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The CEO of Donatos reveals the brand's innovation hub and explains the pizza brand's roots.

Watch out Domino’s – Donatos founder runs secret innovation hub

Jim Grote’s lab develops technologies that benefit foodservice, and the pizza chain he founded in 1963

Though Donatos prides itself as a family-run pizza company, don’t think for a second that the chain is old-fashioned when it comes to innovation.

In a recent Extra Serving podcast with Nation’s Restaurant News, CEO Tom Krouse let us know about a secret innovation hub that the brand’s founder and his father-in-law, Jim Grote, runs near the chain’s Ohio-based headquarters. 

A team of engineers work on “rapid prototyping different ideas” that will eventually benefit the foodservice industry -- including the pizza chain Grote founded in 1963.

“He knows the needs that Donatos has. Obviously he has a vested interest,” said Krouse, who also reveals Donatos’ latest experiment.

To learn about that pilot program and the innovation hub, take a look at our short video interview with Krouse.

Contact Nancy Luna at [email protected] 

Follow her on Twitter: @fastfoodmaven

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