A New Era in Global QSR with Pepper Lunch’s Troy Hooper - Grounded Podcast - Episode #31
Step into the world of sizzling plates, franchise excellence, and global brand growth. Troy Hooper, CEO of Hot Palette America and Co-CEO of Pepper Lunch Worldwide, shares how he’s building a distinctive dining experience rooted in quality, consistency, and operational innovation. From global sourcing to guest engagement, Troy offers a masterclass in how to scale a brand while staying true to its core.
In this episode, Troy unpacks how experiential dining, proprietary systems, and strong franchise partnerships create long-term success. Whether you're leading growth, managing supply chains, or designing better guest experiences, this conversation is full of insights from the heart of the hospitality industry.
Takeaways:
- How interactive, sizzling plate dining drives brand differentiation and operational efficiency.
- How kiosks and hospitality hosts combine tech and human touch to improve guest experience.
- What franchisors gain from treating franchisees like partners, not just operators.
- How real estate challenges are reshaping the way restaurant brands approach site selection.
- How AI can improve forecasting, procurement, and decision-making in the supply chain.
Quote of the Show:
- “ We thought about every single piece of every single dish and every single process, and we were absolutely curating it to the feedback from the field and from the consumer.” - Troy Hooper
Connect with Troy:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtroyhooper/
- Company website: https://www.pepperlunchrestaurants.com/
- The Pineapple Perspective Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pineapple-perspective/id1745553227
Ways to Tune In:
- Transistor: https://www.groundedonthepod.com/
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2I7EoKaVff3SnW3CoIXjJ6
- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grounded/id1680909033
- Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/451edb13-5534-43ee-b46c-be36a7581460
- iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-grounded-281280581/
- Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/grounded-5259267
- Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/1064441
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@The-Grounded-Podcast
Creators and Guests
Host
Lauren Mitchell
Lauren Mitchell is the Director of National Accounts and Custom Distribution at Produce Alliance, LLC. She is a dedicated fresh produce spend & spec maximizer for multi-unit national restaurant chains & groups. She gets to know your brand and infuses your expectation for quality, consistency and transparency to create more reliability in your produce category.
