Chances are, if you’ve had a pizza delivered in the past 60 years, you’ve had Domino’s. With 16,300 locations spread across 85 countries, Domino’s delivers 1 million pizzas every day. When it comes to global retail sales, they’re the biggest pizza company in the world.
Later this year, they’ll be delivering pizzas in select markets on ebikes, and it was announced today that Rad Power Bikes will be the exclusive ebike provider for franchise owners and corporate stores in the United States.
“Ebikes have been a game-changer for us,” said Greg Keller, Seattle Domino’s franchisee. With traffic worsening and parking lots disappearing across metro areas nationwide, cars are often not the most efficient means of moving people and goods from point A to point B.
“While delivery on a traditional bike solved many of our traffic and parking issues, the hills in Seattle were tough on even our best cyclists. We’ve been delivering with them for three years now, and we have been able to save money, provide better service, increase hiring, and maintain a happy workforce,” Keller said.
According to research firm NPD Group, ebike sales grew 61 percent last year in the U.S. (one of the few global markets where delivery by car still dominates) -- a number primarily driven by individuals looking for commuting and grocery-getting alternatives rather last-mile delivery solutions.
Rad Power Bikes’ commercial division, which brings sustainable transportation and mobility solutions to logistics and delivery companies, government organizations, corporate campuses, and law enforcement, saw B2B sales increase 600 percent between 2017 and 2018.
“We built a tailored delivery solution for Domino's that is setting an exciting example for how ebikes can be used to benefit business efficiency and employee satisfaction,” said Brian Rinckenberger, commercial sales director for Rad Power Bikes. “We’re proud that the partnership with Domino’s, which began with one franchise owner in Seattle several years ago, is now expanding nationwide.”
The partnership is the result of a pilot program, launched earlier this year, to test the efficiency of ebike deliveries in corporate stores across Miami, Houston, and New York.
“Stores saw improvements in overall delivery and service,” said Tom Curtis, Domino’s executive vice president of corporate operations. “They also experienced labor benefits, as the stores were able to hire from a wider pool of candidates, including those who might not have a car or driver’s license.”
Custom to Domino’s, the winning fleet has been designed based on Rad Power Bikes' popular RadCity Step-Thru electric commuter bike. Hundreds of the co-branded ebikes will be deployed to corporate markets including Phoenix, Miami, Salt Lake City, Baltimore, and Houston. The fleet includes front and rear insulated soft-sided cargo areas, which can hold up to 12 large pizzas in Domino’s Heatwave bags.
The bikes are also equipped with features found across all Rad models, including puncture-resistant tires, integrated headlight, taillight, brakelight, and reflective materials for driver safety. They have a top speed of 20 m.p.h.
Both brands generate over 65% of their sales via digital channels. Just as Domino’s knows how to make an experience out of ordering pizza from any device, tracking its progress, and delivering it to any home, office, or one of 200,000 HotSpots, Rad Power Bikes became North America’s biggest ebike brand by utilizing a value-innovation approach to make powerful, durable, affordable, direct to consumer ebikes and accessories with unprecedented customer support.
The new agreement highlights the ways in which technological collaboration can drive impactful change, reduce operational inefficiencies, and keep more cars off the road.
Which is all to say, dinner just got better.
