PMQ Pizza Magazine August 2011 by PMQ Pizza Magazine

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Online at PMQ.com August 2011 PIZZA TV: RECENT VIDEOS

PIZZA RADIO Pizza Radio host Andrew Abernathy asks the questions and you get the answers during weekly interviews with industry experts.

Ask the Experts Jitendra Gupta Jitendra Gupta is the founder of Punchh, a mobile app that replaces punch cards. Learn how this new smartphone app can affect the pizza industry.

PMQ’s Biz Tip of the Day: Yelp Luther Lowe, Yelp’s community outreach manager, explains how pizzeria owners can benefit from and engage customers virally in their online forum. Hear how to enhance your image and improve ratings.

Steve Maciel Since 2001, Steve Maciel, founder of the End Hunger Foundation, has directed thousands of dollars to food pantries around the United States.

PMQ’s TOP SOCIAL MEDIA PICKS Social media is more than just Web-based chatter—it’s a marketing revolution! Whether running a “Big Three” franchisee or a mom-andpop operation, operators generate sales from steadfast Facebook and Twitter campaigns. PMQ editors monitor how industry professionals embrace social media and, in some ways, help write the rules for viral marketing. Here are some of our favorites this month:

Find PMQ at @pmqpizzamag. Find PMQ at facebook.com/ pmqpizzamagazine.

Petes_Newhaven We’re planning to start delivery in Clarendon in the next few weeks... by SEGWAY! Eco-friendly, parking-friendly & fun! http://t.co/9wciDHG StreetzaPizza Today is #FoodTruckFridayMKE in Cathedral Square in @EastTown. Leave your cube and grab lunch today. :) PizzaLuce We’ve merged our gluten-free menu with our regular menu. We’ll be doing this soon with our delivery menu as well...http://fb.me/16jlnEkcc Pizza Zone Happy Father’s Day to all special dads out there. Our Father’s Day Special: Any medium specialty pizza $9.99—just mention this offer for discount. We’d like to see your dad today...post his picture and tell us how great he is! Brooklyn Pizzeria When Katrina devastated the coast, where would we have been without the generosity of strangers? My parents, along with my sister and her family, live in Gloucester, VA—an area affected by tornadoes. The community is in dire need. Items needed: pencils, paper, book bags, blankets and linens. Any donations can be dropped off and I will send them. Rocky Rococo Pizza and Pasta Friday afternoon trivia: In celebration of June Dairy month, how much money does the Wisconsin dairy industry contribute to Wisconsin’s economy each year? First correct answer wins a large Rocky’s pizza smothered in delicious Wisconsin cheese! Two other random winners will be selected. 6

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

August 2011

MISSY GREEN

Table of Contents ON THE COVER 50 Pizza of the Month: Salad-Topped Add a fun twist to summer salads—and pizza— by joining the two together.

FEATURES 24 The Right Sauce

Signature sauces can prove a winning marketing tactic when you settle on the perfect recipe. By Andrew Abernathy

30 Go Big or Go Home Three pizzeria owners explain how gigantic pizzas made it onto their menus—and how they help market their businesses. By Andrew Ousley

52 On the Menu: Nutrition Labeling Prepare yourself for new menu labeling laws by learning about nutritional analysis methods. By Betsy Craig

36 Mix It Up Learn what to look for in your next dough mixer and view the latest lineup from today’s top manufacturers. By Andrew Abernathy and Tom Lehmann

54 The Mahoning Valley Pizza Cook-Off An annual pizza contest in Youngstown, Ohio, brings together area pizzerias for a good cause. By Mike Robinson

40 Seize the Night Operators weigh in on how they attract customers after the dinner rush crowd has gone home for the night. By Andrew Abernathy

58 A Collective Effort A variety of business models embrace a pro-employee approach; learn how some pizzerias are making it work for them. By Tracy Morin

44 Exploring Pizza Overseas: Part 3 In the final installment of this three-part series, learn about the top pizzerias in the U.K., Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Culinary Gold Formed through a collaboration made via Facebook, the U.S. Pizza Team International journeyed to Rome and won first place at the Ultimate Italian Pizza Championship. By Missy Green

IN EVERY ISSUE 6

Online at PMQ.com

Editor’s Note

Letters to the Editor

Pizza Press

Product Spotlight

Advertiser Index

Industry Resource Guide

97 Resource Guide Advertiser Index

t the Check ou s ting idea 13 marke 4! on page 6 DEPARTMENTS 18 In Lehmann’s Terms: Counting Calories Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann breaks down the facts about the new menu labeling laws.

20 New York’s Finest: Telephone Wire Rice Balls Chef Santo Bruno shows you how to make a fun, cheesy appetizer.

22 Accounting for Your Money: Distributor Integrity and Sales Mix Mike Rasmussen answers your questions about price monitoring and the proper menu mix.

Meet the Team: Giorgio Giove Meet a member of the U.S. Pizza Team each month in the pages of PMQ. This month, we feature one of our newest members, who recently won in the freestyle acrobatics and fastest pizza maker categories in Milwaukee.

98 Time Capsule: Pica’s Italian Restaurant A Pennsylvania pizzeria owner boasts that no matter how much the menu has grown since 1948, the customers always return for the pizza.

Coming Next Month Annual Pizza Power Report 2011 Census Results Pizza of the Month: Margherita Oil and Vinegar: Learn to make the most of this tried-and-true dynamic duo.

Take-and-Bake and Pizza Kits: Discover how to increase your bottom line by offering take-andbake pizzas and pizza kits.

Pest Control: It’s the topic no one wants to talk about, but one your customers won’t let you forget if you slack. Learn the top tips for controlling pests in your pizzeria.

Franchising: Are you ready to franchise? Understand what’s involved before you make the leap.

To view any of the videos accompanying this month’s issue, go to PizzaTV.com and type “August 2011” in the search field.

August 2011 • pmq.com

Editor’s Note Liz Barrett Do Calories Count? I’ve always loved going out to eat. There’s nothing quite like sitting around a table and sharing a great meal that you don’t have to cook or clean up after! When I was younger, when Mom would take my brother, sister and me out to a local restaurant, it signaled the chance to try something new. Nowhere too fancy—just someplace away from the usual where we could talk about our adventures of the week. What I remember most is that dining out was a special treat—something we looked forward to—not the everyday occurrence it has become for many people. I think that for many, dining out has lost its luster. Not because the opportunity to dine with friends and family around a communal table has changed, but because so many dine out for almost every meal. I say “dine out” loosely, because I’m including those who run through the drive-thru for breakfast, lunch and dinner to “save time,” because “it tastes good,” or because “it’s cheap.” This convenience fare has helped contribute to a big problem in our nation, which I won’t go into. You’ve already heard—and seen—the statistics. A third of the calories that Americans eat come from restaurants, including fast-food franchises, which is almost double what it was 30 years ago, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act, which required all packaged foods to contain nutrition labeling, was created in 1990, and has certainly helped those who read the labels make better decisions. And while some restaurateurs may disagree, I think that the natural progression was to add this information to menus; it was only a matter of time. Because new menu labeling laws are coming down the pipeline, which will directly affect you soon, two articles cover the topic in this month’s issue: “Counting Calories” on page 18 and “On the Menu: Nutrition Labeling” on page 52. I remember the first time I saw a menu with calorie information. Returning from a PMQ trip, I sat down at a fast-casual chain at LaGuardia Airport in New York. When I spotted all of the calories next to the menu items, I was speechless. In my mind, I always knew that these items were highly caloric, but when the numbers were staring me in the face—1,100, 1,300, 1,700—I began to calculate all of the items I’d eaten in the past—and vehemently vowed to never eat them again (a vow that didn’t last through the meal)! Needless to say, it’s hard to make a decision when you’ve got so many guilty thoughts running through your mind. If you let your conscience get to you, you’ll end up ordering a salad (hold the cheese, croutons and dressing, please!) alongside a glass of water. However, most Americans aren’t wired this way. Yes, it’s initially a shock to see those numbers. But, if you’re the type of diner who realizes, when you eat out, that you’re going to consume more calories, the calories will not be relevant to you. The last time I visited Los Angeles, I dined at one of my favorite pizza chains with my family for lunch. Along with the regular menu, the server provided a separate nutritional menu, which listed calorie and fat information. I didn’t even bother to open it. I was there to enjoy the time with my family, not to count calories. Until next time, my door is always open for your questions, comments and suggestions. Best Pizza Wishes,

On the cover: The Rosa Magnolia Insalata pizza at Tribecca Allie Café in Sardis, Mississippi, has won over culinary judges and customers alike. Photo by Stefanie Goodwiller

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Liz Barrett Editor-in-chief PMQ Pizza Magazine

Letters to the Editor Liz Barrett — A Publication of PMQ, Inc. —

Keep On Truckin’ LLOYD WOLF

I loved Andrew Abernathy’s article about pizza trucks in the April issue. I’ve been on the road for special events and community fun since 1994. It’s a blast going out into the community, selling pizza and having fun (especially for Little League, soccer and youth football). Sal Listek Straw Hat Pizza Antioch and Brentwood, CA

TakIng Streets It to the

With the nation’s increasing demand for food trucks these past few years, pizza has the potential to lead the pack. By Andrew Abernathy

There’s no doubt about it: Food trucks are hot! And pizza, ever pro¿table, has gone mobile to keep up with the trend. With consumers searching for a lower price point in recent years and more chefs and caterers looking to the open road for culinary ventures, combined with the explosion of social media, street foods are reaching a broader demographic than ever before. Even the media has taken notice, with shows such as the Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race and the

Travel Channel’s Food Wars; the food truck experience—once a quick stop for a foil-wrapped meal—has become primetime entertainment. In cities such as Dallas, New York, Los Angeles and Washington, operators are taking to the streets in tricked-out mobile kitchens to build a name for themselves and, in some cases, make big pro¿ts. In 2008, Roy Choi, a pioneer of the gourmet food truck movement and founder of the Los Angelesbased Korean barbecue truck Kogi BBQ,

hit the streets with only two trucks and a Twitter campaign and brought in $2 million his ¿rst year! However, trucks aren’t solely chef-driven anymore—chains are emerging in the game. Industry consultant Aaron Noveshen, founder of San Francisco-based ¿rm The Culinary Edge, estimates that 10% of the top 200 national restaurant brands will have food trucks on the streets by 2012. Los Angeles-based California Pizza Kitchen (cpk.com) and Whitewater,

Joe, There are nearly 70,000 pizzerias in the United States, and we try to incorporate as many stores as we can into each issue. We also encourage everyone to send us updates and press releases via email for our online news room. We’re constantly searching for new pizzerias and ideas for the magazine, so don’t be a stranger!

Winner of 4 GAMMA Awards

Monthly Mentions

EDITORIAL

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Thumping With Pride I want to thank Tracy Morin for mentioning us in her article, “Selling Sandwiches.” We’ve been receiving PMQ for about seven years now, and that was the first time we were mentioned. I must admit that I did a little chest thumping, because it felt good to be recognized by PMQ. We love the publicity! Joe D’Elia, owner Frank’s Pizzeria Omaha, NE

I work with a public relations firm in Alabama. We just signed a new pizzeria as a client and were interested in the magazine, specifically the Pizza of the Month section. How would we get our restaurant in this section? We are very interested! Joy Mims KC Projects

ISSN 1937-5263

PMQ, Inc. Publisher Steve Green sg@pmq.com ext. 123 Co-Publisher Linda Green linda@pmq.com ext. 121 Director of Operations Stefanie Goodwiller stefanie@pmq.com ext. 124

Editor-in-Chief Liz Barrett liz@pmq.com ext. 126 Managing Editor Tracy Morin tracy@pmq.com ext. 140 Associate Editor Andrew Abernathy andrew@pmq.com ext. 133 DESIGN/PRODUCTION Art Director Ellen Kellum ellen@pmq.com ext. 135 Video and Web Editor Daniel Morrow daniel@pmq.com ADVERTISING

Joy, We’re always looking for pizzerias to mention in this monthly column, which features a different type of pizza each month. For 2012, we’ve already planned a new lineup of pizza types that I think pizzerias can really get excited about. For the remainder of 2011, contact editor@pmq.com if you menu a pizza that falls into the categories of Margherita, veggie, meat-lover or gluten-free.

Sales Director Linda Green linda@pmq.com ext. 121 Account Executive Clifton Moody clifton@pmq.com ext. 138 Account Executive Emeasha Mitchell emeasha@pmq.com ext. 127 ADMINISTRATION Accounting Shawn Brown shawn@pmq.com Circulation Manager Sherlyn Clark sherlyn@pmq.com ext. 120 U.S. Pizza Team Coordinator Holly Henning holly@uspizzateam.com ext. 129 Telemarketer Marie Johnson marie@pmq.com ext. 144 PMQ INTERNATIONAL PMQ China Yvonne Liu yvonne@pmq.com

Think Tank 2.0

PMQ Australia-NZ Tom Boyles tom@pmqaustralia.com

What’s the buzz? Log on to find out the latest industry buzz at PMQ.com/tt.

Pizza&Food Gabriele Ancona gabriele.ancona@pizzafood.it

What one rude employee can cost you…

French Liaison Julien Panet jpanet@pizza.fr EDITORIAL ADVISORS

Groupon or Living Social…

Chef Santo Bruno Tom Lehmann Joey Todaro Ed Zimmerman

What are you paying for direct mail…

CONTRIBUTORS

Removing buildup on dining room tables… Thank You to Our PMQ Think Tank Moderators Daddio: Member since June 2006 Tom Lehmann: Member since June 2006

Rockstar Pizza: Member since June 2006 ADpizzaguy: Member since January 2007

We want to hear from you! Have a complaint, compliment or suggestion about something you’ve read in the pages of PMQ? Send your letter via email to editor@pmq.com with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject line, or mail to PMQ, ATTN: Letters to the Editor, 605 Edison St., Oxford, MS 38655. We look forward to hearing from you! Friend us on Facebook! Visit facebook.com/pmqpizzamagazine. Editor-in-chief Liz Barrett 12

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Chef Santo Bruno Betsy Craig Missy Green Tom Lehmann Andrew Ousley Michael J. Rasmussen Mike Robinson

Volume 15, Issue 6 PMQ Pizza Magazine 605 Edison St. • Oxford, MS 38655 662.234.5481 • 662.234.0665 Fax • linda@pmq.com PMQ Pizza Magazine (ISSN #1937-5263) is published 10 times per year. Cost of U.S. subscription is $25 per year. International $35. Periodical Postage pricing paid at Oxford, MS. Additional mailing offices at Bolingbrook, IL. Postmaster: Send address changes to: PMQ Pizza Magazine, PO Box 2015, Langhorne, PA 19047. Opinions expressed by the editors and contributing writers are strictly their own, and are not necessarily those of the advertisers. All rights reserved. No portion of PMQ may be reproduced in whole or part without written consent.

Pizza Press News and Views

JASON FEIRMAN

PIZZA PIZZA

On Your Munch

JASON FEIRMAN

Smiley Pies

The emerging sport of pizza running is sowing seeds in the public parks of New York. Last June, the second NYC Pizza Run took place in Tompkins Square Park, and more than 100 people gathered to endure a 2.25-mile trek that called for both athleticism and appetite. A portion of the proceeds from entry fees benefited the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF), based in New York. During the journey, contestants took three pizza breaks and had to keep their speed up (and food down) to stay in the race. Peter O’Rourke, a 23-year-old marathon runner, took first place with a time of 15 minutes and 24 seconds. “The pizza was good, but I couldn’t enjoy it,” he lamented to the New York Daily News. Jason Feirman, founder of IDreamofPizza.com and coordinator of the event, expects this pizza-packed sport will continue and will add more spots to next year’s run. He cites being active and eating pizza as two characteristics of being a true New Yorker. “This year’s NYC Pizza Run was another hit,” Feirman says. “All 100 spots sold out in one week, and there were a handful of participants who came from out of town. Many runners trained specifically for the race.”

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Even half a pizza is worth smiling about. Last June, Toronto-based chain Pizza Pizza (pizzapizza.ca) announced the donation of more than $100,000 to the Children’s Miracle Network, a nonprofit that raises funds for children’s hospitals. During the company’s fifth biannual Slices for Smiles fundraiser, the campaign, which since 2007 has raised more than $695,000 for the charity, marketed a 10’’ half pizza featuring a smile made with slices of pepperoni. Across Canada, more than 120,000 smile-shaped pies were sold during April, and additional funds were raised through text messaging and a centralized call center. Each Pizza Pizza location donated the money raised to the nearest Children’s Miracle Networksupported hospital. “Smiling always pays off,” says Pat Finelli, chief marketing officer of Pizza Pizza. “We set the bar higher than ever, and we are proud to say the funds raised from our smiles will go straight to the well-deserving children’s hospitals.”

Pizza Politicos

THIRDAGE.COM

Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty has never worked in the pizza business, but that hasn’t stopped the politician from using pizza to make a point or two. According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, in 2009, the presidential hopeful defended his decision to take federal stimulus money, claiming that his state receives only 72 cents from every $1 sent to Congress and saying, “If you’re buying the pizza, it’s OK to have your slice, even if there are some anchovies on it.” On his decision not to run for a third term as governor, Pawlenty told Fox News, “There’s less joy and more trouble in that last slice of pizza.” To which we say: You may stop at two terms, but never rule out a third slice!

GAGE SKIDMORE

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has some experience in the pizza industry. The former CEO of Bain Capital once acquired a Domino’s (dominos.com) franchise which, according to his campaign biography, he helped to “rebuild.” More recently, he made pizza news last May when, after a long day of fundraising in Chicago, the politician sat down with small business owners at Gino’s East (ginoseast.com) to talk business and eat some deep-dish pies. In an interesting twist, afterward, Romney sent boxes of leftover pizza to President Barack Obama’s campaign headquarters. Romney’s communications director told the Washington Post that the gesture was not intended as a prank, and Romney himself tweeted on the event, saying, “Great deep dish at @ginoseast. Sending the extra slices to @barackobama and his Chicago HQ team.”

MINNESOTA.US.GOV

GAGE SKIDMORE

PMQ has long referred to pizza as “The Great Meal of the United States,” and with the GOP presidential bid already ablaze, pizza continues to make an appearance as aspiring Republicans position themselves for the 2012 election. In fact, a long line of evidence suggests that pizza may be the defining food of this election season:

It’s no secret that former Godfather’s Pizza (godfathers.com) CEO Herman Cain has set his sights on the Oval Office, but his experience as a leader in the foodservice industry continues to shadow him. In mid-June, during a CNN debate between GOP hopefuls, Cain was asked if he preferred deep-dish or thin-crust pizza. At the risk of alienating his New York voters, he responded with confidence, “Deep dish!”

In late May, former vice presidential candidate and former governor of Alaska Sarah Palin met New York business magnate Donald Trump to split a large pepperoni pizza at Famous Famiglia (famousfamiglia.com) in Times Square. While no joint candidacy was announced at the pizza summit, which brought down a swarm of press, the two did receive flack from New York-style pizza lovers—including a rant from comedian Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show—for their use of a knife and fork for the slices. Trump later released a video explaining that he wanted to watch his carbohydrates. August 2011 • pmq.com

DON BOSQUET

Pizza Press News and Views

Hear more on the world’s largest slice of human pizza from Steve Maciel on PizzaRadio.com.

It’s Alive!

Rhode Island, the state that first introduced grilled pizza, has something new to show off—human pizza! To celebrate the 5th Annual Community Hunger Awareness Day on June 9, more than 100 people gathered wearing red, white and brown to create the world’s first (and therefore the largest) slice of human pizza in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. The event, coordinated by Hunger Task Force—a joint initiative by the Johnnycake Center of Peace Dale and the Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America—raised more than 225 pounds of nonperishable food for the Johnnycake food pantry. In addition to the food drive, more than a dozen local pizzerias and ice cream stores donated free food for attendees. “We’re building the world’s biggest human pizza one slice at a time,” says Steve Maciel, the event’s coordinator. “As we gain momentum, we’ll eventually build an entire pizza.”

Random Acts of Pizza

Taking Solar Steps Execs at Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza (sammyspizza.com) believe the pizzeria kitchens of tomorrow may run on solar power. In July, as part of its continued efforts to raise environmental awareness, the 17-unit San Diego-based chain reached out to area home and business owners by hosting a series of solar energy seminar dinners at the chain’s two San Diego County locations. The free seminars, hosted with solar photovoltaic design and installation company Stellar Solar, covered a range of topics: Federal, state and local incentives; lease options that allow solar modification and can reduce bills; financing options; and a Q-and-A with energy consultants—while serving up gourmet pizzas and drinks from Sammy’s. “Sammy’s has always strived to save energy by sourcing local, organic and sustainably grown ingredients,” says founder Sami Ladeki. “As we join with Stellar Solar to host these seminars, we’re helping promote sustainability and renewable energy throughout San Diego County.” 16

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

pizzas or empty boxes. “Here I sat on a Monday night wondering how I would make food stretch for my two kids for three more days,” one user wrote. “I’m a single mom trying my best to make ends meet. I was hesitant to post a request, then almost cried when I received an almost immediate response from someone who doesn’t even know who I am.” But why pizza? In an interview with CNN.com, Rogers explained the connection between the food and thrifty times, and how he himself experienced a recent period of unemployment when he was laid off during the recession. “It was the one food during that period that I didn’t have a lot of,” he explained. “It wasn’t just about pizza. It’s about getting that kind of comfort food—that kind of hope.”

