Food. Community. People

The secret behind the success of Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina

By MJ Pallerino

In 2000, Downing Barber was searching for a purpose. We have all been there. With a unique set of talents and background, which included a master’s degree in international business and skills as a trained chef, his thinking quickly jumped out of the box.

While living in Aspen, Colorado, he stumbled up an intoxicating delicacy that grabbed his attention—the Mission-inspired burrito. All that food inside one easy, quick, cheap meal, he once said, really appealed to him. Moving to Athens, Georgia, he set up shop with a brand of his own called Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina. We can fast-forward past all of those “the-struggles-of-gettingyour-vision-off-the-ground” stories into a Saturday where the hometown Bulldogs upset the Tennessee Volunteers. As people were looking for places to celebrate, Barber started waving them inside to eat.

As its brand recognition began to grow, a customer asked Barber how he could get a franchise. The thought, he admits, never crossed his mind. Eventually changing course, he began to franchise the brand, setting the Barberitos' story on course for success. Over the past years, Barberitos has remained committed to serving farm-fresh, high-quality food on its way to becoming an award-winning restaurant with 50 locations across seven Southeastern states. Ask him what he credits to his success, he will say it lies in the fact that the chain is one big family. That includes each and every team member in each location, as well as its guests and families. We sat down with him—an executive in constant motion—to get his thoughts on why his vision hit the mainstream and where the brand is heading.

Give a snapshot of Barberitos brand. Barberitos is a farm-fresh burrito company that specializes in making burritos, salads, quesadillas, bowls and tacos. We make our ingredients in-house and fresh daily. We make everything right in front of the customer and customize each order to the exact liking of each customer. What type of customer does Barberitos target? We target everyone—from kids to grown adults. We target people with families, singles, millennials, senior citizens—everyone can enjoy Barberitos.

Moving ahead, we have a lot of opportunities. There are a lot of untapped markets that need Barberitos or are dying for Barberitos to come in.

How does the dining restaurant cater to what today’s customers are looking for? We have a new design of a light, open, airy and light gray dining room with the beautiful signature Barberitos logo. The space gives customers a nice, fresh feeling.

Is there a location that really shows how the brand interacts with customers A lot of our food comes from my what we serve. People are not looking for fast food as much anymore. People want good, quality food. They want to see it, and and the community? A lot of our Athens stores are great. They do recipes with secret we give it to them. a lot of interaction with our customers right here in our home office and our home town of Athens, Georgia. Johnson City, Tennessee spices and things like that. You cannot What is Barberitos construction design strategy? We look at each location individually. We and Thomasville, Georgia locations are also very involved in their communities. replicate it. modify it to the location and try to incorporate some local elements into the design of the Why are Barberitos restaurants designed the way they are? Give us a snapshot of the market’s layout. They are designed so we can rapidly customize customers’ food and Our market is from Virginia all the way down to Florida. We like all get them through the service line in an efficient manner. We do that so kinds of markets, and college university towns are great. they can come in, get their drinks, sit down with their meal and throw logo. We try to make it as local as we can. away their trash in the most efficient manner. It is all about efficiency. What is the biggest issue today with the construction side of the business? What is today’s customer looking for? Getting labor. Business people are really busy, so finding people to They are looking for healthy food that is made in the store—just like do the work.

What measures is Barberitos taking to go green? Right now, we are recycling everything that we can. We are looking to adopt the zero waste stores with composting, including recycling. In the future, we’re hoping to move to compostable products.

What can we expect from Barberitos in the future? Moving ahead, we have a lot of opportunities. There are a lot of untapped markets that need Barberitos or are dying for Barberitos to come in.

What are some food trends you are seeing right now? We are seeing a lot of people moving toward fresh foods. Obviously, takeout and carryout is a big deal now. Catering and third party delivery has gotten huge.

What are your plans for growth? We are growing a lot in the Southeast in areas with more than 15,000-20,000 people. What’s the secret to keeping Barberitos customers happy? Oh man, you have come in and deliver on the food. People come to our restaurants for the food—so you have to deliver the food, then deliver the atmosphere, and then deliver on the service.

What’s the biggest item on your to-do list right now? To revamp the stores. Getting people dressed right. We are working everyday 7 a.m.-7 p.m. I have been on the phone a lot making deals happen and solving problems.

Tell us what makes the Barberitos brand so special? It is just so unique. We make everything farm-fresh and homemade. A lot of our food comes from my recipes with secret spices and things like that. You cannot replicate it. It just tastes better. Farm fresh is the way to go. CK

20 years and still going strong...

Fifty restaurants in seven states. That is the portfolio that founder and CEO Downing Barber can brag about when he talks about the little Mission burrito-inspired restaurant he opened in downtown Athens, Georgia 20 years ago. The independent fast-casual chain dedicated to serving farm-fresh, high-quality food mirrors the eccentric personality that Downing puts into his livelihood.

While Barberitos continues its steady momentum of growth by adding new locations and introducing new menu items every chance it gets, many of its procedures and values have stayed the same during its 20-year history. For example, menu items are prepared and cooked in-house daily, including hand-smashed guacamole, home-made salsas, fresh-cut vegetables, rice and beans, as well as chicken, steak, turkey, pulled pork and tofu.

Recently, as part of the year-long celebration, Barberitos conducted a

national promotion with ESPN broadcaster and former NFL player David Pollack. The promotion invited fans to take a selfie with a Pollack standee inside all Barberitos locations to win an all-expenses-paid trip to Athens to meet Pollack, along with free Barberitos food for a year.

When it was all said and done, the father and son team of Joel and Jack Kennedy from Tallahassee, Florida (take that Bulldogs’ fans) were named the winners. The entire Kennedy family was invited to the Barberitos’ headquarters to meet Pollack, where they also received a VIP card providing free Barberitos for a year, along with numerous other gifts. As is the Barberitos’ way, throughout the contest, the brand awarded numerous guests with free food and autographed memorabilia from Pollack via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And the legend continues….

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