PMQ Pizza Magazine January/February 2012 by PMQ Pizza Magazine

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Online at PMQ.com January/February 2012 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 John Sperry John Sperry, CEO of Mindshare Technologies, explains how using QR codes in your pizzeria can enhance customer satisfaction.

Pizzerias of the SEC Travel with Pizza TV as we visit four pizzerias located in SEC college football towns. To find out more, pick up the December 2011 issue of PMQ Pizza Magazine.

JohnPaul Catania Last year, after winning the lottery, Brooklyn resident JohnPaul Catania fulfilled his dream of opening a pizzeria. Hear how business is going at his new store Johnny Hollywoods.

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.

vocellipizzaNMB When you place your order online, receive 20% off! Enter code 779 when placing your order online! vocellipizza.com DenverPizzaCo Pizza trivia: 61 percent of Americans prefer regular, thin crust pizza; 11 percent choose extra-thin. VeneziasPizza What’s your favorite movie to watch while eating pizza? Let us know and get 15% off a Party Pizza using TW323! Romo’s Pizzeria Just three days left to drop off food for the local pantry! Drop off or give to our driver today when you order one of two Sunday specials! 1. Two large cheese pizzas - 24 wings - 2 liter $29.99 2. One large cheese pizza - 12 wings - 2 liter $18.99 Sparky’s Pizza From our Yelp reviews: Dang, Sparky’s! Good crust, bubbly…crispy and delicious. Lovin’ the cheese flowing like lava. Ordered the Hawaiian. Supergood for $3. Coals Artisan Pizza We are creating a newsletter filled with great offers for our customers. If you wish to join, just click on the link “Join Our List” on the left hand side of this page. We take your privacy seriously and would never, ever share your email address. 6

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Table of Contents January/February 2012 ON THE COVER PMQ’s 15th Anniversary PMQ Pizza Magazine is celebrating 15 years of service to the pizza industry. Look for special anniversary-related articles throughout this issue.

FEATURES 28 Peeling Good Find your perfect pizza peel. By Andrew Abernathy

34 15 to Watch See which pizzerias across the nation are getting major media attention.

36 The Bacon Boom One of America’s most beloved foods enjoys newfound popularity and a natural canvas in pizza. By Patrick Riordan

42 Kids Menus Grow Up Upgrade your kids menu and follow these easy tips to market a menu that kids—and parents—will enjoy. By Walter Webb

52 46 Where Are They Now? PMQ delves into the archives and catches up with four pizzeria operators from past profiles to find out how they’ve been prospering. By Tracy Morin

The Online Pizza Freestyle Battle Sixteen competitors from five countries show their best dough throwing moves in an online freestyle battle. By Walter Webb

Inside PMQ Sit down with PMQ’s Steve and Linda Green to explore the past—and future—of PMQ.

42 IN EVERY ISSUE 6 10

Online at PMQ.com Editor’s Note

12 Letters to the Editor 16

Pizza Press

Product Spotlight

Advertiser Index

Industry Resource Guide

Resource Guide Advertiser Index

DEPARTMENTS 20 In Lehmann’s Terms: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly The Dough Doctor reveals techniques to make more flavorful sauce and to master the complex fundamentals of a greattasting crust.

22 New York’s Finest: Chicken Pompdeu Chef Bruno presents an old family favorite featuring chicken cutlets and sliced eggplant covered with a creamy sauce.

24 Accounting for Your Money: On the Dock Mike Rasmussen explains how operators can save money by carefully monitoring all goods received.

26 Marketing Maven: Creating a Marketing Calendar

Linda Duke encourages mapping out your marketing goals to keep your business on track.

40 Pizza of the Month: Breakfast Pizzerias are taking advantage of the nonpizza eating hours, developing breakfast pizzas for the morning crowd.

54 Marketing Marvels: Fresh Brothers Community engagement and savvy marketing make Fresh Brothers stand out in Southern California.

58 Meet the Team: Ryle Jordan Meet a member of the U.S. Pizza Team in the pages of PMQ. This month, we feature Ryle Jordan, the team’s award-winning box folder.

36 Coming Next Month Pizza of the Month: Vegan Pizza Branding From the Inside Out: Learn how creative branding can make your pizzeria rise to the top.

Small Equipment: Learn about the small appliances found in a well-equipped pizzeria.

Gluten-Free Pizza: Discover how to attract an additional client base with gluten-free offerings.

To view any of the videos accompanying this month’s issue, go to PizzaTV.com and type “January/February 2012” in the search field. January/February 2012 • pmq.com

Editor’s Note Liz Barrett Celebrating 15 Years Anniversaries are a time to look back, but, more importantly, a time to look forward. In the very first editor’s letter from publisher Steve Green in the Fall ’97 premiere issue of Pizza Marketing Quarterly, Steve describes why he chose to start the magazine: “Marketing a pizza business in today’s competitive environment is tough. That’s because a great deal of success in this business requires a mastery of local store marketing. And that means being able to develop, execute and evaluate eight to 10 separate sales-building programs simultaneously. With that much detail to manage, developing a support team of competent marketing service providers is an indispensable asset, especially if those providers can offer low-cost, pretested turnkey marketing programs. That’s why I started this magazine—to create a marketing marketplace within the pizza industry—a place where you can find the services you need and where the service providers can find you. The more pizza marketing ideas, sources and choices we have, the more pizza we’re going to sell.”

Room for Growth Since PMQ’s start in 1997, overall sales for the pizza industry have grown by more than 20%, according to PMQ’s annual Pizza Power Report, and the number of ways for pizzeria operators to market their businesses, including social networking, online ordering, texting and more, has grown by leaps and bounds. Here at PMQ, we’ve been thrilled to have the opportunity to report on these changes as they happen and are confident that additional opportunities to help our readers’ businesses flourish are right around the corner as we set our sights on the next 15 years.

Looking Back and Moving Forward In this issue, as the magazine kicks off its 15th year of publication—first as Pizza Marketing Quarterly and now as PMQ Pizza Magazine—we’re calling attention to some of the many people who have had a hand in our success over the years. In “Where Are They Now?” on page 46, we revisit some of the first pizzerias profiled in PMQ and discover how they’ve prospered over the past 15 years. A special Letters to the Editor section on page 12 shares mail from those in the industry who wanted to tell their own stories about how PMQ has affected them. In our “Thank You to Advertisers” on page 51, we thank those who, over the years, have reached out to readers through advertisements in PMQ. And on our closing page, Steve and Linda Green share how the magazine got its start, how it’s grown, and where they envision the publication—and the industry—heading. Have your own story to share about PMQ? We’ll be publishing them throughout 2012. Send yours to editor@pmq.com. Here’s to another 15 successful years!

Best Pizza Wishes,

Liz Barrett Editor-in-chief PMQ Pizza Magazine

Steve and Linda Green have become fixtures in the pizza industry over the past 15 years. Read an interview with the Greens on page 82 and see more footage on PizzaTV.com. 10

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Letters to the Editor Liz Barrett In this special 15th anniversary edition of Letters to the Editor, we’re including letters from those around the industry who wanted to share their memories of PMQ over the years. If someone would have told me 11 years ago that I would be tossing pizza for a living, I probably would have smacked him—but here I am! Our customers raved about our pizza, saying it was the best they ever had. I told my wife we should compete and see how good it really was. My wife and I went as spectators to the New York Pizza Show in 2007. After watching all of the competitions, I looked at my wife and said, “I can do this.” We went to Orlando that fall for the next competition and ended up taking third-best in America with our pizza. In a week’s time, business shot up more than 30%. We also saw more people traveling over an hour to try our product. I started receiving PMQ Pizza Magazine in the mail and can’t begin to tell you the wealth of information I’ve gathered from this publication. If I had a problem with dough, the Dough Doctor had the solution. If I needed fresh marketing ideas, they were there, too. Any problem I have can be handled somewhere in the pages of PMQ—even legal issues! If I can’t find an immediate answer in the magazine, I’ll hit the archives at PMQ. com or shoot out the problem to the Think Tank to see how other operators are handling the same issue. I have been fortunate enough to win the title “Best Pizza in America” twice and credit PMQ for our success. I hope anyone who reads this will find the courage to compete, and tell the world they have great pizza! I look forward to meeting you. And if you don’t already get it, subscribe to PMQ today! David Smith, II U.S. Pizza Team Coach Smith’s Pizza Palace Plus Emporium, PA

Bring On th e PIE As one of the few businesses actually growing in the current economy, Straw Hat Restaurants, Inc. (SHRI) is indebted to the premier pizza industry business resource for assisting in unrivaled growth within the last few years. PMQ’s magazine and website helps keep SHRI up to date on current trends with the latest information that directly affects business. PMQ provides SHRI with time-sensitive ideas and information that, as a result, has generated great exposure for the enterprise, which prides itself on staying ahead of the curve. SHRI is proud to display its treasured Pizza Industry Enterprise (PIE) Award it received in 2009 from PMQ in the lobby of the corporate headquarters in San Ramon, California. Jonathan Fornaci President Straw Hat Pizza San Ramon, CA Straw Hat Pizz a has been chosen as our 2009 Pizza Industry Ente By Liz Barrett rprise (PIE) Award winn

er.

Straw Hat Pizza

Magazine –

PMQ, Inc. Publisher Steve Green sg@pmq.com ext. 123 Co-Publisher Linda Green linda@pmq.com ext. 121 EDITORIAL

Business Magazine

equity of 50

years in operation

winner: Straw

and word of

Editor-in-Chief Liz Barrett liz@pmq.com ext. 126

Hat Pizza

mouth

Managing Editor Rick Hynum rick@pmq.com ext. 130 Senior Copy Editor Tracy Morin tracy@pmq.com ext. 140 Associate Editor Andrew Abernathy andrew@pmq.com ext. 133 Assistant Editor Walter Webb walter@pmq.com ext. 124 DESIGN/PRODUCTION Art Director Ellen Kellum ellen@pmq.com ext. 135 IT Director Bernard Rueschhoff IT@pmq.com ext. 139 Video and Web Editor Daniel Morrow daniel@pmq.com ADVERTISING 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 Chief Financial Officer Shawn Brown shawn@pmq.com Circulation Manager Sherlyn Clark sherlyn@pmq.com ext. 120 Director of Operations/ Event Coordinator Brian Hernandez brian@pmq.com ext. 129

I want to thank you all for helping me succeed in my career. I started as a dishwasher; now I own two pizzerias, and my documentary movie is coming out soon. I never could have been this successful without PMQ’s help. I could not be happier that I met the PMQ team. Congratulations on your 15th anniversary. I wish you all the best! Hakki Akdeniz U.S. Pizza Team Member Famous Hakki Pizza New York, NY

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 PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

The Pizza Industry’s

ISSN 1937-5263

C. Fornaci

This year’s PIE Award decision down to three came deserving candidates: tle Caesars, LitFamous Famiglia Hat Pizza. and Straw However, the combina Straw Hat tion of Pizza’s sales and including growing beyond unit growth— teamed with its own goals— its ability to stay on trends affecting The Stats: today’s consume top of the company r, put ahead of the pack, 2009 Pizza us to name leading Straw Hat Industry Enterpr Pizza as the of PMQ’s ise (PIE) Award winner 2009 Pizza Headquarters: Industry Enterpri (PIE) Award. San Ramon, se CA Owners: C-Corp, Recently named the more than ¿fth fastest 200 sharehold ing pizza President: growrestauran ers Jonathan C. Fornaci hottest franchise t chain and one of Year started: the s by America 1959 Franchises ’s Hottest (AHF), Straw Website: strawhatp more than Hat grossed izza.com $40 million Total units: last year and grown from 63 has 38 units at the end of Franchise to 63 units units: 62 2007 since presiden Fornaci came t Jonathan Average annual C. on board sales per location: in January “Our plans 2008. Average number $680,000 are to have more than of seats per units open 100 by the end location: 100-120 POS system: of 2010,” naci. “So far Diamond Touch says Forwe’re on target Ovens: Lincoln possibly exceed— to meet—an d that goal.” Dine-in, delivery, Begun in 1959, that takeout, online the 100% chised company ordering Drivers per franlocation: 6-7 runs only store, dedicatin one corporat Employees e g per location: ing its franchise all of its energy to 14-18 helpes, Fornaci Biggest selling extensive point: Family-fri training program says. “We hold endly, fun and Best marketin s and send 54 PMQ Pizza great food g tool: Brand out

We want to hear from you!

president Jonathan

— A Publication of PMQ Inc. — Winner of 4 ASBPE Awards Winner of 4 GAMMA Awards

Telemarketer Marie Johnson marie@pmq.com ext. 144 PMQ INTERNATIONAL PMQ China Yvonne Liu yvonne@pmq.com PMQ Australia-NZ Tom Boyles tom@pmqaustralia.com Pizza&Food Gabriele Ancona gabriele.ancona@pizzafood.it French Liaison Julien Panet jpanet@pizza.fr EDITORIAL ADVISORS Chef Santo Bruno Tom Lehmann Joey Todaro Ed Zimmerman CONTRIBUTORS Chef Santo Bruno Linda Duke Tom Lehmann Myles Mellor Mike Rasmussen Patrick Riordan Mike Robinson Volume 16, Issue 1 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.

