Bubbakoo's Burritos franchises
UD alum turns undergraduate project into successful franchise
1:09 p.m., June 15, 2015--In the 1990’s, University of Delaware assistant professor of hotel, restaurant and institutional management (HRIM) Ron Cole assigned student Paul Altero to create a mock business model. Altero created a concept called Bubbakoo’s Burritos, which today has become a successful business that is now franchising.
Altero’s idea was ahead of its time in the area; when he was a UD student, there were no burrito restaurants nearby. Today, the concept has taken off, with three burrito specialty restaurants on Main Street alone.
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Altero said that the concepts from his UD project stayed with him for more than 10 years, when he opened the restaurant’s first store in 2008.
“The passion for that never left me,” Altero said.
In addition to this lucrative idea, Altero credits UD with providing him with an important mentor in Francis Kwansa, associate professor and associate chair of the Department of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management.
“Dr. Kwansa saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself,” Altero said. “He gave me all the confidence in the world and let me know that I could be more than who I was. He’s extremely pivotal in my life and I owe a lot to him.”
Altero said that Kwansa’s support gave him the confidence to become president of the Lerner College’s Hospitality Club during his time as a student. This confidence was critical throughout Altero’s career and his opening of the first Bubbakoo’s location.
“Dr. Kwansa always has a very simple question: ‘Why can’t you do it?’” Altero said. “It’s really hard to answer a question like that.”
Soon Bubbakoo’s expanded to four locations, and today there are eight Bubbakoo’s restaurants throughout New Jersey.
“We’re gaining some serious momentum,” said Altero, as his first restaurant was opened “just in front of the wave.”
Bubbakoo’s is also staying ahead of technological trends. The restaurant recently released a Bubbakoo’s app, which allows patrons to place customized orders.
“The app is very dynamic,” Altero said, adding that the app’s social networking features make it unique.
Because the app links to Facebook, he said, customers can invite friends to order with them while still paying separately.
But despite all of the high-tech developments, Altero says that the human touch is the most important element of his company.
“The foundation of this business is great people,” Altero said. “What I care about in an employee more than anything else is who they are as a person. Do they care about people and want to help people?”
In this vein, Bubbakoo’s locations host a wide range of community events and fundraisers each week.
“Social responsibility is always high on my list,” Altero said. “It’s not about how much you can amass or how fancy the car is that you drive. It’s about what you can do to advance others: within the organization, strangers, people who need help. I think that we have a responsibility to help one another.”
Altero also gives back by returning to UD to speak to students about his experiences and offer advice.
To students hoping to emulate his success, he says to be unafraid of starting in entry-level positions, as those often lead to larger opportunities. He also advised students to keep in touch with their contacts from UD, and to work hard to get the most out of college.
“Apply yourself,” Altero said. “That’s why you’re here; there’s a lot to learn.”
But most important, he added, is remaining true to your identity throughout your career.
“If you try to be a different person, it’s not going to work,” Altero said. “Be yourself.”
Article by Sunny Rosen