SAMMY’S

Using link-sharing website Reddit.com, two men (who have never met in person) have started a website that lets strangers help each other with the donation of free pizza. Texas lawyer Daniel Rogers and former computer technician John Mitchell from Idaho started the website group Random Acts of Pizza after meeting online. How it works: Charitable browsers—as many as 226,000 in a recent week—log on and review requests for free pizza. If users are moved by these viral pleas, they can ask for an address and have a pizza shipped via online ordering. Requests may come from a traveler who has lost his wallet, or those who cannot feed themselves another way. Recipients often leave notes of thanks and can post photos of their

SPECIAL DELIVERY

In Lehmann’s Terms Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann

Visit PizzaTV.com to see more tips from Tom Lehmann.

Counting Calories Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann discusses proposed menu labeling laws. As many of you are already aware, an increasing number of states and municipalities are beginning to mandate some type of nutritional disclosure for the food items we sell. We see it at the hamburger chains, we see it at the pizza chains, and soon it will be playing at a city near you, too. I believe it’s only a matter of time before the independent pizza operators will be required to provide some type of nutritional information in their stores, allowing customers to make informed nutritional choices when selecting their foods. There are different ways by which the nutritional values of a pizza, in our case, can be determined: by nutritional assay, a somewhat slow and expensive method, or by what is referred to as nutritional database. This method utilizes a very extensive computer database program to “crunch” the numbers, taking into account all of the direct and indirect ingredients going into the product formulation, and then giving the correct nutritional information for that specific product. The use of a nutritional database program can provide accurate, lowcost nutritional data.

Apples to Oranges One question that comes up regularly: “Why can’t I just use the same data from the guy down the street? After all, we both make the same types of pizza.” But any variations in the type or amount of any ingredient can change the nutritional profile of a product. Let’s say that the guy down the street uses a ready-made sauce and prepares his cheese pizza with 7 ounces of sauce and 8 ounces of whole-milk mozzarella cheese. His dough is similar to yours, but he uses 3% oil in his crust. Let’s say you’re using only pure, crushed tomatoes for a sauce (that’ll probably be lower in sodium, as the ready-made sauce may contain added salt), and you’re adding only 6 ounces of sauce. Your cheese is 18

a part-skim mozzarella, and your dough contains only 2% oil, so the total fat will be less. You can see through this example that even though the pizzas may look identical, from a nutritional aspect they can be vastly different. This is why each pizza needs to be profiled independently. Also, keep in mind that if you make any changes to the dough or sauce formulation, or any ingredients used in making any part of the pizza, the nutritional profile will no longer be accurate, and will need to be redone. Why is it so important to have accurate nutritional data? The main reason for having accurate data is to be within the existing laws of the city or state in which you are operating. True, there are a lot of chain and independent pizzeria operators, and the “health police” can’t watch everyone all the time—but those “health police” have a unique way of enforcing their laws/rules/regulations. All they need to do is find one store out of compliance, pick it apart, shame it, and make it look bad in the eyes of the public through venues such as the local newspaper and possibly even the 6:00 news.

Why Now? So why is all of this attention now being focused on food and nutrition labeling? It has to do with the growing obesity problem in the United States: We as a nation are getting bigger (around the middle), and that ultimately affects our well-being. We are suffering ever more from the effects of poor food choices or just plain overeating. Think of maladies such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and circulatory problems brought about by the lack of physical activity resulting from being overweight, just to name a few. This isn’t to say that a certain lifestyle, such as spending mindless hours in front of the television

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

or computer, doesn’t play a significant part in contributing to the problem. But, from a political action point of view, it’s a lot easier to blame the food we eat for the problem; and, to be fair, to some extent, they are also correct. A hamburger or breakfast sandwich with nearly 1,000 calories is just asking for trouble! How about pizza, with perhaps 400 calories in a single slice? Not all that bad, you might say, but you know that no one is going to eat just one slice (it’s that good), and that’s where part of the problem lies. It is hoped that by making available the nutritional composition, including the calorie count, of the foods we buy in restaurants/pizzerias, people will begin to realize just what they are eating and how many calories they are consuming, and, as a result, begin making more intelligent, better-informed decisions for a healthier diet. Now that you have an idea of why there’s all of this hubbub over nutritional disclosure, stay tuned to this column next month to find out more about how this is accomplished and how it may affect you.

Tom Lehmann is the director of bakery assistance for the American Institute of Baking (AIB). Need more dough advice? Visit the Dough Information Center at PMQ.com/dough.

Buy a mixer that will last for decades.

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For more information call 1-877-R-MIXERS or visit www.pizzamixers.com

New York’s Finest Chef Santo Bruno

Telephone Wire Rice Balls Chef Bruno prepares irresistibly cheesy delights. What are telephone wire rice balls? Let’s begin by saying that these rice balls are very different than the traditional Sicilian rice balls. These are much smaller, tastier, and easier to make, so you can use them as appetizers as well. The name comes from when you eat them—when you bite into the rice ball, the cheese becomes very stringy, like a telephone cord. I can eat about six of these myself. Try them—you won’t be disappointed. And they’ll make you some money when you put them on your menu!

Mangia!

Directions:

½ c. olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, chopped ½ red pepper, chopped ¾ c. risotto rice, washed 1 tsp. dried oregano 1½ c. hot chicken broth ½ c. white wine 2½ oz. mozzarella cheese 4 basil leaves, chopped, for garnish

Add oil, onion and garlic to a 14” frying pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft. Add the pepper, rice and oregano to the skillet, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring to coat the rice with the oil. Mix together the chicken broth and wine. Slowly, with a ladle, add some of this liquid to the mixture and let the rice absorb the liquid. Continue this process until all of the liquid is used (this process will take about 15 minutes). Remove from heat and let stand until cool. Cut the cheese into 12 pieces. Take about 1 tbsp. of rice and shape the mixture around the cheese. Garnish with the basil and serve hot.

SLNY PRODUCTIONS

You’ll Need:

Chef Bruno and Pasquale Savario enjoy a plate of rice balls.

Chef Bruno is PMQ’s culinary advisor, with 40 years of international pizza experience. He is the corporate chef for Marsal & Sons, and the culinary coach of the U.S. Pizza Team. 20

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

See cooking demos by Chef Bruno on PizzaTV.com.

Accounting for Your Money Michael J. Rasmussen, CPA

Distributor Integrity and Sales Mix Michael Rasmussen talks about monitoring prices and menu mixes. QUESTION: I want to use only one food distributor, but sometimes I notice that prices change on small items I don’t have time to manage. How can I monitor this?

ANSWER: If you’re serious about making more money, you have got to know how your biggest, most volatile costs are running— not just once per month, but at the end of every week. As a refresher, prime cost is cost of sales (food and beverages) plus all payroll costs, including gross payroll of all management and hourly personnel, payroll taxes, benefits, worker’s compensation, etc. Prime cost usually runs 60% to 65% of total sales in a full-service restaurant and 55% to 60% in a quickservice restaurant, and your food and beverage purchases are normally 50% to 75% of those numbers! The first step is to create an automated system with your vendor to view purchase invoices online or receive them in some electronic format, such as an Excel worksheet. This should include all credits posted to each specific invoice so that you can match up the total invoice to the payments being drafted from your account or checks being written per invoice. Never assume that the distributor is accurately updating the records. The next process is to set up a system to hold the distributor accountable for price fluctuations that would impact your controllable profit. For example, most distributor discussions in the field focus on the ingredients for dough, cheese, sauce and toppings. But when you don’t have time to compare the toothpicks and cleaning supplies, you can get taken advantage of. I recommend a system to monitor the increase in cost percentage of every item purchased from a distributor. On your next purchase of that item, your system will catch any honest mistakes in price increases or decreases—or intentional ones that a foodservice representative charges to potentially generate a higher commission on your account. Engaging in ongoing competitive bidding practices to get the lowest prices actually leads to higher food costs. So take the time to get a quote from several suppliers and pick the distributor you choose to work with based on past service—not price. Then work out an accountable arrangement to keep integrity with price offerings so you can focus your time on new customers, marketing, and the entrepreneurial side of your restaurant.

QUESTION:

period. For example, one large pepperoni, two sausage and three small meat lovers pizzas will generate a different profit than a combination of two large pepperoni, one sausage and three calzones. Each menu item, when costed properly, generates a specific gross profit. Thus, when added together in a given period, a different combined result will occur most of the time. That is why your overall food cost percentage is important to monitor weekly, but more accurate monitoring can take place by identifying which items generate the highest gross profit in your sales mix of menu items. That way, specials could be generated and waitstaff made aware to promote higher-profit items. Most foodservice distributors can provide tools to generate food costing programs, and then you’ll need to match up your weekly sales mix of menu items to determine which combination will yield the highest profit. Integrating costing with weekly sales data from your cash register or POS is often difficult but well worth the effort.

Have a question for Mike? Send it to editor@pmq.com.

Why is the sales mix of my menu items important?

ANSWER: This is one of the key areas the chains focus on, since they have learned the profitability of their restaurant operations. “Sales mix” refers to how many menu items you have sold in a specific 22 PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Michael J. Rasmussen is the owner of Rasmussen Tax Group in Conway, Arkansas. Visit rasmussentaxgroup.com for additional insight into restaurant-specific tax strategies and technology programs.

The

Right

Sauce Utilize your favorite ingredients and preparation techniques to develop a signature house sauce. By Andrew Abernathy Pizza can exist without sauce—but for many pizzerias, this element is a major differentiation point and a surefire way to tantalize customers’ taste buds. You may be zealously loyal to your family’s slow-simmered recipe, have a long-standing relationship with a prepared product, or enjoy putting traditional sauce aside to use barbecue, pesto, white or cheesebased sauces, but all pizzerias need to stock at least one type. Different sauce options can prove great marketing points, while a signature flavor can add a memorable factor to your food that keeps customers coming back for more.

Maximizing Flavor and Keeping Consistent Canned tomato products can act as blank slates for you to add your favorite flavors, and understanding the nature of tomatoes may assist your recipe development. The most important thing to understand when choosing tomato products is that time and temperature are the enemies of fresh tomato flavor. In other words, the more heat that tomatoes are exposed to, whether during processing or in your kitchen, the less fresh flavor that will remain in the sauce for customers to enjoy. Based on the impact of time and temperature, tomato products can be made one of two ways: packed from fresh or remanufactured from concentrate. In the packed-from-fresh process, fresh tomatoes are picked, cooked and canned in a singlestep process aimed at minimizing flavor-damaging heat. In the remanufactured process, tomato concentrate is diluted with water before packing into cans or plastic pouches and heat-sterilizing it. While remanufactured tomato products are less expensive to produce, additional processing time and temperature means that they may taste less fresh than their fresh-packed cousins. August 2011 • pmq.com

To preserve maximum fresh-tomato flavor, most pizzerias minimize time and temperature by mixing pizza sauces cold, allowing them to cook along with the pizza in the oven. Indeed, chef instructor Peggy Ryan from the Kendall College School of Culinary Arts in Chicago points out that longer simmer times come at a price. “You want to bring your sauce to a specific consistency,” she says. “If your sauce is too watery, you risk damaging the crust before you even get it in the oven; if you simmer the sauce too long, you risk running into caramelization, which alters the tomato flavor.” Finally, because time and temperature are tomatoes’ worst enemies when it comes to the freshness of your sauce, store your canned tomato products away from heat and use them promptly.

Tweaking Out You can also buy completely prepared sauces from a distributor and dress your dough immediately, but some pizzeria operators mix different sauces to create their desired blend of flavors, or use their own tricks to create the right taste and texture—add a little water, or incorporate unpeeled and/or peeled tomato chunks

Sauce Shopping Picking the right sauce blend can be a process, but your sales rep can help by offering insight—he might even help you develop your custom blend. Check out these providers:

Armanino Foods 866-553-5611, armaninofoods.com

Casa DiLisio 914-666-5021, casadilisio.com

Escalon escalon.net

Garden Fresh Naturals 260-414-5478, gardenfreshsalsa.com

Neil Jones Food Company 800-543-4356, neiljonesfoodcompany.com

Red Gold 866-729-7187, redgold.com

Stanislaus 800-327-7201, stanislaus.com

with herbs, onion and garlic. Still others favor a simple puree. Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann, director of bakery assistance at the American Institute of Baking in Manhattan, Kansas, practices a basic approach. “I add only enough water to make the sauce easy to spread,” he explains. “I never like to add onion or garlic to the sauce, as it can cause the sauce to gel, which requires even more water. I also like to add garlic and basil directly to the sauced dough skin with Parmesan cheese to sweeten and negate some of the sauce’s acidity.” However, there are ways to get around the gelling Lehmann mentions. Steve Hitchcock, owner of Soda Creek Pizza in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, caramelizes garlic before adding it to his sauce. “We chop it, run it through the oven once, stir it, and run it through again. This cuts down on the enzymes that would otherwise cause the sauce to set,” he explains. Meanwhile, Nick Sasso, owner and executive chef at Nick’s Pizzeria (nicks grantville.com) in Grantville, Georgia, has found a way to incorporate garlic flavor into sauce without it gelling by adding garlic oil. “Most oils are made by putting cloves and olives in a press mash,” he points out. “This gives you a more blended flavor and enhances the fresh garlic you use.”

Discerning Dashes Tomatoes are a versatile fruit that can be easily enhanced with spices and herbs. For most chefs, the main differences between pizza and pasta sauce is that unlike pasta sauces, most pizza sauces are not cooked in advance. For both pizza and pasta, however, you can follow basic guidelines to create a memorable flavor profile. You might even develop a second red sauce for specialty pies. As Ryan notes, less is more for traditionalists, so let a few flavors ring true. For vegetarian dishes, mild herbs such as fresh basil and parsley pair best. For meat sauces and meat-topped pies, stick to rosemary, oregano, thyme and sage; these spices’ strong flavors complement sausage, chicken and beef. Ryan also suggests marketing sauces on your menu by mentioning the herbs and spices they contain. “It’s a huge selling point; customers feel better seeing the word ‘fresh’ on a menu.” By understanding ingredients and following tried-and-true techniques— and perhaps experimenting with some of

your own—you can find a way to identify and bring out that special flavor your food deserves. Through monitoring of time and temperature, maintaining a consistent texture and adding flavorenhancing herbs, you can create a sauce that your customers will remember— and request—again and again.

Andrew Abernathy is PMQ’s associate editor.

Get Out of the Red Red sauce is essential, but some operators have broken away from the norm—with fantastic results. As Linda DiLisio, co-owner of manufacturer Casa DiLisio in Mount Kisco, New York, points out, alternative sauces can be the perfect way to enhance seafood, incorporate seasonal ingredients and ultimately attract more customers. Check out these examples of operations that sell pies with nontraditional sauces:

Consider Pesto Your basic basil pesto matches well with a lot of the toppings you’re already using, but you can also experiment with sun-dried tomato and roasted pepper pestos. Portland, Oregon-based Rovente Pizza (roventepizzeria.com) offers the Pesto Extravaganza pie, covered in pesto, artichoke hearts, feta, green peppers, black olives, garlic, Roma tomatoes and zucchini.

A Whiter Shade White sauces—including béchamel, Alfredo, garlic- or white wine-based recipes, or even Southern-style gravy—can offer a unique twist for everything from seafood to veggie to meat pizzas. Some white sauces have even gone mainstream; for example, major chains from Olive Garden to Papa John’s (papajohns.com) have introduced chicken Alfredo pizzas.

Bold Barbecue

Some Like It Hot While some like a sweeter sauce, recent research from the marketing team at Escalon, based in Escalon, California, shows that pizzeria operators are finding success and profit by adding a little spice to their recipes. Consider adding hot sauce to your tabletops or even offering a spicy sauce option— it can even be an upsell on your menu and drive beverage sales. Here are some spicy stats: • During the past five years, U.S. hot sauce sales have risen nearly 4% in volume and 7% in profits • In a 2009 study, nearly 75% of QSR restaurant-goers preferred moderately to extremely hot foods • Consumers favor pizza sauce that’s moderately spicy, and more savory than sweet • In a recent study, 57% of consumers prefer pepperoni to be moderately to very spicy

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Both gourmet-worthy and kid-friendly, barbecue sauce lends itself to plenty of fruits, vegetables and herbs, including avocado, cilantro and jalapeño. In Buffalo, New York, Yum Yum’s Pizzeria (yumyumspizzeria.com) caters to both adults and children with a barbecue, chicken finger-covered pizza topped with cheddar and mozzarella.

Creative Alternatives By thinking outside the box, you can come up with even more sauce options that may prove a hit with your customers. Pizzeria Vivo (pizzeriavivo.com) in Big Rapids, Michigan, touts white cheese sauce on its Vivo House Special. Some pizzerias incorporate ethnic sauces, such as peanut for Thai pies or tzatziki for Greek styles, or dressings such as ranch; still others use spreads, such as hummus, spinach dip or guacamole, in place of traditional sauces.

GO BIG or go home Three pizzeria operators who offer too-big-for-their-boxes pizzas weigh in on their oversize efforts. By Andrew Ousley

Actor Greg Grunberg (Heroes, Alias, Love Bites) digs into some pizza at Big Mama’s & Papa’s Pizzeria. 30

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Big Mama’s & Papa’s Pizzeria (mybmpp.com), 17 locations in Southern California Aro Agakhanyan, owner

How big is your giant pizza, and what inspired you to add it to the menu? The pizza, “The Giant Sicilian,” is 54” by 54” (2,916 square inches; 200 square slices) and feeds 40 to 60 people. The reason we started making the 54-incher is because BMPP is known for big pizzas. We have the 24” Jumbo, the 28” Big Mama’s and the 36” Big Papa’s, and we wanted something bigger than anybody has ever made. Simply put, we wanted to be the largest pizza makers in the world. How long have you had the pizza on your menu? “The Giant Sicilian” has been on our menu for more than six years and has been the same size since the beginning.

Marvels), and have been in dozens of articles in local newspapers and food-related websites. We were also in the Australian men’s magazine Ralph. We’ve been the topic of two German documentaries that visited Los Angeles to film about the “World’s Largest Deliverable Pizza.” Who most commonly buys the big pies? Offices, parties, sporting events, weddings, house parties, and even sometimes just a group of 10 or more without any real occasion other than craving pizza. What accommodations do you have to make for the size of the pie? BMPP has the world’s largest pizza boxes for The Giant Sicil-

Do you hold any challenges to eat the pizza? If so, how does it work?

ian. The box is 56” by 56”, with a heavy cardboard insert. The

Yes, we do hold challenges. If seven people can finish the 54” in two hours or less, they get the pizza free and $1,000. If they lose, they just have to pay for the pizza. The pizza is $199.99 with homemade pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese; each additional topping is $14.99.

takes two pizza specialists to make the 54-incher.

What kind of press have you received for offering a giant pizza on your menu? We’ve been featured on KTLA 5 Morning News (Los Angeles), Food Network, Travel Channel and History Channel (Modern

pizza baking time from start to finish is about one hour. It

What are the pros and cons of offering a giant pizza? The biggest benefit is undoubtedly the exposure, but it has a lot of downsides. We need a larger kitchen, more pizza ovens, more kitchen staff, an extra driver (it takes two drivers to make the delivery), and a large pickup truck to be able to place the 56”-by-56” box in a flat area. Also, during busy hours, it’s logistically very difficult to make. And, finally, most employees really don’t like making it because of the intense labor involved. August 2011 • pmq.com

Randy Price (right) with Man v. Food host Adam Richman.

Randy’s Wooster St. Pizza (woosterstpizza.com), three locations in central Connecticut Randy Price, owner

How big is your giant pizza, and how long have you offered it? We have two giant pizzas on our menu. One is the Galaxy 500, which is 25” and around 500 square inches. The second is the “Challenger” pizza, a 22” stuffed pizza that weighs 10 pounds. Both have been on the menu for more than 15 years. How do you promote the giant pies? They’re promoted on the menu, by the staff and by word of mouth. We feature a “Challenger table” for customers who want to take the challenge. When customers order the Challenger, the whole restaurant cheers them on to help them try to finish. We have been featured on YouTube by customers who have attempted it, and our most famous promotion of the Challenger was the feature story on the Hartford episode of Man v. Food on the Travel Channel. How does the challenge work, and how many people have won/lost? The rules for the Challenger are that two people must eat it alone, in one hour, in one sitting (no leaving the table!). 32

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Three parties have won (one of which was Adam Richman from Man v. Food, which was televised). More than 1,200 challenges have been taken. The Challenger costs $35, unless you eat it all—then it’s free, along with a $50 gift certificate. Who most commonly buys the big pies? With the Challenger, it’s mostly high school and college kids, but there are a wide variety of customers who take the challenge. We once had a couple come really close to finishing, and the woman was very petite. What accommodations do you have to make for the size of the pie? It’s dine-in only, and we like to have advance notice, if possible, as the pizza takes longer to prepare. What are the pros and cons of offering a giant pizza? The pros are that our Challenger has been featured on TV and in magazines, so it’s great exposure. The con is when people throw up on the table from eating too much!

Randy’s Premier Pizza (premierpizza.com), Oakdale, MN Randy Hueffmeier, owner How big is your giant pizza, and what inspired you to add it to the menu?

What kind of press have you received for offering a giant pizza on your menu?

