APT and Plenus Announce Partnership
Applied Predictive Technologies (APT) announced that Plenus, a restaurant and bento box chain with a nationwide network of over 2,900 locations in Japan and 170 locations abroad, has signed an agreement to license APT’s Test & Learn software. In addition to operating “Hotto Motto,” the home replacement meal brand also operates “Yayoi Ken,” a Japanese teishoku restaurant. Plenus will leverage APT’s software to measure and improve key initiatives across pricing, marketing, the menu, and capital expenditures. Plenus has already utilized APT’s software to further refine initiatives surrounding new menu item introductions and promotions, in addition to strategies on pricing.
“As customer preferences diversify, it is vital for restaurants to evolve as well to accommodate these preferences," said Plenus’ Branding Director Hideki Miyanaga. "Restaurants are increasingly accelerating their level of innovation in areas such as menu items, in-restaurant experience and sales and promotions. Using APT’s software, we can identify the incremental profit impact of new initiatives while reducing the risks associated with new challenges.
"For example, we determined that the introduction of a new menu item caused an unexpected impact on sales of existing items," he added. "This helped us make more informed decisions regarding our menu offerings. When restaurants implement new initiatives, customers often react in ways that go beyond the intention of the company. APT helped us understand the mechanism behind such actions, enabling us to better meet the needs of our customers.”
Some argue that scientific decision-making based on experimentation hinders creativity, APT said. It believes the opposite is true. By embedding experimentation within decision-making, companies can not only maximize profits, but also encourage a culture of testing and fundamentally boost creativity within the organization.
“As customer preferences diversify, it is vital for restaurants to evolve as well to accommodate these preferences," said Plenus’ Branding Director Hideki Miyanaga. "Restaurants are increasingly accelerating their level of innovation in areas such as menu items, in-restaurant experience and sales and promotions. Using APT’s software, we can identify the incremental profit impact of new initiatives while reducing the risks associated with new challenges.
"For example, we determined that the introduction of a new menu item caused an unexpected impact on sales of existing items," he added. "This helped us make more informed decisions regarding our menu offerings. When restaurants implement new initiatives, customers often react in ways that go beyond the intention of the company. APT helped us understand the mechanism behind such actions, enabling us to better meet the needs of our customers.”
Some argue that scientific decision-making based on experimentation hinders creativity, APT said. It believes the opposite is true. By embedding experimentation within decision-making, companies can not only maximize profits, but also encourage a culture of testing and fundamentally boost creativity within the organization.