Letters to the Editor Liz Barrett Zeak Zeak’s Tweaks Jeff

Happy birthday, PMQ Pizza Magazine! Following PMQ has been interesting and beneficial to my career and association with pizza. The advertisements, resource guide at the back of every issue, and the annual buyers guide help me stay abreast with current developments in ingredients, equipment and assorted trimmings associated with pizza production. Monthly articles pertaining to pizza troubleshooting, marketing, accounting and other various aspects of the pizza business (front and back end) are extremely beneficial, and all of the topics are so timely. The Pizza of the Month, featuring various ingredients and spotlighting different pizzerias, is always a great way to get new incomebuilding ideas. And if all of the above were not enough, there is the fantastic resource of PMQ.com. The Think Tank forum, Pizza TV and the Recipe Bank are my favorites, and are great ways to get new revenue-generating ideas. Thank you, PMQ Pizza Magazine, for 15 years of service to the pizza industry. I’m looking forward to many more years of great things to come. Jeff Zeak Pilot Plant Manager American Institute of Baking (AIB) Zeak’s Tweaks columnist for PMQ Hear more from Jeff Zeak on PizzaTV.com.

ia Flavorful Focacc Jeff Zeak takes QUESTION:

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Monthly Magazine Business Business Industry’s Industry’s The Pizza – The Pizza Pizza Magazine – PMQ’sMagazine PMQ 00 Pizza

It’s been just a great journey for everyone! I was honored to speak at PMQ’s first New York Pizza Show. It takes Steve’s passion and a skilled staff to build a magazine as you have when every other magazine is shrinking! Congrats and keep moving forward! Go get ’em! Gregg Rapp Menu Engineer Palm Springs, CA

I entered the pizza industry seven years ago with nothing more than a dream of being successful. Although I did not have any business or restaurant experience, my partner at the time taught me how to make pizza, and it was love at first slice! I quickly realized I was in over my head and vividly remember searching online for dough recipes when I discovered PMQ. Every day I would go to PMQ.com and research cooking tips, marketing ideas, dough management and pizza recipes. Once I became the sole owner of my pizzeria, I was able to implement the new techniques and knowledge that I had obtained from PMQ. Thanks to this, it didn’t take long to develop a reputation for having the best pizza in Denver. In 2007, my wife, Larissa, and I sold the pizzeria in Colorado and moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. I immediately became aware of the triathlon/cycling community and opened Tour de Pizza, a triathlon-themed pizzeria. On July 15, 2009, a reporter from the St. Petersburg Times overheard me say, “Pizza is the healthiest fast food, and I could do way better than Jared Fogle from Subway!” She challenged me to 30 days of eating nothing but pizza, and I took the challenge. After great success with the diet, I reached out to PMQ as a spokesman for the pizza industry and in June 2010 teamed up with PMQ to create Tour de Pizza 2010, a 1,300-mile, 22-city bike ride from Florida to New York to deliver the message that pizza is not junk food. I never would have imagined seven years ago that I would have a thriving restaurant, become a health, fitness and pizza guru and have the opportunity to represent an entire industry. I could not have accomplished what I have in my career without the guidance, resources and support that PMQ has provided for the past 15 years! Matt McClellan Pizza Industry Spokesman Tour de Pizza St. Petersburg, FL

Think Tank 2.0 What’s the buzz? Log on to find out the latest industry buzz at PMQ.com/tt. Smartphone ordering… Where do you get your wings from? Going from six to seven days a week… Direct menu mail strategy? Breadstick sauce... Thank You to Our PMQ Think Tank Moderators Daddio: Member since June 2006 Tom Lehmann: Member since June 2006 14

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

PMQ Pizza – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly 00 PMQ’s Magazine Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Magazine

Pizza Press News and Views

$60,000 Raised for Family Only a few days after 22-year-old delivery driver Adam Sarnecki was fatally shot outside a Pizza X (pizzaxbloomington.com) location in Bloomington, Indiana, hundreds of community members banded together to raise funds for Sarnecki’s fiancée and three children as the pizzeria opened for the first time since the tragedy. From Monday, November 7, to Wednesday, November 10, the pizzeria donated 100% of its profits to a trust for the family. The pizzeria quickly flooded with orders, bringing in $42,851 in three days; at press time, the pizzeria had raised nearly $60,000. “We wanted to do something powerful,” explains Pizza X co-owner Jeff Mease. “There was a lot of news around the murder, so people knew what we were planning for the family.” According to Mease, the pizzeria filled 400 to 500 orders each night. Some customers waited more than two hours for pizzas during the dinner rush; one customer tried to call in an order 176 times before coming to the pizzeria to wait in line behind 30 people. Employees (and even former employees) from the four other Pizza X locations volunteered their time as well. “It allowed community members to feel like they were doing something good,” Mease says. “It never crossed my mind what an event it would be. I think feeling like you could do something good after a tragedy touched a lot of people.” – –A.A. A.A.

The Pizza Marathon Last November, Matt McClellan, creator of the 30-Day Pizza Diet and the owner of Tour de Pizza (tourdepizza.com) in St. Petersburg, Florida, coordinated and ran the first New York Pizza Marathon. In addition to running the 26-plus miles, McClellan, alongside his personal trainer, teamed up with the A Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour to sample some of the most iconic pies in New York during the run. PMQ asked McClellan, a proponent of pizza as a health food, a few questions about his latest feat. Was this your first marathon? Yes. I’d never run a marathon of any kind. I’ve completed a couple triathlons, but nothing like this. We ran from pizzeria to pizzeria, so we didn’t have closed streets or police escorts. We were on streets with people, and we had to stop and go with the traffic—whatever it took to finish.

Hear more about this marathon and McClellan’s pizza philosophy on PizzaRadio.com.

Tell us how the marathon began. We started at Grimaldi’s under the Brooklyn Bridge, where we met A Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour with founder Tony Muia. We joined them at

noon for a slice, and while the tour learned about the history of the pizza, my trainer, Travis, and I took off to L & B Spumoni Gardens, the next destination on the tour. It was about 8.3 miles, and we had an hour and a half. We just started running! What inspired you to do this? I did it as an extension of the Pizza Diet, and I did it for the industry. I want to continue to show that pizza is a healthy food and teach people how to eat it responsibly. You can ride a bike all the way up the East Coast, like I did last year. You can build lean muscle in the gym, and you can run and be an athlete. What are your pizza plans for 2012? This year I’m challenging anyone—any person, doctor, trainer, nutritionist, exercise program host or celebrity—to pit their plan against my diet for 90 days. I can show that the Pizza Diet is the greatest diet system ever created. –A.A.

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Consumers Favor Tap Water Refills Tap water has become one of the fastest-growing beverages ordered at U.S. restaurants, whereas beverages that generate revenue have declined during the past five years, according to research by The NPD Group. There has been a 6% drop in total beverage servings, according to the NPD report Beverages at Foodservice: Satisfying Our Thirst for Beverages. “A key learning from this report is that much of the declines in beverage servings is tied to the price/value relationship the consumer perceives,” the report says. Free refills and costs were among reasons consumers ordered tap water instead of other beverages, says Bonnie Riggs, NPD restaurant industry analyst and author of the report. “Some declining beverages will fare better as the economy recovers, but beverage providers will need to address consumers’ concerns and poor value perceptions to stem further losses,” Riggs explains. However, operators can change these perceptions, Riggs notes. “New flavors, addressing taste interests, preparing fresh and creating new versions of existing beverages are factors in beverages that are growing,” she says. Restaurants addressing market changes will ultimately develop beverages that meet consumers’ demand for value. –W.W.

Lotto Dreams JohnPaul Catania, aka Johnny Hollywood, is a lucky man. After winning $20,000 in the lottery last fall, the Brooklyn resident fulfilled his dream of opening his first pizzeria with the winnings. With additional financial backing from Joe Riggio, owner of New York Pizza Suprema (nypizzasuprema.com), Johnny Hollywoods (johnnyhollywoods.com) opened last November with classic New York-style pies and an organic and vegan menu. “I’m getting a huge organic and vegan crowd,” Catania says. “So far, the response has been great. We want to change the face of the pizza industry. We have very indulgent pizza, but we also have pizza for the health-conscious.” Lacking a traditional pizza background, last year Catania spent his spare time working without pay at Pizza Suprema—and buying a lottery ticket every day. As a friend of Riggio, he’d fell in love with the second-generation pizzaiolo’s recipes. “I said, ‘Joe, help a fellow Italian out and teach me about the pizza business—I’ll work for free,’” he explains. “So months pass by, and I’m making the dough and sauce, and I learn to run the pizzeria by myself. Next thing I know, I win $20,000 in the lottery!” While the Johnny Hollywoods brand is in its infancy, Catania plans for continued growth and feels confident in his investment. “I was just a hardHear more about Johnny Hollywoods working guy going from paycheck to paycheck,” he laughs. “Instead of blowing my money on a new car or new clothes, I on PizzaRadio.com. bought a pizzeria.” –A.A.

Chicken Avocado Is Creative Pizza Contest Winner Chef Melissa Jones from Metropolitan American Diner & Bar in North Wales, Pennsylvania, has won the first-ever U.S. Foods Creative Pizza Recipe Competition. Jones’ chicken avocado pizza with chipotle aioli earned her the top spot and a check for $1,000. The recipe contest was part of the Find the Missing Profits Pizza Promotion, which encouraged U.S. Foods customers to create original recipes and add pizza to their restaurant menus using U.S. Foods’ Roseli dough. Each week between September 1 and October 31, participants submitted recipes based on a featured ingredient or theme, such as fresh vegetables, breakfast pizza or fresh fruit. Each recipe was judged on use of the featured ingredient/theme of the week, originality, flavor, appearance and ease of preparation. Winners were selected each week, and the grand-prize winner was chosen from the pool of weekly winners. After winning the recipe contest, Jones’ avocado chicken pizza has been added to her restaurant’s menu. –W.W.

Smart Delivery Swiss-designed Rinspeed Smart Cars have been used as delivery vehicles by environmentally conscious U.S. pizzerias for years, but the latest design from the automaker— featuring an oven attached to the rear of the vehicle—may point to the future of pizza delivery. The Dock+GO design, announced in December, was originally created to add an extra battery, hydrogen fuel cell or gasoline engine to the car. However, one variation of the plan ditches the extra energy and replaces it with a detachable electric pizza oven. Described by the manufacturer as a “backpack on wheels,” the addition connects directly to the vehicle’s rear axle and may be ideal for pizzerias to ensure hot deliveries. The full details of how these “packs” will actually work have yet to be released, but the smart vehicle is scheduled to be introduced to the public at the Geneva Auto Show on March 8. –A.A.

January/February 2012 • pmq.com

Pizza Press News and Views

Coats for Kids Happy’s Pizza (happyspizza.com), a nationwide chain based in Detroit, and a Detroit church, Greater Grace Temple, partnered to give 4,000 new coats to children from low-income families this winter. Since its inception in 2009, Happy’s Coats for Kids has provided more than 10,000 free winter coats. At Happy’s Pizza locations, parents receive vouchers that can be redeemed for a child’s winter coat at a central distribution facility; children ages three to 13 are eligible for the free coats. “Happy’s Pizza is a community partner and sincerely wants to give back to those who are struggling,” says Melvin Epps, communications director of Greater Grace Temple. Meanwhile, in Seattle, Pizzeria 22 (pizzeria22.com) has started a Coats for Kids, Pizza for Parkas coat drive. “We are accepting new or slightly used coat donations for children from infant to 18 years of age, and those who donate will receive a coupon good for one free Margherita pizza, redeemable at Pizzeria 22,” says owner Cary Kemp. “Our goal is to donate 200 coats for children in need.” The coats were presented through the Atlantic Street Center to distribute to children. The effort is a collaboration of Kemp’s Pizzeria 22 and two other pizzerias in Seattle, Via Tribunali (viatribunali.net) and Cornuto Pizzeria. –W.W.

Pizza = Vegetable?

The U.S. Congress has blocked regulations proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that would have put strict nutritional standards on school lunches. The USDA proposal would have reduced the amount of starchy foods, including potatoes, corn, lima beans and peas, added more fruits and vegetables, and reduced the amount of sodium in school lunches. The legislation would have also stopped defining tomato paste, such as that found on pizzas, as a vegetable. The USDA’s proposal would have designated ½ cup of tomato paste as one serving—too much to put on a pizza slice. But, in a spending bill that included the $11 billion National School Lunch Program, Congress revised the rule, directing that just two tablespoons of tomato paste would be classified as a vegetable. The action has drawn harsh criticism from nutrition advocacy groups, who encouraged the USDA’s first overhaul of the school-lunch nutritional guidelines in 15 years. –W.W.

Big Apple Pizza Out for Blood As part of its third annual Be a Hero Blood Drive in November, Big Apple Pizza & Pasta (bigapplepizza.com) in Ft. Pierce, Florida, and The Van Duzer Foundation helped raise 1,352 pints of blood for local and regional hospitals. Setting a new record for the drive, more than 1,700 attempted to donate during the event. “The first year, we had 10 teams; last year, we had 20 teams; and this year, we had 45 teams,” says Scott VanDuzer, owner of Big Apple Pizza and creator of the foundation. “We asked everyone to tell family, friends, clients, customers—anyone who could come out and donate.” Teams sponsored by local businesses and organizations were encouraged to recruit members to donate at two mobile donor stations for two days, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Indian River State College (IRSC), just across the street from Big Apple Pizza, took first place in the competition, and former Miami Dolphins quarterback and NFL commentator Bob Griese made a guest appearance to award the Blood Hear VanDuzer discuss the Be a Hero Blood Drive Bowl—a 3’ traveling trophy that bears the name of each year’s winner—to IRSC president Ed on PizzaRadio.com. 18

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

(Left to right) Scott VanDuzer, local radio personality Hamp Elliott and national blood donation advocate (and former recipient of 110 pints) Larry Frederick make the day’s first donations.

Massey. “The amount of blood we raised is used in just 48 hours, and it can save more than 4,000 lives,” VanDuzer explains. “That’s the need for what we do here.” –A.A.

