand to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. That process required international FDDs and four on-the-ground trips in roughly a year. The lesson wasn’t speed, it was alignment: the right partner, shared passion for the product, and patience to get compliance, ventilation, and training right. The same patience guided domestic operations. Instead of panicking with price hikes, he optimized sales per labor hour, staffed smarter, and protected the customer experience in a volatile labor and rent environment.
The Retail Pivot
The move into retail may have been the most strategic shift. Landlord exclusives had blocked pasta service in many locations, so he turned heritage recipes into a consumer line. Marinara, tomato basil, vodka, and bolognese sauces, plus salad dressings, now reach thousands of stores. Differentiators include San Marzano tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, gluten-free, kosher, non-GMO, and peanut-free ingredients. Production runs in small batches at a certified facility capable of 30,000 jars a day, targeting 5,000 retailers through marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart. This approach extends brand reach without the burdens of storefront labor, while offering cleaner ingredients than most grocery shelves.
A Personal Health Journey
Behind the business is a striking personal health story. Years of stress, poor diet, and a racing resting heart rate gave way to a 17-year protocol guided by a bodywork expert. Techniques include trigger point release, fascia work, herbs, and tailored cleanses. Bloodwork and functional clinical assessments bring measurable metrics to the practice. Travel, mold awareness, and air quality hygiene round out a preventative mindset. The principle mirrors the brand: reduce hidden toxins, systemize what works, and invest in fundamentals that last.
Leadership and Vision
Leadership principles run throughout. Choose community banks over faceless lenders. Avoid mezzanine unsecured debt and intercreditor traps. Work on the business, not in it. Hire coaches who systemize processes, then step back. He acknowledges HR fatigue and litigation risk but doubles down on service, training, and mentoring local entrepreneurs. Philanthropy and purpose are present in his family’s wild horse rescue work. The vision remains clear: scale retail without compromising quality, renegotiate leases to serve pasta where possible, and keep coal-fired craft at the core. It’s a blueprint for durable growth: protect the product, codify the process, and let integrity compound.
