Louis Basile has been in fast casual longer than just about anybody else — and has seen more change come and go than anyone else.
Back in 1995, fast casual was more of a novelty than an industry. The term itself — “fast casual” — was barely known outside of industry insiders.
One of those industry insiders was Louis Basile. Basile opened Wildflower Bread Company in 1995 in Scottsdale, Ariz., after spending 13 years as a vice president with Au Bon Pain. He’s since grown Wildflower — “Bread Company” was dropped in a rebrand a few years back — to 16 locations, all in Arizona, and has witnessed three decades’ worth of innovation come and go for the fast-casual category.
Basile recently sat down with Nation’s Restaurant News’ editor-in-chief at the Prosper Forum in Amelia Island, Fla., for the latest episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches to take stock of how far the fast-casual industry has come — and to offer a glimpse at which industry issues still weigh on his mind.
In this conversation you’ll learn more about why:
Even small innovations can grow into game-changing revolutions
Fast casual is like fine dining but giving the guest their time back
Fast casual is a cross section of American consumers who still expect hospitality
Restaurant operators should be more worried about the future of supply
Everyday affordability is the first thing you should worry about when growing your brand
Your building costs have to be in line with your value proposition
By teaching your people to communicate and receive feedback, you can unlock their potential
Contact Sam Oches at [email protected].
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.jpg?width=400&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale "Sam Oches")