EDITORS AT LARGE

While in Birmingham, Alabama, editor-in-chief Liz Barrett and senior copy editor Tracy Morin stopped by two of the city’s most popular pizzerias. Started by three brothers, Slice Pizza & Brew (slicebirmingham.com) draws customers from the street with a large wraparound porch and the promise of locally procured ingredients. A seasonal menu and local craft beers showcase Birmingham’s bounty while lunch specials, live bands every other Saturday, and Sunday football games on the big screens inside keep customers coming back for more. Barrett and Morin kicked off their meal with a Baked Feta appetizer with sundried tomatoes, roasted garlic, fresh thyme and olive oil. Next they dove headfirst into the pizza menu with a White Shadow pie, topped with garlic, caramelized onion, portobello mushrooms, feta, Parmesan and truffle oil, and the Mexicali, with braised pork, roasted cherry tomatoes, diced chilies, caramelized onion, fresh jalepeño and cilantro. Recently voted a 2011 Best New Chef by Food & Wine magazine, owner James Lewis brought his culinary experience from Italy and California to Bettola (bettolarestaurant.

com) in the Avondale neighborhood of Birmingham. In keeping with the restaurant’s thoroughly Italian approach, Bettola’s flours, cheeses, tomatoes and cured meats originate in Barrett Campania, and plants are grown specifically for the restaurant from seeds that originated in Italy. Barrett and Morin sampled several items from the Bettola menu, including a variety of marinated olives; Insalata di Erbe, with basil, mint, arugula, parsley, romaine, lemon emulsion and Parmesan; Crostini di Fava, topped with fava Ingredients for Bettola’s Margherita D.O.C. pizza bean puree and local are shipped in from Italy. arugula; a Margherita D.O.C. pizza with San Marzano tomato, bufala mozzarella and basil; and tiramisu for dessert. –L.B.

Morin

January/February 2012 • pmq.com

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

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

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann discusses keys to success and worst mistakes when making pizza. Question: What do you think is the biggest mistake being made by pizzeria operators today with regard to pizza quality?

Answer: I think one of the biggest mistakes being made is the use of too much dried basil and/or oregano in their pizzas. I see these herbs being added to the sauce and then again to the top of the pizza just before going into the oven. The end result is that the herbs tend to completely overpower the flavor of the pizza, so now we begin a quest for more flavor in the sauce and cheese because we can’t taste them anymore. My pizza partner in crime, Jeff Zeak, and I have been working to address this issue for some time now, and what we have found is that when the amount of flavoring, in the form of dried herbs

(oregano and basil) is reduced, or replaced with fresh, green leaf basil and/or oregano, the sharp pungency is reduced, and the true flavors of the sauce and cheese become more pronounced. One of the side benefits to this approach has been that the amount of cheese used on the pizza can be reduced without loss of flavor, which should be of interest in these days of wildly fluctuating cheese prices. Another benefit that I’ve seen is that with the less pungently flavored pizzas, there are fewer complaints from older clients about heartburn after eating pizza.

Question: What are the secrets to making a greattasting, flavorful pizza crust?

Answer: There are a number of things that go into making a great-flavored pizza crust. The flour should have at least 11.5% protein content or more for optimum flavor contribution from the flour used in making the dough. The ideal salt level for pizza dough is between 1.75% and 2.25% of the total flour weight in the dough. I like to use the 1.75% level, as there is already a significant salt contribution from the sauce, cheese and many of the toppings. Olive oil in the dough can provide a level of flavor to the finished crust, too. I like to use a lower grade of olive oil in the dough since it has a more “robust” flavor; if cost is a factor, a blended oil can be used and will still provide decent flavor. To get the flavor impact from the oil, you should use between 2% and

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

4% oil, based on the total flour weight. At higher levels, the oil, regardless of type, may begin to impart too much of a characterizing flavor or texture to the finished crust, possibly affecting the overall flavor assessment of the crust. Processing parameters also have a significant influence on the flavor of the finished crust. The amount of fermentation that the dough receives, at what temperatures (refrigerated or room temperature), will have a significant impact upon the finished crust flavor. Longer fermentation times at cooler temperatures, such as in the cooler, tend to impart a more flavorful fermentation, while fermentation at warmer temperatures, such as at room temperature, tend to give a stronger, sharper, more acidic flavor to the finished crust. The baking of the crust might have the greatest overall impact upon the flavor of the finished crust. A pizza that is lightly baked will typically be somewhat lacking in overall flavor, while one that is given a good, solid bake, even to the point of developing some char on the crust, will be characterized by a wonderfully complex flavor resulting from the variations in denaturing of flour proteins during the baking process. As you can see, crust flavor is a rather complex matter, coming from many different directions to give our pizza crust a great flavor that our customers just can’t get enough of. Remember, it is the crust that more often than not characterizes your pizza, so it pays to make sure it has the best flavor possible.

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.

New York’s Finest Chef Santo Bruno See cooking demos by Chef Bruno on PizzaTV.com.

Chicken Pompdeu Chef Bruno breaks out an old favorite in this classic chicken dish. This dish is one of the first dishes I learned to cook back when I was training to become a chef, and I have never forgotten it—it’s always on my mind. So there were many times when I thought about including this recipe in PMQ Pizza Magazine. Now I’ve finally done it! My wife and family ask me to make this dish all the time for them, so today we’ll make them happy. I’m quite sure you’ll also enjoy this dish. Plus, it’s very simple to make— please give it a try! Enjoy!

You’ll Need: 2 chicken cutlets (7 oz. each) 11 oz. Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs 2 eggplants, sliced into ovals (⅜” thick, with skin) 2 eggs, whipped 7 oz. spaghetti sauce 14 oz. cream 1 tbsp. parsley 1 pinch nutmeg 1 tbsp. almonds 16 oz. olive oil or vegetable oil (for frying; add more as needed) 1 pinch each white pepper and salt

¼ oz. butter

Directions:

Mangia!

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. 22

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

SLNY PRODUCTIONS

Whip the eggs in a mixing bowl. Pour the breadcrumbs in a flat dish. Pour the oil in a 12” frying pan. Once the oil is hot, put the eggplant in the pan and fry until golden brown, then place on a paper towel to absorb excess oil. (Reserve the oil to fry the chicken.) Dip the chicken cutlets in the egg, then dredge in the breadcrumbs and pack down until the cutlets are fully coated. Fry the chicken to a golden brown, then place on a paper towel to absorb excess oil. In a clean frying pan on low heat, add butter, cream, spaghetti sauce, almonds, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Boil lightly for about three to four minutes. Once all of the ingredients are ready, place the chicken and eggplant on top of each other and pour the sauce mixture over them. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Yako Lee dropped in to visit Chef Bruno. They met in Beijing, where Lee is an upand-coming filmmaker.

Accounting for Your Money Michael J. Rasmussen, CPA

On the Dock Save money by fixing your system for receiving food supplies. QUESTION: Why aren’t my inventory counts ever accurate?

ANSWER: Most operators assign the responsibility of receiving product from suppliers to whatever employee happens to be around at the time. Therefore, the beginning inventory and purchase counts of items received are frequently inaccurate, which in turn adds additional error to the food cost percentage you’re attempting to calculate. This month, we will list some of the top attributes of a well-organized and conscientious receiving system that will result in accurate product item counts. To obtain helpful information, at a recent seminar at the American Institute of Baking in Manhattan, Kansas, I interviewed a man who has been receiving product for restaurants and institutions for 25 years. First, know your receiving employee, since he is the key to your food cost. Next, make sure the purchase order prices match the prices on the bills. If required, document the time and temperature when receiving frozen produce upon receipt, before placing it directly into the freezer. There should be a scale at the point of receiving to weigh everything. If the item should be counted, open the case and count it. Make sure that any free products you received with purchases are taken off when the product hits your dock. Use a first-in, first-out inventory tracking system, and rotate your stock without fail. In closing, do not leave your items unattended; the deliveryperson is not your friend. The person who receives the product should take some type of ServSafe course that will help make him more aware of food cost. Set up a system that works for your place of business. Do not accept damaged goods. Check each case that comes off the truck and compare it to the bill to make sure that you have the right items. Don’t simply sign for any goods that are on the truck because you’re in a hurry—this can cost you in the end. Take your time, since your attentiveness may be critical if you need to go back and check the receiver. Take a picture of the invoice with your smartphone and email this data to your internal accountant for later reference. Coordinate with your inside or outside accountant to verify receiving information with the supplier’s website, and resolve discrepancies immediately; each day that goes by creates a more difficult situation to resolve. In addition, if any parties are relying on accurate food costing, these discrepancies might fall through the cracks, demanding more time to find out where the errors started and causing the operator to rely on erroneous data to make vital purchasing decisions. 24

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

QUESTION: Why do I have to call my food sales representative to resolve receiving issues?

ANSWER: You don’t! Most suppliers will provide you with access to a website where you can view your information in close to real time. Get connected to verify the data you receive. Find someone in your operation who will embrace technology and match the receiver and picture of the receiving invoice you have captured on your smartphone, accessing the supplier website within 24 hours to verify and confirm all returns and discrepancies. In this digital age, the information is accessible with a little effort, helping to improve your system of receiving. Supplier response to provide this information will take some time but will save you by allowing for accurate accounting and food costing down the road.

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

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 Marketing Maven Linda Duke

Creating a Marketing Calendar Maintain a calendar to help improve your business’ organization. Marketing professionals are the keepers of many things—the company’s artwork and logos, photography and business card templates, past and present collateral, manuals, advertisements and press clips, just to name a few. However, one of the most important elements of any marketing program is communications. One simple tool for keeping track of dates, deadlines and launches is a calendar—not just a simple calendar, but a calendar with each component of a business plugged in and visible to all. For instance, a franchise organization needs to keep track of its franchisees, including their store openings and schedules, as well as company-wide new product developments. Once new products have been tested and refined, marketing develops a name and messaging, package design and signage, advertisements, press releases, e-mail campaigns, and so on. Using a calendar can work wonders in this process. For a marketing department, a calendar is a must. With so many integrated communications strategies involved in a marketing plan, and the amazing number of details involved, you have to be able to look ahead and plan accordingly. If you can determine what the year ahead looks like, a calendar also helps for budgeting. If your calendar lists when new products or stores will be introduced or when major announcements or promotions are planned, you can actually see opportunities to try new ideas and budget accordingly. Adding all internal dates on a marketing calendar will create a master communications calendar for the entire company; soon, the marketing team members will be proactive leaders with a well-planned calendar! Here are some tips to help you get rolling with your own marketing event calendar: • Create a list of top priorities that you know must be accomplished in 2012. • Create a spreadsheet for each of the areas you are responsible for—public relations, advertising, direct mail, Web, promotions, etc.—and list these across the top of the spreadsheet. • Under each heading make a list of top priorities for that area. • After you list the priorities, begin to fill in a “wish list” of things you would like to be able to accomplish in the next year. Perhaps you would like to launch a new product or introduce a new marketing promotion. • Next comes calendaring: Create a visual calendar and indicate what items on your spreadsheet will go into which months. For example, indicate the month (and date if you can get that specific) in which you will start each of the priorities, plus 26

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

the month in which it gets launched or implemented, and fill in the calendar for the year—this will show you how you can integrate other items around specific priorities and make sure you have enough time to get everything done to execute. One can be created for each of the areas of responsibility—for example, one for advertisements that are running, one for press releases and subjects to target, and so on. • Next, find out what it all costs. Once you’ve figured out your priorities, your wish list and your calendar and it all looks like it can work, the next step is to determine the costs required to create your budget. • Create your plan. Once you have clearly defined the priorities, understood the timing and calendared them, including the lead times needed to prepare, and you have determined a budget for everything, creating the plan is a cinch! It’s like starting with diagrams first and then writing the report—you can see how everything works together and can present your plan in both written and visual formats. Linda Duke is the CEO of Duke Marketing and author of Recipes for Restaurateurs (marketing-cookbook.com), a “cookbook” of marketing ideas for restaurant owners. She publishes a quarterly industry resource, Restaurant Marketing Magazine, and an educational program, LSM-U, Local Store Marketing University. Find out more at dukemarketing.com.

Peeling Good

They come in many shapes, sizes and prices, but with the right selection, pizza peels can help your kitchen run smoothly. By Andrew Abernathy A pizza peel may seem like just another baking tool, but odds are that you depend on one daily. The right peel can prevent two common kitchen disasters— dropping pies on the way to or from the oven (perhaps due to a loose blade or slippery handle) and excess flour burned into crusts and inside the oven. But with the right peel selection, you can avoid these issues and, with proper storage and cleaning, extract years of use from most peels. “The first mistake some people make: They shop for the price and not the peel,” says Al Roma, owner of Mr. Peel in Livonia, Michigan. “Owners need good equipment, and they need it to last awhile.”

Metal vs. Wood While peel blades can come in a variety of food-safe materials, as Roma points out, there are two primary types of peels, and each has advantages—wood (usually made from hardwoods such as ash, birch, basswood, cherry and maple or sometimes bamboo) and metal (usually made of aluminum, an aluminum alloy or stainless steel). Wooden peels are time-honored, durable and provide a great surface for applying toppings. On the other hand, metal peels will not warp or dry out and shrink from heat exposure. Some metal blades are even designed to prevent dough dusting materials from sticking to your crusts after preparation. “Perforations on the surface of metal peel 28

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

blades help remove flour or cornmeal to prevent burning the bottom of pizzas,” explains Jenny Sanios, sales manager of Yorkville, Illinois-based GI.Metal USA. “Also, the maintenance for metal peels is minimal, and with metal, you don’t have to worry about germs and dirt contaminating the peel.” Metal peels should have a secure, often riveted, connection to the handle, and a peel with a wide or textured handle can prevent a heavy pie from slipping in your palm. “You can’t buy an aluminum blade dimpled on a broom handle and expect it to hold,” says Roma. “When you buy a sturdy peel, you make up the cost in the pizzas you don’t drop.” With advantages to each, many operators use both wood and metal peels in their kitchens. At Motorino (motorinopizza.

com) in New York, owner Mathieu Palombino relies on custom-made white birch peels. “Our pizza is a little larger than traditional Neapolitan pizza, so we need a peel that’s a little larger as well,” he explains. “To me, the wood feels natural to work with. I have a metal, Italianmade peel, and it works very well, but I worry it’s a little harder on the stone. I’d rather my wood peel disintegrate with use, not my stone.” At Pizza Couture (pizzacouture.com) in Glasgow, Scotland, owner Domenico Crolla uses both wood and metal pizza peels equally. For Crolla, one cardinal rule prevents excess dusting materials from accumulating in an oven: “The first rule for using pizza peels, whether wood or metal, is to use two,” he explains. “You should have one peel to put your pizza in the oven

and one for taking it out. This ensures that both peels and your oven remain clean.”

