Home Run Inn on Fox Business

Summary

The Pino family’s pizza business, founded in 1923, evolved from a local tavern to a national frozen pizza company. After overcoming challenges in the 1950s, Joe Pino’s leadership and commitment to quality ingredients led the company to success in the competitive frozen pizza market. Through creative marketing, such as product demos, and a focus on customer feedback from their eight restaurants, the brand has grown rapidly. With a careful, conservative approach to funding and expansion, they remain a family-run business focused on quality, ensuring sustainability for future generations.

Takeaways

• 😀 The business began in 1923 when a home run from a neighborhood baseball game shattered the window of Mary and Vincent Gratini's newly purchased tavern, leading them to name it 'The Home Run'.
• 😀 In 1947, Nick Pino partnered with his mother-in-law Mary and developed the original recipe for Home Run Inn pizza, which is still used today.
• 😀 The family started their frozen pizza business in the 1950s in Chicago, eventually becoming one of the fastest growing frozen pizza makers in the U.S.
• 😀 Joe Pino, now running the company, shares that the family business was born out of necessity after his father couldn’t find a job post-WWII and partnered with his grandmother.
• 😀 Frozen pizza production started in the 1950s with the family initially making small batches of pizzas, gradually growing the business after years of slow progress.
• 😀 The business gained major traction in 1990 when the first pizza plant was built, serving as the catalyst for growth.
• 😀 The company focuses on quality ingredients and simple, no-gimmick packaging, which helped it become the number one selling frozen pizza in the Chicago market by 2020.
• 😀 Demo marketing has been a key factor in the company’s growth, with dedicated demo teams engaging directly with customers in-store to share the product’s strengths.
• 😀 Home Run Inn pizzas are now sold in major retailers like Costco, where demo marketing plays a crucial role in driving sales.
• 😀 Despite the growth, Joe Pino emphasizes a cautious, conservative approach to business expansion, focusing on maintaining the family-run nature of the business and avoiding over-leveraging.
• 😀 The family business takes pride in its focus on maintaining high-quality products and its commitment to staying independent, resisting offers for private equity investment.

Q & A

How did Home Run Inn get its name?

Home Run Inn got its name in 1923 when a home run from a neighborhood baseball game shattered the window of Mary and Vincent Gratini’s newly purchased tavern. This incident led them to name the tavern 'Home Run Inn'.

What significant event occurred in 1947 at Home Run Inn?

In 1947, Nick Pino partnered with his mother-in-law, Mary, and together they developed the recipe for Home Run Inn’s signature pizza, which is still used today.

When did Home Run Inn start its frozen pizza business?

Home Run Inn started its frozen pizza business in the 1950s, initially in the Chicago area.

What is the key to Home Run Inn's success in the frozen pizza market?

The key to Home Run Inn's success is their unwavering focus on quality ingredients and a simple approach—making a better pizza without gimmicks. This dedication to quality helped them stand out in the competitive frozen pizza market.

How did the company grow after opening its first manufacturing plant?

The opening of Home Run Inn’s first manufacturing plant in 1990 served as a catalyst for the business's growth, allowing them to scale their frozen pizza production and reach a larger customer base.

What marketing strategy has helped Home Run Inn succeed despite tough competition?

Home Run Inn’s success is largely due to its marketing strategy of direct consumer engagement through in-store demos. Joe Pino’s sister, Marilyn, launched a demo company that trains people to specifically promote Home Run Inn pizza, building a loyal customer base one person at a time.

How did Home Run Inn become the top-selling frozen pizza in Chicago?

Home Run Inn became the number one selling pizza in the Chicago market, which is the most competitive in the world, by focusing on quality and building strong relationships with customers. They gradually built their reputation, eventually outpacing competitors.

Why does Joe Pino avoid rapid business expansion?

Joe Pino avoids rapid business expansion because he believes that aggressive growth could 'strangle' the business. Instead, he prefers controlled growth to maintain high-quality standards and ensure long-term sustainability.

What role do Home Run Inn's restaurants play in the business?

Home Run Inn's restaurants serve as both a creative outlet and a direct link to customers. They allow the company to test new pizza varieties and stay connected to customer preferences, which then informs their frozen pizza production.

How does Home Run Inn manage its finances and growth?

Home Run Inn has a conservative approach to finances. They avoid leveraging the company excessively and resist the urge to take on private equity funding. Instead, they focus on gradual, sustainable growth to ensure the business remains stable and resilient to economic changes.