How Detroit-Style Pizza Grew from a Trailer to 25 Locations in Just Seven Years

In this episode, Jeremy Julian sits down with Kiplen Welsh, President of Via 313, to explore the incredible journey of building a rapidly expanding restaurant brand rooted in Detroit-style pizza. They discuss strategic growth, innovative menu development, off-premise excellence, and the value of thoughtful partnerships in scaling a restaurant business sustainably. 00:00 - Welcome to the Restaurant Technology Guys podcast 00:41 - Introduction of Kip Welsh and Via 313’s origin story 01:54 - Background of Kip’s career in casual dining 03:01 - Overview of Detroit-style pizza and brand concept 04:25 - Detroit style pizza history and what sets it apart 05:54 - The trailer beginnings and early challenges 07:06 - Growth milestones and multiple locations in Texas and Utah 08:50 - Partnership with Savory Restaurant Fund and brand protection 09:22 - Rapid expansion and future pipeline through 2026 10:11 - Why Detroit-style pizza is gaining more recognition 11:47 - Unique flavor profile and competitive landscape 12:23 - How Detroit-style pizza creates a different culinary experience 14:23 - On-premise vs. off-premise strategy and travelability of product 15:44 - Packaging innovations for delivery and takeout success 16:17 - Digital ordering, third-party partnerships, and mini brick-and-mortar models 17:55 - The potential of food trucks for market testing and expansion 18:39 - Balancing growth with quality and responsible operations 19:50 - Creative menu development and guest-driven innovation 21:30 - Launching limited-time offers and new flavor experiments 23:38 - Future menu strategies, including salads and desserts 24:36 - Importance of staying inventive and not relying solely on staples 25:37 - Personal favorite menu items and flavor combinations 27:19 - The partnership with Savory Fund: how it fosters responsible growth 28:57 - How to maintain brand integrity while scaling 33:02 - Connecting with customers through loyalty programs and marketing 36:54 - Exciting new initiatives like the food truck launch and market expansion 38:16 - The value of sustainable, responsible growth over rapid, unchecked expansion 39:09 - Closing remarks and encouragement for restaurant owners to consider strategic partnerships

You can listen to How Detroit-Style Pizza Grew from a Trailer to 25 Locations in Just Seven Years online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

How Detroit-Style Pizza Grew from a Trailer to 25 Locations in Just Seven Years is an episode from The Restaurant Technology Guys Podcast brought to you by Custom Business Solutions by Restaurant Technology Guys Podcast, sponsored by Custom Business Solutions.

This episode is 00:39:52 long.

This episode was published on Mar 13, 2026.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from The Restaurant Technology Guys Podcast brought to you by Custom Business Solutions when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.