How to Scale a Restaurant Group Without Losing the Brand with POV Foods | EP228

What does it take to grow a multi-brand hospitality company without losing what made each restaurant special in the first place? In Episode 228 of On The Delo, Delo sits down with Jimmy Herrera and Bill Toole, owners of POV Foods, the group behind Red, White & Brew, Swizzle Inn, Rusty Spur Saloon, 32 Shea, and Lakeside Bar & Grill. Bill and Jimmy both spent decades at Peter Piper Pizza before Bill co-founded POV Foods in 2014 with Rex Moffett. Jimmy joined as the third owner in 2019 to help lead the acquisition and growth of Red, White & Brew. They walk through how the team evaluates new brands to acquire, why they treat Rusty Spur and Swizzle Inn as “one of ones” while scaling Red, White & Brew and 32 Shea, and how a proactive target list keeps them ready when the right opportunity comes along. The conversation also covers empowering teams without red tape, balancing data-driven menu decisions with dietary needs, and the personal routines that keep both leaders grounded while running a company of 270+ employees. If you're building or scaling a multi-location hospitality business, this episode is full of practical insight you can use. Chapter Guide (Timestamps) (0:14 - 1:04) Welcome Back and Meet Jimmy Herrera & Bill Toole (1:21 - 2:14) Red, White & Brew: Mesa and Prescott Locations (2:28 - 3:09) The Prescott Opportunity and Bill's Grill (3:09 - 4:11) Origin Stories: From Pistol Pete's to Peter Piper Pizza (4:11 - 5:40) Founding POV Foods and Jimmy Joining as Third Owner (5:40 - 7:01) Acquiring Red, White & Brew and the Kitchen Remodel (7:01 - 9:05) Splitting the Roles: Finance, Acquisitions, and Innovation (9:05 - 10:47) Empowerment Culture and Growing to 270+ Employees (10:47 - 12:46) The Brand Portfolio as an “Indie Record Label” (12:46 - 14:12) Favorite Restaurants and Repeat Customer Rates (15:31 - 16:33) Marketing: TV, Socials, and Word of Mouth (19:03 - 19:36) Lessons from “Unreasonable Hospitality” (20:45 - 23:55) Data-Driven Menus and Dietary Needs (24:13 - 26:43) Morning Routines and New Puppies (27:17 - 29:24) Team Culture, Recognition, and Company Events (29:24 - 31:58) Non-Negotiables: Quiet Mornings and Daydreaming Time (32:26 - 35:05) Growth Strategy and the Proactive Target List (35:06 - 36:02) Where to Find POV Foods (36:02 - 38:16) Rapid Fire and Delo's Close 👉 If this conversation about growing a hospitality group the right way, empowering your team, and staying grounded while scaling resonated with you, hit Subscribe for more deep dives on hospitality, business, and mindset. 💬 Drop a comment with your biggest takeaway, and share this episode with anyone building or running a brand or restaurant group. 📲 Learn more about POV Foods at https://povfoods.com 💼 Connect with Bill Toole on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-toole-182b0011 LINKS: 🔗 Connect with Delo: https://linktr.ee/iamthedelo 📚 Grab Delo's FREE eBook: https://iamthedelo.com/3f-method-book 🤝 Delo's Preferred Business Service Partners: https://iamthedelo.com/connect 👥 Entrepreneur Community: https://www.builtdifferentcommunity.com 📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/IAmTheDelo 📷 Instagram: https://instagram.com/iamthedelo 💼 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/daviddelorenzo1 🍽️ Restaurant Resources: https://www.runningrestaurants.com/subscribe DISCOUNT CODE: DeLo2025