Photo by Allie Appel
In a world where fast casual restaurants are taking consumers and retail space by storm, Josh Priola sees the food industry a little differently.
As the founder and owner of Street Breads tells Business Report, he thinks many eateries take consumers for granted. He set out about a decade ago to spice things up.
“In the sandwich world, it seemed to be so superficial,” Priola says.
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His goal was to make things more edgy, more thoughtful and more creative—something consumers could not go home and affordably recreate themselves. To make sandwiches that were out of the ordinary, Priola had to think outside the box. Together with his wife, Melissa, the young Lake Charles couple set out for New York to consult chefs at the Culinary Institute of America, enlisting their talent to develop an imaginative menu for their business model.
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After five years in business at his Lake Charles location and three years in business in Baton Rouge, what Priola hopes sets Street Breads apart from the competition is its heart. His secret to managing his business is creating a genuine connection with his crew.
“You don’t try to preach to them about how making a sandwich is special, and how they are special,” Priola says. “What you want to do is talk to them about how they can get beyond the sandwich line.”