Our biggest pizza is 48”. Way back when I first started business in 1985, I was in California and saw a 28’’ pizza, and I said, “I can do one better than that.” It started with a 30’’ in 1986, and then a 36’’, and now I’ve had the 48’’ for 25 years. I consider myself the original; often imitated, never duplicated.

We’ve been featured in local newspapers, and on radio and television. We’ve also appeared on Outrageous Food on the Food Network.

How do you promote the giant pie? I’ve taken it to radio and television stations, and with the rise of social media, we’ve promoted that way, but for the most part, it promotes itself. Do you hold any challenges to eat the pizza? If so, how does it work? I have cash challenges for all three sizes of the giant pizzas. There is about a 15% success ratio with all of the challenges; I’ve probably done more than 2,000 challenges. Participants have 30 minutes to complete their chosen challenge, alone or with teammates. They may not leave the table. It must be a two-topping pizza, in which one of the toppings is a meat. And if any member of the team gets sick, the entire team is disqualified. A 30’’ one-topping is $69.50, a 36’’ one-topping is $112, and a 48’’ one-topping is $195.

Who most commonly buys the big pies? Mainly offices, sporting events, graduations and birthday parties. It takes catering to another level, because people see it as a novelty and have such a strong reaction. What accommodations do you have to make for the size of the pie? I’ve had to make my own wooden pizza peels, and I also have to make my own boxes for the 48’’ pizza. As far as cooking time, it doesn’t take much longer than a regular pie, about 13 to 15 minutes. We also ask for 24-hour notice if you plan on ordering a giant pie. What are the pros and cons of offering a giant pizza? The pros are publicity and exposure. The cons are how the giant pizza affects the productivity of your business; it’s a difficult and time-consuming pizza to make. Making these huge pizzas can put a major strain on the kitchen staff. Andrew Ousley is a freelance writer based in Laurel, Mississippi.

Tom Pizzica, host of Food Network’s Outrageous Food, poses with Randy Huffmeier and his giant pizza. August 2011 • pmq.com 33

MEET THE TEAM:

GIORGIO GIOVE

MEMBER SINCE: 2011 POSITION: Acrobat, Chef PIZZERIA: Brother’s Pizza, Staten Island, NY CATEGORY OF COMPETITION: Culinary, Fastest Pizza Maker, Freestyle Acrobatics COMPETITIONS WON: Fastest Pizza Maker and Freestyle Acrobatics, U.S. Pizza Team Trials Spring 2011; Team Freestyle Acrobatics, 2011 World Championship of Pizza and Olimpizza Contest TV APPEARANCES: Food Network, Good Morning America, Jerseylicious, Masters of Champions and Today

THANKS TO OUR U.S. PIZZA TEAM GOLD SPONSORS:

Giorgio’s Team Tip: “If you burn something or your pizza doesn’t turn out quite how you wanted at a competition, don’t give up. Being able to do this takes time, patience and passion.”

Although he’s been on the U.S. Pizza Team for only a few months, Giorgio Giove is no stranger to competition. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Giove has been making pizza since age 10, and competed for more than five years with various pizza teams before taking five years off to focus on his culinary skills. Last March, however, at the U.S. Pizza Team Trials, held during the Wisconsin Restaurant Expo, he nabbed a coveted spot on the team, winning first place in the Freestyle Acrobatics and Fastest Pizza Maker competitions. Recently, he competed with the team in Salsomaggiore, Italy, where he helped the team bring home the first-place trophy for team acrobatics. What are you most proud of in your career? I’m proud of finishing culinary school and placing in several pizza competitions. Many people know I do freestyle acrobatics, but my passion is on the culinary side of things. I want to be known for my culinary work.

To see Giorgio in action, visit PizzaTV.com. 34

The U.S. Pizza Team was established in 2000 as a vehicle to further promote the pizza industry and independent pizzerias through friendly competition; live and televised performances; team and individual appearances at store openings; and more. Team members gain a sense of camaraderie with fellow pizzaioli, which affects their stores—and their customers—in a positive way.

How did you learn to spin dough? I did a lot of practicing with Throw Dough. When I say practice, I mean practicing more than just an hour. I watched many videos to better my technique.

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

What’s your favorite pizza ingredient to work with? Black and white truffles are my favorites of all time!

What are your future plans? I’d like to continue competing and eventually open my own restaurant. I want the restaurant to have pizza, but I’d really like to show my culinary skills with a varied menu. What made you interested in the U.S. Pizza Team? I stopped competing for five years, but when I received an issue of PMQ and read that the American Pizza Championship in Wisconsin was coming up, I figured this was a great opportunity to get back in the competition scene. Do you have any advice for those who want to try out for the team? The freestyle acrobatic competition takes a lot of practice. Watching videos will help tremendously, as well as taking your time and being creative. If you’re interested in culinary competitions, read a lot of recipes, but do not follow the recipe to the core—be yourself. Make the recipe yours!

Want to join the U.S. Pizza Team? Find out more information at uspizzateam.com.

THANKS TO OUR U.S. PIZZA TEAM SILVER SPONSORS:

THANKS TO OUR U.S. PIZZA TEAM BRONZE SPONSOR: Off the Wall Magnetics

Mix It Up Knowing what features to look for when shopping for your pizzeria’s next mixer means knowing the nature of your dough and capacity requirements. Introduction by Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann Buyers Guide compiled by Andrew Abernathy Over the years, I’ve learned that all mixers are not created equally. You typically find 60- or 80-quart capacity mixers in pizzerias, but many people, especially those new to the pizza industry, are not aware that there can be significant differences between these mixers. Some 60-quart capacity mixers are referred to as lightor standard-duty mixers. These are great mixers in their own right, and they are well-suited to use in a bakery application, but they may not be the best type of mixer for everyday pizzeria use, where the staff mixes large-size, stiff-consistency dough, day in and day out. The same is true for the 80-quart mixers: There are standard- or medium-duty mixers, and those that are built for heavy-duty applications. To make sure you purchase the mixer best suited to your specific application, or to gain an understanding of the limitations of the mixer that you already have, familiarize yourself with all of the different models offered.

The Right Type When looking to purchase either a new or used mixer, the first questions to ask yourself are, how big of a mixer do I really need, and what tasks am I going to use the mixer for? If you are in a positive growth mode, you might want to look at

buying a larger mixer than what is needed for present dough mixing tasks, as this will give you some room for growth with the mixer. One of the most common problems encountered is that of having a mixer that is too small for the task at hand. This can be the result of purchasing too small of a mixer, or it might be due to purchasing a mixer that is regarded as a light- or medium-duty mixer rather than a heavy-duty mixer. You may have already purchased a mixer, only to find that it won’t mix the dough sizes that you had hoped for. But consider the following: Even though the mixer may have three or more speeds, in essentially all cases, pizza dough is mixed on either first or second speed, with most dough sizes coming close to the capacity of the bowl. Occasionally, if a small dough is mixed, relative to the bowl size, the dough may glomp on (the technical term for “hang on”) the hook, getting very little mixing action, if any. In this case, it’s perfectly OK to mix at a higher speed, providing your mixer is up to the task, as centrifugal force will work to pull the dough off the hook, allowing for improved mixing action. If the mixer is still protesting while mixing in either first or second gear, the only option you have is to increase the size of your dough.

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

I’ve used a lot of mixers and, personally, I’ve found that most light- to medium-duty 60-quart mixers can handle dough based on 25 to 35 pounds of flour weight, while the 80-quart light- to medium-duty mixers will handle dough based on up to 40 pounds of flour weight. The heavy-duty versions of these mixers will typically handle dough based on up to 50 pounds of flour weight while mixing at second speed. The main advantage of being able to mix at second speed with the heavy-duty mixers is that the total dough mixing time will be significantly shorter (normally about eight to 10 minutes), as opposed to roughly 20 minutes when the mixing can be done only in first speed. Be aware that mixers spin at different RPMs, so check with the manufacturer about which speed is best to run your mixer. Remember, there are mixers, and then there are mixers. They may look alike on the surface, but under their bright stainless or painted exteriors, some might end up costing you more than you had bargained for. Be a well-informed buyer, and look at all mixers—not just the biggest brand names—to get the equipment that is best suited to your needs. Tom Lehmann is the director of bakery assistance for the American Institute of Baking (AIB). Andrew Abernathy is PMQ’s associate editor.

Buyer’s Guide: Dough Mixers

Berkel

Cuppone America

Doyon

Ideal for any foodservice operation, the FMS Series planetary mixer offers smooth operation and powerful performance. The heavy-duty, precision-crafted mixer uses planetary action to consistently blend and knead ingredients. Capacities range from 10 to 60 quarts; all mixers include a stainless steel bowl, dough hook, batter beater, wire whip, ingredient chute, removable bowl guard and 15-minute timer. 800-348-0251, berkelequipment.com

The Silea/30KUS uses a spiral system to blend the mix in only a few minutes for greater volume, better oxygenation, and reduced temperature rise. The massive gear reduction unit is under oil, and all moving parts are mounted on bearings instead of bushings. 209-824-4680, cupponeamerica.com

AEF Series spiral mixers use a vertical spiral hook to mix flour and water more quickly and build up less heat in the dough. The transmission and gear reduction are designed to handle heavy dough loads and extend operating life. Thermal overload protection ensures that motors don’t burn out and that spiral hooks don’t snap off. Capacities range from 30 to 345 quarts. For cleaning, the mixer features a drain port in the bottom of the bowl. 800-463-4273, doyon.qc.ca

Globe

Hobart Legacy

Precision Mixer

Built specifically for high-volume pizzerias, the SP62P mixer has the capacity to handle up to 50 pounds of flour and three gallons of water, allowing users to minimize mixing time. The mixer features steel alloy gears, heat-treated shafts, a two-speed direct gear drive, a 3-horsepower motor, safety shut-off, a cast iron body, a stainless steel bowl with power lift, and a 15-minute timer. 800-347-5423, globeslicers.com

The HL662 mixer includes a 2.7horsepower, variable-speed motor designed for higher torque. Two fixed speeds deliver thorough, consistent kneading. The 60-quart, swing-out bowl offers convenient access, and the power bowl lift takes the heavy lifting out of mixing. 888-446-2278, hobartcorp.com

The HD60-2 mixer offers a 4-horse-power motor with a seven-year, unconditional parts warranty on all gears and shafts, as well as a three-year labor warranty for the planetary attachment and transmission. The mixer holds an 80-quart bowl, allowing you to use a 50-pound bag of high-gluten flour. 518-462-3387, precisionmixers.com August 2011 • pmq.com

Buyer’s Guide: Dough Mixers

Restar International

Robot Coupe

Thunderbird Food Machinery

Small- to medium-volume pizzerias can choose from one motor or two with Restar International’s FM50 spiral mixer. Fitted with one motor, the fast-kneading, low-maintenance machine can mix up to 90 pounds of dough. Two motors allow for batches of up to 110 pounds. The mixer features two speeds and a mesh grid or solid bowl cover. 408-216-8795, restar.us

You can prepare a 30-pound pizza dough ball in only 45 seconds with the R45 Vertical Cutter Mixer. The stainless steel mixer features a 45-quart bowl and an adjustable threeblade assembly for consistent results with either small or large batches. The polycarbonate clear lid with a spout allows you to add ingredients and check progress during the mixing process. 800-824-1646, robotcoupe.com

The heavy-duty, gear-driven, 4horsepower, 60-quart floor model planetary mixer is designed for restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores and catering services, and is available with an electric or manual bowl lift. The mixer has a No. 12 attachment hub for a meat grinder or vegetable slicer set. 800-764-9377, thunderbirdfm.net

Univex

Varimixer

Vollrath

The SRM60PM is a 60-quart mixer designed specifically with pizza makers in mind. A variable, two-speed transmission ensures appropriate torque control without sacrificing versatility. A power bowl lift, a heavy-duty plastic cover, and slicing and grinding attachments are also available. 800-258-6358, univexcorp.com

The W60P features variable speed controls, letting operators specify speed and duration for recipes. The mixer is designed to disperse ingredients uniformly for maximum yields. The stainless steel dough hook design provides thorough blending, while a planetary mixing action sweeps the hook through the center of the bowl to ensure all ingredients come in contact with the hook. 800-222-1138, varimixer.com

The 7-quart countertop mixer is a commercial-grade, 1/3-horsepower table mixer that features a five-speed, direct-drive transmission. A digital control panel makes it easy to shift speeds during operation. The mixer also has a nonskid rubber base and a compact design, creating a smaller footprint and a more portable unit. 920-457-4851, vollrathco.com

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Mixer Care Tip Avoid being on a ﬁrst-name basis with the mixer repairman. Keep your mixer clean, and don’t allow a thermal overload switch to continue tripping. Over time, the switch will get softer and trip more easily until it ultimately fails altogether.

Planetary vs. Spiral

By Tom Lehmannn

When it’s time to choose, which is right for your pizzeria? Only you can decide. Most, but not all, planetary mixers have an attachment head so that an attachment can be fitted to the mixer for cutting and grinding in addition to mixing. Plus, the agitator on a planetary mixer can be changed to allow for mixing sauces and batters in addition to dough. Spiral-type mixers, on the other hand, are dedicated dough mixers; they’re designed specifically for mixing dough. The agitator cannot be changed out and, for the most part, there is no provision for any attachment for cutting or grinding. While a planetary may be the “jack of all trades,” able to do many of the tasks needed in a typical pizzeria, the spiral dough mixer is the undisputed king of dedicated dough mixing. It has a relatively small footprint, and can be bought in capacities from 12.5 to 300 pounds of flour. It will also mix doughs as small as 25% of the stated capacity. Most importantly, it will do all of this with ease. If you mix a lot of dough, or if you have (or are thinking about developing) a commissary operation, a spiral-type

mixer would be hard to beat for both capacity and endurance. The question arises from time to time about the difference in mixing time between a planetary and spiral mixer. When loaded between 50% and 100% of their capacity, both mixers will exhibit very similar mixing times, with similar friction factors, meaning that you can use the same water temperature in both mixer designs, and achieve a very similar finished dough temperature. The only feature that some may dislike about spiral mixers is the inability to remove the bowl from the mixer, allowing the dough to be easily rolled to where it is needed. The easiest solution for this would be to use a wheeled table, cutting the dough from the mixer and placing it onto the table, allowing it to be easily moved to where it is needed for processing. As you can see, both mixer types have pros and cons, and both have excellent track records when used correctly, so the decision about which one to purchase should be specific to your shop or application needs.

Planetary

Spiral

Attachment head allows you to use the mixer for cutting and grinding in addition to mixing.

Dedicated dough mixer. Agitator usually cannot be changed out.

Smaller footprint, with ability to mix from 2.5 to 80 pounds of flour.

Slightly larger footprint than planetary mixer, with ability to mix anywhere from 12.5 to 300 pounds of flour.

Similar mixing times when loaded to 50% to 100% of their capacity.

Mixing bowl can be removed.

Mixing bowl cannot be removed.

August 2011 • pmq.com 39

Your late-night marketing strategy can be creative, pragmatic and profitable, but you should understand your customers first. By Andrew Abernathy For pizzerias, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plenty of money to be made after dark. The key to success, however, is understanding your clientele and the different ways to reach them. Across the country, pizzeria operators with a variety of business models have found ways to make their pizza appealing in the last hours of the day with specials, media savvy and, sometimes, simply being in the right place at the right time. To help your pizzeria cash in at night, we reached out to operators to find what works for small-town joints, big-city players, mobile units and 24/7 operations, and bring their advice to you. 40

PMQ Pizza Magazine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Pizza Industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Business Monthly

Debbie Gainor, co-owner, Pizza Zone, Spring, TX

Jason Bennett, owner, Flippin’ Pizza, Encinitas, CA

In the suburbs of Houston, the two-unit chain Pizza Zone (pizzazone.cc) makes its profits mostly by marketing to schools and families, and using social media-driven specials that pay tribute to a whimsical calendar of wacky holidays. Nonetheless, late-night sales have been a part of their success, too—and a challenge in their market. In a family-oriented community, Gainor suggests offering deals that customers will have to wait up for. “One way to drive late-night sales is by offering a late-night happy hour; you can offer a great deal from 10 p.m. to closing.”

With 13 locations in California, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., Flippin’ Pizza (flippinpizza.com) is known for its family-friendly marketing, food trucks and New York-style pies. While Bennett’s Encinitas, California, store closes at 10 p.m., the pizzeria then takes to the road with hot pizzas and social activities to makes the nighttime profitable. “Our pizza truck goes out to cover the bar scene. My recommendation is to not just serve slices of pizza, but create entertainment and then sell pizza. Make your truck the fun spot to hang out for 30 minutes or so by providing live entertainment, like a raffle.”

J.C. Romo, general manager, Gino’s Pizza and Brew, Orlando, FL Located in downtown Orlando, Gino’s Pizza and Brew (ginospizzaandbrew.com) offers New York-style pies and has three locations within 1,000 feet of each other. With 22’’ pizzas, this slice operation takes measures to give customers their money’s worth, and because this 24/7 operation closes only for hurricanes, late-night sales create notable profits. Being one of few businesses in the area open in the wee hours brings in business as the surrounding bars and clubs empty out. But getting customers through your doors is only half the battle; Romo says you have to make customers eat with their eyes first. “We offer cheese, pepperoni and extra pepperoni slices, but we put our specialty pizzas in a display case with blinking LED lighting. It really attracts the customers’ eyes, and they can choose whatever they want. On top of that, we offer a special where if you buy two slices, you get a free drink.”

Scott Baitinger, co-founder, Streetza, Milwaukee, WI Milwaukee-based mobile unit Streetza (streetza.com) caters to office parks for the lunch crowd, but its late-night bread and butter comes from the downtown droves of people craving pizza. And, because these crowds tend to move around a lot, Facebook and Twitter have been their compasses to success. In addition to letting customers know where they are and what they have on the menu, Baitinger uses these tools to establish a meaningful and profitable connection with customers—no matter what the hour. “We really invite people to engage with us,” he says. “In every step of our development and operations process, we’ve looked for input. We had fans’ help in establishing our menu, our pricing and our logo. Our mission is driven from social media.”

August 2011 • pmq.com

Chris Sommers, founder, Pi Pizzeria, St. Louis, MO With four locations in St. Louis, plus one mobile unit downtown and another in Washington, D.C., Pi Pizzeria is an up-andcoming chain making a name for itself with deep-dish pies, gluten-free menu items and a trademark cornmeal crust. However, Sommers says that late-night marketing to the bar- and club-going crowd, like all business measures, should involve calculated decision-making. “Be realistic!” he advises. “Assess your market—how many of those late-night club and bar patrons are truly going to visit your truck or your shop? If there are 250 people in a couple of bars, realistically, how many are going to want what you have at that moment? Run the numbers, and then decide if it’s worth the effort. What is the top-line revenue? How much are you pocketing? Is it worth your time?”

Nano Whitman, general manager, Home Slice Pizza, Austin, TX Located on South Congress Avenue in Austin, Texas (in a hip neighborhood dubbed SoCo), Home Slice Pizza (homeslicepizza.com) caters to a variety of demographics, but college students and young professionals make up the biggest slice of the pie in the live music capital of the world. With a thriving entertainment scene

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

in the area, Whitman says late-night marketing is more about the service than the specials. “In lieu of promotions, we put an extraordinary amount of energy into making every customer’s experience the reason they want to come back,” explains Whitman. “The ways we apply this to the late-night window include: keeping the pizzeria as clean as possible; holding ourselves to the same standards for late-night food as we do for our Friday night dinner rush; and resisting the urge to dismiss rude customers’ opinions. Turn bad situations into positive ones, and make your late-night window a fun, memorable destination.”

Earl Wilmeth, owner, Rounders Pizza, Athens, TX By day, this small-town pizzeria, which sports a 1950s theme, depends on regulars, a school lunch program, and students from a nearby community college. However, for night, Wilmeth has found that consistent specials work well to bring in customers when business starts to slow down after dark. “For us, latenight happy hours, pizza by the slice, and pickup specials have worked the best,” he notes. “A dinner buffet on the slowest night of the week also works well; we do one on Tuesday, and now it’s a hard night to get a table.”

Andrew Abernathy is PMQ’s associate editor.

August 2011 â&#x20AC;¢ pmq.com

Exploring Pizza

Overseas Part 3

Go online to find the full version of this article, which includes information about the U.K. at PMQ.com/industryreports.php

Hallo Pizza, Germany 44

PMQ Pizza Magazine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Pizza Industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Business Monthly

In the final installment of this three-part series, learn about the pizzerias that give others a run for their money in four overseas countries. In the June/July issue, we took you to Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Poland and Turkey. This month, we finish up the series by examining the industry leaders in the U.K., Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. As this series wraps up, we hope you’ve gleaned some tips from your comrades outside of the United States and have a greater understanding of your own store.

Calla Pizza, Germany

Germany Compared to many other countries, the pizza chain scene in Germany is relatively uncomplicated, with only a few supraregional names and modest chain sizes. The regional focal points for pizza delivery chains are in and around Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Düsseldorf. On the whole, North Germany seems to be more receptive to chains than Central or South Germany, where, even in the urban centers, the market is dominated by individual players. Over recent years, chains have benefited from a relatively new phenomenon, especially in the big cities, with more and more orders being placed via computer or, very recently, smartphones. Anyone with a sophisticated (and, therefore, expensive) website with high-quality product photos, competitions and campaigns has a clear advantage over small, individual players, the vast majority of whom rely solely on leaflets to promote their products. First place in the delivery turnover ranking for 2009 is held by Joey’s Pizza Service (joeys.de), with annual sales of 80.3 million euros. For a year, this 160-outlet chain, which was founded in

Pizza Hut, U.K.

