Hunt Brothers Gas Station Strategy

Hunt Brothers Pizza created a simplified pizza franchise model targeting gas stations and convenience stores in rural/underserved areas, generating over $500M in annual revenue through 9,000 locations.

Key Points:

• Unique Business Model:

  • Only requires 50-100 square feet of space
  • No franchise fees, contracts, or royalties
  • Only requirement is buying ingredients from Hunt Brothers
  • Equipment costs just $10 to acquire

• Distribution Strategy:

  • 16 regional distribution centers
  • 100 trucks delivering pizzas daily from each center
  • Targets areas with limited food options (often 10+ miles to nearest restaurant)
  • Focuses on rural locations, gas stations, military bases

• Revenue Model:

  • Average location generates $10K/month in revenue
  • 50% gross margin on ingredients
  • $5K/month profit per location from ingredients
  • 9,000 locations = $45M/month ($500M+ annual revenue)

• Product Strategy:

  • Quick 5-minute pizza preparation
  • Sell by "hunk" (quarter pizza)
  • Pricing: $2.89 per hunk or 2 hunks for $5.49
  • Developed strong brand loyalty in target markets

• Competitive Advantage:

  • Created new category by targeting locations too small for traditional pizzerias
  • Mutually beneficial relationship with gas stations/convenience stores
  • Drives additional foot traffic and drink/snack sales for stores
  • Became "4th horseman" of gas station revenue alongside oil, beer, and cigarettes