Sometimes, it pays to specialize. For Golden Valley-based
DelaGet, customers come from only one industry segment, and it's that focus that's causing the company to attract investment and keep growing.
Spun out of restaurant franchisee Border Foods in 2000, the firm creates financial reporting software for restaurants, which can use the applications to track information like server performance and food inventory. A franchise restaurant owner can glance at sales results for all restaurants, for example, or look at the transaction-level activity of one cashier.
Over the past five years, DelaGet has expanded its services to include brand programs, notes CEO Bruce Clark: "We go in and create solutions for a brand, and that program becomes a best practice." The company works with some of the most visible restaurant chains in the country, including Taco Bell, KFC, and IHOP.
Another unique aspect comes with creating different platforms that can be customized to a restaurant's needs, Clark adds. DelaGet's software-as-a-service offering is on 40 different platforms, representing a significant part of its intellectual property, he says.
DelaGet's strength in the industry is getting the company noticed: in December, the firm attracted $400,000 from angel investors.
The company currently employs about 80 people, and has strong plans for growth. Although it boasts an impressive customer list, there are still numerous restaurant brands that fall within DelaGet's core market, notes Rick Berglund, VP of Business Development.
He says, "One stage of our growth will be to build brand relationships, and from there, we can expand services. We're seeing success on several levels so we're anticipating that we'll be accelerating our growth in the near future."
Sources: Bruce Clark and Rick Berglund, DelaGet
Writer: Elizabeth Millard