Joey’s Restaurant, Germany August 2011 • pmq.com

orth Germany seems to be more receptive to chains than Central or South Germany. n the Netherlands, Domino’s is the market leader, with a turnover of 7.8 million euros and 98 outlets.

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

1988, has been managed by the new management duo of Friedrich Niemax and Karsten Freigang. “We have made many adjustments this year,” says Niemax, brother of Joey’s co-founder Christian Niemax, “and we have been successful. According to a study, the level of satisfaction among our franchisees has improved significantly.” This year, Joey’s plans to open 25 new outlets. Joey’s delivers pizzas in three sizes (25, 28 or 38 centimeters in diameter), with prices ranging from 6.25 to 14.95 euros. The spectrum of toppings stretches from classic salami to fiery jalapeños. The bestseller from the word go: Pizza Waikiki, with cooked ham and pineapple. More than one in four orders is received via the Internet, especially in metropolises or cities with large student populations. Friedrich Niemax and Freigang plan to double the number of franchisees to 220 over the next five to six years. Statistically, one in three Joey’s franchisees operates more than one store, each of which rings up average revenues of almost 45,000 euros per month, with an operating margin of 15% to 20%. At present, Joey’s founders, Carsten Gerlach and Christian Niemax, are focusing on expanding the system outside Germany via a new company, Joey’s Pizza International GmbH. Initially, they plan to move into Austria and then Switzerland, with their interests in both countries being managed from Germany. For many years, Joey’s has been running a closely fought battle with Hallo Pizza (hallopizza.de) in the stakes for the highest sales and the most outlets in the delivery segment. Based in Langenfeld, near Düsseldorf, Hallo Pizza celebrated its 20th anniversary last year and, with seven store openings, achieved a 4% increase in sales revenues. All together, the franchise chain rang up total revenues of 3.1 million euros in 2009, with 164 outlets at the end of the year. Eleven openings are planned for 2010. Hallo Pizza’s top ten cities include Berlin (18 units), Hamburg (10) and Düsseldorf (eight). When it comes to finding new franchisees, the company is not afraid to branch out in new directions and make agreements with institutional partners, such as the BASF chemical factory in Ludwigshafen and Bayer in Leverkusen, where Hallo Pizza units have been integrated into the business’ restaurants.

Pizzas are served in two sizes, 26 or 36 centimeters in diameter, and cost between 5.10 and 14 euros. Alternatively, there are pan pizzas, with a diameter of 25 centimeters, costing from 6.90 to 8.50 euros. Hallo Pizza is one of the few major pizza systems to use fresh dough. When it comes to recipes, the aim is to be different, to stand out from the competition. As general manager Frank Sasse explains, “Previously, it was enough to offer tuna, salami and Hawaiian pizzas. Today, the range must be significantly more creative and offer variety while still remaining accessible to mass tastes.” Nevertheless, one in five pizzas is ordered with salami. Depending on the region, the average bill comes to between 12 and 15 euros. In addition to these two big players, several smaller chains are jostling for position on the German pizza scene. One of them is Smiley’s (smileys.de), which was launched in 1988. For 2009, the company reported a 10.3% increase in turnover, to 1.1 million euro, with three additional units (thus, the system was able to boast 48 locations by the end of that year). The regional focal point is Hamburg (15 units). Smiley’s bestsellers include the Hot Dog pizza, with sausage, fried onions and gherkins, as well as the Florida, with black tiger shrimp, green asparagus and sweet-and-sour Asian sauce. Incidentally, Smiley’s was the first major pizza service in Germany to develop its own ordering app for iPhones, which has been available free of charge from the App Store since early 2010. The delivery-pizza pioneer in the German market, Call a Pizza (call-a-pizza. de), celebrated its 25th anniversary recently. In 2009, the company rang up total sales of 25 million euros, an increase of 11.3%, with 78 outlets. Online orders already account for more than 30% of the total orders. The chain is particularly well-established in its home city of Munich (15 units), as well as in Berlin (23), which is where the franchise head office is now located. Berlin is also the location of the busiest store, which can boast annual sales in excess of 800,000 euros. On the occasion of this year’s World Cup, manager Thomas Wilde allocated a specific pizza (26 or 32 centimeters, plus a 45-centimeter version for guests with big appetites) to each individual team, and then offered the appropriate pizzas at

specially reduced prices on match days. Africa was also a culinary theme, with “chakalaka” chicken as the dominant product during the summer campaign. Flying Pizza (flying-pizza.de) is a delivery chain founded in 1987 and has the bulk of its outlets in Lower Saxony (35) and East Germany. In 2009, it reported a turnover of 18.9 million euros, an increase of 1.1%. During the year, this network increased by one, to 52 units. That brings us to Pizza Max (pizza max.de). Based in Berlin, this franchise chain achieved total sales of 17.3 million

euros in 2009, an increase of 4.8% with two additional units (40 total, with 22 in Berlin). On offer are two pizza versions— Cheesy, with mozzarella on the edges, and Classic, in 26- or 32-centimeter sizes, as well as 21-centimeter pan pizzas. Pizza Max also offers its own iPhone app. Incidentally, world market leader Domino’s (dominos.de) announced in June that it will try again in Germany after abandoning the market in the 1990s. The first stores are scheduled to open in Berlin, and the company aims at a nationwide presence.

August 2011 • pmq.com

Domino’s Pizza, Netherlands

The market leader among Germany’s full-service pizza restaurants is Pizza Hut (pizzahut.de), with about 65 outlets. All restaurants are run by franchisees. The American brand opened its first restaurant in Germany at the end of 1983 and, in almost 30 years, has not been able to break the 100-restaurant mark. On the contrary—the number of stores has actually been in decline over recent years.

New York Pizza, Netherlands

With Pizza Hut and its affiliated brand, KFC, parent company Yum! recorded total sales of 147.8 million euros in Germany last year. The increase of 5.2%, with 3.2% more stores, came about thanks to the KFC stores, which also number 65; the pizza brand accounted for only 54.4 million euro in total revenues. Moreover, income from the existing units fell by 3.8%.

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

So far, the efforts to give Pizza Hut a future-oriented image have not been crowned with success. In the second half of the last decade, the company invested a lot of money in revising the interior decor of the restaurants, which are now more modern, with a loungelike atmosphere. The company also introduced a new menu in Germany at the beginning of 2010. By way of distinction, a young format called Vapiano (vapiano.com), which was launched in 2002 with the aim of conquering Germany and the rest of the world, is a genuine gastronomic success story, and its plans have borne fruit in a grand style. Made in Hamburg with the focus on pasta and pizza and offering excellent value for money in a lifestyle environment, the concept is now represented by more than 75 stores in more than 15 countries of the world, from Mexico to Australia. In Germany, it is the unchallenged leader of the fast-casual segment, with 39 outlets and a turnover of 80 million euros—growth of 34.5%, with 11 openings and only one closure to date. Another five units are planned for Germany this year. Pizza, baked in the open kitchen, accounts for 18% of total sales. The most popular pizzas (28 centimeters) are Salame, Prosciutto e Funghi and Rucola.

A concept similar to Vapiano’s but in a full-service format is making a name for itself in South Germany at present. L’Osteria Pizza e Pasta (losteria.de) has been on the market for 11 years, but only really took off in 2009. The parallels to Vapiano are hardly a coincidence, because the driving forces behind L’Osteria, Klaus Rader and Friedemann Findeis, are also involved in Vapiano. At present, there are seven L’Osteria outlets, one of them freestanding (Augsburg), which turn over 2 to 3.3 million euros per year. In contrast to Vapiano, L’Osteria is focused on pizza. Prepared in front of the guests, pizzas—28 varieties are offered—account for 40% of total sales (pasta accounts for 10%). Right at the top of the popularity poll: Pizza Salsiccia Picante, Pizza Prosciutto and Pizza Capricciosa. The price spectrum for pizzas: 5.50 to 9.50 euros. Another two to four units are scheduled to be opened in Germany this year. Additionally, a contract has been signed with a franchisee for eight outlets in Austria.

The Netherlands/Belgium Within the Dutch market for fast service and home delivery of pizzas, there are two major players: New York Pizza (newyorkpizza.nl) and Domino’s (domi nos.nl). The third, Al Capone’s, recently stopped selling pizzas and now produces only for third parties—quite successfully, by the way. The rest of the pizza market is covered by many local onestore businesses. Domino’s is the market leader, with a turnover of 7.8 million euros and 98 outlets. This year, another 20 outlets will open their doors. Mother company DPE, which is quoted on the Australian stock exchange, embraces the objectives of corporate social responsibility, and in the Netherlands has started to let its couriers drive electric scooters. During the World Cup football tournament, a successful “2nd pizza for free” campaign ran. Domino’s in the Netherlands is striving for a national network of 200 outlets. In 2009, DPE Belgium took over the 15 outlets of Pizza Company and now has 30 establishments. Thus, Domino’s hopes to gain a national reputation on the Belgian market, as well. New York Pizza (a 100% Dutch chain) indeed has more outlets (106) but realizes a lower turnover, with 5.6 million

euros in sales. Disappointing turnovers in 2009 resulted in severe cutbacks on the one hand, but on the other hand led to innovation-driven investments. Online tools were developed to make ordering even easier, with mobile telephones amongst other things. And 350,000 euros were invested in a new marketing strategy, consisting of promotion on the Internet and a door-to-door delivered publicity newspaper with great offers and double deals with coupons. The number of outlets will keep on growing steadily in 2010. A new focus point is the acquisition of shop-in-shop locations in supermarkets, video stores, department stores or, for example, Chinese restaurants. The chain expects a 2% increase in turnover. In Belgium, New York Pizza has a slice restaurant on the Grote Markt in Brussels and shop-in-shop outlets in some Texaco petrol stations. With only two restaurants, in Rotterdam and The Hague, Pizza Hut (pizzahut. be) has a hard time gaining a firm foothold in the Netherlands. At the beginning of this century, Pizza Hut opened takeaway counters at the large train stations, but last year operator Servex BV (a daughter of Dutch Railways) teamed up with competitor New York Pizza. In Belgium, on the other hand, the American-originated chain is the uncontested market leader, with 77 outlets—restaurant, delivery and takeout. Number of employees: 1,300. Pizza Hut Belgium plans to open 40 new franchise establishments in the next four years, mainly delivery.

Contributing authors: U.K.: Mark Stretton; Germany: Barbara Mecke; The Netherlands/Belgium: Puck Kerkhoven Note: The materials here were taken from the article “Dominating the Eating Out Landscape” in Food Service Europe & Middle East.

Now that you’ve explored pizza overseas, tune in next month for PMQ’s annual Pizza Power Report, which will cover the state of the U.S. pizza industry.

August 2011 • pmq.com

Seafood

Salad-Topped

KLONDIKE CHEESE

Pizza of the Month:

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Salad Days Who needs croutons on top of a salad when you have a pizza crust masquerading as a salad plate? Salad pizzas have a reputation for being healthy, but they’re anything but bland; with different crust types, an endless choice of flavorful toppings, and a variety of dressings to punch things up, this is one meal where you needn’t sacrifice flavor for fitness. Here’s a sampling of ways in which operators across the country are luring in customers with their salad-topped pizzas: Abbot’s Pizza Co. (abbotspizzaco.com), with three locations in Southern California, melds creamy with crunchy in the Salad Pizza, which features chopped mixed greens, onion and basil, then is topped with feta cheese and avocado on a sour cream base with lemon dressing.

Odyssey Greek SaladTopped Pizza Recipe provided by Bites Catering; created for Klondike Cheese

½ c. mayonnaise 3 oz. cream cheese 3 cloves garlic, minced 6 c. salad greens 1 seedless cucumber, sliced 1 pint grape tomatoes ½ red onion, thinly sliced ¾ c. kalamata olives, sliced 8 oz. feta cheese, divided 1 pizza crust or flatbread, baked ¼ c. Greek vinaigrette (recipe below) Preheat oven to 350°. Combine mayo, cream cheese, 4 oz. feta and garlic. Spread the mixture over the prepared pizza crust and bake for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the salad greens and veggies in a large bowl, then toss with vinaigrette. Place the salad on the pizza crust and top with the remaining 4 oz. feta. Greek Vinaigrette 2 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar 4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice 1 shallot, finely chopped 1 tsp. dried oregano ½ tsp. salt ½ tsp. pepper In a bowl, add balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, shallot and oregano. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. For more recipes, visit PMQ’s Recipe Bank at PMQ.com/recipe.

Los Angeles-based California Pizza Kitchen (cpk.com), with dozens of locations worldwide, has offered the Tricoloré Salad Pizza for years, which caters to a health-conscious crowd: A thin caramelized Parmesan pizza crust is topped with chilled arugula, baby red leaf lettuce, radicchio, diced tomatoes and shaved Parmesan cheese, and finished with homemade Dijon balsamic vinaigrette dressing. With hundreds of locations in the U.K. and abroad, PizzaExpress (pizzaexpress.com) influenced the masses when it introduced its line of Leggera (Italian for “light”) pizzas. For these five options—Mare e Monti, Margherita, Contadina, Gustosa and Verdure—employees take out the middle of the dough and fill it with salad; each has about 500 calories and is even Weight Watchers-endorsed. The Rosa Magnolia Insalata pizza from Tribecca Allie Café (tribeccaallie.com) in Sardis, Mississippi, snagged second place at the American Pizza Championship 2010 for its combo of textures and flavors: mixed greens and pine nuts tossed in housemade balsamic vinaigrette and freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, all atop a blistered Neapolitan-style crust.

Marketing Tips When salad pizzas first appeared on menus, many people were taken aback at the thought of mixing two menu items that usually arrived at the table separately. Now, salad pizzas are widely accepted—by both women and men—and they give you a chance to show off your creativity in the kitchen.

• Offer a special price on salad pizzas at lunchtime for those looking for something lighter in the afternoon. • Offer a small salad pizza on your appetizer or salad menu. • Create a trio of salad flatbread pizzas with different salad toppings and ask customers which they like best (this will help you with menu development later). • On your salad menu, offer the choice to “turn any salad into a salad pizza” for a small extra charge. • If you offer a salad bar or buffet, why not let customers create their own salad pizzas? Have base pizza crusts ready for dressing at one end of the bar, and let customers get creative! August 2011 • pmq.com

On the Menu: Nutrition Labeling

Ready yourself for the new menu labeling laws coming down the pipeline. By Betsy Craig Tucked inside the hundreds of pages of the 2010 healthcare reform bill sits Section 4205. Known in the restaurant industry as the “menu labeling part” of the healthcare bill, this section will undoubtedly have long-lasting and profound impacts on restaurants, consumers and foodservice providers for years to come. The menu labeling section of the bill is still being finalized, even more than a year after the healthcare bill was passed. The delay is a direct result of the FDA allowing the public to make comments, followed by a reading of the comments, and then a second round of comments on the more refined language, which led to a close date of this round extended to July 5, 2011. November 1990 saw the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) become federal law; this required nutrition labeling 52

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

on most foods, but restaurants were omitted from that requirement. Now, more than 20 years later, lawmakers have decided that the time has come for restaurants to provide their customers with the same type of information. To date, the push-back has been surprisingly small. Section 4205 of the healthcare bill states that chain restaurants are defined as “any restaurant with 20 or more locations.” The type of food you serve has no bearing on your compliance; coffee shops that serve breakfast sandwiches, pizza concepts and fast-casual restaurants are all the same in the eyes of this law.

Effects On Pizza Independents Owners of single-location restaurants are not included in the bill, but they’ll be competing every day against establishments that are mandated to provide nutritional information. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, “Americans consume about one-third of their calories from restaurants and other foodservice establishments…without nutrition information, it is difficult for consumers to make informed choices.” Informationhungry diners have a wide variety of reasons for wanting and needing to know what’s in the food being served to them.

Menu Labeling Methods Very soon, providing this crucial information will become the foodservice industry standard, regardless of the law’s criteria. All of the menu items at your pizzeria must be labeled as long as the pizzeria itself meets a few simple criteria. As it stands at the writing of this article, chain restaurants (20 or more locations with the same name, same regular menu) require nutritional labeling of standard menu items, meaning:

Do-It-Yourself Software: Purchase a full software program, and train yourself or one of your staff members to handle this task. There are websites out there offering software for you to install, or “software as a service,” where you work on a Web browser to analyze your recipes. Costs: Software, $600 to $6,000; software as a service, from $29/month to $14/recipe.

• Calorie counts for each item on menus everywhere

Pro

Con

• Nutritional information in writing on the premises

Least expensive initial cost

Time and effort to complete the task

Freedom to complete the task at your pace

You must research custom ingredients

Can change the recipe on the fly

Error and omission liability rest on you

Can see the costs for a complex recipe

Additional costs for consultation, and no reverse ingredient lookup available

• “Additional Nutritional Information Available Upon Request” to be written on all restaurant menus • Calorie counts based upon a daily intake of 2,000 calories Consumers are adamant about their need and desire for this information, thanks in large part to food allergies and sensitivities. According to a study by the National Center for Health Statistics at the CDC, child food allergies have increased by nearly 20% in the past 10 years. Diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, arthritis and celiac disease are just a few of the issues that prevent a significant number of people from dining out. With nutritional information at their fingertips, they can enjoy eating in restaurants again.

Managing the Task While some chains have already taken their menus to task, others must and will in the near future. The concerns of the restaurateur are the same no matter the size of the organization: How do I get this information to complete the task of menu labeling? Are the nutritional facts accurate and reliable? How much information must be displayed, and how do I make it “conspicuous”? Is there consulting available to engineer the recipes? While some details and particulars are still in development, a few firms have found answers in advance of the law taking effect. There is nothing to fear about providing nutritional information for your customers in the long run. In the short run, it will take some effort on your part, no matter the route you choose to take. Today, restaurant owners have a few options to meet the requirements of the menu labeling law and compete with the concepts out there that already are providing this information (see the sidebar to the right). Finally, continual maintenance of this information will be needed: Supply chain, product manufacturer changes or recipe alterations, and any changes in sourcing a product all play an important role in the analysis. Semiannual checks, or at least yearly checks, will become a necessity in the future. Pay close attention to services that work to assist restaurants in allergen identification and provide suggestions, and those that can help with creation of specialty menus such as glutenfree or healthy dining options, as well as tackle concerns over the “big eight” allergens. These will be the next logical steps in good menu labeling.

Service Solution: A handful of companies will take your recipe, put it into a database, and work with you to determine the results. Businesses currently offering services are able to assist and offer advice for menu changes based on in-house nutritionists’ and dieticians’ recommendations. Costs: Service, $9 to $160 per menu item.

Pro

Con

Expert assistance managed by professionals (dieticians and nutritionists)

Higher initial costs

Complete and verified recipes and products

Need to work together to adjust recipes

Liability is the responsibility of the service Ongoing nutritional assistance available

Registered Dietician: Hire and retain a registered dietician or a nutritionist, either as an employee or as a contractor, to complete and/or manage this task. You can find independent qualified talent in larger municipalities. Costs: $150 to $400 per menu item.

Pro

Con

Large amounts of hands-on assistance

Costs are much higher

Liability the responsibility of the service

Fewer report options of information

Experience of a registered dietician

Usually a single-person dependent

Stay tuned for the second part of this series: “On the Menu: Real Numbers for Pizza Concepts.”

Laboratory Analysis:

Betsy Craig is the owner of MenuTrinfo, a full-service solution for menu analysis. She can be reached at 888-767-6368 or through menutrinfo.com.

