Via 313 Elevates Kip Welsch to Lead Expansion

Via 313 is not just growing its footprint; it's changing the leadership dynamic that powers the plan. Kiplan Welsch has been elevated to president, a shift the Detroit-style pizza brand presents as a formal handoff designed to accelerate a national push. At present, Via 313 operates 21 locations across five metro areas in Texas, Utah, and Colorado. Co-founders Brandon and Zane Hunt frame the move as momentum with purpose, tying culture, hospitality, and scalable growth into a clear future story. This is the big win that comes from steady, strategic leadership.

What changes with a president at the helm – a sharper expansion cadence, a formal playbook, and a curator for culture and technology. Kiplan Welsch steps in with a mandate to preserve Via 313’s heart while pressing into new markets. "I am honored for the opportunity to lead Via 313 as its president and am eager to maintain the incredible momentum we have built as a brand," he said, signaling a clear path to growth through service, innovation, and hospitality. Founders and investors describe the move as a deliberate, culture-first acceleration.

Three decades in restaurant ops shape Kiplan Welsch's profile. He began at Chili’s in 2002, then ran as an operating partner at P.F. Chang’s, spent about ten years at BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse as an area vice president, and led Bluestone Hospitality with 34 restaurants and five area directors. At Via 313, he refined growth strategy and leadership development as the brand entered its fifth major metro. NRN profiles credit this background with a scalable playbook that protects culture while expanding reach.

“He understands both operations and the heart of Via 313,” a common thread in coverage of the promotion. The reporting notes that his track record helped catalyze broader national momentum and the loyalty program’s expansion, delivering a smoother path from local love to multi-market growth.

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Growth engine for Via 313 rests on a collaboration with Savory Fund, the restaurant-focused private equity firm that first invested in 2020. The partnership is pitched as a force multiplier, providing growth capital, strategic guidance, and a broad network to speed openings in new markets. “We’ve watched Kip lead Via 313 with undeniable strength and care,” said Andrew K. Smith, managing director at Savory Fund, underscoring a shared belief that the Detroit-style pizza concept can scale without losing its soul. The tie-up is framed as the engine behind national reach.

“Via 313 is leading the Detroit-style pizza casual dining revolution,” the release adds, tying leadership to capital in a way that preserves brand integrity while accelerating scale. The message positions the partnership as a deliberate, balanced approach to growth that blends culture with multi-market ambitions.

Founders’ confidence framed the appointment as a deliberate next step to safeguard Via 313’s culture while pursuing a more aggressive growth cadence. Brandon and Zane Hunt said they have “the utmost trust and respect for Kip” and that he “understands not only operations but the heart of Via 313.” The messages echo a shared belief that leadership and culture remain aligned with ambitious expansion.

Savory Fund’s Andrew K. Smith reinforced the sentiment, noting the partnership aims to balance brand integrity with scalable growth. The chorus from investors and founders frames the move as a coordinated bet on growth that stays true to the brand’s Detroit roots.

Footprint growth tracks a real trajectory. By 2024 Via 313 had reached 21 locations in Texas, Utah, and Colorado, and leadership changes were timed to sustain that pace. The model leans on external capital to expand into new markets and to deploy technology-driven hospitality initiatives that streamline operations. In 2025, the chain announced two Houston-area openings, Pearland and Cypress, slated for Spring and Summer, bringing Houston’s total to five stores and signaling deeper Texas momentum.

The public record also notes that capital commitments are designed to support multi-market openings and a broader loyalty program rollout. While pace and geography will hinge on real estate and labor realities, the core message is clear: the Detroit-rooted concept is building a national footprint without losing its soul.