Lasting Longevity Cleaning metal peels can be as simple as using soap and water, while wooden peels require a little more attention to prevent the absorption of germs and warping. Often, you can just wash wooden peels with a damp cloth. “When I teach my employees about cleaning, the most important

Peel Deals There are many pizza peel manufacturers out there, but consider these manufacturers as you start your search:

Admiral Craft Equipment Corp., 800-223-7750, admiralcraft.com

Lillsun Manufacturing Company, 260-356-6514, lillsun.com Lloyd Industries, 800-748-6251, pizzatools.com

American Metalcraft, 800-333-9133, amnow.com Mr. Peel, 888-994-4664, mrpeel.com Alegacy, 800-848-4440, alegacy.com Mountain Woods, 661-775-0333, mountainwoods.com Allied Metal Spinning Corporation, 800-615-2266, alliedmetalusa.com

National Marketing, 800-994-4664, nminc.com

Browne Foodservice, 888-289-1005, halco.com

Norpro, 425-261-1000, norpro.com

CounterArt, 877-395-3473, counter-art.com

Northern Pizza Equipment, 800-426-0323, northernpizzaequipment.com

Crown Custom Metal Spinning, 800-750-1924, crowncookware.ca

Outset, 888-696-8873, outsetinc.com

Epicurean, 866-678-3500, epicureancs.com

Paderno World Cuisine, 877-778-2711, world-cuisine.com

EXOProducts, 518-371-3173, superpeel.com

P.A. Products, 734-421-1060, paprod.com

Forno Bravo, fornobravo.com

Royal Industries, 800-782-1200, royalindustriesinc.com

GI.Metal USA, 800-952-8350, www.gimetalusa.com

Thunder Group, 866-827-4664, thundergroup.com

Ironwood Gourmet, 800-372-0700, ironwoodgourmet.com

Totally Bamboo, 760-471-6600, totallybamboo.com

Johnson-Rose Corp., 716-434-2711, johnsonrose.com

VIP Refrigeration & Catering Equipment, v-i-p.com.au

Kitchen Supply Company, 800-793-6244, kitchensupply.com

Winco/DWL Industries Co., 888-946-2682, wincous.com

For more information on pizza peels, see our Buyers Guide starting on page 32. January/February 2012 • pmq.com

message about peels is, don’t soak the wood,” says Lorenzo Colella, owner of Joe’s Pizzeria (joespizzanewcanaan.com) in New Canaan, Connecticut. “In water, a peel can warp, so I just rub the peel down, then dry it with a cloth and a little olive oil.” For heavier cleaning, you may have to scrape your peels, but be careful, says Albert Zuncja, owner of Alberto’s Restaurant in Seymour, Connecticut. “I used to use a dough scraper,” he explains, “but I found that, over time, I was wearing out the wood. A razor blade box cutter cleans easier because of the fine blade; the wear is so minuscule that I feel it adds months to my peels’ lives.” When storing peels, especially those with wooden blades and handles, keep them away from heat—many manufacturers recommend a rack for storing peels when they’re not being used and after cleaning. “Some think they can rest a peel between two deck ovens and expect nothing to happen,” says Roma. “The more wood is exposed to heat, the more it’s going to shrink.”

Time-Tested

Andrew Abernathy is PMQ’s associate editor.

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Provided by Lillsun Manufacturing Company

Wooden pizza peels are durable, lightweight and easy on your oven’s stone. Consider these tips to get the most mileage out of your wooden blade peels. 1.

Buy quality. Search for peels made from durable hardwood such as basswood.

2. Keep it natural. Don’t put anything on your peel that you wouldn’t want in your pizza. Avoid using cleaners or preservatives that might contaminate your peel. 3. Store properly. Storing peels on a hook can actually cause them to warp. Store peels flat, in a room-temperature environment, like on a shelf. 4. Stay cool. Never store your pizza peel on top of an oven or in a refrigerated environment. Extreme temperatures can dry out, weaken and ultimately shorten the life of your peel. 5. Avoid soaking. Submerging your pizza peel in water is the quickest way to warp and ruin it. Use a damp washcloth instead.

Buyers Guide: Pizza Peels

Admiral Craft Equipment Corp. The Paesano Collection of wooden peels are tapered from handle to blade tip. Strong and lightweight, the peels are designed to handle the toughest kitchen environments. They are available with blade sizes ranging from 14” to 20” and handle lengths up to 42”. 800-223-7750, admiralcraft.com

EXOProducts Epicurean Made from environmentally friendly materials, these peels feature a beveled front edge to make easy work of sliding pizzas in and out of the oven. The dishwasher-safe peels will not dull knives and are approved by the Forest Stewardship Council. 866-678-3500, epicureancs.com

Ideal for training and preventing pizzas from sticking to a prep surface, the Super Peel combines a peel and a pastry cloth. The small handheld conveyor belt, when lightly floured, is nonstick for easy dough pickup, transfer and placement. The peel is available in 14’’ and 20’’ widths and in ash, basswood, cherry and maple. 518-371-3173, superpeel.com

GI.Metal USA These professional-grade aluminum alloy peels are manufactured in Italy, lightweight and easily cleaned. The design of the blade allows for flexibility and durability, while perforations help remove excess flour or cornmeal before baking. The peels are customizable, with six head and handle dimensions to choose from. 800-952-8350, www. gimetalusa.com

Johnson-Rose Corp. These durable wooden peels are tapered from handle to blade, providing for a lightweight yet rugged design. With a variety of blade and handle options available, finding the right fit for your kitchen is a snap. 716-434-2711, johnsonrose.com

Mr. Peel Plastic peel boards use a patented Teflon formula to create an easy-to-clean, nonstick surface. NSF-approved and made with FDA/USDA-approved foodgrade material, the boards won’t harbor bacteria and are crack- and chip-resistant. Custom sizes and white birch boards are also available. 888-994-4664, mrpeel.com 32

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Lillsun Manufacturing Company Made from seasoned North American hardwood and produced by experienced craftsmen, these peels are tapered from one end to the other to make them strong, thin and lightweight. The blades and handles come in a range of lengths and widths to accommodate a variety of needs. 260-3566514, lillsun.com

Buyers Guide: Pizza Peels

Norpro

National Marketing These aluminum peels feature a patented design with flush rivets and hardwood handles. Blade sizes are available in 12’’-by-14’’, 14’’-by16’’ and 16’’-by-18’’ dimensions, and handles come in 9¼” and 23” lengths. Custom handles are available. All peels are manufactured in the United States with the highestgrade materials available. 800-9944664, nminc.com

The 5683 Bamboo Pizza Peel has a 13¾”-by-23½” blade and is made from renewable and sustainable resources. Safely lift pizzas with a beveled blade edge and an 8” handle to keep hands away from oven heat. The solid bamboo board is also handy as a cutting board or serving tray. 800-722-0202, norpro.com

Paderno World Cuisine These aluminum pizza peels feature short handles to make pulling pizzas in and out of the oven easy. Each peel is warp-resistant and features a large carrying surface with four blade diameter options, ranging from 12½’’ to 17¾’’. 877-778-2711, world-cuisine.com

P.A. Products These aluminum peels feature a one-piece 12’’-by-12’’ blade epoxied to an aluminum tube permanently attached to a wooden handle; with no rivets to break, the peel is designed to withstand heavy daily use. Handles come in 10’’ and 20’’ sizes. 734-4211060, paprod.com

Totally Bamboo These 100% bamboo peels combine the ecological benefits of bamboo with the art of pizza making. The generous size allows you to transport pies straight from oven to table, and because bamboo is harder than many common woods, knife marks are reduced. 760-471-6600, totallybamboo.com

VIP Refrigeration & Catering Equipment Constructed from heavy-gauge aluminum, these peels feature angled blades to drain pizzas of liquids once a pizza is removed from an oven. A bolt-on tubular sleeve accommodates a replaceable wooden handle and eliminates welding to make the peel durable. v-i-p.com.au

Winco/DWL Industries These lightweight yet sturdy wooden peels feature a hardwood construction that’s perfect for commercial use. The comfort-grip handle is designed to keep hands away from heat. Blade widths range from 12’’ to 20’’, and short- and long-handle versions are available. 888-946-2682, wincous.com

January/February 2012 • pmq.com 33

15 to Watch Even with more than 65,000 pizzerias in the nation, there are always some that stand out from the pack. The 15 operations listed here have been chosen as some of the best by multiple publications and online sources, including Food & Wine, Every Day With Rachael Ray, USA Today, GQ, Food Network Magazine, Travel + Leisure and LocalEats. What makes your pizzeria stand out? Let us know at editor@pmq.com.

5 6

Pizzeria Bianco Phoenix, AZ pizzeriabianco.com

2 3

7 Di Fara Pizza Brooklyn, NY difara.com

8 Lou Malnati’s Chicago, IL loumalnatis.com

Pizzeria Picco Larkspur, CA pizzeriapicco.com

Co. New York, NY co-pane.com

Great Lake Chicago, IL

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Flour + Water San Francisco, CA flourandwater.com

Dough Pizzeria Napoletana San Antonio, TX doughpizzeria.com

Metro Pizza Las Vegas, NV metropizza.com

Frank Pepe Pi Pizzeria eria Napoletana New Haven, CT pepespizzeria.com

11 12 13 14

Apizza Scholls Portland, OR apizzascholls.com

Buddy’s Rendezvous Pizza Detroit, MI buddyspizza.com

Santarpio’s Pizza Boston, MA santarpiospizza.com

Tacconelli’s Pizzeria Philadelphia, PA tacconellispizzeria.com

Pizzeria Mozza Los Angeles, CA pizzeriamozza.com

Premium Gold Mozzarella

THE GOLD STANDARD

Go For The Gold. Call your Saputo representative at (800) 824-3373 or visit www.saputousafoodservice.com

Always Premium. Ever Authentic. Saputo Cheese USA Inc. | 800-824-3373 | www.saputousafoodser vice.com ÂŠ2011 Saputo Cheese USA Inc. SaputoÂŽ is a registered trademark used by Saputo Cheese USA Inc. All rights reserved.

The Pizza Experiment While some of the current bacon experiments appear destined to be nothing more than a flash in the pan, others seem to have potential for lasting power. And, between the predictable burgers and breakfast plates and the more experimental gumballs and cupcakes, pizza seems to be a natural landing pad for bacon. With its long history of being topped with rich meats, such as sausage and pepperoni, as well as its relatively untapped potential to host crunchy toppings and smoky flavors, pizza is a natural canvas for bacon. And although more than a few pizza pioneers have begun to take advantage of America’s love affair with bacon, there’s still a lot of exploring left to do. One of the most prominent early pizzas featuring bacon isn’t strictly a pizza at all. Tarte Flambée, sometimes referred to as Alsatian pizza, is a thin-crust dish from the Alsace region in the northeast of France that resembles a white pizza. Traditionally topped with the cream cheese-like fromage blanc or the sour cream-like crème fraîche, as well as onion slices and thin strips of bacon, Tarte Flambée is a regional specialty that is also popular across the border in western Germany, where it is known as Flammekueche. Although Tarte Flambée remains relatively unknown across the Atlantic, Social Wine Bar in Charleston, South Carolina, is changing that with an Alsatian pizza featuring crème fraîche, caramelized onions, bacon and Edam cheese on a thin crust, cooked up in a wood-burning oven. Social Wine Bar chef Jesse Sutton describes the Alsatian as holding an important place on the pizza menu, offering something for adventurous diners and the white wine-drinking set. As for more contemporary pizzas, the question of how to use bacon remains limitless. While it’s not uncommon to see bacon piled on top of a meat lovers pizza as something of an afterthought, others have begun to experiment with more focus on bacon. Social Wine Bar adds cheddar, broccoli, tomatoes and extra-virgin olive oil to its bacon pizza. Others take a different tack, building around themes that include bacon. Jay Jerrier at Cane Rosso (ilcanerosso.com) in Dallas offers a twist on the BLT pizza in its Delia, a Neapolitan-style pie topped with mozzarella, roasted grape tomatoes, arugula, and a spicy bacon marmalade prepped in-house. Great Scott’s Pizza (greatscottspizza.com) in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, does a Bacon Cheeseburger pizza with ground beef, red onion, cheddar and pickles over a ketchup/mustard sauce. And Gregg O’Neill from Bravo Wood Fired Pizza (bravowoodfiredpizza. com) in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, makes a breakfast pizza topped with scrambled eggs, maple bacon, and cheddar and jack cheeses. In a less traditional vein, Better Homes and Gardens recently published a recipe for a Sweet Bacon and Pear pizza, featuring bacon treated with brown sugar and chili powder, cream cheese, feta, pecans and basil. National chains have also begun to move beyond meat medley pies in their use of bacon, with Papa Murphy’s (papamurphys.com) Chicken Bacon Artichoke pizza featuring its namesake toppings on a thin crust with a creamy garlic sauce.