This is the most accurate method for food analysis, but it is by far the most expensive, and not required by the USDA or the FDA. This takes each and every recipe, including subrecipes, into a lab setting and analyzes them. Costs: Starting at $300 per recipe. August 2011 • pmq.com

The Mahoning Valley

Pizza Cook-Off A Youngstown, Ohio, pizza contest brings together pizzerias for a good cause. By Mike Robinson

Youngstown, Ohio, brings to mind thoughts of harsh winters, old steel mills, and tough-talking football teams and fans alike, but it also boasts a wellkept secret among its down-to-earth citizens: the food, especially the pizza. Located between Pittsburgh and Cleveland, Youngstown is a virtual mecca of ethnic culinary delights. The small town has a population of 66,982, with about 565,000 people in the outlying areas, and many immigrants decided to make Youngstown their home between the late 1800s and 1950s; Irish, Greeks,

Germans, Poles, Jews and others—including Italians—fled their homelands and settled in the various neighborhoods of Youngstown. In particular, Italians dominated an area on Y-Town’s lower north side, a place called Brier Hill, which would become the “Little Italy” of the community. This is the birthplace of “Brier Hill Pizza,” a homestyle dish in which Y-Town takes pride. The pizza has origins in the Basilicata region of Italy, where many of the Italian immigrants in Youngstown share their roots, and is made with a thick red sauce, bell peppers, and Romano cheese—truly a one-of-a-kind pie. There are an abundant number of pizzerias in Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley in general, but they aren’t mere restaurants, nor should they be considered “fast food.” They are “stations of creation”—places where the only limit to deliciousness is the creator’s imagination. All of these pizza establishments coming together under one roof, competing for a good cause, could be considered almost divine. Enter The Mahoning Valley Pizza Cook-Off! The cook-off, which began in 2010, is sponsored by The Potential Development Program/School for Autism, a private nonprofit agency founded in 1953 that helps local children diagnosed with autism and developmental problems. Potential Development operates two preschools and has a total of three facilities—one in Howland, Ohio, and two in Youngstown—where children

can take part in speech, occupational and physical therapy, and hands-on learning. Paul Garchar, executive director of Potential Development and the primary organizer of the cook-off, explains, “The organization never turns anyone away for the inability to pay the small fee to enroll at the school. Fundraising like the cook-off helps to ensure a future for these kids.” Tickets for the event cost $10 apiece for two slices of pizza, and $1 per additional slice. Garchar assures that almost 100% of the revenue made at the event went back to programming and expenses for the children at the facilities. He also noted that many of the generous volunteers and organizations that donated time, money and items for the auction helped make the event a success. Garchar says that last year (the first year of the event), pizzeria owners had been approached in December by a representative of Potential Development, and they committed about four months before the actual cook-off. At the first cook-off, pizza shop owners committed for the following year on the spot. The

Attendees young and old enjoyed pizza at The Mahoning Valley Pizza Cook-Off. 54

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Cocca’s Pizza won for best overall pizza (Maestro di Cucina).

contestants bake pizzas at their pizzerias and bring the pies to the venue for the public and the judges. Warming bags and electric heating shelves are used to keep the goods hot; warming ovens are also available in an adjacent kitchen. T-shirts, trophies, coupons and advertisements for the pizzerias were displayed by owners and staff so that they also benefitted from community exposure. The 2011 event was held at Mr. Anthony’s Banquet Center in Boardman, Ohio. There were 16 Ohio pizzerias at the cookoff, each with a unique flavor to offer: Bino’s, Bella Napoli, Belleria (belleria.net), Brier Hill, Bruno Brothers Pizza (bruno brotherspizza.com), Cocca’s, Gia’s, Gordy’s (gordysspecialtymarket.com), Ianazones (ianazones.com), Mahoning Valley Lanes and Strikers Lounge (mahoningvalley lanes.com), Pete’s Place at Youngstown State University, Pizza Joe’s (pizzajoes. com), Pizza Works, Southgate, Sunrise Inn, and Wedgewood Pizza (wedgewood pizza.com), which opted not to compete this year, but to support the cook-off. In addition to the pizza competition, there Bruno Brothers Pizza won Best Gourmet Pizza for the second year in a row. August 2011 • pmq.com

was also a Chinese auction, with items generously donated by local businesses in the area. After arriving a bit early, it was possible to talk shop with some of the owners and managers of the pizzerias. Don Fowler, one of the owners of Sunrise Inn, said the cook-off is “great exposure for his shops” and that “it’s all for a good cause, helping kids.” Fowler smiled as he handed a little girl a piece of his outrageously stuffed Chicago-style pizza and added, “But, of course, we are here to win!” The next table was impossible to miss, as the savory concoctions of the various pies wafted into the air. Pete’s Place from Youngstown State University and chef Clint Kifolo’s Frankenstein Pizza had buffalo chicken, barbecue sauce, roasted garlic, red onion and mozzarella; a pie labeled The Wild Mayan had peanut butter and bacon! Clint said that YSU was proud to be involved with such a worthwhile cause, and will continue its support for positive programs in the Mahoning Valley. Gordy’s Specialty Market had a beautifully done promotional poster showing the “take home and bake pie” called Old Forge Pizza. Gordy and her husband, Steven Lettiert, explained that Gordy’s nephew is autistic and that they are enthusiastic about bringing money to Potential Development. Gordy said, “We love this cause to help autistic kids! Now put down your pen and try our Old Forge pizza!” Rounding the corner and following the smell of fresh basil and mozzarella, a line of people waited patiently for Bruno Brothers Pizza. Emil and Joe Bruno humbly explained that their pizzeria was mentioned in “51 Great Pizza Parlors” in USA Today in 2010. “We’ve been in business 22 years, with a pizzeria in Boardman and three more stores in Ashtabula,” they said. “Our grandparents immigrated from Italy to Brier Hill in Youngstown. Pizza is in our blood. Please stop in for a slice of New York!” Emil expounded that his pizzeria had made 50 pies for the event—about 1,000 samples of pizza. They finished the conversation by saying that the event is great for raising money for autistic children and that they had already committed for next year’s cook-off. Other pie masters at the cook-off included Pizza Joe’s owner, Joe Seminara, who summed it up: “We’ve been maintaining quality for 30 years. People like 56

Sunrise Inn owner Don Fowler accepts awards for both People’s Choice and Best Brier Hill Pizza.

you to know them and to build that relationship. Something like this, where you can bring the product to the people—you have them for life.” Seminara started in 1980 and now has 46 locations—the largest chain at the cook-off. Strolling along the perimeters of the tables was a young boy, seven-year-old Toby Smith from Boardman, who grinned as he pondered his next pizza choice. He said he was eating a piece of Bruno Brother’s pepperoni New York-style pizza and claimed he “liked eating all the different pizza” and was “having a fantastic time with his mom.” His mother added that she was happy to support Potential Development. Toby finished his interview by eating the last of his Bruno Brothers pizza; munching on his crust, he said with a serious expression that he would definitely ask his mom to do this again next year. As hundreds of people ate and talked pizza, one of the staples of the Youngstown pizza tradition, Wedgewood Pizza, remained a fan favorite at the show. Anthony Pellegrini, owner of the Boardman Wedgewood Pizza shop, grinned at the crowds as they sauntered

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

up to the beautifully laden table. Pellegrini, who worked 17 years for his uncle Fernando Riccioni, the proprietor of the first Wedgewood Pizza located on the west side of Youngstown, decided not to enter Wedgewood in the competition but instead to be one of the sponsors for the event. Pellegrini said, “Potential Development is a great organization. We always help. This is a great cause.” He was handing out his House Special pie, with tomato sauce, green peppers, mozzarella and pepperoni—so simple, yet so scrumptious. Another pizzeria at the event included Bino’s Pizza, located in the upper southeast corner of the Mahoning Valley. Bino and Deanna Roher enthused about their flavorful crust. “It’s grandma’s recipe,” Bino said. He handed out a slice of sausage and onion, saying how much fun they were having. Joe Ianazone, owner of Ianozones Pizza, proudly explained that his shop won Best Traditional Pizza last year. He was adamant about the fact that the Youngstown area is a great place to start a company and a great place to live. Ianazones has

been in business 27 years and continues to sell quality products. Pizza Works, owned and managed by Steve Baily and Bill Siwicki, garnered much attention as people noticed their beautiful Brier Hill pie. Bill explained that they have two locations, one in Hubbard and one in Howland, and have been serving Youngstown for 35 years. “We just got back from the pizza show in Columbus, Ohio,” he said. “Next year, we plan to compete in a pizza competition.” Bill enthusiastically explained that they love this event. “We have tried pizza everywhere. Nowhere—I repeat, nowhere— holds a candle to Youngstown pizza!” The pizza experience couldn’t have ended with a better conversation and nicer people than those from Cocca’s Pizza. Owner Steve Cocca said that these types of functions are great for getting the pizzeria’s name out in the public, and that it’s great to meet other people who are truly passionate about quality pizza. “We’ve been in business for 30 years,” he said. “My parents are from Naples, Italy; my family and partners, we do this together.” Putting his arm around his mother, he affectionately explained that before the cook-off he gets the heads of the family

together for marketing tactics, and they prepare for four days in a test kitchen. He added, “Next year, we want to participate in NAPICS in Columbus. The people who consider my pizza a staple of Youngstown—it’s overwhelming!” Cocca’s has five locations: in Boardman, Liberty, Canfield and New Middletown, plus the newest location in Poland. Toward the end of the evening (the event lasted from 3 to 6:30 p.m.), it was time for the 12 judges to vote for their favorite pizza. Judges included local TV and radio personalities: WYTV news anchor Stan Boney, radio personality John Caparanis, Y103 radio personality Scott Kennedy, WKBN morning show anchor Jeff Levkulich, and WKBN weathercaster Rich Morgan. Also judging was Mark Canzonetta, executive chef of The Culinary Arts Center; UAW Local 1714 president Dave Green; St. Louis Rams offensive lineman John Greco; United Way executive director Bob Hannon, professional boxing judge Tom Miller; and YSU football coach Eric Wolford. State Senator Joe Schiavoni also assisted with the judging. The categories and winners were: • Maestro di Cucina (best overall pizza)— Cocca’s Pizza

• People’s Choice—Sunrise Inn • Best Traditional Pizza—Strikers • Best Non-Red Pizza—Southgate and Bella Napoli • Best Gourmet Pizza—Bruno Brothers • Best Brier Hill Pizza—Sunrise Inn Congratulations to Potential Development, which raised more than $10,000 for the school for autistic children, thanks to the approximately 1,000 people who attended the event. Also, all leftover pizza was donated to the women and children who live at Sojourner House, a domestic violence shelter, and given to the homeless at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Thanks to Potential Development, the volunteers who signed up through the autism school or the sponsors, the pizza owners and staff, the judges, Mr. Anthony’s Banquet Center, and anyone who contributed their time and/or resources in this charity event to help children with autism.

Mike Robinson is a freelance writer based in Poland, Ohio.

August 2011 • pmq.com

A Collective Effort When employees reap real-life rewards through employee-owned businesses, collectives or profit sharing, everyone benefits— especially the business. By Tracy Morin While some bosses may be most satisfied when wielding control over employees with an iron fist, a few businesses have found that the opposite approach gets far better results: allowing employees to share profits, participate in the business, and in some cases own part of the business themselves. Though these types of organizations have unique challenges, there are also a bevy of benefits; after all, when employees have a stake in the business, they’re more apt to work hard and stay in the business for the long haul. We check in with three pizzerias that are utilizing different nontraditional approaches—a collective, an employee-owned company, and a more traditional model that incorporates employee profit sharing—to get an inside look at how these business models work.

Cheese Board Collective, Berkeley, CA (cheeseboardcollective.coop) As told by Steve Manning, worker/owner Background: The Cheese Board began as a small cheese shop in 1967, and in 1971, founders Elizabeth and Sahag Avedisian sold the business to the employees, including themselves, as the Cheese Board Collective. In 1985, pizza was first offered only on Friday nights, but as customer enthusiasm and our skill grew, so did the pizza hours; in 1991, the collective organized a subsidiary and independent work group just to make pizza, and the present pizzeria was born. The most distinctive thing about our business model is that we make only one pizza recipe each day, and it’s always vegetarian. This seems odd, but it’s a truly powerful model. We buy in large quantities, both produce and cheese, for the day; this gives us good pricing leverage, allowing us to buy top quality and at peak freshness. This concentration also makes the customer happy and allows us to make and sell more pizzas per day than most pizzerias —not uncommonly 1,000 in a day. The success brings long lines, which we’re able to move very fast, but we also provide a dynamic music program that features superb musicians while they wait! How it works: The Cheese Board Collective is a simple flat democracy. Each member is on the board of directors—there are about 50 of us now—and we all have one vote. We all, regardless of length of service, make the exact same wage. While it’s true that no one here gets rich, by virtue of this equal sharing we all make a much better living than most people in foodservice, and we have a good time doing it. For issues that are complex or expensive, we have a business meeting once per month for each half of the business, the pizzeria and cheese/bakery shop; and once per quarter we get everyone together to discuss and vote on big issues, like salary, investments, health care, etc. 58

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Benefits: The beauty and satisfaction of working in an egalitarian workplace is a pleasure not to be underestimated. And the strength of having all 50 of us truly invested in ownership, truly feeling that this is our own place, is a very great power for getting things done. People ask, “Isn’t democracy a messy and inefficient way to get decisions made?” In supposedly streamlined decision-making structures, there are a thousand ways people can avoid making decisions; in the collective, we make many decisions fluidly right on the shift as issues arise. Since the buck stops with each of us and we all feel equally empowered, it’s actually easy to get people to speak their minds and vote. Our democracy is at least as efficient as other corporations. Challenges: Keeping the organization true to its founding principles is a difficult one for any organization, and particularly for one that’s a little different. Growth is always a compounding challenge. In the last few years, we have had strong growth and have nearly doubled our worker-members. The key here is for the older members imbued with the traditions to be very serious in transmitting, by word and work, those traditions and expectations. We try to incorporate new ideas and let members know there is room for new ideas; change is good, but it must aid those basic values and strategies that have made the business thrive. Advice: Those who may be interested in forming a worker coop can find some good organizations that will be very helpful, such as the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives (usworker. coop). Here in the Bay Area, we also have nobawc.org.

Nick’s Pizza & Pub, Crystal Lake and Elgin, IL (nickspizzapub.com) As told by Nick Sarillo, president and founder Background: My current setup came from a book called The Great Game of Business: Unlocking the Power and Profitability of Open Book Management, by Jack Stack and Bo Burlingham. My consultant helped me pull together a program that would work for our restaurant. We’re transparent in the company and have open books, and we put a profit-sharing program together for our team. How it works: We open our P&L to the team and have a “fiscal huddle” once a week; everyone in the company is invited. The huddles show net profit, and all of our revenue centers (such as dining room sales, bar sales and carryout sales). The sales are on the top half of a big white board, our huddle board, and the bottom part lists all of the costs that relate to those sales. We leave the bottom three or four lines for “moving targets”—different things all the time, like napkin costs or how many times a server gets requested by a guest. The huddle board encompasses a period, which for us is four weeks. Our profit sharing has five parts: food cost (goal: under 21%), beverage cost (goal: under 22%) and labor cost (indirect labor goal: 19%), and two more areas that change, such as guest comment cards (goal: 99% positive) or team retention (goal: 75%). Each part is weighted with 20% of the profit, so if the profit sharing dollar amount is $100, each part is $20; if they miss on food costs and get other four, what gets divided is only $80. It’s paid out after one period—not quarterly or annually, because in the restaurant business it doesn’t have as much impact when you wait so long. The profit that’ll be shared is determined by net operating profit; for the team, 15% of the net profit is available— that’s what gets split up. We’ve been doing profit sharing for about five years. Benefits: The individuals in your company really become engaged; you create ownership. The team comes up with ways to save costs and build sales that I wouldn’t have thought of on my

own. Plus, it influences every part of the business—even if we don’t have on our list to watch napkin costs, the team does it anyway, because it’s part of the net operating profit. To me, it’s more effective than security cameras; it’s more positive, and the team members coach each other and look out for practices like stealing. The profit sharing leads to greater employee retention—I have about 25% turnover in an industry that’s typically 150% to 200%. And, for me, one of the most rewarding parts is the success of my employees: An 18-year-old learned how to run a business through my open-book system, while another came up with a great menu item, our dough nuggets—and actually approached me with the food costs and forecasted sales! Now it’s one of our bestselling appetizers. Challenges: Typical restaurant managers take a while to buy into the program because there’s a fear about being open about their salaries and being transparent—their performance is out on the table, as well, and they have to be accountable for their own performance. Get past the fears, own the challenges, and you’ll see even greater rewards. Advice: When I started this program, I used to have it available to anyone, from the time they started with the company. I found that wasn’t really effective, because people may work one day a week and are less accountable. Instead, because you have to take a training class when you start at our company, if you become a trainer, you’re part of the profit sharing pool. You learn about P&L and have a greater impact on the company because you’re training others; it’s an incentive for people to be trainers. So even though there might be 100 people in the company, maybe there are only 25 splitting the profit sharing. Overall, I believe that the wave of the future involves leaders that are more coaches than controllers; leaders are effective when they learn how to develop their team, being a coach instead of a cop. August 2011 • pmq.com 59

Zachary’s Chicago Pizza, Oakland, CA (with locations in Oakland, Berkeley and San Ramon) (zacharys.com) As told by Leandra Schuler, executive vice president/general manager

Background: Zachary’s is employee-owned by an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). Founders Zach Zachowski and Barbara Gabel implemented the ESOP in 2003 to serve as the foundation of their exit strategy after they ran the business hands-on since 1983. Their vision included setting up Zachary’s for sustainability and rewarding the long-term employees who were behind their success. An employee-owned model was the surest way to leave the company in good hands with people who already knew how to give their customers the pizza and experience they had grown to love. After seven years, we became 100% employee-owned in July 2010. How it works: Our ESOP is designed to reward long-term employees in the form of a retirement fund. The company typically makes annual cash contributions to the Employee Ownership Trust, which is then used to buy stock for eligible participants. The cash contributions are in addition to compensation and benefits, and do not come out of the employees’ pockets. As the employees work longer with the company, they will see their accounts grow as long as the company remains healthy and profitable. Every year, the company’s stock share price is determined by a professional appraisal.

Benefits: The value of the participants’ accounts will fluctuate according to the value of the company, so there is incentive to keep the company successful. We’ve received terrific response from our customers on becoming employeeowned. Our communities support and celebrate independent businesses, and I think there’s an attraction to a business that cares for employees’ security and welfare. Plus, our customers can return again and again to see the familiar faces they’ve seen for years making and serving their pizzas! Over the years, Zachary’s has attracted and retained a lot of incredible people: Currently, 30% of our kitchen crew has more than 15 years of experience, and our kitchen staff combined has more than 620 years of experience. The benefit of the ESOP greatly deepens the opportunity for each employee. Challenges: Running an ESOP creates a new layer of work and financial costs for the people running the business, including legal fees, consultant fees, appraisal fees, and the time required to administer the plan. ESOP companies hire consultants to assist in the administrative work, but in our experience there is also a healthy amount of in-house work required. One very significant cost of an ESOP is the financial obligation to repurchase stock as it becomes available from former employees when they are due for their retirement payouts. Additionally, educating the plan participants and creating a culture of ownership imposes challenges on any ESOP. The plan is complicated in many ways, with some concepts largely unfamiliar to many of our crew members. We spend a good chunk of our resources (both in manpower and money) on educating and communicating with our employees, because we want our employees to engage and participate in the company’s success. We’re a close-working, connected group, so that part comes naturally. Advice: Educate yourself. You will need to spend time and money. Talk to your attorney. Meet with consultant firms that specialize in employee-owned companies. The National Center for Employee Ownership is a nonprofit with a wealth of information and resources on ESOPs. If you do decide to implement an employeeowned model for your business, create and practice a clear and effective education and communications plan for your managers and employees.

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s managing editor. 60

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Dec 2010 BPA Circulation Statement Comparison

PMQ

Pizza Today

Total Qualified Circulation ...............................40,049 ............ 40,010 Independent Operators: .................................31,666 ............ 34,185

PMQ vs. Pizza Today An apples-to-apples comparison

Franchise Operators: .......................................3,839 .............. 3,676 Chain Operators:.............................................1,873 ................. 938 Directly Requested:.......................................23,858 ............ 34,079 Individuals by Name and Title and/or function: ...38,544 ............ 36,720 Website Page Impressions Monthly Ave:.........132,642 .....Not Reported Website Unique Browsers Monthly Ave:............15,516 .....Not Reported User Session Duration in Minutes: .......................4.02 .....Not Reported

2011 Media Kit Comparison Full Page Ad 6X Rate....................................$5,572 ............ $9,620 Year Founded..................................................1997 ............... 1984 Issues Per Year....................................................10 ................... 12 Reports available at PMQ.com/mediakit

Linda Green 662-234-5481 x121 linda@pmq.com

Clifton Moody 662-234-5481 x138 clifton@pmq.com

*PMQ Total Qualified Circulation includes 233 digital version only, while Pizza Today reports none.

,i>V Ê ÀipÃ«i `Ê iÃÃÊUÊ* +°V August 2011 • pmq.com 61

Clockwise from top: The U.S. Pizza Team International (USPT INTL) attends the parade of flags; pizza awaits the judges; on behalf of PMQ, Missy Green receives a friendship award from the API; USPT INTL members accept their awards.

Culinary Gold The U.S. Pizza Team International takes home the gold at the Ultimate Italian Pizza Championship in Rome. By Missy Green 62

Held annually by the Italian Pizzeria Association (API), a national association with headquarters located in eight regions of Italy and dedicated to training pizzaioli and researching the science of a light, digestible pizza crust, the Ultimate Italian Pizza Championship consisted of 10 individual competitions the first two days (nine culinary and one acrobatic), with the last day reserved for a parade of flags and a pizza party to celebrate the victories. The U.S. Pizza Team International (USPT INTL) members Bernardo Garofalo, Massimo Bruni and Donato Olivieri all fared well in the individual competitions,

PMQ Pizza Magazine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Pizza Industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Business Monthly

See exclusive video from the event on PizzaTV.com.

but ultimately showed the most skill in the World Cup by Team, defeating 17 culinary teams from 13 different countries in the collaborative event.

