Rodizio Grill

Rodizio Grill is a Brazilian steakhouse restaurant or churrascaria that was established in the United States. It was founded in 1995, the first to be established in the United States,[3] by founder and president Ivan Utrera, a native Brazilian born in São Paulo.[4] Currently there are 22 locations in the United States.

Rodizio Grill
TypePrivate
IndustryRestaurants
FoundedLittleton, Colorado (1996 (1996))
FounderIvan Utrera
HeadquartersSandy, Utah
Number of locations
22 steakhouses
ProductsFood service
RevenueUS$41.1 million (FY 2020)[1]
Number of employees
1200+ (2020)[2]
ParentPhoenix Restaurant Group LLC
Websitewww.rodiziogrill.com
Rodizio Grill Gaucho serving Top Sirloin

History

Rodizio Grill founder Ivan Utrera grew up in São Paulo, Brazil, where the traditional churrasco (barbeque) style of dining is common and popular. An entrepreneur from an early age, Utrera had an interest in business which led him to pursue higher education in the US. There he supported himself as a janitor until earning a Masters in Business Administration from Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Management in 1992.[5]

Utrera served as Marketing Director for Pizza Hut and its parent company, PepsiCo for its Latin American markets until he was made Marketing Director over US Markets. At that time, however, he began to feel stifled by the constrains of a large corporate environment and began to explore the idea of opening a restaurant of his own.[6]

In 1995, Utrera left Pepsi Co to develop his own restaurant, basing his concept off the traditional Brazilian "churrascaria" (steakhouse) model. In 1996 in Littleton, Colorado, he opened the doors of Rodizio Grill, the first churrascaria in the U.S.[7]

In 1999, Nation's Restaurant News awarded the company the "Hot Concepts Award."[8] By the year 2000, Rodizio Grill had opened six restaurants, including its flagship store in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was earning revenues of $14 million per year.[9] Though many of those early locations would close down, by 2009 the company embraced its first franchisee in Fort Collins, Colorado.[10] Franchising has proved successful, bolstering Rodizio Grill to 22 locations in 13 states as of June 2020.[11]

Concept

Rodizio Grill's business model follows a traditional Brazilian churrascaria concept, with a central salad bar serving pre-made and house-made salads and a hot bar with traditional Latin American offerings like rice and beans. The main feature of any churrascaria is the service of protein options, which come around on three-foot skewers in a continuous rotation to each table and are carved per guest preference.[12]

Rodizio Grill periodically introduces promotional menu alterations, such as their Wild Game Fest[13] or Bacon Fest.[14]

Locations

As of June 2020, there were 22 locations in thirteen states, mostly in the western and southern U.S.

Community Involvement

Rodizio Grill supports Image Reborn Foundation[15] which helps breast cancer survivors by providing weekend retreats to survivors at no cost to participants.[16] The individual restaurants support a variety of local charities and nonprofits.[17]

Sponsorships

Rodizio Grill sponsors Bruno Carneiro, Formula 3 driver.[18]

See also

References
  1. "Rodizio Grill's Competitors, Revenue, Number of Employees, Funding and Acquisitions". Owler. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  2. "Rodizio Grill's Competitors, Revenue, Number of Employees, Funding and Acquisitions". Owler. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  3. "Rodizio Grill Franchise Overview". Franchising.com.
  4. "Bom Apetite. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com.
  5. Lee, Benson. "BYU Grad Serves Up A Taste Of Brazil". Deseret News. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  6. "Freedom Magazine". Bom Appetite.
  7. "Rodizio Grill to Celebrate Sixteen Years of Premier Dining Service | Restaurant Magazine".
  8. "Denver Business Journal". Bizjournal.
  9. "Freedom Magazine". Bom Appetite.
  10. "Colorado Business Licenses 2009" (PDF). FCGov. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  11. "Rodizio Grill: Locations". Rodizio Grill.
  12. "Guide to Brazilian Barbecue". CNN.
  13. Lenora, Dannelke. "Rodizio Grill Goes Wild in October". The Morning Call.
  14. Eric, Schaffer. "Skewering Bacon Demand". Meat+Poultry.
  15. "Rodizio Grill Raises More Than $26,000 for the Image Reborn Foundation". FSR magazine.
  16. "Image Reborn Foundation - Breast Cancer Support". Image Reborn.
  17. "Nashville Celebrity Gaucho Night". SuperTalk 99.7 WTN.
  18. "Bruno Carneiro Sponsorship". Bruno Carneiro F3 Driver. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
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