Bountiful Bacon Searching for a bacon supplier? Start here. Burke, 800-654-1152, burkecorp.com Daily’s Meats, 800-777-7037, dailysmeats.com Farmland Foods, 888-327-6526, farmlandfoodservice.com Hormel Food Sales, 800-723-8000, hormelfoodservice.com Liguria Foods, 800-765-1452, liguriafood.com Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats, 800-382-2266, nueskemeats.com Patrick Cudahy, 800-486-6900, www.patrickcudahyfoodservice.com Performance Foodservice, performancefoodservice.com Sugar Creek Packing Co., 800-848-8205, sugarcreek.com Sugardale Foodservice, sugardalefoodservice.com Tommy Moloney’s, 800-431-6365, tommymoloneys.com Tyson Food Service, 800-248-9766, tysonfoodservice.com

Top Techniques SOCIAL WINE BAR

So what are some techniques for prepping bacon for pizza and picking other ingredients to pair it with? Chef Sutton cooks his bacon all the way through before topping his pies, as the short cook time of a thin crust won’t give the bacon time to fully cook. January/February 2012 • pmq.com

Patrick Riordan is a freelance writer based in Chicago.

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

CANE ROSSO

Asked what he does with his bacon fat, he simply responds, “What can’t you do with bacon fat?” Although the possibilities may seem endless, caramelizing onions and sautéing other meats or vegetables are some common options. Sautéed mushrooms in particular are a great option for soaking up bacon fat—and taste. Or you can roast halved brussels sprouts with a handful of short bacon lardons until they become dark and crispy, then add a splash of balsamic vinegar and stir before topping a pie with them. But whatever you do, don’t limit yourself. Chef Sutton describes bacon’s “crisp texture and salty intensity” as an opportunity for a “great little flavor jolt scattered across the pie.” And John Green from the National Pork Board points out that, in addition to its singular taste and texture, bacon can be used to introduce a variety of subtle secondary flavors, including maple, hickory and applewood. Ultimately, one tenet holds true: You can’t go wrong with bacon, whether it’s on pizza or (for now, at least) in chocolate, jelly beans and gelato. So get back in the kitchen and get creative. Play on a theme or play around with new ideas until you find one that’s menu-worthy. And when the day comes for people to quell their bacon obsessions and look at you sideways at the mention of bacon jam, there’ll still be plenty of customers who will request a great bacon pie.

January/February 2012 â&#x20AC;¢ pmq.com

Pizza of the Month:

Seafood

Breakfast

Sponsored by Liguria

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Breakfast Pizza Recipe and photo provided by Liguria 26-28 oz. dough ball 2 oz. olive oil Pepper Oregano Garlic salt 2 oz. Romano cheese 8-10 extra-large eggs (or equivalent egg substitute) 4 oz. Canadian-style bacon 3 oz. bacon 10 oz. mozzarella cheese 3 oz. cheddar cheese Remove the dough ball from the refrigerator and let it warm to room temperature (at least one hour). Stretch dough ball out to a 16”diameter, leaving a ½” rim at the edge. Spread olive oil on the shell, then sprinkle with pepper, Romano cheese, garlic salt and oregano. Lightly scramble the eggs or egg substitute (don’t overcook them, as they’ll need to go in the oven). Add eggs to the pizza shell and top with Canadianstyle bacon. Finish with mozzarella cheese and bacon. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top. Bake at 550°F until the crust is golden brown.

Marketing Ideas Try these marketing ideas to get out the message about your breakfast pizza: •

The biggest obstacle in marketing your new breakfast pizza may be enticing customers into the pizzeria in the morning. Secure some spots on a local radio station during drive time, announcing your breakfast pizza and an offer of a free coffee with purchase.

•

Announce your new offering with plenty of signage: “Now Open for Breakfast” or “Try Our New Breakfast Pizza.”

•

Take your breakfast pizza on the road. Hand out samples of breakfast pizzas in front of office buildings, in parking lots or at crosswalks, and have coupons ready to hand out with the samples.

•

Kids love pizza, so work with local schools to take a tray of breakfast pizzas to schoolchildren, and hand out coupons, menus or refrigerator magnets for them to take home.

Rise and Dine While cold pizza might still be considered a viable hangover cure, many pizzerias are taking breakfast to a new level—serving up piping-hot pies topped with morning favorites such as eggs, sausage, bacon, cheese and even hash browns. Pizzerias that offer breakfast pizzas are successfully taking advantage of the traditionally nonpizza eating hours between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., and some offer these pizzas for brunch or any time of day. In fact, according to Technomic’s MenuMonitor, pizza is the fastest-growing breakfast item, ahead of scrambled eggs, bagels, oatmeal and French toast. In Dayton, Ohio, the only 24-hour Domino’s (dominos.com) franchise, near the University of Dayton, made headlines last fall when it announced that it would begin serving breakfast pizza. Domino’s executives are monitoring the Dayton store to determine if breakfast pizza could be introduced in other locations. Here are other pizzerias that are warming up their ovens as the sun rises: New York’s Pulino’s Bar & Pizzeria (pulinosny.com)—which advertises breakfast and brunch on its storefront awning— offers a full slate of 10 breakfast pizzas and was crowned as the “Nation’s First Breakfast Pizzeria” by New York’s Serious Eats food blog. The Grotto NYC (thegrottonyc.com) in New York offers a breakfast pizza with eggs, cheese, and a choice of ham, bacon or sausage among its extensive list of Chicago- and Sicilian-style pizzas. Franco’s Pizzeria & Deli (francospizzeriaanddeli.com), just blocks from Syracuse University in New York, offers a full menu of breakfast items, including a sheet breakfast pizza with bacon, sausage, eggs and cheese, served from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. At Seattle’s Mioposto Caffé e Pizzeria, a spicy breakfast pizza offers an a.m. kick. Topped with Tutto Calabria chili puree, pancetta, two over-easy eggs, mozzarella, Parmesan and seasoned breadcrumbs, the breakfast pie is a guaranteed eye-opener. Spartico Restaurant (sparticorestaurant.com) in Miami features three diverse pizzas on its breakfast menu: The Frutta e Cioccolato boasts hazelnut spread with a choice of banana, strawberries, blueberries or raspberries; the Salmone Afumicato combines lox, crème fraîche and caviar; and the Uova Strapazzate Breakfast Pizza features scrambled eggs with a choice of three fillings: mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, peppers, ham, bacon, onions, or Swiss or cheddar cheese. January/February 2012 • pmq.com

Kids Menus Grow Up Upgraded kids menus provide expanded options for parents. By Walter Webb

hildren’s meals used to be the most predictable part of the restaurant menu—a standard list of chicken nuggets, grilled cheese sandwiches, PB&J, cheese pizza, and macand-cheese plates. Today, these favorites are being supplanted by a wider variety of more adult-oriented, better-for-you fare, and kids menu choices have been big news lately. First Lady Michelle Obama’s campaign on childhood obesity, attempts to ban Happy Meals, and recent healthcare reform have all shed new light on what kids are eating. “Creating menus and memorable dining experiences is not child’s play,” says restaurant consultant Arlene Spiegel, president of Arlene Spiegel & Associates in New York. “Kids can be as sophisticated about food, flavors and global cuisine as their parents. The expectations are high, and restaurants need to have a deeper understanding of the preferences, lifestyles and the decision-making requirements to attract and delight the young family market.” The quantity of kids meal items is expanding not just because of broader menus, but also because a number of restaurants are introducing kids menus for the first time. Parents who might have once ordered a quesadilla or burger from the adult menu for their children are looking for high-quality alternatives, and these upgraded kids menu items fill the bill.

Healthier Choices The National Restaurant Association has launched a new nationwide initiative that provides parents and children 42

Make young customers feel special al u. by creating a dedicated kids menu. with a growing selection of healthful menu options when dining out. Kids LiveWell, a program in collaboration with Healthy Dining, highlights how restaurants can create innovative solutions to provide healthy menu options. “Kids LiveWell is a first-of-its-kind voluntary initiative that shows the restaurant industry’s commitment to offering healthful menu items for children, with a focus on increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables, lean protein, whole

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Marketing a Kids Menu Follow these easy steps to build a positive multichannel buzz with your new menu for kids. 1. Approach local organizations with an awareness campaign on childhood obesity. Sponsor an event, do demonstrations for a school on how to select healthy menu items, or host a kids and parents cooking class; promote these through school organizations. 2. Send a series of press releases promoting your kids menu using several different angles to different media outlets. Here are a few ideas for a press release: • We’re joining the “Let’s Move” campaign with a new kids menu • We care about kids, so we’ve unveiled a new kids menu • We’re partnering with X organization to promote healthy food for kids • Healthy kids workshop teaches parents and kids how to eat better • We’re in it to win it! The battle for the next generation 3. Promote your kids menu to your customers through the mail. One of the most effective communication tools is still the mailed letter. Let customers know you’re making a pact with them to help kids eat better. Outline all of your related activities and a menu launch date. Invite them to come in and try out your healthy menu changes. 4. Engage in social media. Discuss the issue of child obesity and share links to news articles, resources and your new kids menu on Facebook, your website, your blog and through email blasts.

grains and low-fat dairy, and limiting unhealthy fats, sugars and sodium,” says Anita Jones-Mueller, MPH, founder of Healthy Dining in San Diego. To join Kids LiveWell, restaurants agree to offer and promote a selection of items that meet qualifying criteria: • Offer a children’s meal (an entrée, side and beverage) with 600 calories or less, including two servings of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and/or low-fat dairy, with limits on sodium, fats and sugar • Offer at least one other individual item with 200 calories or less, with limits on fats, sugar and sodium, plus a serving of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein or low-fat dairy • Display or make available upon request the nutrition profile of the healthful menu options • Promote/identify healthful menu options Besides satisfying nutrition-conscious parents, these options may also boost your bottom line. “Parents who find it important to provide healthy, nutritious meals to their children will likely pay higher prices,” says Darren Tristano, executive vice president at Technomic, a research and consulting firm for the food industry based in Chicago. “Consumers

tend to gravitate to taste, which leads to less healthy choices; but with children, parents feel more strongly about providing better food for their children and are willing to pay for healthy kids meals in spite of the price.”

Adventurous Eaters As children grow older, they become more adventurous in their food selection, and today’s children are just as likely to request sushi as grilled cheese. “Kids, in general, are more connected to the world than generations before; this has impacted their exploration of different cultures and foods,” says Sara Monette, director of consumer research at Technomic. In general, kids entering their tweens and teenage years begin to prefer more adultlike foods. Technomic’s surveys found that children in the 10-to-12 age group preferred steak (25%); pizza (15%); and shrimp (10%). “You generally don’t see steak on kids’ menus, but kids’ tastes are getting more sophisticated,” she says. “Operators need to present an in-between menu, not just one for kids or adults.” As far as side items go, the surveys found that French fries are selected almost equally among all age groups. Children who were nine and younger were more likely to choose fruit, while kids ages 10 to 12 preferred salad. Younger

Menu Suppliers Searching for help with your kids menu? Start here. Kids Eat Out, kidseatout.com KidStar, 888-543-6368, kidstar.com KNG International, 877-873-4356, kng.com Menu Paper, 800-815-5342, menupaper.com Menus Plus, 800-846-3687, menus-plus.com Must Have Menus, 800-452-2234, musthavemenus.com Promotion Express, 888-310-7769, proxprint.com Superior Menus, 800-464-2182, superiormenus.com The Menu Express, 877-250-2819, themenuexpress.com Taradel, 888-210-8189, taradel.com January/February 2012 • pmq.com

children preferred milk or soft drinks, while older kids are less likely to order milk, preferring carbonated beverages or shakes. Betsy Craig, chief executive officer of MenuTrinfo.com, has some suggestions for items that could become kid favorites: sweet potato fries, frozen grapes, a kiddie “cocktail” made with soda water and sugar-free raspberry syrup, a mini cupcake, and cake on a stick. Another detail that has emerged in research is that, while adult menus have

extended descriptions with flavorful words, kids menus are very simple: a listing of items and the prices. “For the older kids who are reading, it would help to have descriptions that jump out to tweens. They are making their own decisions,” says Monette. “Shifting the focus off the ingredients and onto the experience enhances the entertainment factor, and restaurant operators gain the necessary wiggle room on their menus to provide fresher, healthier ingredients without realizing

Menu Choices Provided by Amanda Brandon, MustHaveMenusBlog.com, Ashland, OR It’s no secret that kids like hot dogs and fries, but today’s kids have been exposed to a wider range of food selections and cuisines than any generation in the past. Now is your chance to capitalize on these changing desires. With all of the national attention on childhood obesity and healthy nutrition, it’s the right time to revisit your kids menu. Below are five ways your kids menu can become a promotion for your restaurant as well as a better way to build relationships with your customers:

1. Move away from fried foods, cheesy options and/or overly processed meats (hamburgers, chicken nuggets and hot dogs). Try adding grilled and baked dishes in smaller portions to your kids menu. 2. Add more fresh fruits, veggies and whole grains. Try offering a turkey burger on a whole-wheat bun and add a side of fruit or small salad. Go down in saturated fat and up in sophistication—something older children appreciate. 3. Give them food that’s fun to play with. Options that allow kids to build their own pasta dishes, for example, can drive sales and please the kids. The secret is providing plenty of fresh ingredients and ensuring a lowered fat and sodium content.

4. Offer healthier sides. You don’t have to remove all of the favorites, but add apples, carrot sticks and a light soup to the list of sides. 5. Use your menu to educate. Menus with simple facts and games that promote healthy eating are great conversation starters for kids and parents.

