# MOD Pizza & Seattle Coffee Company: Scott and Ally Svenson

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2023-07-24
- Length: 1h 27m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-24-mod-pizza-seattle-coffee-company-scott-and-ally-svenson

## Summary

Scott and Ally Svenson, co-founders of Seattle Coffee Company and MOD Pizza, recount their journey from launching a Starbucks-inspired coffee chain in London to creating the fast-casual pizza category in the US. They detail the strategic decision to sell Seattle Coffee Company to Starbucks to secure market position before the giant's arrival, and the subsequent pivot to MOD Pizza, which was born from a personal frustration with feeding their family. The episode highlights their unique operational challenges, including solving the throughput bottleneck of fresh pizza production and implementing a socially conscious hiring model that prioritizes employment for formerly incarcerated individuals and those with developmental disabilities.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-24-mod-pizza-seattle-coffee-company-scott-and-ally-svenson#t=0) Introduction: Scott and Ally Svenson
- [1:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-24-mod-pizza-seattle-coffee-company-scott-and-ally-svenson#t=70) Seattle Coffee Company Origins in London
- [33:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-24-mod-pizza-seattle-coffee-company-scott-and-ally-svenson#t=2005) Rapid Expansion and Sale to Starbucks
- [48:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-24-mod-pizza-seattle-coffee-company-scott-and-ally-svenson#t=2905) Identifying the Pizza Opportunity
- [52:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-24-mod-pizza-seattle-coffee-company-scott-and-ally-svenson#t=3170) Developing the MOD Pizza Concept
- [1:04:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-24-mod-pizza-seattle-coffee-company-scott-and-ally-svenson#t=3859) Social Mission and Hiring Practices
- [1:08:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-24-mod-pizza-seattle-coffee-company-scott-and-ally-svenson#t=4106) Scaling MOD Pizza and Future Vision

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Seattle Coffee Company (company)
- MOD Pizza (company)
- Starbucks (company)
- Chipotle (company)
- Drexel Burnham Lambert (company)
- Cresta Care (company)
- Tours in Macatonia (company)
- Carluccio's (company)
- Siena Group (company)
- U.S. Bank (company)

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- [Reinventing the Pizza Bagel: Bagelverse's Jacob Cooper on Nostalgia and CPG](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-10-09-reinventing-the-pizza-bagel-bagelverses-jacob-cooper-on-nostalgia-and-cpg) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Afterschool Podcast, Episode 1 - Rich Brilliant Willing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2013-08-19-afterschool-podcast-episode-1-rich-brilliant-willing) (Core77 Podcast)
- [#51 Pure Gold Series: Ask Seth Goldman Anything! Plus the Announcement of Just Ice Tea](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2022-07-06-51-pure-gold-series-ask-seth-goldman-anything-plus-the-announcement-of-just-ice) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Cassie and Chelsey Maschhoff, Lottie’s Meats](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-08-02-founder-feature-cassie-and-chelsey-maschhoff-lotties-meats) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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