The World Cup by Team The team competition is the most prestigious event of the Ultimate Italian Pizza Championship, with a trophy that dwarfs the others. The competition works in national teams, each with three members. One member judges, while the other two work to make their best red and white pies. To ensure fairness, all teams judge against each other, and the highest and

lowest score for each team is thrown out. The competition began late in the evening the second day, ensuring that the competition would push through into well past midnight. Among the 13 countries competing were teams from Spain, Sri Lanka, Macedonia, France, Holland and Morocco. Bruni and Garofalo’s winning pizzas paid homage to past and present Italian immigrants in the United States, a theme that the ruling USPT INTL members can relate to firsthand: Garofalo was born and raised in New York as a first-generation American in a Sicilian family; Bruni, spellbound by the States, abandoned his legal studies in Italy to become a dishwasher in a Pennsylvania restaurant; and Olivieri is a descendent from an American family, some of whom still live in the States. To illustrate the historical narrative of Italian immigrants in the United States, the team passed out pamphlets with photos of famous Italian-Americans’ struggles and successes. The first pizza was The Ellis Island white pie, which used regional Italian ingredients, such as porcini mushrooms from Mount Etna, white truffle butter from Alba, bacon aged two years in Nebrodi, and Pecorino cheese from the high planes of Ragusa, Sicily. The Viva Las Vegas red pie celebrated successful Italian-Americans today alongside photos of Madonna and Robert De Niro. Toppings included sweet provolone, broccoli, ventricina (a type of specialty cold cut), Gorgonzola, cherry tomatoes a la saffron, and Pecorino cheese.

Bernardo Garofalo Garofalo’s innovative approach has won him awards in various Italian and European competitions, including the 2007 European Cup in “pizza a la pala” (pizza prepared on a long wooden plank), the 2008 Sapore di Sicilia, and various awards at the 2009 European Cup in Sortino, Syracuse. Garofalo now works in Pizzeria Casale in Monterosso Almo, Sicily, and last year he became an instructor for the API. According to Garofalo, competing has increased his sales by at least 40%. But, more importantly, competitions always teach him something new. “Every competition is the best one,” says Garofalo. “You meet new people, learn new techniques, and experiment with different ingredients.”

The USPT INTL Team Members of Italy’s edition of the USPT INTL came together through Facebook. Garofalo first friended USPT member Wilhelm Rodriguez and eventually came to know the rest of the USPT. Garofalo had seen Bruni at prior pizza competitions and, knowing that Bruni had a deep passion for the United States, invited him to compete together for the USPT. Olivieri met Bruni through Facebook, as well. As a brand-new pizzeria owner, Olivieri was looking for advice when he got in touch with Bruni. By chance, the two pizzaiolos lived near each other, so they met up and shared culinary techniques. This year, they pulled together to form an unstoppable culinary team that took home the gold. They also participated in individual competitions.

Massimo Bruni Bruni began competing in 2008, when an ad from Pizza Italian Food caught his eye with a challenge: “Do you have what it takes to be the king of Rome?” Since then, he’s won more than 10 awards, including first place in the “typical pizza by

region” championship in Valmontone, and first place in the “spicy pizza” competition in Scalea in 2009. Bruni proudly represents the USPT. “I liked the idea of competing for the United States, because I love America,” he says. This September, he hopes to open a joint catering business and pizza school in his town, Ortona. Teaching and learning about pizza keeps him energized— and that, according to Bruni, is what encourages customers to revisit his store. “Customers believe in you when they see you’re working to improve your pizza,” he says. “When you don’t go to competitions, the pizzeria becomes repetitive and you grow tired. In competition, you learn new techniques, and it makes you want to try them right away in the pizzeria before you forget.”

Donato Olivieri Olivieri began making pizzas when he was 17. After finding more interest in pizza than books, he left school and started working at a local pizzeria. Now he has his own pizzeria, Peccati di Gola (“Sins of Taste”) in Vasto, Chieti. He started competing when he got to know Bruni through Facebook. In his 20s, Olivieri has already captured the team prize in the Pulcinella d’Oro trophy competition in Rome with Bruni. Solo, he’s placed fourth in the European Cup in Brindisi. His best competition memory? Winning the team competition in Fiumicino. “Winning is a great feeling, but it’s most important because it sparks interest in the customers; they want to come and try for themselves the pizza that has won awards.”

Missy Green is the assistant director of the U.S. Pizza Team. August 2011 • pmq.com

with Steve Green Welcome to my new column, simply called Pizza Marketing. After 14 years of publishing PMQ Pizza Magazine, I’ve finally got a staff in place that allows me to do what I enjoy doing most: discovering new methods of selling more pizza, and then sharing them with you. PMQ’s 2011 Pizza Industry Census, which will be released in our September issue, showed for the third straight year that our readers want more marketing ideas. Now, in addition to specific features in the magazine, you’ll be able to find targeted marketing ideas right here in this column. You may notice the theme changing from month to month—this time, we have a collection of Idea Zone ideas to share, and next time it may be something completely different—but marketing will always be the focus. One other interesting tidbit from our 2011 survey was that about one-third of you have been in the pizza business for more than 15 years, while one-third of you have been in the business for less than five years. That means that most of you don’t remember the first issue of PMQ from October 1997, and probably don’t remember anything about me. So, if you’ll indulge me for a minute, I’d like to reintroduce myself.

This month in Pizza Marketing:

PMQ’S IDEA ZONE 13 Ways to Sell More Pizza • Our Town • Restaurant Depot • Thrust Bikes • Gold Seal Promotions • Papa’s Pizza Pizza Pole • Message On Hold • Lucks Food Decorating Company • Portion PadL • Star Pizza Box • NoteAds • PDQ • Peel-A-Deal • BlueGrass Mailing Service

I’m Steve Green, your PMQ publisher. Before I started PMQ, I owned, managed and marketed pizza stores in New York, California and Mississippi. I also helped to start the first national Internet ordering company and broke national marketing sales records for Domino’s Pizza, which stood unchallenged for 10 years. As a result of these experiences, I’ve developed two passions during my life: One of them is pizza, and the other is marketing. I have seen many trends during my career, and I have never been more optimistic about the future of our industry than I am right now. The methods in which consumers are buying pizza are changing quickly, and you can benefit from these changes if you prepare for them. Stay with me; let’s set a course and raise your sales.

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

PMQ’S IDEA ZONE

SELLING MORE PIZZA

Our Town

Be the First to Hook New Movers On Your Pizza You’ve just moved to a new town. So where do you eat pizza? At the pizzeria that invites you in for a free pie, of course!

Get Them Hooked How do you sniff out the newbies in town? Try utilizing a direct mailing company with more than 39 years of experience to target new residents in your town. “It’s much harder to convert a customer to your store with coupons than it is to invite newcomers without established loyalties to try your pizza,” says Michael Plummer Jr. from Our Town in Pinellas Park, Florida. In fact, the average American family moves once every five years, making for a lot of fresh faces in the neighborhood and plenty of opportunities to snag new loyal customers. Instead of bombarding customers with coupons, consider reaching out and welcoming them by mailing one free gift certificate to personally receive them into the community. Our Town provides a welcome package that invites new residents to try local shops and businesses. And, since it’s a one-time gift, it’s always being sent to different people in the ZIP codes you want to reach. That means new customers are being invited into your store every month and without wasted coverage. To put it into perspective, if even one family comes in

during that mailing cycle and eats pizza an average of once per week, you can count on another $80 or so in sales per month. By the end of the year, that’s nearly $1,000 in added revenue. Plus, Our Town offers each business exclusivity for its category and its ZIP code, with exclusive agreements, so you can be the first and only pizzeria to reach new families as they trickle into town.

Keep Them Coming Back and Thank Them Targeted gift certificates are 100% trackable. So, when the new movers takes advantage of the offer, the store is able to return the redeemed certificates to Our Town, where businesses can opt to send a custom-designed thank-you letter or a follow-up offer to keep them coming back for more.

How to Get Started It’s simple for anyone to take advantage of this one-of-a-kind promotion. Our Town is 100% turnkey, so even the humble independent without a logo can sign up and get business rolling. Start off on the right foot with new folks in your community. Contact 727-345-0811, ext. 257, or visit ourtownamerica.com to make it happen.

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Restaurant Depot

Get Creative With Your Ingredients Independent pizzeria owners have certain benefits over franchisees. Namely, they make the rules and decide what’s served at their store. Independents can also accommodate local tastes with local products. They can keep their customers satisfied by accepting suggestions or requests on their menu. Consider a menu with your solid classics plus a rotating chalkboard menu where you list your specials for that week or month. Customers who are staunchly loyal to your traditional pepperoni will stay happy, and adventurous eaters will love to stop by the shop and see what’s new on the menu. A rotating menu also allows you to create seasonal items. Ingredients that are in season are typically more affordable and offer an enhanced flavor profile. Plus, using seasonal ingredients will give you some ideas for ingredients to use for your next new and exciting menu item. For example, dried cranberries make a wonderful complement to a fall pizza. Arugula tossed in lemon and olive oil would add a sunny touch to your spring or summer pies.

How to Sell Your Customers On New Menu Additions New menu items work well in promotions. If your store sees foot traffic, try placing a standing chalkboard outside advertising one or two of your new hot items. You’ve probably seen

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chains such as Domino’s use similar promotions. Fun products that appear in the store for a brief period only, such as cheesy dots, spark interest in customers who are willing to try something new and order a couple of pizzas while they’re at it. The only difference is that by being an independent, you decide what new products might work well in your town. You have the liberty to pull items off the menu if they’re not working well in your area and take notice of what flavors the locals prefer.

Where to Shop for Your Ingredients As an independent, you also get to decide where to purchase the ingredients for your new tantalizing creations. Check out Restaurant Depot, a cash-and-carry warehouse store designed for restaurant owners. These megamarts supply the ingredients for practically any dish you can dream up. Restaurant Depot sells a broad line of perishable and nonperishable food products, as well as equipment and supplies, beverages and cleaning supplies, to independent restaurants, caterers and nonprofits. Anyone who operates a food business or nonprofit organization qualifies to open a free membership account with shopping privileges at any of the company’s 83 locations in 27 states. For more information, and to find a location near you, log on to restaurantdepot.com.

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Thrust Electric Bikes

Electrify Sales With Eco-Delivery Bikes As gas prices continue to rise, going green can also mean saving green. Many pizzerias today are looking for sustainable solutions to long-term problems such as the rising cost of energy. Switching over to a new mode of delivery might seem costly, but investing in a highly efficient system could have you seeing returns on your investment in less than a year, and add to your profits thereafter. Thrust Electric Bikes, pioneers in eco-delivery bikes for the food industry, estimate that pizzeria owners will be able to recoup their money in as little as seven months. How do they do it? Electric bikes themselves are more affordable than electric cars or regular motorcycles. In addition, their maintenance is virtually the same as a regular bike, and the cost to charge their batteries is far lower than the cost of gasoline. For example, it costs the pizzeria only 6 cents to fully charge one bike for up to 40 miles of ride time. Another reason why pizzerias are turning to bikes is the access they have to auto-restricted areas such as campuses and malls. With electric bikes, you can eliminate time spent searching for a parking spot or walking to the door. Unlike a motorcycle or a scooter, the eco-delivery bike has ample room for storage and separate compartments for hot and cold items. Thrust bikes can fit up to 12 extra-large pizzas in hot bags, 16 to 18 salad/food

dishes and six large drinks. There’s also a separate compartment for utensils, condiments and more. Your delivery vehicle serves as a kind of ambassador for your pizzeria outside of your store. On the streets, on campuses, or in your customer’s driveway, your pizzeria’s image is projected to current and potential customers. This is why cartop signs are so important and frequently used by the major chains. Electric bikes by Thrust come with removable graphics to attach to the back and sides of the cargo compartment, with LED lighting for use at night. Investing in uniform delivery vehicles is sure to get the neighbors talking. Plus, it’s likely to improve your brand image over your employees’ own cars, which tend to be weathered vehicles. Thrust bikes will associate your brand with an efficient, modern and green pizzeria. Delivery is fundamental to pizzerias, but it can be a big hassle. Car insurance, liability issues and reimbursing employees for gas can all be eliminated with electric bikes. Since it’s a bike, the delivery rider doesn’t need a driver’s license. There are no government fees, registration or special insurance required. It’s a motorized form of transportation without all of the paperwork and stress attached to other motor vehicles. For more information, visit thrustelectricbikes.com or email sales@thrustbikes.com.

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Gold Seal Promotions

Increase Sales With Scratch-Off Cards Over the last 10 years, the use of scratch-off cards has been steadily increasing. Their continued popularity may be partly due to a nationwide phenomenon known as “lotto fever.” The average rate of return for the instant winners can be as high as 50%, and no one throws out a winner. Consumers will interact with a scratch-off game card much longer than any other promotional card. Scratch-off cards create a competitive advantage for your restaurant because they increase foot traffic, impulse purchasing and brand recognition. “The PizzaMaker” scratch-off game has been increasing sales for many pizza shops across the country. Customers love to scratch and win. This game has two interesting chances to win. First, a free pizza is won by collecting one “cheese” card, one “sauce” card, and one “dough” card. Customers must save and collect all three cards to win. By saving the cards, the customer is also saving your pizza shop name and phone number each time. The second part of the game gives customers a chance to win instantly. When discounts, toppings or soft drinks appear, the cards can be redeemed during the next visit. Customers return faster and more often with the instant winners. Instant winners can be custom-printed to promote new menu items or increase sales of higher-priced items.

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“The PizzaMaker” game is printed in packs of 4,000 cards for $239, 8,000 cards for $443 or 12,000 cards for $572. The price includes free setup, free shipping (in USA) and free posters. Most logos are also added at no extra charge. Orders can be placed simply by calling 800-848-8150. Gold Seal Promotions has been printing for the pizza industry for 37 years and is proud to announce a new website that will allow orders to be placed online at goldsealpromotions.com. Orders are printed and shipped in seven to 10 days. Credit cards, checks and cash are accepted. Call Greg Scott anytime at 610704-7635 to talk about promoting your pizza shop.

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PAPA’S PIZZA Pizza Pole

Free Up Table Space and Sell More Pizza We’ve all seen it before: a booth or table filled with hungry people ordering pizza, salads and appetizers, such as wings, breadsticks and more. What happens when it comes out of the kitchen and there isn’t enough room on the table to hold it all? Now imagine a table that’s clutter-free. Leaving space on the table helps to sell additional appetizers and salads that you may not have had room or opportunity to sell. Papa’s Pizza pizza pole was originally developed for a European pizzeria atmosphere, which utilizes 24” round tables. In America, where the average pizza size ranges between 14” and 18”, smaller tables would not work without something such as the Papa’s Pizza pizza pole. In Europe, where the average pizza size is 12” or less, small tables are fine. European pizzerias simply sell a smaller product to work with the tables, limited space and smaller locations, helping them to fill smaller spaces and smaller tables with more people. Now, with the Papa’s Pizza pizza pole, you can have a European-style layout, allowing more chairs and more tables (or smaller booths) in your restaurant, and still be able to serve your full menu—serving more customers and selling more pizza in the same space even if you keep your larger tables. Now, the Papa’s Pizza pizza pole will allow you to bring out the pizza orders as soon as they are ready, even if there are still appetizers and salads or other menu items on the table. This

will create a faster turnover time and give you more control to sell more pizza and other products. Gone are the days of holding pizza orders while your customers finish salads and appetizers. This keeps your customer satisfied and also allows for a faster turnover in your pizza kitchen. Utilizing the Papa’s Pizza pizza pole will dramatically increase pizza sales. “The per-square-foot lease fees have risen so much in destination locations that a 2,000-square-foot pizzeria has to do a massive amount of volume to make the numbers work,” says Mike Pinzone of Papa’s Pizza pizza pole. “But by being able to incorporate smaller tables, more customers can fit into a smaller space, which in turn can result in larger profits.” Designed to be user-friendly with a weighted base and a slightly curved shaft, the pizza pole will slide to the edge of the eating surface without being in the way of the servers or customers. The unit holds two standard shakers (for Parmesan and crushed red pepper) to further clear the clutter from the main table. The special design will accommodate up to an 18” pizza pan and has a 1” lip to prevent the pizza from sliding off the top. The sturdy base is 17” around, and the unit stands 37” high, with a total weight of just under 18 pounds. The curved pole is also easy to carry. For more information, contact Mike Pinzone at 850-293-7176 or visit papaspizza.com.

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Message-On-Hold

Still Answering Phones the Same Way You Did 20 Years Ago? How friendly are your employees? Rude customer service representatives (CSRs) can tarnish your pizzeria’s image and deter customers from revisiting your store. If you could answer every phone call to your pizzeria, chances are, business would be way up. You have a higher stake in treating your customers with courtesy and upselling them on an additional item. Mike Wick from Message-On-Hold points out, “Pizzerias can’t make a living off selling discounted offers. Bundled offers provide the opportunity to upsell, which can increase your average ticket by at least 50 cents per order.” Are your current customers being upsold every time? How much less money do you have in your pocket because your customers are not being upsold every time? Since the owner can’t answer every call, having well-trained and polite CSRs really adds up! How can you guarantee that CSRs are polite and consistently upselling your customers? Listen to their phone calls. All inbound calls can now be recorded and searched for with ease with the Sutus Business Central 313 (BC313). MessageOn-Hold has partnered with Sutus to present this new product that will “absolutely revolutionize the pizza industry,” according to Wick. The Sutus BC313 box combines your call recording capability, your call recorder, auto attendant, call sequencer, message-on-hold, voice mail, Wi-Fi, email, Web, and docu-

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

ment server all in one sleek device. Wick reports that it’s perfect for the independent pizzeria operator because it combines seven or eight different devices into one easy-to-maintain box. “It’s so easy to maintain, it checks itself,” says Mike Cassidy of Sutus. “The BC313 constantly undergoes health checks from an Internet cloud so you will know right away if a phone line is down or if there’s any other malfunction keeping you from doing business.” Call recording and reporting is one of the most impressive features of the BC313. Phone reports are sent to you daily and cover a whole range of statistics–how long the calls took, how long the customers waited before the phone was answered, how many calls were abandoned, etc. Having a record of the employee’s phone call is a fantastic training tool. If a customer called back twice, you can listen in on how that CSR dealt with the customer’s additional questions or complaints and give them feedback. Your video camera may be your eyes, but your BC313 is your ears for what happens in your pizzeria. Once employees know their phone conversations are easily accessible, you’ll begin to notice how they remember to be polite and upsell. To revolutionize the way your pizzeria answers phones and start upselling every customer every time, visit messageonhold service.com or contact Mike Wick at 800-392-4664, ext 1.

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Lucks Food Decorating Company

Increase Traffic and Sales With Pizza Prints Plenty of pizzerias host birthday parties and other celebrations, but how many pizzerias do you know of that can also provide an edible design for the top of their pizza? Yes, the images you traditionally find on birthday cakes are now available as pizza toppers! Imagine the reaction from your customers the first time they see a Pizza Prints™ image. It’s something they won’t soon forget and definitely something they’ll tell their friends about. “By featuring Pizza Prints in your pizzeria, you’ll discover what others have already come to know—these images can create incremental sales, more parties, celebrations and excitement,” says Rick Ellison, president of Lucks Food Decorating Company (Pizza Prints manufacturer). “Plus, our product is made right here in the USA and is guaranteed safe to eat.” Pizza Prints holds an official license for images from Nickelodeon, NBA, WWE, many colleges, Minor League Baseball and more. All of these recognizable images can help drive business to your pizzeria for sports parties, birthday celebrations, family pizza night, game day and plenty of other occasions. “These are the perfect way to promote party packages at your pizzeria and upsell to your customers,” Ellison says. In addition to popular licensed images, Pizza Prints offers a variety of birthday, holiday and sports designs. Pizza Prints images complement the pizza’s flavor and couldn’t be any easier to

use. Simply bake and cut your pizza, and then apply the image. The images are also gluten-free, allergen-free and Orthodox Union Kosher-certified. The marketing support behind Pizza Prints includes a social media campaign (with almost 8,000 Facebook fans), as well as a full-service website and representatives available to answer your questions by phone and email. Pizza Prints even leads customers to your shop with a map locator on its website and social media shout-outs. With your first order, Pizza Prints provides an assortment of complimentary marketing materials, such as box toppers, posters and flip-card menus of designs so you can market the images to your customers. In addition to numerous stock designs, Lucks can also provide a quick turnaround on custom images, and the company’s expert art department will help you create your pizzeria’s ideal pizza image. Pizza Prints tests and photographs product only on real pizzas, so you can be sure the product looks and tastes great. Pizza Prints images and samples are available for immediate shipment from the Lucks warehouse in Washington State. Lucks Food Decorating Company is a fourth-generation family-owned business that invented top-selling Edible Image® designs for cakes and has been creating edible food products for more than 40 years. For information about Pizza Prints or to order, call 800-806-2595 or email info@pizzaprints.com.

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Portion PadL

Reach Kids Through Schools and Concession Sales Marketing is fundamental in keeping your pizzeria competitive. The independent pizzeria with a limited marketing budget has to get creative in order to compete with the big guys. Greg Getzinger, inventor of the patent-pending Portion PadL™, soon realized that kids were the answer to his problems. “It’s the children who tell their parents where to buy pizza,” says Getzinger. “Introducing pizza to students during the week had children bringing their families into my shop on the weekend.” The two main avenues for reaching kids are through school lunches and concession stand sales. Consider talking to the nutritionists at your local schools about serving your pizza. Make it worth their while with a discounted price, and make sure the kids at the school know it’s your pizzeria. If your pizzeria doesn’t have custom boxes with your logo, consider making a sign to display on pizza day in the cafeteria, and leave menus for the kids to take home. Kids will remember your pizza for not only being delicious, but as a hero for saving them from their daily cafeteria food. It will literally put a good taste in their mouth, and a craving for more. In just two years, Getzinger has become the “go-to guy” in his community for pizza-by-the-slice fundraisers and any time pizza is considered for sports and youth group programs. Concession stand sales are another way to reach kids. Sports events such as football, baseball, basketball and soccer games

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

are sure to be crowded with hungry kids who would love to grab a slice. Fundraisers are likewise great venues for getting customers to taste your pizza, while making money selling your slices. Print a brochure showing off your concession stand with pictures of your pizzeria’s presence at past fundraisers. Attach the brochure to the top of your customer’s pizza box, or have them available in a display inside your store.