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

a negative impact on sales,” says Chris Barr, marketing director for Taradel, based in Glen Allen, Virginia. “When a restaurant can provide healthy menu options for children and build a lasting relationship at the same time, it’s a winwin situation for parents.” Pizzerias are family-oriented operations that provide parents a pleasurable opportunity to have a meal that’s good for them and their kids. “Providing healthful alternatives to pizza, such as gluten-free pasta and pizza, and providing a broad offering with more choices would be good options for pizzerias,” says Tristano. “Kids meals likely account for less than 10% of total sales. Nonetheless, it is still a significant contribution to sales and a driver of traffic.”

Menu Highlights Conscious of the emphasis today on kids’ nutrition, menu manufacturer Superior Menus provides advice to pizza operators who are seeking to upgrade their kids menus. “We try to gear them toward better foods in their menus,” says Julia Pohlman, marketing director of the Mankato, Minnesota-based company. “We know that you develop better eating habits at a young age, so create a menu that makes healthy eating fun.” Menus also provide an opportunity to present the qualities and characteristics that make a pizzeria unique and distinctive, but these values are often left out of the menu. “Is your dough handmade? Do you import your flour from Naples? Is your cheese from a specific region of Italy? Do you get your basil from the local farmer? Does your brick or coal-fired oven reach 900°? Is your chef a thirdgeneration pizza maker? Are your recipes handed down? Do you use organic or local produce for toppings? Are the paper cups and plates you use eco-friendly? Do you contribute to the local food bank?” asks Spiegel. “If you can answer yes to any or all of these questions, then why not proudly and prominently share that information with your guests on your menus, on your website, and at tableside through servers’ conversations?” Kids and their ever-more-sophisticated parents will all enjoy knowing where their food is coming from and why it’s special.

Food Choices Courtesy of Arlene Spiegel, president of Arlene Spiegel & Associates, New York, NY Kids love fun food choices, and parents love healthy choices. The popularity of fast-casual concepts that feature customized meals may also be ideal for pizza concepts. For example, have guests customize by choosing their own dough, sauce, cheese and toppings. For example: Dough – Traditional, Whole-Wheat, Gluten-Free Sauces – Marinara, Basil Pesto, Pomodoro Cheeses – Mozzarella, Fontina, Parmesan Vegetables – Broccoli, Tomatoes, Roasted Veggies Proteins – Meatball, Shrimp, Chicken Another way to create engagement and allow for customized choices is adapting the bento box concept found in many Asian restaurants—a colorful box with sections that allows kids to personalize their favorite foods and forces a balanced meal that parents appreciate. Some options: Pizza – Margherita, Pepperoni, Four Cheese Salad – Greens, Spinach, Tomato Fruit/Vegetable - Sliced Apple, Carrot/Celery, String Beans Dessert – Cookie, Brownie, Italian Ice A “Pizza by the Inch” strategy encourages sharing at the table. Offering a long rectangular pizza served with a pizza cutter allows parents to offer pizza by the inch to their kids. It’s a fun concept, and the kids are in control of the portion size they feel like eating. “Be Your Own Pizza Chef” is another family-style program that appeals to kids of all ages. A large traditional pizza is brought to the table with a sectioned plate of eight-to-10 ready-to-eat toppings. Each guest takes a slice of pizza and personalizes it with toppings such as sliced green or black olives, caramelized onions, pepperoni, Genoa salami chunks, chopped green and red peppers, sautéed broccoli, sundried tomatoes and assorted gourmet cheeses. Prizes can be awarded to the guest with the most creative concoction, and his photo and name, along with a picture of the pizza creation, can then be posted to your Facebook page and on a “Winners Wall” in the restaurant.

Walter Webb is PMQ’s assistant editor. January/February 2012 • pmq.com

Where Are They Now? In honor of its 15-year anniversary, PMQ checks in with some of the pizzerias profiled in its very first issues. By Tracy Morin

As PMQ rolls into its 15th year of production, it’s a bit overwhelming to look back on those first issues and recognize how much the magazine has grown and changed over the years; how many improvements and new ideas have been implemented; and how many tips have been shared with operators to make their businesses more successful. So it only makes sense that those pizzerias we profiled in the earliest issues of PMQ in the late ’90s would also have grown and evolved with the times. After all, the world has changed much since that not-too-distant decade, with the rise of the Internet and social media, times of war and economic distress, and a population whose attention span seems to shorten by the minute. How have some of our earliest profiles adapted their businesses to not only survive through, but thrive despite, these and other changes? We check in with four pizzerias—each of them celebrating their own milestones in 2012—to find out.

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Eureka Pizza Fayetteville, AR

hen we first checked in with Eureka Pizza (eurekapizza. com) more than 14 years ago, PMQ described the concept as “a very high-quality pizza priced below all competition,” and that formula has not changed for owner Rolf Wilkin. Back then, he owned six stores; today, that number has grown to nine, all companyowned. But more important than the growth has been the introduction of drive-thrus at four of these stores. “These have been fantastic for sales,” Wilkin enthuses. “They allow us to compete with McDonald’s even more so than other pizza stores.” To make the drivethrus successful, the pizzerias offer now-ready pies that offer convenience and encourage impulse buying, says Wilkin, who plans to add drive-thrus to the remaining stores in the future. And though the company’s focus remains on carryout business and great value, that doesn’t equate to a sacrifice in quality; the pizzeria has been voted best pizza more than 20 times over the years by both local media and residents. Wilkin does admit that over the years some changes have occurred in the marketplace, requiring him to roll with the punches. “Margins aren’t what they

used to be, and ingredients cost more,” he says. “But that just means we have to work even harder than we used to.” Marketing tactics today consist mainly of direct mail (postcards and flyers) and radio ads; though the business maintains a Facebook page and Twitter account, Wilkin has found his customers’ greatest response occurs through direct mail. The most successful promotion is currently the Monday special—a large pizza for $3.99. “Now it’s our busiest day of the week,” says Wilkin. “At first we advertised it on the radio, but now it’s become legendary—people remain really excited about it.” Today pizza makes up 50% of Eureka’s sales. The pizzeria, while promo-driven and maintaining the reputation of providing a great deal, also places faith in customer care; a postage-paid comment card is stapled to each order for customers to give feedback. And now that the pizzeria is ready to celebrate 20 years in business in March, Wilkin attributes his success to the business savvy PMQ mentioned back in ’97 (Wilkin graduated with a degree in finance). “You just have to watch your margins and food costs every day,” he advises. “Our goal is to simply keep executing what we do now.” January/February 2012 • pmq.com

Topper’s Pizza Barrie, Ontario, Canada

ow boasting 36 units and celebrating 30 years in business this summer, Topper’s Pizza (top pers.ca) has vigorously kept up with the times. Besides adding new menu categories (including wings and dessert pizzas), the company has introduced a line of successful specialty pizzas, with more than 20 options, such as the Grilled Chicken Bruschetta pie. “Because we have a great recipe at the foundation of every pizza— our dough—we believe any meal you can put in a bowl or on a plate, you can put on a pizza!” laughs Keith Toppazzini, president and COO of the company, which focuses on carryout and delivery. “Our philosophy is, we bring the dining room experience into the living room.” However, Topper’s will soon be returning that experience to the dining room with a new fast-casual concept set to launch this summer, focusing on its 48

specialty pizzas and the ever-growing express-lunch demand from consumers. Meanwhile, online ordering has proved a hit for the business, which now sees 10% of its sales coming in from online—and the average online orderer spends 20% more on meals. So, though Toppazzini admits setting up the automated ordering process has been the company’s biggest challenge in the last 15 years, the company has reaped plenty of reward. With a new website set to launch early this year, the company plans to increase its online user-friendliness. Though direct mail is still part of the marketing plan, Topper’s now finds that social media is also crucial. Last year, the company began giving out T-shirts to customers, which incorporate the company’s new tagline, “Amazingly Delicious,” by showing on the front: “I’m amazingly [blank].” Customers then fill

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

in the blank, take photos of themselves wearing the shirts, and post the pictures on Facebook. Topper’s also uses Foursquare and search engine optimization to enhance customer loyalty. With ongoing customer surveys (more than 8,000 were received last year), contests (including the Free Pizza for a Year promotion and an annual employee contest to create new specialty pizzas) and school lunch initiatives, the company still relies on many of the tactics that we reported on in the late ’90s. However, with a genuine drive to remain ahead of the curve, plus an intense focus on the customer, Topper’s has managed to thrive even in tough times. “We stay focused on the customer’s needs, and have streamlined our pricing architecture and portion control to reduce food costs about 5%,” notes Toppazzini. “The more we grow, the more we can do.”

Fuel Pizza Café Charlotte, NC

three-store operation back in 1999, Fuel Pizza Café (fuelpizza. com) has grown to eight locations in North and South Carolina, but this is only the tip of the iceberg before what promises to be a busy 2012: In February, Fuel will emerge in a new market, with two locations opening for the first time in Washington, D.C., while franchising is due to start in January. (Jeremy Wladis, president and CEO, hints at expanding in Charlotte and D.C., but is also scouting out Chicago for future locations.) “We get inquiries daily from all over the world because the concept is so unique,” explains Wladis. “I think that PMQ article back in 1999 really opened the eyes of the pizza world and got people interested!” The 1999 article focused on the pizzerias’ unique look, with each location using one-of-a-kind decor and repurposed buildings to create a unique experience.

To this day, Fuel uses all recycled materials in its design, evoking a colorful and nostalgic look that continues to resonate with customers. The pizzeria even builds its own tabletops and counters. “This makes it fun and interesting and helps the environment, too,” says Wladis. The company has also retained its focus on food. Besides obtaining the highest-quality supplies from national brands, Fuel uses local, organic and homegrown ingredients when possible. “We offer real food,” says Wladis. “We’re not in business just to make money, but to do something positive for the world.” The focus on community is manifested in the Field to Fork Program, which provides money to local schools to grow their own vegetable gardens and teaches kids how to make whole-wheat vegetable pizzas to show that pizza can be a healthy option. Fuel also, through its My Pizza,

My Pyramid initiative, allows teachers to take a field trip to a local location for kids to learn about the five food groups, using the triangular shape of a pizza slice as a model for the food pyramid. Of course, many other changes have also taken place. Today, wings have become a greater part of the brand, now making up five times the percentage of sales than they did a decade ago. In addition, Fuel entered the delivery game, using door hangers to promote the new service. Wladis admits that the marketing tactic provided “instant gratification” by letting customers know about the option. And, finally, the company learned to stabilize its prices. “When the economy got rough, we attempted to get into the discount game,” recalls Wladis. “But it didn’t help people come in. We realized it then: Our customers are happy to pay for our food!” January/February 2012 • pmq.com

49I

Flyers Pizza & Subs Powell, OH

n 1999, Flyers was lauded in PMQ for being a family-run business with “aggressive promotional methods.” That family affair continues today—“even more so,” laughs president Steve Ulrey, “with so many nieces and nephews also involved!” Still, the Ulrey brothers continue to oversee a complex operation, with each brother bringing his own strengths to the table: Mark handles marketing, Dave takes care of the stores’ remodeling, and Scott is the director of field operations. The company also continues to rely on a sophisticated POS system to mail postcards in specific neighborhoods, thankyou postcards to current customers, and other mailers to attract and maintain business. The e-Flyers Club, which had just launched back in ’99, now has thousands enrolled, and the members of the loyalty program receive special monthly promo50

tions and points for purchases. However, social media has understandably changed the game in the last decade, so Ulrey notes that the company is now working on coordinating Facebook and Twitter programs. When we last checked in, the company was looking toward franchising, but instead, the business has grown organically, with four additional stores, plus a very successful catering business, Top Flight Caterers. With 235 employees, Flyers, which also made the PMQ cover in Fall 2001, celebrates 36 years in business in February. “Today we have an even greater emphasis on building relationships,” muses Ulrey. “We always have managers in the dining room, are even more active in the community, and are more involved with local schools.” However, the past few years have brought challenges as well as growth.

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

“We’re out there competing with $5 pizzas, but that’s not who we are. We focus on a quality product and load up on the toppings, and we haven’t changed anything about that,” says Ulrey. To make the most of economically challenging times, the business has cut down on its workforce, finding ways to take great care of customers with fewer employees. And, to counteract record-high food costs, sales in 2011 were up over 2010, a positive step for the seven-location company. “We maintain quality and service and have a great brand name,” says Ulrey. “What defines us is quality, community and consistency. Our customers are confident that when they come, they get what they pay for.”

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.

