Steele Smiley | Source | CEO, Founder, Chairman at Steele Brands

Pandemic Caused Rapid Adoption of Food Service Technology

Crisp & Green had the pieces in place for digital sales before the pandemic—but hardly anyone used them, Steele said. In 2019, just 7% of orders came through digital channels, he said. Now, that number is 70% “I was still calling the store, pre-pandemic, to order my food,” Smiley said. “Geographically, we’re in the middle of Minnesota. It’s not a very tech-centric part of the country. I had a million dollars in tech, and no one used the app. I didn’t use my own app. After the pandemic, that was the only way to get food.”

Smiley called the widespread labor shortage that has plagued many in the restaurant industry “a fictitious problem.” “The best businesses in the world are having access to the best teammates,” he said. “We opened a store two weeks ago with 36 employees and the Panera across the street couldn’t open for lunch.”

Restaurant Business, April 15, 2022

“We’ve never had an unprofitable quarter in the history of our brand,” Smiley said, comparing his concept to that of Sweetgreen’s. That fast-casual salad company, which went public last year, has yet to turn a profit. “We are the player to beat in the space, largely because of how we’re structured … We’re not answering to Wall Street. We’re not answering to other private investors. I own my company.”
Restaurant Business, April 15, 2022