In a deal that has hip millennials everywhere dialing up an Uber, Urban Outfitters’ newest partnership has the popular clothing chain bringing pizza to its hungry customers.
Under the new agreement, the company consisting of brands Anthropologie, Bhldn, Free People, Terrain and Urban Outfitters will acquire nearly all The Vetri Family group of restaurants, including award-winning Pizzeria Vetri.
“Having known Marc [Vetri] for almost a decade and partnered with him through his charitable foundation, we are honored to have him, Jeff and the Vetri family join the URBN team,” said Richard A. Hayne, CEO of Urban Outfitters, Inc. “Spending on casual dining is expanding rapidly, and thus, we believe there is tremendous opportunity to expand the Pizzeria Vetri concept.”
Chef Marc Vetri, Creator and Co-Head of the Vetri Family group of restaurants is a James Beard award winner who has been trained in Bergamo, Italy, by some of the region’s most noted chefs. Within two years of opening his eponymous Philadelphia restaurant, Marc was named one of Food & Wine’s Ten Best New Chefs. Most recently Food and Wine Magazine named Pizzeria Vetri the best Pizza restaurant in America.
“It’s a perfect match,” says Partner/Chef Marc Vetri. “URBN and the Vetri Family share the same singular goal, we pride ourselves on bringing the best possible experience to our customers and community. Through this partnership, and the experience URBN has in scaling growth opportunities, the Vetri Family will now be able to focus on what we do best – run restaurants that make people happy.”
While the retail company has yet to reveal how the restaurants will be incorporated into the business, there has been recent evidence to show that millennials are more interested in spending on experiences and food than they are on goods like clothing, Forbes reports. According to The Food Institute, millennials spend $50.75 a week on food outside the home, that’s 6.5% more than baby boomers spend on the same category.
Will this move towards milennials inspire a new trend of restaurants partnering with retail chains? Stay tuned to DeliMarket News for as we continue to update the industry.
