Rochester-based Frintz is entering into its second market – Buffalo.
The startup gives consumers free high-quality photo prints that are supported by advertising. The ads are attached to the prints via a perforated side of the photo paper. The company expects to start with 5,000 mailers in Buffalo in June.
“I knew 5 years ago that the digital marketplace was cluttered and they control your messaging,” said Bill Testa, Frintz founder and CEO. “That’s not helping small businesses.”
The startup, which began as an idea in 2017, uses two business models: Advertising for local businesses and partnering with corporate businesses. The latter allows big companies to offer Frintz photo services to their members while giving advertising to their brand partners.
Testa, who has decades of experience in the printing industry, joined with the creator of Frintz’s patents, Gustavo Paz-Pujalt, who used to run Kodak’s digital-imaging technologies and who holds more than 100 international and national patents.
Testa expects to expand to the Syracuse market in late June or early July and from there add a couple cities per month.
In each city the startup launches in, Frintz will have a program partner working as a contractor who knows the area and who will facilitate the expansion. In Buffalo, that’s Bryan Carr, former vice president of production at The Buffalo News.
Testa wanted to launch in Buffalo because of its proximity to Rochester, his existing connection with Carr and the fact that Frintz already used Tonawanda-based Zenger Group for its printing needs.
The startup currently has 37 workers, between employees and contractors, working on Frintz every day. Testa expects that number to bump up to over 50 by the end of this year and reach over 100 in 2024.
He estimated that from last May to this May, the startup has grown consumer downloads and orders by about 2,000%.
Fritnz also aims to give back through its Frintz Fund, where a portion of its advertising revenue goes to charities, and partnering with PrintReleaf to plant trees.
“My whole goal is to help small businesses in every ZIP code,” Testa said. “I want to be that marketing platform."
