Building a Better Sandwich

An insight into Mendocino Farms' sandwich philosophy based on in-person interview with CEO and co-founder, Mario Del Pero. 

I fell in love with Mendocino Farms from the very first time I visited this restaurant. It has great sandwiches and friendly atmosphere. Husband-and-wife Mario Del Pero and Ellen Chen happen to be the dynamic due behind this upscale mini-chain sandwich shop. My curiosity led me to approach Mario Del Pero via LinkedIn for the very first time.

I. Meet Mario

Brief Background

Mario Del Pero grew up in Northern California. When he was a kid, his family owned a meat company, so he grew up in their R&D kitchen around chefs who are innovating different types of food items. He graduated from USC in 1995 with a degree in international relations when he deferred admission to Berkeley’s law school. Instead, his curiosity on building a brand led him to continue working as manager in his friend’s new restaurant.  

Entrepreneurial background

After a few years, Del Pero was ready to go out on his own. In 1998 he opened Skew’s, a teriyaki restaurant in Manhattan Beach. Two years later, a Downtown outpost came in, followed by a Westwood branch. He sold all three restaurants about a decade ago. In his early 30s, he came up with the idea of Mendocino Farms.

II. Mendocino Farms

In search for a perfect sandwich, Del Pero first wrote the concept of Mendocino Farms 13 years ago based on three movements:

1. People are starting to care about where the food comes from. He called this the “Whole Foods Market Effect.”  Del Pero wants to support sustainable farming, and thus, will be using local, natural and organic ingredients in his sandwiches and salads.
2. Gap in the sandwich category. Del Pero identified an obvious gap in the sandwich category. There's Subway on the low-end, and gourmet sandwich places like Joan's on Third on the high-end. Considering that the sandwich category is the largest in the restaurant-based, filling this gap would create a lot of value. “I wanted to taste like an $11-$14 sandwich, but I wanted to do it at a $9-$10 level,” he said. According to Mario, what makes a great sandwich: modernize the classic or make entrée into sandwich form
3. “Gathering place” beyond coffee shop. The powerful notion of coffee shops being a third place, sort of like a gathering place, has led Del Pero to see the opportunity to work beside them. He wants to provide a bigger space and do better sandwiches, and thus, establish a family-friendly neighbor sandwich shop with unique culture of “selling happy"

Mendocino’s unique business culture helps drive their food, innovation and hospitality. Del Pero really established what he call as filters: “The things that we actually define that makes us who we are.”

Today, there are 11 Mendocino Farms stores across Southern California. "Mendo," as its fans call it, has become a foodie destination. I highly recommend you to stop by and try its not-so-fried-chicken sandwich and Korubuta pork bahn me! Trust me, you won't regret.