Strategic Catering Growth for a Pizza Hut Franchisee
Case Study: JV Enterprises of Illinois
JV Enterprises of Illinois is a long-standing Pizza Hut franchisee established in 1971, operating across several counties in Illinois, including Bureau, LaSalle, Will, Henry, Rock Island, and more. Headquartered in Annawan, IL, the company manages multiple locations serving a mix of regional markets.
About JV Enterprises of Illinois
Before engaging PeopleLinx, JV Enterprises’ catering business was strictly inbound — primarily walk-in customers or sporadic phone orders. There was no strategic approach or proactive business development in place. Owners lacked visibility into the broader catering potential within their markets and had few formal relationships with institutions like schools, non-profits, or businesses.
The Challenge: Undefined Catering and Business Development Opportunity
The PeopleLinx Solution: Building Foundations Step-by-Step
1. Market Assessment & Opportunity Identification
Conducted a comprehensive analysis of JV Enterprises’ total addressable market in their regions.
Uncovered significant prospects in segments they had not previously tapped: education, religious organizations, and local businesses.
2. GTM Strategy & Targeting
Crafted a go-to-market outreach plan tailored to those sectors.
Built targeted prospect lists and drafted compelling introduction messaging to initiate strategic conversations.
3. Automated Outreach & Lead Nurturing
Launched automated outreach campaigns focused on JV’s brand voice and messaging, targeting schools, churches, businesses, and community groups.
4. AI-Powered Lead Management
Leveraged PeopleLinx’s AI-powered inbox and lead handling tools to automatically surface the most engaged and interested prospects.
Enabled faster, smarter follow-ups by helping the team prioritize responses, personalize engagement, and convert opportunities more efficiently.
5. Sales Process Enablement
As inbound leads began to flow, PeopleLinx leveraged joint training with Sandler Sales to boost the owner’s lead-handling skills—understanding buyer needs, improving discovery, and advancing conversions.
6. Scaling Engagement Through Organizational Involvement
Within 2–3 months, general managers and store leadership began to participate in the process, fostering stronger local relationships and enabling more active community engagement.
7. Ongoing Support
PeopleLinx conducted regular check-ins and planning sessions, ensuring campaign refinement and sustained momentum.
Results: Momentum, Relationships &
Revenue Growth
High Lead Velocity: JV Enterprises now generates 3 to 4 qualified catering leads per day, with local GMs engaging with prospects, hosting site visits, and negotiating orders.
New Strategic Relationships: Established partnerships with schools, businesses, and nonprofit groups previously unknown to them.
Smart Lead Handling: With AI-enabled prioritization, the team can quickly spot and respond to high-intent prospects, ensuring they never miss a revenue opportunity.
Infrastructure for Revenue Orchestration: With their database and processes in place, JV Enterprises can now time outreach around back-to-school, staff events, fundraisers, or seasonal peak periods—maintaining visibility and preference when organizations plan catering.
Repeatable Growth: Early transactions are already showing repeat potential, laying a foundation for sustained outbound-driven catering revenue.
Accelerated Sales Capability: Local teams are empowered to manage leads confidently, thanks to tools, training, and PeopleLinx support.
JV Enterprises transitioned from a reactive, inbound-only catering model to an orchestrated, scalable outbound engine powered by data, AI, and consistent execution.
They’re now the proactive choice for organizations when catering decisions are made—not the afterthought.
Why This Matters
“PeopleLinx turned our undefined catering efforts into a high-velocity, strategic system. The AI inbox makes it easy to spot our hottest prospects and respond quickly. Within months, we had multiple qualified leads rolling in each day, with our GMs stepping up to own local relationships—and we’re just getting started.”
Ross Addis
Director of Operations
Ready to drive more corporate catering orders for your restaurants?
We’d love to hear from you.