“Every Slice Is a Profit Center™” For Getzinger, he had figured out how to market to his most important customer—kids. However, a complaint early on from one of the schools led him toward a new invention. Students were complaining that the slices he was providing were not equal in size and they weren’t buying them, resulting in reduced profit margins for the school. So Getzinger, with the help of his business partner and patent attorney Andrew Spriegel, created the Portion PadL, a cutting board with grooves that guide your pizza cutter, perfectly cutting equal slices. It’s custom-made to fit most pizza sizes and is ideal for selling pizza by the slice during school lunches and at concession stands—even in your store. If you’re looking to be a hit at concession stands and school lunch programs, visit portionpadl.com or contact Greg Getzinger at 330-608-5928.

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Star Pizza Box

Reduce Box Costs and Make Friends Neighbors are great at lending a hand, but what about paying your bills? Every pizzeria is equipped with a powerful marketing tool— the pizza box. Pizza boxes have long been used to beef up business, serving as a billboard for the store. “I have never gone into a successful pizzeria that didn’t have the following custom items: a sign on the building, T-shirts and hats, menus, car signs, etc.,” notes Hal Porter from Star Pizza Box. “The box is the only item that goes directly into the home or business and stays there until it is thrown into the trash, where neighbors see it.” What’s on your pizza box? Does it offer any deals or display tempting items for customers to consider for their next order? Custom boxes allow you to use materials your store already buys for promotion. According to Porter, “A pizza box is an extension of a pizzeria’s identity. If you are proud of the quality of your pizza, you want everyone to know it came from your pizzeria.” Pizzerias located in shopping centers or strip malls are surrounded by opportunities to cut costs by cross-promoting with neighboring businesses. The pizzeria, as with any business in the mall, has a stake in keeping the shopping center busy. But unlike the rest, pizzerias use pizza boxes, which can serve as ad-

vertising canvases. Why not take advantage of your box’s advertising real estate? Print neighboring business’ promotions on your box and have those owners cover the cost of the box. This way, you can lower your costs and help the whole area flourish. Let’s say your pizzeria is located between a dry cleaner and a coffee shop. Offering advertising space to the cleaner and/or coffee shop on the sides of your box allows you to charge them to help with the cost of custom pizza boxes. Meanwhile, your pizzeria can use the top center area of the box for your own logo or to provide promotional offers. Plus, you can change the custom design quarterly or even every month, so you’re never locked into deals with the same businesses. The result will be affordable boxes and more foot traffic around your pizzeria. As customers come to your strip mall to take advantage of a dry cleaning discount, they may find it hard to resist grabbing a pie to take home. Star Pizza Box (the largest manufacturer of custom boxes in the country) is equipped to turn your and your neighbors’ logos into a promotional tool that can cement your pizzeria’s image, lower costs, increase traffic and help you form new partnerships. For more information, visit starpizzabox.com or contact Sharon Hough at 863-577-0809.

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NoteAds

Promotions That Stick If you’re like most pizza stores, you’ve tried sticky note door hangers or box toppers as an ingredient in your marketing mix. For 3 cents each, on average, the right sticky notes are great tools to generate new and repeat business. They provide an attractive replacement for your door hangers, magnets and nonadhesive box toppers. Unfortunately, many have soured on this medium because they used the wrong type of sticky notes, which don’t stick well to coated pizza boxes or to most door surfaces.

Get Your Ad at Eye Level Using Sticky Notes to replace conventional door hangers allows you to place the ad at eye level. With the proper Sticky Notes, customers are sure to read the note out of habit. Consumers have to look at the ad in order to peel it off their front door. Super Sticky adhesive will not blow off in the wind or leave residue on surfaces. Post-it® Notes will also stick to glass, making them effective as windshield leaflets. By placing a sticky note ad on the outside of the box or bag, the consumer is prone to remove the note and place it nearby as a reminder. Sticky Note coupons can even be stuck to the dash of a vehicle to be used for the next drive-thru visit! The new Super Sticky adhesive material is guaranteed to stick even on bags treated with antigrease agents.

Improvements and Price Breaks Several years ago, significant improvements were made to improve this form of “outside the box” advertising. 3M developed Super Sticky Post-it® Notes that had a far better repositionable adhesive that will stick and then restick to almost anything, from glass to Styrofoam to metal to even coated pizza boxes. To ensure its reliability, the adhesive was tested on doors, windows and cardboard pizza boxes and left for days. Not only do the Super Sticky notes stay put; when they are finally removed, they still leave no scars or tears or anything they are adhered to. This no-residue aspect was particularly crucial. Competing suppliers have come up with comparable adhesives with mixed results; generally, most work in a controlled environment, but they tend to curl at the corners, which makes them more susceptible to falling off the surfaces when used outdoors or on more porous surfaces. The lower-cost and larger-imprint areas have made some of these notes more attractive as budgets have grown tighter. In response, 3M and NoteAds have lowered the price of the superior performing Super Sticky Post-it® Notes to be more competitive with the off-brands. For more information, contact NoteAds customer service at 800-309-7502 or visit noteads.com

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PDQ POS

Build Loyalty and Charity With One POS Do you know who visits your pizzeria? What about who’s stopped? Keeping track of who comes into your shop, and how often, is a powerful marketing resource. The data allows you to target your marketing according to your customers’ purchasing habits. A strong POS system allows you to target customers who’ve ordered only once and deliver a special offer to reel them back in. Loyalty programs build business by letting customers earn points toward a free or discounted food item. This gives customers an incentive to choose your pizzeria over your competitors. In the past, this type of promotion has been managed with punch cards that the customers present during checkout. A POS system can assist in streamlining the loyalty program process. As an added feature, the POS can provide valuable data by tracking patrons who take advantage of the loyalty programs. By gathering information such as email addresses, phone numbers and important dates, it’s easy to provide targeted offers on birthdays, anniversaries, etc. on a variety of devices—email, texting, direct mail and more. Customers will enjoy an easy interface where they can easily log in and check their pizza points online and determine how far they have to go before their next milestone. Sponsorship programs are a great way to build goodwill in your community and increase your revenue. With flexible parameters, percentages can be set on certain food items or total

sales to determine the funds the pizzeria will donate. Structuring programs in this manner creates incentives for fundraising groups to actively promote your pizzeria. To further market this idea, go public with the groups you sponsor by hanging a sign in your window indicating that you proudly support the Boy Scouts, cancer research, etc. Try displaying a fundraiser thermometer to indicate their progress. When the sponsorship period is finished, call the press and publicly present the organization with their check at your establishment. Loyalty and sponsorship programs are simplified with a robust POS system. Customers are identified with their phone numbers, and all of their information is accessible by the pizzeria. The amount of money you’ve raised as a sponsor is automatically calculated so there’s no confusing math. One of the brands that ties loyalty and charity together is Signature Systems’ PDQ POS. PDQ POS features an easy to use system that tracks and targets customers according to their interests for precise and effective marketing. Plus representatives are available 24/7 via a live service line. So even if you have a problem during your latenight rush, you can rest assured you’ll get the technical support you need. PDQ POS provides complete POS solutions, including hardware, software and support. For more information on how to build lasting relationships with your customers visit pdqpos. com or call 877-968-6430.

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Peel-A-Deal

Win-Win Fundraising How many times per year are you approached by a school, church, youth sports association or other fundraising group wanting money for this or that? Community involvement is a necessary part of running a successful business, but is there a way you can do it that is both hassle-free and profitable? Yes, there is! The answer is Peel-A-Deal®, a unique fundraiser peel-off coupon card. The cards give pizzerias an opportunity to partner with local schools and nonprofit organizations while increasing pizza sales and customer loyalty. The idea behind these cards is simple: The pizzeria purchases custom-designed cards from Peel-A-Deal (Vision Marketing), and either sells or gives them to schools, churches, soccer teams and other groups in the area, who then turn around and sell them for a fee. Peel-A-Deal cards are typically sold to schools and groups on a two- to three-week consignment basis. For example, if a school has 200 children participating and each child sells five cards for $10, the profit is $10,000. If the pizzeria charges $4 per card and gives the school the other $6, the profit for the school is $6,000, and the pizzeria gets $4,000. Schools love this program because they can raise a lot of money in a short amount of time with no risk, as they return all unsold cards to the pizzeria. Pizzerias love this program because they make money on every card sold and from the coupons redeemed, plus establish new

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

loyal customers. The card is used by the customer as a savings card and pays for itself after a few uses. The savings coupons are on the back, and customers peel them off and turn them in with their purchase. The coupons have an adhesive back and can stick right on a cash register receipt, thus providing easy coupon redemption and tracking for the pizzeria. Many pizza franchises have significantly increased their sales while supporting their local communities by offering their own Peel-A-Deal pizza fundraising program. They advertise this program on their box toppers, table toppers, at the register and in local advertisements. One pizza franchise sold 11,000 cards in less than six months, earning a prepaid income of $55,000 (at a profit of $5 per card). This is also a good idea for smaller pizzeria owners who are asked for donations of products and money repeatedly each year. By implementing a Peel-A-Deal fundraising card program, these requests can be met, and it can be a win-win for everyone. Vision Marketing makes it easy to get started. We supply you with all of the tools you need to start and run a successful fundraising program; help you design a customized card for your pizzeria; and consult with you on how to market it to nonprofit groups in your area. For more information, visit peeladeal.com or contact Vision Marketing at 877-563-5654.

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BlueGrass Mailing Service

One Giant Leap for Direct Mail: QR Codes Do you wish your direct mailings could talk? Now they can. Introducing the latest technological breakthrough, which is breathing life back into direct mail–QR codes. What’s a QR code? A QR code is a pixelated barcode printed on reading material or mail pieces. QR stands for “Quick Response,” and the code can be instantly read by any smartphone. All smartphones either come with a QR scanner buil in, or they have access to one via a free download from their carrier’s app store. Just hover your phone over the code and you’re instantly linked to video, images or any other media. If you don’t have a smartphone, you simply go to the link below the code to catch the action.

Boost Sales With QR Codes How can your pizzeria benefit from QR codes? QR codes function best in combination with direct mailing, where your information goes directly into the home of current or potential customers. The QR codes grab your customer’s attention. For those who aren’t familiar with them, it arouses curiosity; for those who do, it’s an exciting moment to show friends or family how QR codes work. Your video can display any range of things: a message from the owner, a promotional spot, video directions to your pizzeria, etc. Afterward, you can direct your customers to your website to find out even more or see a list of your specials. Since you’ll have your

message in your video, the majority of your mail piece can function as simply an attention-getter to lead recipients to your video. This way, you can avoid going overboard on text, which could deter recipients glancing through their mail.

Go Cheap in August Direct mail campaigns are coming back as a cost-effective way to reach more customers. To encourage its use, the U.S. Postal Service is giving anyone who uses direct mailing with a QR code a 3% discount this August. Plus, the postal service has simplified its direct mailing services so that businesses no longer have to address each recipient individually. Now, more than ever, is your company’s chance to promote in a truly unique and affordable way.

How to Get Started You don’t need to be a technological whiz or even have a smartphone to take advantage of this one-of-a-kind opportunity. BlueGrass Mailing Service provides you with all of the tools you need to create a mail piece that will talk to your current and potential customers. BlueGrass can produce your QR code, your mailing piece, your video, and even a small website where you can direct your mail recipients. To get your mail talking, call 800-928-6245 or visit bgmailing.com.

Get your mail talking before August 31 and save 3% with the U.S. Postal Service! lks to you... ut cords? a t t a h t il a M o hones with t, p What’s nex

Take out your smart phone and give it a try!

h your R Code wit Scan this Q it happen! e n and se ne ho p t ar sm m/qr mailing.co

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Go to bgmailing.com/qr or with your smartphone go to your app store and download a free QR Reader app to scan this QR Code.

August 2011 • pmq.com

Product Spotlight What’s On the Market SIMPLY SORBET Give customers a reason to stay after dinner with Soft Ice sorbet. Available in a variety of fruit flavors, the nonfat, nondairy desserts are delivered in powder form, have no expiration date, and do not require refrigeration, allowing for a lower overhead and a higher profit margin. Free samples are available. 800-975-4766, softicesorbet.com

YOUR NEXT STEEP Great hot or iced, the Art of Tea Garden of Eden tea blend is made from highgrown estate black tea, malva flowers, organic cornflowers, organic safflowers and natural flavors. The teas steep for only three to five minutes at 206˚F. 877-268-8327, artoftea.com

REPAIR BY MAIL Point of Sale hardware repair, now you can save up to 70% over the cost of purchasing new equipment with the O.S.E.T.S.S.’ ship-in repair service. Hardware repairs are completed in as little as one day, extending the life of your point of sale computer equipment. 734-719-1011, osetss.com

IT’S NATURAL

SWEET AND SPICY Native to South Africa, Peppadew Piquanté Peppers add a new flavor profile to your pizzeria’s menu with a combination of sweetness and a spicy bite. Peppers are available whole and chopped; and in hot, mild, and sweet and tangy varieties. 908580-9100, peppadewusa.com 78

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Grande shredded and diced pizza cheeses are easy to portion, melt evenly, do not burn and reheat well. The all-natural cheeses, made without preservatives, fillers or artificial ingredients, include part-skim mozzarella; whole-milk mozzarella; East Coast Blend; 50/50 part-skim and wholemilk mozzarella; mozzarella-provolone blend; cheddar blend; and 50/50 part-skim mozzarella and provolone. 800-847-2633, grandecheese.com

STABILIZING SOLUTION Stoveshoes offer an effective alternative to casters for commercial kitchen ranges, fryers, tables, storage racks and more. Made of a nonbreakable, chemical-resistant material, the product offers a lifetime guarantee. The exterior is easily mopped and features a drain hole for easy rinsing. 319-366-1485, stoveshoes.com

SALES UP, COSTS DOWN Manage labor and food costs with a SpeedLine POS system. Build repeat sales with automated database marketing tools; boost tickets with integrated Web and mobile ordering; monitor your business remotely; and manage menu pricing with multiple location reporting. 888-400-9185, speedlinedemo.com

GLUTEN-FREE GALORE Venice Baking Company offers a selection of gluten-free bread products that are perfect for pizza, panini, calzones and quesadillas. Dough balls are also available, and all products are available for wholesale distribution and shipped frozen. Free shipping on pizza crusts is available online. 310-322-7357, venicebakery.com

DELIVERY POWER

HEIRLOOM FLAVOR Slow and oven-roasted to a golden brown, Christopher Ranch roasted heirloom garlic complements a variety of flavor combinations and inspires new ones. The garlic is available in organic; natural roasted; or lightly seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper. 408-848-9275, christopherranch.com

Thrust electric bikes are an eco-friendly alternative for efficient food delivery. The bikes accelerate from zero to 20 mph in five seconds; feature an electric hub motor, long-range lithium batteries, and massive storage with custom graphics; and can carry a 300-pound load. 714-546-7117, thrustelectricbikes.com

August 2011 â&#x20AC;˘ pmq.com

PMQ Pizza Magazine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Pizza Industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Businesss Monthly

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August 2011 • pmq.com

PMQ Pizza Magazine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Pizza Industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Businesss Monthly

Advertiser Index August 2011 Display Advertiser

Phone

Website

Page

AM Manufacturing ............................................. 708-841-0959 ............................................ ammfg.com ...................................... 57 Bellissimo .......................................................... 800-813-2974 ...................................... bellissimofoods.com ................................ 21 Best Choice Printing ........................................... 800-783-0990 ................................................bcms.us .......................................... 43 Burke................................................................. 800-654-1152 ....................................... burkecorp.com/pm .......................... Cover 3 Cassel ................................................................ 800-729-7769 ........................................... autosox.com ...................................... 48 Christopher Ranch ......................................................................................................... christopherranch.com ................................ 47 CrustSaver ......................................................... 877-437-4743 .......................................... crustsaver.net ..................................... 80 Fontanini ........................................................... 708-485-4800 ........................................... fontanini.com ..................................... 23 Grande...............................................................800-8-GRANDE ....................................... grandecheese.com ........................ 3, 26, 27 Hix.................................................................800-835-0606 x 205 .................................... doughxpress.com ................................... 49 Hojiblanca ......................................................... 201-384-3007 ...........................................acorsausa.com ..................................... 80 HTH ................................................................... 800-321-1850 ........................................... hthsigns.com ...................................... 82 La Nova.............................................................. 716-881-3355 ............................................. lanova.com ................................ Cover 4 Liguria ............................................................... 800-765-1452 ......................................... liguriafood.com ............................ Cover 2 Lillsun................................................................ 260-356-6514 ............................................. lillsun.com ...................................... 49 Lloyd Pans ......................................................... 888-471-5880 .......................................lloydpans.com/pmq ................................. 42 Marra Forni Mixers ..............................................................................................................marraforni.com..................................... 80 MF&B Restaurant Systems .................................. 888-480-EDGE ......................................... edgeovens.com .................................... 39 Marsal & Sons .................................................... 631-226-6688 ......................................... marsalsons.com ................................... 46 Microworks ........................................................ 800-787-2068 ......................................... microworks.com ................................... 11 Middleby Marshall ............................................. 877-34-OVENS .......................................... wowoven.com ...................................... 7 Moving Targets .................................................. 800-926-2451 ...................................... movingtargets.com ................................ 35 Precision Mixers ................................................ 877-R-MIXERS ......................................... pizzamixers.com .................................... 19 RedPack ......................................................... 888-REDPACK x 33 ................................ redgold.com/fs/coupons .............................. 13 Stanislaus .......................................................... 800-327-7201 .......................................... stanislaus.com ...................................4, 5 System Filtration ................................................ 877-508-0777 ......................................systemfiltration.com................................. 82 Takeout Printing ................................................ 845-564-2609 ............................................ ammfg.com ..................................60,81 Text Ripple ......................................................... 269-420-0210 .......................................... textripple.com ..................................... 81 Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Restaurant News ................................... 561-620-8888 ....................................................................................................... 83 Univex ............................................................... 800-258-6358 ......................................... univexcorp.com ................................... 29 Vin Di Vino ......................................................... 773-334-6700 ........................................... vindivino.com ..................................... 80 WP Bakery Group ............................................... 203-929-6530 ................................... wpbakerygroupusa.com .............................. 61 XLT..................................................................... 888-443-2751 ............................................xltovens.com ...................................... 17

PMQ provides this information as a courtesy to our readers and will not be held responsible for errors or omissions. To report an error, call 662-234-5481 x127. August 2011 â&#x20AC;˘ pmq.com

Industry Resource Guide Grab a direct weblink to every advertiser in this guide at PMQ.com

APPAREL CAMPUS COLLECTION ...... campuscollection.net .................... 800-289-8744 CUSTOM T-SHIRT DESIGNS ................................. Free art with minimum order! Inventory Stock Program ............................ we warehouse your t-shirts for you.

BAKING SCHOOLS AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF BAKING .............................................Manhattan, KS 785-537-4750 ....................................................................Fax: 785-537-1493

CHEESE

COFFEE

66 86

PMQ’sPizza PMQ PizzaMagazine Magazine– –The ThePizza PizzaIndustry’s Industry’sBusiness BusinessMonthly Magazine

COMPUTER SYSTEMS: POINT OF SALE Technology choices for every taste. p p

Point-of-Sale Online Ordering

p p

Loyalty Programs Automated mated Marketing

PMQ Industry Resource Guide COMPUTER SYSTEMS: POINT OF SALE, CONT.

DOUGH, CONT.

DOUGH DIVIDERS/ROUNDERS

CONSULTING

CRUSTS MOUNTAIN HARVEST PIZZA CRUST CO.......................................... Billings, MT Contact: Eric LeCaptain ........... 800-342-6205.................... Fax: 406-248-7336 Sheeted Dough, Prebake Crusts, Dough Balls, Freezer to Oven, Self-Rising Crusts in Standard, Wheat and Nine Grain. ...eric@mountainharvestpizza.com

DOUGH PRESSES, ROLLERS

T.N.T. CRUST . .................................................. Box 8926, Green Bay, WI 54308 Lisa Bartikofsky .................... 920-431-7240..................... Fax 920-431-7249 Large variety of prebaked crusts and Readi-Rise self-rising, live yeast crusts. Experts in customizing formulas. BAKER’S QUALITY PIZZA CRUSTS, INC. ..................................... Waukesha, WI Par-baked, Sheeted, Pressed and Self-Rising Crusts; Custom Crusts; All sizes. www.BakersQualityPizzaCrusts.com ......................................800-846-6153

CUTTING BOARDS - EQUAL SLICE

DOUGH TRAYS/PROOFING TRAYS

DOUGH

DoughMate® by Madan Plastics Inc.

DoughMate

• Dough Trays – extremely durable and airtight! • Dough Tray Covers – designed to fit! The Leaders in • Plastic Dough Knives – two ergonomic designs! Dough Handling Products • Dough Tray Dollies – heavy duty! • Excellence in Customer service since 1955! The preferred dough tray of the largest pizza companies in the world. Buy direct from the manufacturer with over 20 years experience in dough trays.