Thank You. As PMQ Pizza Magazine celebrates its 15th anniversary, we express heartfelt thanks to our advertisers. 20Fifteen • 2Stone • 411Eat.com • 8 Pasta Fresca • A & D Weighing • A & M Cheese • AboveAllAdvertising.net • Absolute Advertising • AccentApee • Action Image • ADM Milling • Advantage Group • Agugiaro & Figna Molini • Airflow Signs • Alfa International • Allen Family Foods • Allied Metal • Allied Steak • All Menus • AM Manufacturing • Ambassador Seafoods • American Institute of Baking • American Metalcraft • American Wholesale Company • Armanino • Aromi D’italia • Arrow POS • Arvco Container • ASI Technology • Assal Corporation • ATEA • Atlantic Shores • Atlas • Autofry Motion Technology • Autosox USA • Avantec Ovens • Bacio Cheese • Bag Solutions • Balher’s Quality • Bakers Pride • Bari Italian Foods • Barnes Wheaton • Baron & Company • Bay State Milling • BCS • Bell-Carter Foods • Bellissimo • Berry Veal Corporation • Best Choice Printing • Best Point of Sale • Betson Enterprises • Birthday Connections • Biz Mobile Marketing • Blodgett Ovens • Bluegrass Mailing Service • Blue Sky Signs • Bolla Wine • Breakaway POS • Broaster • Brown & Brown Insurance • Built Rite • Buffalo Grill • Burke • Business Link • California Blending • California Milk Advisory Board • Campus Collection • Campusfood.com • Canard • Capital for Merchants • Caplas • Caputo • Casa Diego Imports • Casa di Lisio • Cash Now Account • Castella Imports • Celiac Sprue Association • Cellwand • Century Foods • Century Printing • Chalk Talk • Chebe • Check Corporation • Chef a la Mode • Chicago Metallic • Christopher Ranch • Churny Company • Click to Go • Cluck U Chicken • Coca-Cola Bottling of New York • Cocklin Insurance Agency • Color Vision • Comforts • Cover Tex • Crown Custom Metal Spinning • CrustSaver • Cuppone America • Custom Computing • Customer 2 You • Daiya • Dakota Prairie • Dash Order • DeIorio’s • Delivery Concepts • Dexmet Corporation • Dexter Russell • Digital CC TV • Digital Manipulation • Direct Technology Innovations • DirecTV • Discount Printing • DM International • Dole Packaged Foods • Domata Living Flour • Dombrovski Meats • DoughExpress.com • DoughMate • Doughpro • Drake Corporation • Dri-Pie • Dutchess Bakers Machinery Co. • Dynamic International • Dynamic the Original • Earthstone Ovens • East of Chicago • El Burrito • eHungry • Electric Hotbag • Electro Freeze • Electronic Checks • Emulso • eOrders • Escalon Packers • Escher Mixers USA • E-Store Front • EuroPizza • Exact Target • EZ Dine • ezRestaurant Marketing • EZ Software Solutions • F & A Dairy Products • Famous Famiglia • Fax Foods • Feltenstein • Ferrante Brothers • Fidelity Communications • FireFly • Fishbowl Online Ordering • Fish Ovens • Fleischmann’s Yeast • Flies Be Gone • Fluid Media Group • Fontanini Meats • Food Equipment Trader • Food Service Report • Footstar/Meldisco • FunExpress.com • FunStax.com • GDT • General Mills • Geomerx • GFS • GI.Metal • Giochi di Pizza • Giorgio Mushrooms • Giorgio’s Foods • Global Industries • Globe Food • Gluten-Free Creations Bakery • GlutenFreePizza.com • Golden Cannoli • Gold Seal Promotions • Gordon Food Service • Gorilla Gift Cards •Grafia• Granbury • Grande Cheese • Health Insurance Group • Heritage • High Point Coffee • HighSpeed Waiter • High Tec Mold • Hix Dough Express • Hojiblanca USA • Hoshizaki America • Hotshot Delivery • HS Products • HTH • Hudson Refrigeration Manufacturing • Iamori • I Franchise • Igloo • Image First • iMenu360 • Impact Worldwide • Inborne Technology • Incentivize Solutions • Inedible Art • Infoserve Technology Corp. • InTouch POS • International Food Service • Italian Pizza School • J & G Mills • Jantec • J Hicks • J & K Ingredients • J.M. Garrett Foods • J.R. Simplot • Just Pizza • KB Pizza Crust Company • KDNY • Keating of Chicago • Key Promotions • Kidstar • Kinnikinnick Foods • Klondike Cheese • Krisp-It • La Nova • Liguria • Lillsun Manufacturing • Lime Funding • Lincoln Ovens • Lindsay Olives • Lisanti • Litehouse • Little Caesars • Lloyd Industries • Losurdo Foods • Loyal Rewards • Loyalty Coach • Madan Plastics • Maggiore Veroforni • Magic Seasoning Blends • Magnetic Ad Concepts • Mainstreet Menu Systems • Molino Caputo • Maponics • Mario Camacho Foods • Marketing Assurance • Marra Forni • Marsal & Sons • Marvel Maps • MC Audio Concepts • McCain Snack Foods • McClancy • Melissa Data • Menasha • Menu Express • Menu Mark • Menu Powerhouse • MenuPro • Menu Producer • Message On Hold • MesStudios iPocket App • MF&B Restaurant Systems • MFG Tray • Microworks • Middleby Marshall • Modern Postcard • Molded Fiberglass • Monterey Mushrooms • Mountain Harvest • Moving Targets • Moynes Enterprises • MPP Marketing • M. Press Packaging • Mr. Peel • mUrgent • Musco Olive Company • Must Go Mobile • Must Have Menus • MyPizza.com • My Pizza Protector • NAPICS • National Foundation for Celiac Awareness • National Guest Checking • National Marketing • National Menuboard • National Systems Corp. • Neil Jones Food Company • NNT Communications • North American Bancard • North Dakota Mill • Northern Pizza Equipment • NoteAds Advertising • NSF Independent • N Touch • Off the Wall Magnets • One Click Dining • Onion Crunch • Orlando Foods • O.S.E.T.S.S. • OurPizzaClub.com • Our Town • Ovenbelts.com • PAC • Pacific Coast Producers • Package Genie • Packaging Company • PA Products • Paradise Tomato Kitchen • Parmalat • Pastorelli • Patrick Cudahy • Payment Alliance International • PDQ Signature Systems • Peel A Deal • Peerless Ovens • PGE • PGN Marketing • Picard Ovens • Piece-a Pizza Saver • Pioneer Color • Pixel Point POS • Pizza Butler • Pizza Check • Pizza Crisp • Pizza Equipment Warehouse • Pizza Marketing Machine • Pizzamatic • Pizza Prints/The Lucks Company • PizzaMixers.com • PizzaOvens.com • Pizza Packet • Pizza Profit Wizard • Pizza Rewards • Pizza Savor • Pizza Screens • PizzaTools. com • PizzaTxt.com • Pizzaware • Point of Success (Inborne Tech) • Polly-O • Portion PadL • POSnet • POS Shopper • Powered Marketing • Prebilt Hosting • Precision North America • Precision Pours • Presto Foods • Printed Colors • ProfitMAX • PromotionXpress • Pronto • Pro-Screen • Pro Team Vacuums • Proxprint • PRS Corporation • PSI Plastic Graphic • Quantum Topping Systems • Qubica • Quick Order • QuickServiceSystem.com • Radiant Hospitality • Radiant Systems • RaiseSomeDough.com • Rand McNally • Randolph Italian Sausage • Rapid Order • Ready Access • ReadyHeat.com • Real New York Pizza Dough • Red Gold • Renato Ovens • Restaurant Alliance • Restaurantchains.net • Restaurant Depot • Restaurant eFund • Retail Cash Systems • Revention • Rizza Cheese • Robot Coupe • Roma Foods • Roto-Flex Oven Co. • Ruxtor • Saputo Foodservice • Selbysoft • Seville Imports • Sherman Specialities • SIAB • Signatures X Signs & Shapes • Skorr Products • Smart Marketing Solutions • Smart Transaction System • Smurfit-Stone • Snag-A-Job • Sofo Foods • Somerset Industries • Sorrento Lactalis • SpeedLine • Stanislaus • Star Pizza Box • Stefano’s Gelato • Stronghaven • Studio Trans • Sugarcreek • Sugardale Foods • Sunset Plastic • Superior Menu • System Filtration • T3 Sign Design • T&T Graphics • Tabasco • Takeoutprinting.com • Taradel • TCB • TechFrost North America • Technomic • Tex Rus • Text Ripple • TheDoorHangerStore.com • The Fire Within • The Menu Company • The Menu Express • The Original Lake Erie Frozen Foods • The Pizza Maker • The Ultimate Pizza & Hot Food Bag • Thermal Bags by Ingrid • Throw Dough • Thrust Electric Bikes • Thunderbird Food Machinery • TimeForge • TNT Crust • Tom Sawyer • TouchPro • Trim-P.O.S. • TV Channel Guide • Tyson-Bonici • Univex • US Paper Supply • USPizzaGuide.com • Valassis Communication • Venice Bakery • Ventilation Direct • Vesuvio Foods • Vision Marketing • Vital Link • Vito System Filtration • Warren Frozen Foods • Wiscon • Wisconsin Food Show • Wood Stone Corporation • Worldwide Safe • WP Bakery • Wunder-Bar • Wy’s Wings • Wikki Stix • XLT Ovens • ZT Packaging

January/February 2012 • pmq.com

The Online Pizza Freestyle Battle

See exclusive footage on PizzaTV.com.

PMQ contributor Juan Hermosillo recently organized the second Online Pizza Freestyle Battle (OPFB), a spinning competition, from his home base in Mexico. The 16 competitors from five countries performed from their own Juan Hermosillo homes or businesses in a tournament in which winners of each “battle” advanced to the next bracket. The championship bracket was composed of five rounds each, with one winner at the end: Emilio Martos del Arbol from L’Albero, Spain. Hermosillo, whose work as a circus performer inspired him to become a top pizza spinner in world competitions, explains more about the OPFB here: Hermosillo created the above poster to promote the battle.

Interview by Walter Webb

Why did you hold the competition? There aren’t always competitions that we can compete in. For some, it is very difficult to show their skills because they live in a country where pizza is not very popular. They don’t have any competitions and can’t get a sponsor to travel to big stages. This way, they can be active all year. They train harder, and their skills improve very quickly. Since the first competition, the level of pizza throwing has been higher than any world competition. The format that uses one-on-one battles (like playoffs) makes them improve with each new battle and innovate with new moves. How many competitors did you have, and from what countries? We had 16 pizza acrobats from Mexico, Indonesia, the United States, Spain and Puerto Rico. How did the competition work? Each battle was three rounds. Since I don’t have a real stage, the stage was on my Facebook wall. The battles worked like this: The first competitor made a 30-second video with some of his best moves. The video was posted on my Facebook wall and the Facebook wall of his opponent, who watched it and responded with a video of some of his own best moves. The opponents went 52

back and forth with videos until both had three videos each. The winner went on to battle with the winner of another battle, and the pairings continued until there were two competitors for the final five-round showdown. How did you get the competitors? I sent invitations on Facebook and made a draft to put together the battles. Did the contestants have a qualification round to enter the competition? So far I have enough competitors that I don’t need to make them qualify. But if I can’t have an even 16 or eight, I will ask them to qualify by creating a threeminute video and will select the top eight or 16 to make the battles. How were the performances judged? I have a point system. They are judged on technique (10 points); difficulty (10 points); combos (10 points); juggling (10 points); power moves (10 points); type of dough used (10 points); originality (10 points); and creativity (10 points). What techniques do you look for? Technique is how well you open the dough, how well you make it dance and fly and stick with the essence of a pizza maker, which is always important when you are throwing dough. You can never

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

kill the dough or stop spinning it even after you catch and throw. You must throw from a basic move, and when you catch it, try to keep it spinning using any basic move. Your technique attains a high level of difficulty if you are able to incorporate most of these abilties into your performance. Did you have a panel of judges? I am the only judge, because there aren’t any other judges right now who can understand how the new style of pizza throwing works. To be a good judge of a battle, you must know about acrobatics, juggling and the essence of pizza stretching and throwing. How did the competitors compare? The top four were amazing. As they made it through the rounds, that’s when they started being creative, adding more difficulty to their moves. Have you coached the contestants? All of the guys from Mexico are my students. Miguel has been learning for only a few weeks, and Ruben has been learning for about a year. They did very well, and I am proud of them even though they didn’t make it through the first round.

Walter Webb is PMQ PMQ’s ’s assistant editor.

Marketing Marvels Mike Robinson

Fresh Brothers With successful marketing and bright ideas, the six-location Fresh Brothers enjoys a sunny outlook in Southern California. Fresh Brothers (freshbrothers.com), founded in 2008, offers a unique twist on the California pizza scene. The freshest ingredients possible, combined with innovative customer service, has people wanting to experience a taste of this local pizzeria. Debbie Goldberg, co-founder with her husband, Adam Goldberg, discusses with PMQ how they’ve achieved success using innovative marketing strategies to gain and retain happy customers. What types of advertising does Fresh Brothers use? Fresh Brothers uses radio, billboards and print ads. Dollar for dollar, we get more views with our billboards due to the heavy car traffic here in Los Angeles, which then drives traffic to our website. The print ads allow us to direct our branding to specific demographics within our delivery zone. Halloween and the Christmas holiday season, along with Super Bowl Sunday, are the busiest times of year for us. Our fresh and clever print ads and billboards celebrate the seasons while keeping the Fresh Brothers brand at the top of the consumer mind-set.

Fresh Brothers is a popular spot for children’s birthday parties.

How are you involved in the community? We make it a point to be very involved in our community. We never say no to making a donation on behalf of a school, church, temple or community organization, and this definitely affects our bottom line in a good way. We actually have customers who stop us on the street when we’re wearing our Fresh Brothers logos to thank us for being so involved. We also work with local schools on many levels. We currently serve more than 4,000 pizzas per week to several hot lunch programs. We’re involved 54

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

with fundraising, restaurant nights, Scrip programs, team sponsorships and snack shack sales; we purchase banners in gymnasiums and athletic stadiums. We’re also a pizza partner with our school districts. How do you market your specials? We don’t use coupons. Instead, through the Fresh Fan club, we focus on retaining and rewarding our current customers in addition to bringing in new customers. Our customers opt in to our loyalty program, which provides our email list; in turn, we send out weekly specials. In addition, we use Facebook and Twitter to cross-promote our weekly specials and Fresh Fan rewards program. When you join the Fresh Fan program, you get not only the weekly specials, you get a certificate for a free pizza, a salad or wings during your birthday month.

“Our fresh and clever print ads and billboards celebrate the seasons while keeping the Fresh Brothers brand at the top of the consumer mind-set.”

How did you come up with the jingle heard on your website? How does it help to promote your brand? We have a good friend, Brian Sheil, who is a singer and comedian. He came up with the hook: “I’m thinking Fresh Brothers for dinner tonight. I’m thinking Fresh Brothers ’cause you gotta eat right.” We loved it. I actually co-wrote the rest of the song with him. It’s catchy and entertaining. It’s our on-hold music and, while it’s fun, it also educates our customers about our menu items. Does Fresh Brothers have plans to supply foods to grocers in the future? We don’t currently have any of our items in grocery stores. It’s fun to think about, but since our emphasis is on fresh food, we’d really have to get creative about what we would offer, in either a frozen food section or a fresh to-go type of product.

