Pollo Campero Strikes A Chord
Latin American QSR concept crosses over to the U.S. — and customers line up for a taste.

A leading restaurant chain from Latin America is captivating chicken lovers in the United States. Founded in 1971 under the leadership of Dionisio Gutierrez, Pollo Campero is a Guatemala-based quick-service family restaurant chain, whose success has been compared to that of Krispy Kreme or McDonald's in America. The owners, who also own a poultry business in Central America, started the chain as an initiative to sell chicken.

Pollo Campero's location at The Brickyard shopping center in Chicago, where lines have been reported.

In 1994, the company began its franchising program, deciding to branch out to the U.S. after selling more than $4 million in chicken through two small airport restaurants in Central America.

“People were taking these boxes of chicken to the U.S.,” notes Jimenez, “and so we saw the potential in America.”

The company initially took the chicken concept to Los Angeles, which has a strong Central American population, and found that there was a great demand for the product.

“The interesting thing was that when we opened in L.A., it was not only Central Americans that tried our products,” Jimenez says. “We have a very strong Asian community there, and we also have a lot of African Americans and Caucasian Americans. We've learned since then, and with the opening of 22 stores, that our product is considered the best fried chicken for anyone who likes chicken.”

The concept has also been introduced to the Asian market with the first location in Shanghai. The company plans to expand by as many as 500 restaurants in the next 5 years in Shanghai, Beijing and Wuhan.

Pollo Campero's food offerings include its famous fried chicken, Campero Beans, spicy rice, French fries, mashed potatoes and cole slaw.

“Our customer is anyone who likes fried chicken,” says Jimenez. “We look for at least 10 percent Hispanic composition in a demographic area.”

Currently in the U.S., the company has mostly freestanding locations and is located in major markets, such as Chicago and Maryland, with a few mall locations, such as Glendale Galleria and Panorama Mall in Los Angeles.

“In malls, we're looking for locations that allow for restaurants with interior and exterior entrance,” says Jimenez.

Also important are strong visibility and accessibility and a space that allows for execution of Pollo Campero's unique look and image. The spacious restaurant, which runs on average between 2,000 and 3,000 square feet, has an international look, featuring bright lights, warm but modern furnishings and murals that resemble images of Latin America. Some of the restaurants also offer fun play areas for kids.

Pollo Campero takes a very American dish — fried chicken — and serves it with a Latin twist. The chicken is marinated and breaded with exclusive flavors and slowly prepared to ensure that it stays tender and juicy, and never greasy. The restaurant also serves Latino side orders like Campero Beans, made from pinto beans mixed in a rich combination of bacon, sausage, tomato, onion and seasonings, Spicy Rice, fried and sweet plantains, as well as French fries, cole slaw and mashed potatoes.

The good thing about Pollo Campero as a concept, says Jimenez, is that the product is so unique and so universal that, once people try it, they become hooked.

“And that means a loyal, frequent customer for any shopping center,” he says. scb

— Susan H. Fishman