Ace Haidrey, owner of multiple successful establishments, navigates the dynamic landscape of the restaurant industry with tenacity and innovation. We interviewed Ace to discover his background in dining, his experience with virtual brands, and how he navigates today’s delivery landscape. Ace also shared a variety of lessons he’s learned throughout his entrepreneurial journey and with his current restaurant, Aroma Pizza.
Ace Haidrey’s Story and Entrepreneurial Spirit
Coming from an immigrant background, Ace’s parents instilled in him the value of hard work, perseverance, and seizing opportunities. He saw how his parents strived to make ends meet through various small businesses, like mall kiosks and odd jobs. Inspired by their resilience, Ace developed a strong work ethic and a deep-rooted desire to create something of his own.
The Genesis of Aroma Pizza
In 2009, when Ace was a freshman in high school, his father was presented with an opportunity. A pizzeria owned by his friend’s father – Ameci Pizza – was struggling, and needed financial support. Recognizing the business’s potential amidst economic challenges, Ace’s family decided to use their savings to buy a part of it. While the family didn’t have prior restaurant experience, they strove to strengthen this eatery and provide affordable meals to customers. This experience helped them feel confident to expand and build a second pizzeria, Aroma Pizza right before covid.
Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Change
Ace and his family faced some challenges and financial setbacks at first, but they refused to give up. Instead, they focused on finding innovative solutions to their problems, and their perseverance and commitment served them well. Gradually, the family built up a loyal customer base and established a reputation for serving quality food.
Pioneering the Virtual Brand Concept
Ace felt like he was in a solid place with his existing business, and sought new ways to expand. Soon, he stumbled upon Future Foods, a concept that would let him grow his enterprise – and customer base. After learning more about our value to restaurant owners, staff, and eaters, Ace introduced virtual brands into Aroma Pizza’s workflow. This strategic move helped him optimize his kitchen capacity and cater to a wider range of customer preferences.
Joining Future Foods gave Ace an additional bonus – he’s now able to empower all of his restaurant’s activities with Otter. Through the Otter tablet, Ace gains valuable performance insights and maintains control over Aroma Pizza’s ordering process, enhancing operational efficiency. This makes adding new virtual brands to his business easy!
Looking Towards Aroma Pizza’s Future
Ace’s journey has been filled with successes and challenges, but he remains committed to giving his customers an exceptional experience. He envisions a future where the restaurant industry embraces technology and evolves to meet the demands of a digital world. Ace feels like he has been able to do this for Aroma Pizza through his partnership with Future Foods.
The success Ace has seen with Aroma Pizza shows how embracing change can bring unlimited possibilities to a restaurant. From his humble beginnings with a struggling pizzeria, Ace now owns several profitable establishments and benefits from innovative virtual brands. Ace exemplifies the restaurant industry’s entrepreneurial spirit and reminds fellow restaurateurs to keep challenging the status quo and satisfying customers.
