From Marco’s to Jersey Mike’s: What Growing Chains Need From an Oil Program

Big growth has a way of exposing problems with the little things. At 20 locations, one store can adjust a fryer process, swap a pack size, or work around a missed delivery. At 200 locations, those workarounds start to create noise. At 2,000, they become real operational problems.

For pizza and deli concepts, oil touches more of the operation than it gets credit for. It affects dough handling, pan release, fry performance, finishing flavor, prep speed, and back-of-house consistency. When the oil program works, no one talks about it. When it doesn’t, everyone feels it.

The takeaway for growing chains: oil needs to be managed as a system, not a set of individual SKUs.

Why Oil Programs Matter for Growing Foodservice Chains

As pizza and deli concepts grow, consistency becomes more than a product question. It becomes an execution question. Store teams need clear specs, reliable supply, and fewer variables in the kitchen. That applies whether the oil is used for dough, pans, prep, dipping, finishing, or frying applications.

A strong foodservice oil program helps every location work from the same playbook. It supports speed during busy shifts, reduces unnecessary complexity for operators, and gives procurement teams a clearer way to manage cost, forecasting, and supply continuity.

Scaling Oil Performance Across Locations

Marco’s Pizza is a good example of why that matters. The brand has grown from 5 locations in 2016 to more than 1,200 in 2026. With growth like that, oil performance for pizza dough needs to hold steady across locations, shifts, and volume swings.

For pizza chains, the oil program affects menu consistency, kitchen rhythm, product quality, and the guest experience. The right oil program gives operators a dependable standard, so execution doesn’t depend on location-by-location workarounds.

Building Consistency With Custom Oil Blends and Private Label

Jersey Mike’s shows the same principle at national scale. With roughly 3,500 locations, the oil program has to support brand standards across a much larger footprint. A custom oil blend under the chain’s own label helps create one spec for purchasing, training, flavor, and execution.

That kind of standardization reduces guesswork. It also gives procurement and operations teams a cleaner way to manage growth. For deli concepts, where finishing oils, oil-and-vinegar applications, and brand-specific flavor profiles can all shape the customer experience, a consistent oil spec matters.

A Practical Oil Program Checklist

For pizza and deli buyers, the practical checklist is simple:

• Can the same oil support dough, pans, prep, dipping, or finishing without creating unnecessary complexity?
• Does the fry oil deliver the performance needed for wings, appetizers, and high-volume service?
• Are pack sizes aligned to how stores actually operate today, and how they will operate at the next stage of growth?
• Can the supplier support custom blends, private label, forecasting, and supply continuity as the system expands?

These questions matter because growth should simplify the playbook, not add more moving parts. The goal isn’t just buying oil. The goal is building an oil program that helps every location run the same way, every day.

Catania Oils works with foodservice teams on that exact challenge, from regional chains to national concepts. If your chain is growing and your oil program needs a cleaner operating model, let us know, and our foodservice experts can help you find the right fit for where you are now and where you’re headed.