Catapult Concepts: the Startup Revolutionizing the Restaurant Industry

“Large enterprise restaurants are doing this – the people who are not are the small businesses who need it the most,” said Jake Schostak, founder and CEO of Catapult Concepts. “Someone needed to be an advocate for these mom-and-pop operations, helping them keep up with these new tactics, particularly one that’s as easy a lift as virtual brands. There is little to no upfront cost and you start making money right away. We have built great relationships doing it, but we’re also helped a tremendous amount of people, and families.”

Catapult Concepts launched four years ago, in 2020, as a virtual brand provider centered around helping independent eateries generate extra income using space, equipment, and staff they already have. Schostak grew Catapult in Detroit and remains focused on creating opportunities that allow small businesses to keep up with large nationally known corporations.

After just six months in operation, Catapult found a strong partner in Detroit Venture Partners (DVP), a venture capital firm founded by Dan Gilbert in 2010 that funds seed- and early-stage technology companies, with an emphasis on Detroit.

Schostak had been in the restaurant business his entire life. It’s literally in his blood. His family owns and operates a string of franchise brands including Applebee’s, Olga’s Kitchen and Wendy’s. Schostak also gained crucial experience in the restaurant industry working for fast casual startups like Sweetgreen and Chipotle’s temporarily operating southeast Asian concept, ShopHouse Kitchen.

“I had this perspective of the restaurant business from the fast casual, startup space at ShopHouse Kitchen and Sweetgreen. But I also knew things from the legacy, large business perspectives by working with brands like Applebee’s and Wendy’s. It gave me a macro and micro perspective on what is going on in this industry. I really believe in the delivery space and see how small family-owned restaurants can leverage these online marketplaces to help their businesses. That’s what Catapult is all about,” says Schostak.

Schostak capitalized on his extensive knowledge of the restaurant industry and founded Catapult. Customers can choose from an ever-expanding online portfolio of dishes. Catapult collaborates with commercial kitchens across the country to fulfill orders. The local restaurant is responsible for making the food and handing it off to a delivery service, such as DoorDash, Uber Eats or Grubhub. Catapult ensures the restaurant has all the marketing, technology, expertise, manpower and relationship management to complete the orders within, what Catapult calls, the “ghost kitchen.”

“The way you operate restaurants these days has changed a lot. It’s harder and harder to make money in the restaurant business. Restaurants need to multi-brand themselves. They need to find new revenue streams without incurring additional costs. That’s what we help them do,” said Schostak.

That vote of confidence, and the connections made by being part of the ROCK Family of Companies, helped catapult Schostak’s business to the next level. “Our first restaurant partner was in Detroit. Then we expanded to Royal Oak. I was a one-person team. That’s where DVP came in. I was a young entrepreneur, had put my own money into this business and DPV took a shot on me. Being a part of the Family of Companies gives you the momentum you need to go out there and build a business,” said Schostak. “Looking back, it’s amazing what we’re accomplished since DVP invested.”

Catapult’s business aligned seamlessly with the For More Than Profit philosophy. The business model placespeople first, helping local restaurants compete with national competitors.

Catapult has achieved incredible growth. They now operate out of 100+ restaurants across the country with 15 different digital brands. The company does over $2 million dollars in sales every year and the team has grown to 7 team members with plans to bring an additional 2-3 positions soon.

Catapult is another example of Detroit’s growing tech scene. For more than a century, Detroit has led the world in innovation. Now, young entrepreneurs are catapulting Detroit to the forefront of technology development.

If you own or operate a restaurant, Catapult is in the market for future partners. Find more information at partners.ordercatapult.com.