Sarpino’s USA, a fast-growing pizza and Italian food delivery franchise, announced that it has appointed former franchisee Vasili Bykau to Area Developer. In his new role, Bykau is leveraging two decades of experience as a Sarpino’s USA franchisee to spearhead the brand’s franchise development in the South Florida region, with a focus on enhancing franchisee support and business operations, as well as driving overall system growth and unit-level economics.
Bykau began his journey with Sarpino’s USA as a pizza delivery driver for a Chicago franchise location in 2003, shortly after immigrating to the United States from Belarus. He worked his way up from driver to general manager, then partner to franchisee – all within a year. Bykau owned and operated several Sarpino’s USA franchises in Chicago and Des Moines, Iowa before eventually selling them. He served as a performance improvement consultant for Sarpino’s USA’s corporate office and then moved to South Florida in 2015 to develop the brand’s newest territory. He went on to open Sarpino’s USA’s first locations in the region, in Downtown Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs and Miramar.
“2023 marks Vasili’s 20th year with Sarpino’s USA. He has worked in every aspect of our business, which has given him unparalleled experience and expertise that makes him the best candidate for this new role,” says David Chatkin, President of Sarpino’s USA. “We feel so fortunate to have him as part of our brand and are excited for all he will accomplish as Area Developer in our fast-growing South Florida territory.”
Under Bykau’s leadership, Sarpino’s USA’s South Florida locations have become the brand’s top-performing restaurants systemwide, serving as a testament to his passion for the business and tireless work ethic. Bykau has helped train and develop numerous employees, several of which followed in his footsteps to become franchisees themselves. 35% of Sarpino’s USA franchisees began their careers with the brand at the ground level and, last year, Bykau sold his three South Florida locations to their respective general managers, empowering a new generation of franchise ownership.
“I sold my three restaurants to fellow immigrants like me who all worked extremely hard and developed the skills to achieve their own American Dream,” adds Vasili Bykau. “I am so passionate about the Sarpino’s USA brand and all that it has given me over the past 20 years, and I look forward to working closely with our franchisees throughout the region in all aspects of the business – from the start-up phase to opening to ongoing support and beyond.”
Vasili Bykau’s appointment to Area Developer reflects the commitment that Sarpino’s USA has to its franchisee’s success. “We always look to provide best-in-class support and resources to our franchise owners. As a former franchisee himself, Vasili uniquely understands the ins and outs of our business and what is required to run a successful franchise operation. We know that he will be a tremendous resource to our franchise owners and will help ensure their success,” added Chatkin.
Since entering the U.S. in 2002, Sarpino’s USA has grown to nearly 50 locations across Illinois, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, and Texas. The delivery-focused concept has developed a reputation for blending Old World Italian authenticity and American ingenuity, offering a robust menu with roots traced back to Calabria in Southern Italy as well as a convenient, seamless customer experience.
Today, Sarpino’s USA offers more than 60 specialty and gourmet pizzas, roughly 20 calzones and 20 sandwiches, 12 pastas, 11 salads, five bone-in wing flavors, and a variety of appetizers, plus an entire separate vegan menu. In a world of sameness and low-quality, factory-made pizzas, Sarpino’s USA has forged an entirely different path and makes its food from scratch, taking an artisanal approach to pizza-making simply not found in big chains.