Call 800-501-2450 ........... www.doughmate.com ......... fax: 908-276-9483

September 8-10, 2011 pmq.com/tt2/recipe

OrlandoPizzaShow.com August 2011 • pmq.com

PMQ Industry Resource Guide DOUGH TRAYS/PROOFING TRAYS, CONT.

FOOD DISTRIBUTORS, CONT.

FLOUR, GLUTEN-FREE

GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCTS

BAY STATE MILLING GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA MIX.............. baystatemilling.com Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, Custom-blends and Co-Packing Dedicated production area for exceptional purity.........................800-55-FLOUR DAKOTA PRAIRIE is a dedicated manufaturer of Gluten-Free flours, 37 pre-mixes, custom-mixes and many packaging options. By far the best grinds and the highest standard of purity ..............dakota-prarie.com............ .............701-324-4330

INSURANCE

FLOUR MACHINERY/OVENS/EQUIPMENT

Conveyor & Deck Ovens All Major Brands Available

Leer Walkin Coolers and Freezers

New & Remanufactured! Pizza Store Equipment and Supplies! Your #1 Source for replacement parts for all major brands of equipment. Just to name a few...Randell · Stephan · American Range · Imperial · Cold Tech · Middleby Marshall Lincoln Impinger · LEER · CTX · True

FOOD DISTRIBUTORS

1-800-426-0323 www.northernpizzaequipment.com 8020 Grand Street · Dexter, Michigan 48130 Hobart Mixers

Randell Refrigeration Prep Units & Freezers

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Northern Pizza Equipment, Inc.® www.northernpizzaequipment.com

PMQ Industry Resource Guide MACHINERY/OVENS/EQUIPMENT, CONT.

MACHINERY/OVENS/EQUIPMENT, CONT.

August 2011 â&#x20AC;¢ pmq.com

PMQ Industry Resource Guide MAGNETS

MARKETING IDEAS, CONT.

JUMBO PIZZA SLICE MAGNETS 399-2966 WE DELIVER

www.magneticadconcepts.com

977 Butternut Dr. Holland

Easy, Affordable, Powerful

REWARDS PROGRAM

MAILING SERVICES

Increase Sales With Our “Done 4U” System www.OurPizzaClub.com / 866-657-5426

REACH A NEW AUDIENCE EVERY MONTH! FREE 1ST MONTH MAILING with Exclusive Agreement

MANAGEMENT

Exclusivity: Lock Out Your Competition • Zip-Code Select: No Wasted Coverage 2nd Thank You Postcard Mailing • Tru Trak™: So you know its working PLUS Optional Demographically Targeted Postcard Mailings!

1-800-497-8360 x257

www.ourtownamerica.com KEEP MORE OF YOUR HARD EARNED DOUGH! 3 MONEY SAVING PROGRAMS:

SCHEDULING • ATTENDANCE • DAILY LOG

FAST, PAINLESS SCHEDULING • MONITOR LABOR COSTS • REDUCE TURNOVER • NOTIFY EMPLOYEES • ELIMINATE BUDDY PUNCHING • IMPROVE COMMUNICATIONS • WEB-BASED

SAVE TIME AND INCREASE PROFITS!

WWW.TIMEFORGE.COM 866.684.7191

MARKETING IDEAS

How to Sell More Pizza... and keep customers coming back for more! t )PX UP NBLF B MPU NPSF NPOFZ GSPN ZPVS 104 TZTUFN t )PX UP HFOFSBUF SFDPSE TFUUJOH QSPöUT GSPN QSFTFOU DVTUPNFST t )PX UP HSBC CVTJOFTT BXBZ GSPN ZPVS DPNQFUJUPST

901-767-2937 90

loyaltycoach.com

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

pmq.com/tt2/recipe

PMQ Industry Resource Guide OLIVES

MARKETING, MOBILE

Eighty-Six Slow Sales Mobilize your best customers with a free mobile website and low-cost texting.

...mobilize & connect

ruxter.com 800.763.1953

MENU BOARDS NATIONAL MENUBOARD .......................... WWW.NATIONALMENUBOARD.COM MAGNETIC & LIGHTED MENUBOARDS, LED & NEON SIGNS Call us Today at 1-800-800-5237 .................Dave@nationalmenuboard.com

MEAT TOPPINGS BURKE CORPORATION .................................................. www.BurkeCorp.com Italian, Mexican-Style and Specialty Fully Cooked Meats Contact: Liz Hertz............ sales_info@burkecorp.com............. 800-654-1152

ON HOLD MARKETING

FONTANINI/CAPITOL WHOLESALE MEATS Contact: Gene Fontanini ......... www.fontanini.com ................. 800-331-MEAT Pizza toppings, Italian sausage, meatballs, sliced gyros and sliced beef SUGAR CREEK PACKING CO., Private Label Precooked Meat Topping Specialists www.sugarcreek.com .................. 800-848-8205 ............ sales@sugarcreek.com

PESTO

MIXERS

PIZZA BOXES

MOISTURE ABSORBENT TOPPINGS CONDITIONER KRISP-IT LTD. .............................................800-KRISP-IT (800-574-7748) Keep it Crisp with Krisp-It! www.krisp-it.com........................................................nick@krisp-it.com

pmq.com/tt2/recipe August 2011 â&#x20AC;¢ pmq.com

PMQ Industry Resource Guide

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

PMQ Industry Resource Guide PIZZA DELIVERY THERMAL BAGS, CONT.

PIZZA OVENS

BAG SOLUTIONS ................................................. Home of the Pizza Jacket EARTHSTONE OVENS, INC. .. 6717 San Fernando Rd....Glendale, CA 91201 800-840-4915 .........Fax: 818-553-1133 ...... www.earthstoneovens.com Deliver that pie HOT and DRY! 866-Bag-To-Go (866-224-8646) ........................ www.deliverybags.com All units UI listed. Thermal Bags by Ingrid Best Selection of Pizza Delivery Bags Keep Pizza HOT! 800-622-5560 or 847 836-4400, 24/7 ordering ..... www.ThermalBags.com

FISH OVEN & EQUIPMENT CORP. 120 W. Kent Ave........Wauconda, IL 60084 TOLL Free 877-526-8720 ....... Fax: 847-526-7447 ...... www.fishoven.com LINCOLN FOODSERVICE PRODUCTS................................... 888-417-5462 1111N. Hadley Rd. Fort Wayne, IN 46804 ..................... Fax 260-436-0735 Impinger Conveyor Ovens featuring FastBake and Quest EMS MARSAL & SONS, INC. ....................The new standard in the Pizza Industry Brick Lined Deck Ovens • Standard Deck Ovens • Prep Table Refrigeration 631-226-6688 .............. marsalsons.com ........... rich@marsalsons.com PIZZAOVENS.COM Your complete source for buying and selling pizza equipment. pizzaovens.com or call toll free 1-877-FOR OVEN

ELECTRIC

HOTBAG

DELIVER OVEN - HOT PIZZA, GUARANTEED!

ROTO-FLEX OVEN CO. ........................................Contact Richard Dunfield 135 East Cevallos, San Antonio, TX 78204 PH 800-386-2279 ...... www.rotoflexoven.com .......... Fax 210-222-9007

i feel preƩy.

oh, so preƩy!

THE BAG The Check Electric HOTBAG plugs into a cigarette lighter to heat and stay at 160-175°. It’s made of sturdy 1,000 Denier nylon with removable heating elements to make cleaning easy.

THE SYSTEM The rack holds 12 large Electric HOTBAGs heated simultainously by a power distribution unit (PDU). Pizzas are kept oven-hot in the bags until ready for delivery. Quick release connector snaps into the vehicle power cord.

Made in the USA

800-927-6787

www.HOTBAG.com

PIZZA BOX LINERS

Food for thought... www.pmq.com/tt2/recipe

The Marsal MB Series is designed to fit your restaurant’s specific needs. Not only is it equipped with our exclusive burner system and 2” thick brick cooking surface to ensure the most evenly baked crust, but it looks great too. You can customize the exterior decor of your MB Series oven easily either with our prebuilt finishing kits or your own brick of tile design. Attract customers with a great looking oven and a great tasting pizza.

Seƫng the new standard. visit us online at www.marsalsons.com

(631) 226-6688 FAX (631) 226-6890

& sons, inc. Pizza Ovens and Equipment

August 2011 • pmq.com

PMQ Industry Resource Guide PIZZA OVENS, CONT.

PIZZA PANS

PIZZA SUPPLIES Manufacturer & Distributor of Pizza Smallwares www.paprod.com 734-421-1060

PLASTIC DOUGH CONTAINERS

Non Stick • Easy to Clean • FDA Approved Plastic Heavy Weight • Last 10X longer than metal! Replace your dented ones TODAY ! Manufacturers’ Direct Pricing For free* sample email us at:

SunsetPlastics@aol.com

(*Does NOT include postage & handling)

Call Vito:

718-200-1013

pmq.com/tt2/recipe 94

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

PMQ Industry Resource Guide PIZZA PEELS

PRINTING, CONT.

LILLSUN ........................................................PO Box 767, Huntington, IN 46750 Setting the Standard ............................................Made in the U.S.A. since 1951 Ph 260-356-6514 ............ www.lillsun.com ......................Fax 260-356-8337

PRINTING BEST CHOICE PRINT & MARKETING EXPERTS ...................... For over 25 Years Best Prices & Quality: ..........................Menus, Flyers, Door hangers, Post Cards Print & Mail, Menus or Postcards .............................. Includes postage 27.5 ea WWW.bcms.US ............................................................. or call 800-783-0990

COMMERCIAL PRINTING • MAIL FULFILLMENT SERVICES

8999

$ www.colorvisionprint.com • 800-543-6299

Per 1,000 Postcards, 5x7, 2-color

REFRIGERATION

PRICE, QUALITY & SERVICE! M • Dooarketing List! PREMIU ,000 PREMIUM 10,000 r Han • g

t (SFBU 1SJDFT t (VBSBOUFFE 2VBMJUZ t 1FSTPOBM 4FSWJDF t 1SPGFTTJPOBM (SBQIJD %FTJHO t 'BTU 1SPPGT t 0OF 5XP 'VMM $PMPS 1SJOUJOH t 8F 4IJQ /BUJPOXJEF t '3&& 4BNQMFT

PRINTED COLORS

Men • Fly us er • Box s Tops

.COM

Where Every Impression Counts!

ers

! ore dM n A

DOOR HANGERS 2-Color (2/0) 349. ((4/4) 599. Full

SPECIALTY FOODS

2 Color printed 2-Color pri on 80lb Premium Smooth cover 4 Color printed on 80lb Premium Gloss cover

O:239.352.2755 F:239.353.4255

CASTELLA IMPORTS, INC. ............................................... www.castella.com 60 Davids Drive, Hauppauge, NY 11788 ....................................... 866-Castella

SPICE FORMULATION, BLENDING & PACKAGING CALIFORNIA BLENDING, INC. ........ Confidential Custom Blending & Packaging. Bill Mooreheart, Jr. ....................... Serving Industiral Spice needs since 1976. 2603 Seaman, El Monte, CA 91733.............................................626-448-1918 CASTELLA IMPORTS, INC. ............................................... www.castella.com 60 Davids Drive, Hauppauge, NY 11788 ....................................... 866-Castella MCCLANCY SEASONING ............................ One Spice Road, Fort Mill, SC29715 Contact: Chuck Wiley 800-843-1968 ................................................................... Fax: 803-396-7794 August 2011 • pmq.com

PMQ Industry Resource Guide REPLACEMENT PARTS

TOMATO PRODUCTS

TELEPHONE EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES/SERVICE Specializing in voice and data communications service, repair, installation, sequencers and on-hold messaging.

GUARANTEED LOWEST INDUSTRY PRICE!

SAUCE

www.fidelitycom.com.........................800-683-5600

ARMANINO FOODS ..............................................................Fine Italian Sauces 30588 San Antonio Street, Haywood, CA ..................................... 866-553-5611 Email: customerservice@armanino.biz.................... www.armaninofoods.com

WEBSITES

USED EQUIPMENT USED HOBART 60 QT. MIXER FOR SALE Call Lynn at 214-552-3218........................................ or e-mail tbfm@tbfm.com

VENTILATION

STICKY NOTES

TAKE AND BAKE TRAYS

WINGS

Sales Employment Opportunity PMQ Pizza Magazine is seeking onsite (Oxford, MS) or offsite sales professionals with strong background and knowledge of the pizza industry. You must possess an appreciation for the expanding ways that PMQ readers choose to stay connected with our business community, be it text, photo, audio, video or interactive. During the past 14 years, PMQ has evolved from a quarterly publication with a circulation of 10,000 readers to become the world’s best known pizza industry media brand with a circulation of 40,000 96

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

U.S. readers, 7,000 Australian readers (PMQ Australia), 5,000 Chinese readers (PMQ China) and an additional reach of thousands more pizzeria operators worldwide through partnering pizza publications. PMQ is also the online media leader, garnering twice the Web traffic as the competition. If you’re ready to help change the world of magazine media, send your resume to Stefanie Goodwiller at stefanie@pmq.com and Steve Green at sg@pmq.com.

Resource Guide Advertiser Index August 2011 Resource Advertiser

Phone

Page

AFC Insurance ......................................................800-411-4144 ............................. 88 Allied Metal Spinning ...........................................800-615-2266 ............................. 94 AM Manufacturing ..............................................800-342-6904 ............................. 87 American Institute of Baking ................................785-537-4910 ............................. 86 American Wholesale.............................................216-426-8882 ............................. 95 AMS Enterprises ...................................................865-524-2087 ............................. 89 Armanino Foods ...................................................866-553-5611 ............................. 96 Atlantic Shores .....................................................401-499-3618 ............................. 89 Arrow POS ............................................................888-378-3338 ............................. 86 Bacio ................................................................... 855-BACIO85 .............................. 86 Bag Solutions.......................................................866-224-8646 ............................. 93 Baker’s Quality Pizza Crusts ..................................800-846-6153 ............................. 87 Bay State Milling ..................................................800-55-FLOUR ............................. 88 Belissimo .............................................................800-813-2974 ............................. 88 Burke Corporation ................................................800-654-1152 ............................. 91 California Blending ..............................................626-448-1918 ............................. 95 Campus Collection ................................................800-289-8904 ............................. 86 Caputo .................................................................868-450-0090 ............................. 86 Castella Imports ...................................................866-CASTELLA ............................. 95 Century Printing ..................................................800-390-2679 ............................. 95 Chalk Talk ............................................................800-492-4255 ............................. 91 Checkcorp ............................................................800-927-6787 ............................. 93 Chef Santo Bruno .................................................813-230-8108 ............................. 87 Color Vision ..........................................................800-543-6299 ........................90, 95 CoverTex ..............................................................800-968-2310 ............................. 93 Crust Saver ...........................................................877-437-4903 ............................. 93 Dakota Living Flour ..............................................701-324-4330 ............................. 88 DeIorio’s...............................................................800-649-9212 ............................. 87 Domata Living Flour .............................................417-654-4010 ............................. 88 Dough Xpress .......................................................800-835-0606 ............................. 87 DoughMate ..........................................................800-501-2450 ............................. 87 Dutchess Bakers’ Machinery .................................800-777-4498 ............................. 87 Earthstone Ovens .................................................800-840-4915 ............................. 93 EDGE ....................................................................888-480-EDGE ............................. 94 Escalon ................................................................ 888-ESCALON.............................. 96 Factory Service .....................................................866-285-9213 ............................. 87 Fidelity Communications ......................................800-683-5600 ............................. 96 Fish Oven & Equipment ........................................877-526-8720 ............................. 93 Fontanini ............................................................ 800-331-MEAT ............................. 91 GI. Metal ..............................................................630-553-9134 ............................. 92 Granbury Restaurant Solutions .............................800-910-3947 ............................. 86 Grande Cheese Company ..................................... 800-8-GRANDE ............................ 86 High Point Coffee .................................................662-234-9942 ............................. 86 Hudson Refrigeration Manufacturing ...................800-924-8687 ............................ 89 Incredible Bags ....................................................888-254-9453 ............................. 92 Krisp-It ................................................................800-590-7908 ............................. 91 Klondike Cheese ...................................................608-325-3021 ............................. 86 La Nova............................................................... 800-6-LANOVA............................. 96 Le 5 Stagoni .........................................................800-780-2280 ............................. 88 Liguria Foods .......................................................800-925-1452 ............................. 91 Lillsun..................................................................260-356-6514 ............................. 95 Lincoln Foodservice Products ................................888-417-5462 ............................. 93 Lindsay ................................................................800-252-3557 ............................. 91 Loyalty Coach .......................................................901-927-2937 ............................. 90 M.Press Packaging ...............................................541-548-9889 ............................. 96 Magnetic Ad Concepts ..........................................800-365-3351 ............................. 90 Mario Camacho Foods...........................................800-881-4534 ............................. 91

Resource Advertiser

Phone

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Products ........................................................884-421-1060 ............................. 94 PDQ Signature Systems ........................................877-968-6430 ............................. 86 Peel A Deal...........................................................877-563-5654 ............................. 90 Peerless Ovens .....................................................800-548-4514 ............................. 94 Picard ..................................................................800-668-1883 ............................. 94 Pizza Equipment Warehouse.................................888-909-9237 ............................. 94 Pizza Tools ...........................................................800-840-8683 ............................. 94 Pizzaovens.com....................................................877-367-6836 ........................93, 94 Prebilt Hosting .....................................................878-291-7925 ............................. 96 Precision Mixers ...................................................877-924-9377 ............................. 91 Presto ..................................................................800-589-8604 ............................. 88 Printed Colors ......................................................239-352-2915 ............................. 95 Promotion Xpress .................................................888-310-7929 ............................. 95 Real New York Pizza Dough ...................................878-951-3555 ............................. 87 Red Gold ....................................................... 877-908-9798 ext. 163....................... 96 Redi Heat .............................................................888-556-2024 ............................. 92 Roto-Flex Oven.....................................................800-386-2279 ............................. 93 Ruxter .................................................................800-923-1953 ............................. 91 Saputo .................................................................800-824-3388 ............................. 86 Somerset .............................................................800-772-4404 ............................. 87 SpeedLine ............................................................888-400-9185 ............................. 87 Stamp Works ........................................................800-918-2743 ............................. 90 Star Pizza Box ......................................................800-626-0828 ............................. 91 Sugar Creek Packing .............................................800-848-8205 ............................. 91 Sunset Plastics .....................................................878-200-1013 ............................. 94 TNT Crust .............................................................920-431-7240 ............................. 87 T&T Graphics ........................................................800-557-9914 ............................. 95 Thermal Bags by Ingrid.........................................800-622-5560 ............................. 93 Thunderbird .........................................................800-7-MIXERS ............................. 89 Timeforge ............................................................866-684-8791 ............................. 90 Touch Pro .............................................................877-888-0300 ............................. 87 Ventilation Direct .................................................866-433-8335 ............................. 96 Vesuvio Foods ......................................................800-997-0887 ............................. 88 Wood Stone .........................................................800-988-8103 ............................. 94 WP Bakery Group .................................................203-929-6530 ............................. 89

August 2011 • pmq.com

(

time capsule

)

Pica’s Italian Restaurant A historic Pennsylvania pizzeria made the leap from bread truck to brick-and-mortar store. Pica’s (picas-restaurant.com) Italian-born founder, Frank Pica Sr., came to pizza through a natural progression: After working in a bakery and then running his own bread route in Philadelphia, he decided to open up a shop where he could make pizza to sell along his route. He began in 1941 with two to three tables, selling pies steadily by takeout and on his route, but by 1948 he’d left the bread truck behind and focused solely on his successful pizzeria. In 1955, he relocated to Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, only a few miles from the original locale, and that’s where the shop remains today, run by Frank’s progeny: his son, Frank Jr., along with his kids, Frank III, Angela and Lori. “Everything runs better with more hands in the business, but I also have a lot of employees that have been with me for many years,” says Frank Jr. “One employee has been at Pica’s since he was making boxes at 14, and he’s 53; these people are like family to me.” It was Frank Jr. who helped grow the pizzeria into a family restaurant; he talked his father into expanding the menu to serve sandwiches, and since then the restaurant has added a variety of items, including steaks, burgers and pasta, but the biggest draw remains the pizza, which accounts for about 50% of sales, says Frank Jr. “Through all of the changes in technology over the years— going from brick oven to conveyor, or from hand mixing dough to using an electric mixer—the pizza has stayed the sam sa am he says. “Years ago, it was grueling to make a pizza—and with no air same,” con co conditioning—but when you stay on top of the product and make it the same eevver er time, that’s the secret.” every N Frank Jr. looks toward opening a second location in the next couple of Now yeea since many of his customers travel from nearby communities just to eat years, th he pies they grew up with (still assembled with the sauce on top of the cheese)— the afttee all, since Frank Sr. abandoned his bread truck, the business has never af after o offered delivery. But, regardless of the b business’ continued growth, Frank Jr. s remains most proud of the original still p product. “When people come up to me, t they say, ‘I love the pizza,’” he laughs. “ “It’s always the pizza.” –Tracy Morin Frank Pica Sr. poses in and around his successful pizzeria in the 1950s.

Has your pizzeria been in business for 50 or more years? If so, contact us at tracy@pmq.com.

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly