Mandy Wolf Detwiler
Smalls Sliders offers less than 12 SKUs, but the brand is scaling in a big way.
There are a number of QSR brands entering the space with one thing on their minds: burgers. For Louisiana-based Smalls Sliders, that’s what they’re known for, but in itty bitty form. The nine-unit brand features cheeseburger sliders, handcrafted milkshakes and seasoned waffle fries. It’s a simple concept with less than 12 SKUs on the menu, but it’s scaling in a big way.
Smalls Sliders opened its first unit in 2019 as a single restaurant in a modular recycled building leadership calls a “can.” The brand is the brainchild of Brandon Landry, who is the founder of Walk On’s Sports Bistreaux. Landry had always wanted to own a QSR brand and got the backing of former NFL quarterback Drew Brees as the first investor for the first unit.
“That first unit did $2.4 million out of 800 square feet,” Maria Rivera, CEO of Smalls Sliders, told QSRweb. “Then they knew they had something pretty remarkable.”
They built a second can, and 10 Point Capital came in in the middle of 2022 when there were only four units open — two company-owned and two-franchised — to invest in the brand on a national level.
With 10 Point Capital, Brees and Landry at the helm, they set out to build an executive team that could make that dream a reality. Rivera came aboard in 2022. Today, Smalls Sliders has nine cans in Louisiana and more than 60 cans in development. Six more units are expected to open this year.
“Year-over-year growth, we went from four cans in July of last year to 15 cans by the end of this year. That’s not small. We’re moving really fast,” Rivera said.
Brees is a franchisor, franchisee and investor. “Drew’s very passionate about franchising, and the fact that he wears many hats as investor, franchisor and franchisee, I think it goes to show not only how committed he is to the brands in which he invests, it also shows how knowledgeable he is about this space,” Rivera added.
Operations
With nine cans in operation and more than 60 in development, does Rivera worry about growing too big too fast? She says every so often a brand comes along that inspires growth in others — Raising Cane’s, In N Out Burger and Shake Shack to name a few. They’ve grown with purpose and with craveable food, and Rivera said Smalls Sliders fits in that category.
“They bring an experience that is not yet delivered,” she added. “If you think about our brand, we focus on grilling craveable premium cheeseburger sliders. It’s just cheeseburger sliders. You either order combo one, combo two, combo three, combo four… Every meal is cooked to order out of an 800-square-foot can.”
Franchisees can control their labor, operating expenses and food costs because Smalls Sliders offers less than 12 SKUs. The opportunity to scale and scale fast is available, Rivera said, adding that its responsible growth. It’s not just about selling franchises — it’s also about building a national brand “that is built the right way,” Rivera said. “It’s having the right franchise partners, it’s having the right operating partners, and then bringing something to our communities that is not yet delivered.”
Service is by walk-up and drive-thru only.
Rivera said the brand also plans to scale its digital capabilities. When she came aboard the team, there was zero digital equity, and working on the brand’s tech stack is paramount to its operations.
“If you’re a potential franchisee, you want to invest in brands that are going to create value for you,” Rivera said. “In some cases, there are franchisees that have more than one concept that they can’t develop more in their territories. So bringing a brand that they can leverage their overheads and their operating capabilities — that’s actually a good business proposition.”
The brand most recently opened a location in Lafayette, Louisiana and spots in Metairie and West Monroe are scheduled to follow. They’ll open their first can outside Louisiana in Mississippi this year as well. They’re expanding in the traditional Southeast, Rivera said, though there’s interest on a national level.
“I would say that, for me, it’s very critical as we scale the first 40 to 100 units to be very disciplined,” Rivera said, “and we’re starting with the Southeast because we’re based out of Atlanta and it makes total sense. We have the capabilities and the infrastructure to (expand) in a responsible way. We have great franchise partners that are coming on board to help us grow in that area.”
Rivera said the brand is targeting about 10 states right now, but if a great operator comes along outside of those territories, it could expand into other areas. The ideal franchisee has to have a strong leadership background with existing infrastructure and common values to grow with Smalls Sliders. They’ve been focusing on multi-unit operators. “I could sell hundreds of these if I wanted to,” she said, “but I’m not doing that. I’m being very disciplined about the growth plan, working side by side with our executive team. I think there’s a lot of interest and momentum, but we have to make sure that both our development and our operations are working hand in hand.”
Rivera said the brand has assembled a great executive team to help the brand as it expands, and that team is one of the things she takes the most pride in. They’re all experienced players in the industry and come from backgrounds with Taco Bell, Subway, Wing Stop and more. With the backing of 10 Point, Rivera said Smalls Sliders doesn’t suffer the growing pains that similarly sized concepts may feel.
“We’ve made a conscious decision to invest in best-in-class talent to be able to scale,” Rivera added.
Rivera said they’re keeping operations tight by treating every franchise location as though it were a corporate store.
She’s invested in supply chain management and technology, two of the brand’s greatest challenges. Initially, they were tied to Walk On’s Sports Bistreaux’s supply chain, but Smalls Sliders now has its own supply chain with vendors who are able to grow with the brand.
“We have a craveable product that we’re incredibly proud of. We have a phenomenal business model that we continue to perfect and simplify. … I personally think the brand appeals to Gen Z like no other and we do incredibly well. Every single unit we’ve opened we have been incredibly fortunate to have a cult-like following,” Rivera said, “and it’s been wonderful to see. Having been in this (QSR) space for so long, it’s really remarkable to see a brand that people just rally around.”
