Episode 24: Inside Primo Partners' Off-Premise Playbook with COO Phillip Scotton

In this episode of Restaurant Catering Smarts, Michael Attias welcomes Phillip Scotton, President & COO of Primo Partners—one of the most successful multi-unit, multi-brand franchise operators in the Ben & Jerry's system, and a rapidly growing partner within the Starbucks licensed store network.

Phillip shares his remarkable journey from unpaid intern to executive leader, helping Primo Partners scale from a single Ben & Jerry's shop in Chapel Hill to more than 20 locations across the Southeast. Under his leadership, Primo became the #1 Ben & Jerry's franchisee globally for off-premise operations, fueled by a focus on culture, servant leadership, and guest experience.

Michael and Phillip dive into the strategies behind Primo's off-premise and catering success, including:

• How Primo built one of the strongest ice cream catering programs in the country
• Why off-premise became a major revenue and growth engine
• How the team executes events serving thousands, from 10,000-person scoop events to 6,000-person hot chocolate activations
• The power of people-first leadership, equity pathways, and profit sharing
• How Primo is expanding catering opportunities within its Starbucks locations
• Why real estate development and culture-building sit at the core of their long-term strategy

Phillip also shares lessons on scaling operations, empowering leaders, creating opportunity across the company, and shaping a culture that drives performance.

This episode is packed with actionable insights for any restaurant or catering leader looking to grow off-premise revenue and build a stronger, more scalable organization.

Restaurant Catering Smarts is sponsored by CaterZen Catering Software.