The incredible distribution channel of Kebabs
Or why fitting in keeps your stuck
Diogo Matos
September 27, 2023
If there’s a food that tops them all, it’s a doner kebab.
It’s cheap, it’s tasty, and you can find it anywhere, at least in Europe. But what’s more interesting is how it became so popular. I believe it was due to a decentralized distribution.
You see, kebabs are the same anywhere. Kebab shops look the same. Small, slightly dirty, and with no waiters. They cost the same. And they taste the same: you choose between 2 meats, a few vegetables, and garlic or spicy sauce.
The fact it’s the same everywhere means it doesn’t matter where you get it from. A kebab is a kebab. But burgers, ramens, or pastas are not. The restaurant differs. The price differs. The quality differs.
So if the product is the same, kebab shops end up becoming part of an invisible corporation. It’s like “Kebab, Inc” is everywhere, and you can get their product at any time and any city.
The sales of one kebab place end up contributing to the sales of other kebab places.
What this also means is that a kebab place that differentiates will lose the advantages of the invisible corporation. Theses places will never shoot for the moon, but also will hardly go out of business.
A kebab that distinguishes itself with new options, a better venue, or different prices can earn more, or lose more. Standing out brings risks, but also rewards.
💡 Exercise for you: a Kebab place that’s part of the invisible corporation will never get to riches. So think: how can you make yourself stand out from all the other kebab stores? Is it the product, the taste? The venue and how great it looks? The service, and how great it feels? How can your brand stand out?