Now, the company is looking to add more value to what they call their “pizzeria partners” by putting them front and center inside the One Bite app, the pizza-specific content hub created by Barstool Sports.
“Our goal at Slice is to be the preferred destination in the pizza category globally,” said Ilir Sela, the founder and CEO of Slice. “Whenever there is a conversation about local pizza, we want to be a part of it.”
And for Slice, being a part of the conversation means aligning itself with the brand and the person that has made reviewing pizza mainstream.
“With One Bite, we admire their ability to create engaging content that resonates with an insanely loyal and growing following,” added Sela. “And Dave Portnoy, in particular, has a great ability to create content that is always authentic.”
Celebrating their mission of helping local pizzerias, Sela sees the partnership as a win-win for both parties. Barstool is able to leverage the tech and expertise of Slice while Slice is able to leverage the reach and distribution of Barstool Sports. In the end, it all comes back to finding ways to maximize the value Slice’s partners are getting from being on the app and forking over $1.95 per order to the company. Something that Sela takes very seriously given his family’s history in the Pizza business.
“When we heard they were creating a content hub specifically about pizza, we knew we had to be a part of it and leverage the opportunity on behalf of our pizzeria partners. While One Bite brings the content to the table, we bring the technology, easy ordering, and ability to both enjoy and support local pizzerias all at once.”
Barstool Sports, led by Portnoy, has been able to turn the simple act of reviewing pizza into an app that currently sits in the 53rd spot on the App Store, ahead of brands like Einstein’s, Jack in the Box, IHOP, and Buffalo Wild Wings.
For a company that has sports in its name, Barstool Sports has proven that by building an engaged audience, even if what you cover or products you release aren’t directly related to what your name may suggest, there are multiple opportunities to monetize said audience.
Sela hopes that this is just the beginning of the relationship between the two companies.
“We’re cheering for their success. This partnership introduces the importance of supporting local pizza to a whole new audience of Barstool Sports’ passionate and loyal following.”
Exposure is the most important part of this equation for Slice and its partners. Take for example when Sela was starting out and the service was called MyPizza. Then, he brought it to his cousin who is an owner of a pizza shop and let him use it. In the time since, that same pizza shop has been able to do over $1 million a year in sales thanks to the help from the app.
More eyeballs equals more orders, which equals more transactions through Slice, which ultimately leads to more money for the shops.
Considering the American pizza market is a $45 billion-a-year industry, Slice and Barstool have plenty of room to grow, only adding more value along the way.
“It’s great exposure and a growth opportunity for our pizzeria partners, and a great opportunity to bring easy ordering to the One Bite fanbase. At the end of the day, local pizza wins — which is always our mission.”
