Interview between Gregg Majewski and Juicer CEO Ashwin Kamlani on providing data driven solutions, an uptick in customer demands for value, and smart spending for restaurant owners.
Key Takeaways
- Innovating Pricing Strategies with Data-Driven Insights
- Adapting to Shifting Consumer Expectations for Value
- Strategic Spending & Intelligence in a New Market Landscape
On the latest episode of the Room for Second podcast, hosted by Gregg Majewski, Juicer CEO and Co-Founder Ashwin Kamlani offered an insightful look into how his company is transforming the restaurant industry through data-driven pricing solutions. Kamlani emphasized the importance of leveraging data to make smarter pricing decisions, a necessity in today’s rapidly changing economic environment.
Innovating Pricing Strategies with Data-Driven Insights
Juicer isn't just focusing on the present; they're building a comprehensive pricing strategy that extends across various channels, including promotions, deals, and menu pricing.
"Our goal is to help this industry use data to make better pricing decisions," Kamlani shared. “A broader solution to help with menu pricing on all different channels, including a strategy around promotions and deals and value that is a long term goal of this company.”
Their approach is already gaining traction among large restaurant chains, particularly with their competitive intelligence solution, which allows businesses to monitor how their menu prices stack up against nearby competitors. This is especially crucial as macroeconomic shifts push companies to offer more value to stay competitive.
Adapting to Shifting Consumer Expectations for Value
Kamlani also highlighted a significant trend in the growing customer demand for value. He believes that this shift will spur innovation in the restaurant space, potentially bringing new solutions to the forefront that can engage customers who may have drifted away.
“I think there’s an opportunity for the industry, frankly, to get consumers excited again,” he noted. “Restaurants responding to that value is going to open up a new area of innovation in the space. If you look at other industries where that occurred, new companies came out and new solutions came out.”
Strategic Spending & Intelligence in a New Market Landscape
As more change in the business and economic landscape occurs, Kamlani stressed the importance of smart spending, particularly in technology investments that offer measurable returns.
"If you’re spending money on technology, there is a measurable return on that investment," he asserted. “Like this competitive intelligence solution we're providing, people spend hours sitting there trying to figure out if they are priced correctly in their markets. It's immediate, okay, we can stop doing that and focus on more important things.”
Kamlani’s insights not only shed light on the current state of the restaurant industry but also pointed to a future where data and innovation play a critical role in driving success.
“I don't think this is a short term concern around consumer pushback on spending and on prices and a cry for value.” says Kamlani of current times. “I think it's in every restaurant's best interest to start thinking about if that's the right strategy for the brand and how to execute on that.
Episode Links:
About Ashwin Kamlani
Ashwin Kamlani serves as the Co-Founder and CEO of JUICER, leading a company dedicated to helping the restaurant industry navigate the complexities of e-commerce and third-party distribution. His career has been a preparation for this pivotal role. Kamlani began his journey in the late 90s, gaining valuable experience in technology at Accenture and PwC. However, his true passion for hospitality emerged during his time at the Cornell Hotel School, which he attended in the wake of the 9-11 attacks. This passion led him to a career with Melia Hotels & Resorts, where he started as an unpaid intern and worked his way up to become the Global VP of E-commerce, Loyalty & Distribution.
During his tenure at Melia, Kamlani mastered the art of driving e-commerce revenue by balancing partnerships with third-party intermediaries and enhancing direct online sales through digital marketing, promotions, and strategic alliances. Under his leadership, online revenues at Melia grew to over 250 million euros. In 2010, Kamlani founded his own business to help other hotel companies achieve similar success, focusing on strengthening direct e-commerce operations and reducing reliance on third parties. This venture was acquired by a major loyalty firm in 2016. Recognizing that the restaurant industry was on the brink of a similar transformation, Kamlani and his co-founders launched JUICER five years later. As a leader, he is committed to building companies based on transparency and trust, and he shares his journey, including successes, struggles, and lessons learned, on LinkedIn.
About Gregg Majewski
Gregg Majewski has a vast amount of experience as a corporate executive in the restaurant industry. As the former CEO of Jimmy John’s, he played a major role in expanding the franchise from 33 to 300+ stores in just 5 years by surrounding the company’s marketing strategy around the innovative approach of delivering sandwiches and being “freaky fast”. Majewski has worked to develop restaurant concepts over the last two plus decades, before starting Craveworthy Brands in 2023, which currently includes a growing portfolio of restaurant brands.
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