RFD will eventually recruit additional CEO, CFO, CIO's as they expand nationwide. Having a significant restaurant and baking experience is a pre-requisite for hiring. A Corporate Chef with a degree from a culinary arts institutions and baking experience will be hired to develop innovative menu items that balance artistry with ease of replication. Other vacant positions include Regional VP's, a HR Manager, a Corporate Trainer, and a Purchasing Director- all with relevant experience and degrees. The founders are interviewing candidates already. It seems like RFD is ready to hire people that would ensure quality work which in very important in service industry for customer loyalty. Balance Sheets and financial projections have allocated budget for staff training so, RFD's staff should be ready to cheer their customers.
The founders are very passionate about the food industry. Kim started her career working at H.E.BUTT GROCERY COMPANY, 10th largest grocery food chain of the USA. While Conforti's undergraduate was in Management focused on Finance and Operations. So, the founders are experienced with service operations, public relations, and execution under pressure; educated by Harvard. The founders seem pretty focused and organized about this venture. They are encouraging the employees to attain barista level designations, organize comprehensive training program, and main act- Pastry Chefs as a center of their attraction to their customers. However, I felt their marketing strategy and competition, to be discussed later, outweighs their commitment and passion for the business. .
As I said RFD's staff is ready to provide quality dining experience at affordable prices to its customers. So what's the target customer? RFD's primary target segment or core customers consists of upscale urban singles and couples without children, most of whom are college graduates with professional, managerial, or other white-collar occupations.
