Buona Chicago's Original Italian Beef is hardly an emerging brand, after more than 40 years in business. But it is an emerging franchise brand, says Joe Buonavolanto III.
Buonavolanto is executive vice president of The Buona Companies, based in Berwyn, Illinois, which is the parent to both the quick-service Buona Italian beef sandwich chain, as well as the 100-year-old Original Rainbow Cone, a dessert concept known for its colorful layered five slices of ice cream (and sherbert) on one cone.
A family business now operated by the third generation, the 31-unit Buona Beef launched franchising in 2022, but this will be the year the first franchised units are expected to open. The first is scheduled to debut in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, in August, followed by a couple more in Dallas.
These are new markets for the Italian beef sandwich brand, which currently operates in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana, mostly with drive-thru—and sometimes double-drive-thru—restaurants.
The popularity of the streaming series “The Bear,” which tells the story of a family-run Italian beef concept that makes a pivot to fine dining, has helped pave the way for Buona to move into new territory.
And Buonavolanto admits the growth of Portillo’s, another Chicago area brand known for Italian beef sandwiches, has also helped.
“Any brand paving the way for Italian beef is a good thing,” he said. “It further educates the customer on what the product is and generates more trial.”
Portillo’s is moving across the Sun Belt, in states like Texas, Arizona, Florida and Georgia, in part because that’s where the population is growing. But Portillo’s doesn’t franchise.
As a franchise brand, Buona Beef is also planning to drive its brand into those growing markets, including Texas, Florida, Arizona and California.
“The higher the density, the better,” said Buonavolanto.
Units are about 4,500 square feet, which is considerably smaller than Portillo’s smallest of about 6,000 square feet.
Buona has an average unit volume of $3.5 million, Buonavolanto said. (That’s considerably smaller than Portillo’s AUV of about $8.7 million, though some Portillo’s units are more than 11,000 square feet.)
The three franchised Buona Beef units coming this year will also be dual-branded with Rainbow Cone as side-by-side concepts.
The ice cream concept was acquired by The Buona Companies in 2018. Also a family operation run by a third generation, Rainbow Cone at the time had one location in southside Chicago, along with some little kiosks. Since 2021, The Buona Companies has opened about 22 locations, including five drive-thru shops, and 13 are dual-branded locations with Buona Beef.
“We’re trying to maintain what made both brands successful,” said Buonavolanto. There are different uniforms, a different ordering experience and store design.
But the two are a good match as iconic Chicagoland brands, he said. Buonavolanto predicts there will be 50 Rainbow Cones and 60 Buona Beef units within five years.
The company has to grow because the family is growing.
Buona Beef was founded in 1981 by Buonavolanto III’s grandparents, who built the business with their five sons. One of those five siblings was Buonavolanto’s father. Now Buonavolanto works with his three younger brothers, as well as about 13 other assorted cousins.
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