Adam Goldberg (left) and his wife, Debbie, founders of Fresh Brothers, utilize involvement with the community, strategic advertising, and fresh ingredients and attitude to create a highly successful pizzeria.

What type of decor is used for the pizzerias? Fresh Brothers has a very fresh feeling, inside and out. Our interior is a January/February 2012 • pmq.com

modern industrial look, where we mix wood, stone and steel, and finish the walls with a fresh green color. Instead of artwork or photos, we decorate with 42” flat-screen TVs that feature sports, news and kids programming. How does social marketing help your pizzeria? Fresh Brothers is heavily involved with social marketing. We have a very active Facebook page and a busy Twitter account. We also utilize Foursquare and Yelp. And Inc. magazine listed the Fresh Brothers Facebook page as one of

the “20 Awesome Facebook Fan Pages” this year, alongside national brands! Are there any marketing strategies that have been successful for you that you’d like to share? In the past three and a half years, we’ve used large-scale tactics usually seen by the national chains on a local level, and complemented these efforts with grassroots guerilla marketing in each community we serve. How does the Fresh Brothers blog help you communicate with customers?

People enjoy reading about our proucts—new and old—and the blog often introduces them to new menu items, special promotions and fresh ideas. Do you offer online ordering? Many people still prefer to order the old-fashioned way by calling on the telephone, but a lot of our younger customers love placing their orders online—especially when they learn that we give a 10% discount when you order online. This also helps us by sending the order straight to the kitchen and removing labor from the phones. What’s your take on coupons? New customers always ask (both online and in person) about coupons, but we choose not to offer them. Instead, we have weekly/daily specials, such as $2 for an extra pizza when two mediums are purchased. These specials keep things consistent and provide us with an easy way to track which items are most popular. Does Fresh Brothers offer catering? We host a lot of children’s birthday parties, and my husband, Adam, often procures new catering orders by randomly visiting local businesses, giving out free pizza and handing out cards and flyers. How do kids parties fit into the Fresh Brothers marketing plan? We love kids, and our parties are truly one-of-a-kind. The children get to make their own pizzas, adding sauce, cheese and toppings before we bake the pies. They also get to decorate the boxes with arts and crafts, and everyone gets to make beautiful cupcakes, which get eaten rather quickly! All kids receive souvenir T-shirts and prizes at the parties; everyone has a great time. How does Fresh Brothers stand out from the competition? We have fresh food and a fresh attitude, and we make dining with Fresh Brothers not only a delicious experience, but also fun! More importantly, we’ve been able to duplicate a family atmosphere, with the help of our staff, in multiple locations.

Mike Robinson is a freelance writer based in Poland, Ohio. 56

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Promoting the Pizza Industry: The U.S. Pizza Team

RYLE JORDAN TRUE IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY

MEET THE TEAM: MEMBER SINCE: 2011 POSITION: BOX FOLDER PIZZERIA: Tower Pizza, Staples, MN CATEGORY OF COMPETITION: Box Folding COMPETITION WON: Box Folding (U.S. Pizza Team Trials, Spring 2011)

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.

THANKS TO OUR U.S. PIZZA TEAM GOLD SPONSORS: Neither a dough acrobat nor a competitive chef (at least not yet), 19-year-old U.S. Pizza Team member Ryle Jordan earned his first pizza honors in Milwaukee last spring when he placed first in the Fastest Box Folder competition during the team’s spring trials. Jordan managed to fold five boxes in only 20.66 seconds! Although new to pizza competitions, Jordan has no plans of stopping after receiving his first award—you can expect to see this box folder at future U.S. Pizza Team events so he can defend his reputation of having some of the fastest hands in the Midwest. How did you first hear about the U.S. Pizza Team? I first heard about the U.S. Pizza Team in a Meet the Team feature in PMQ. I read more about the other members on the team’s website (USPizzaTeam.com). I thought I had what it took to compete with these guys—and it turns out I did. Do you compete only in box folding? Right now, I’m concentrating on the box folding competitions. But as things progress, I’d be interested in trying one of the others. How did you prepare for the competition? Honestly, I just folded a lot of boxes—as many as I could. At my pizzeria, my co-workers let the boxes get low so I could fold all of the boxes at our shop a few weeks before the competition. Has being a member of the team affected your professional life? Being a member of the team has given some extra 58

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Ryle’s Team Tip: “Just keep practicing, and remember to keep looking for new opportunities to compete or learn more about the business. In Milwaukee, I got to meet a lot of new people, and it was a great opportunity to expand my knowledge.”

THANKS TO OUR U.S. PIZZA TEAM SILVER SPONSORS: attention to Tower Pizza. The customers all love to hear about it and wish me luck in future competitions. How long have you been in the pizza business? I have been working at Tower Pizza for a little more than three years now. I started as a dishwasher, and now I can do any job in the pizzeria. What’s your favorite type of pizza? I like a thin-crust beef-and-jalapeño pizza. It’s simple but delicious. . Want to join the U.S. Pizza Team? Find out more at USPizzaTeam.com.

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

Product Spotlight What’s On the Market COUNTERFEIT DETECTION The Validator 100 counterfeit detection device uses ultraviolet light and magnetic sensors to validate currency, credit cards, IDs and checks. Easy to use and 100% effective when used as directed, the device works even on washed or bleached counterfeit bills. Batteries and a detachable neck strap are included. 386-308-2543, validator100.com

NATURALLY DELICIOUS Liguria Foods’ family of meat products offers a distinctive blend of all-natural seasoning. All varieties are offered in link, diced and pieces and contain no fillers or MSG. 800-765-1452, liguriafood.com

PACK IN FLAVOR You can easily provide spices with individually portioned Pizza Packets, generously stuffed with fresh ingredients. The packets come in crushed red pepper, garlic, oregano, Parmesan and Italian Spice varieties and feature dynamic packaging with QR codes for chances to win prizes. 877-499-2725, pizzapacket.com

CRISPY CONCEPT Star Pizza Box Dri Pie inserts keep pizza crusts dry and crisp to ensure that delivery pies taste exactly like dine-in orders. By preventing crusts from absorbing moisture and grease during delivery, for pennies per insert, they protect quality and promote customer satisfaction. 800-626-0828, starpizzabox.com

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

SMALL BUT VERSATILE The countertop Peerless Oven C131 is versatile and cost-effective. Removable decks allow the oven to be used for roasting, and the oven is double-stackable for more capacity in limited space. The appliance can also be equipped with casters for easy moving. 800-548-4514, peerlessovens.com

GET TRUCKIN’ The Wood Stone Corporation 4355 trailered oven is designed for catering and special events. This version features a standard 24’’-by-7½’’ door opening and a 34’’-by-39’’ cooking surface for 9.2 square feet of usable hearth space. 800-988-8103, woodstone-corp.com

A SCOOP ABOVE CALLING ALL KIDS Kids menus from MustHaveMenus are fun and entertaining, with engaging puzzles. With more than 1,600 menu themes available, choose from Italian, pizza, holiday and more. Operators can easily edit and print menus and link them to social media with an online menu manager. 800-452-2234, musthavemenus.com

Stefano’s Gelato offers more than 600 True Artisan gelatos and sorbets. All products are made with the finest authentic ingredients, such as fresh fruit, nuts, spices, chocolate, cookies and coffee. The gelatos and sorbets offer customers a healthier choice with little or no fat and mouth-watering flavor. 888-316-1545, stefanosgelato.com

TOP THIS GLUTEN-FREE GRAIN Omega 3 Chia offers gluten-free grain in whole seed and milled seed flour. The naturally grown and processed flour is highly nutritious and adds omega-3 fatty acids to your pizza dough. 561-909-7837, chiagrowers.com

Metal lids dent and rust—Forever Lids don’t. Made from FDA-approved, food-grade plastic, the dishwasher-safe lids can prevent food-borne illnesses and are available in several colors with perforated and slotted lids. Custom colors are available upon request. 815-494-1919, foreverlids.com

January/February 2012 • pmq.com

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

PIZZA TRUCKS OF CANADA Custom Built Pizza Trailers With Your Logos and Corporate Colors

Financing Available

Turn-key - Fully Equipped - Decaled Conveyor or Deck Ovens

$39,900 Visit our website for further details

www.pizzatrucksofcanada.com

204-297-7667

January/February 2012 â&#x20AC;¢ pmq pmq.com com

Pizza Puzzler Brought to you by:

PMQ Contact Linda Green for sponsorship opportunities: Linda@pmq.com • 662-234-5481 x121 1

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10 12

16 17

25 27

34 37

9 10 11 12 13 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 26 28 29

35 37 39 40

Pizza ingredient A ___ inch pizza might have 4 ounces of cheese Single Records a sale (2 words) ____ York style Jedi knight first name Poet’s “before” Liking a lot Alternative to stones Have a bill with French for and Zero Blue Ridge Mountains state Type of oven St Louis arch state Soft French cheese Problem that can be caused by old dough Expression of understanding Incentives you can use to get standing orders Letters of debt Lose one’s cool ____ dough, overly wet with no elasticity or spring-back Argue over the price

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 14 17 18 23 24 25 27 30 31 33 34 36 38

Amounts per pizza, of cheese for example Pizza cooking option (2 words) Uncomplicated Be against Stove starter Bathroom dryer Inside, prefix Latest Smell really bad Keep in the oven too long Seattle state Mischievous one Using the oven Legumes Mid west city well-known for pizza, for short Tomato ____ Gives some extra cheese, perhaps ____salt Place to relax It’s used in panstyle pizza making Prosecutor, for short

Crossword by Myles Mellor

31 32

DOWN

1 6

31 32

ACROSS

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Businesss Monthly

Find the answer to this month’s crossword at PMQ.com/crossword.

January/February 2012 â&#x20AC;¢ pmq.com

Advertiser Index January/February 2012 Display Advertiser

Phone

Website

Page

Above All Advertising ......................................... 866-552-2683 ................................... abovealladvertising.net ............................. 38 AM Manufacturing ............................................. 708-841-0959 ............................................ ammfg.com ....................................... 30 Bag Solutions ................................................... 866-BAG-TO-GO ....................................... deliverybags.com .................................. 39 Bay State Milling ............................................... 800-553-5687 ...................................... baystatemilling.com ................................ 15 Bellissimo .......................................................... 800-813-2974 ...................................... bellissimofoods.com ................................ 23 Best Choice Printing ........................................... 800-783-0990 ................................................. bcms.us ........................................ 67 CrustSaver ......................................................... 877-437-4743 ........................................... crustsaver.net ..................................... 63 DoughMate ........................................................ 800-501-2458 ......................................... doughmate.com ................................... 62 EZ Dine .............................................................. 877-853-1263 .......................................... ezdinepos.com ..................................... 44 Fluid Media Group ...............................................408-83RADIO ...................................... fluidmediagroup.com ............................... 65 Fontanini ........................................................... 708-485-4800 ........................................... fontanini.com ..................................... 27 GI. Metal ........................................................... 630-553-9134 ......................................... gimetalusa.com ................................... 39 Grande...............................................................800-8-GRANDE ....................................... grandecheese.com ................................... 3 Hojiblanca ......................................................... 201-384-3007 .......................................... acorsausa.com ..................................... 65 HTH ................................................................... 800-321-1850 ........................................... hthsigns.com ..................................... 64 Impact Worldwide ............................................. 800-683-8837 ......................................... eimpactusa.com ..............................62, 65 Kid Star .............................................................. 303-975-1603 ............................................ kidstar.com ....................................... 62 La Nova.............................................................. 716-881-3355 ............................................. lanova.com ................................ Cover 4 Le 5 Stagioni ...................................................... 800-780-2280 ........................................... le5stagioni.it ...................................... 25 Liguria ............................................................... 800-765-1452 ......................................... liguriafood.com ............................. Cover 3 Lillsun................................................................ 260-356-6514 ............................................. lillsun.com ........................................ 19 MF&B Restaurant Systems .................................. 888-480-EDGE ..........................................edgeovens.com .................................... 53 Marsal & Sons .................................................... 631-226-6688 ......................................... marsalsons.com .................................... 56 Menu Express .................................................... 877-250-2819 ........................................ menuexpress.com .................................. 66 Microworks ........................................................ 800-787-2068 ......................................... microworks.com .................................... 11 Middleby Marshall ............................................. 877-34-OVENS .......................................... wowoven.com ....................................... 7 Moving Targets .................................................. 800-926-2451 ...................................... movingtargets.com ................................. 31 Must Have Menus .............................................. 800-452-2234 ..................................... musthavemenus.com ............................... 21 NAPICS............................................................... 740-524-4123 ............................................. napics.com ........................................ 59 PDQ Signature Systems, Inc. ............................... 877-968-6430 ............................................ pdqpos.com ...................................... 57 Pizza Packet ....................................................... 877-499-2725 ......................................... pizzapacket.com ............................ Cover 2 Pizza Trucks of Canada ....................................... 204-297-7667 .................................. pizzatrucksofcanada.com ............................ 63 Saputo Foodservice ............................................ 800-824-3373 ................................. saputousafoodservice.com ........................... 35 SpeedLine .......................................................... 888-400-9185 ...................................... speedlinedemo.com ................................. 40 Stanislaus .......................................................... 800-327-7201 .......................................... stanislaus.com ...................................4, 5 Stefanoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ........................................................... 800-988-8103 ...................................... stefanosgelato.com ................................ 47 Superior Menus ................................................. 800-464-2182 ...................................... superiormenus.com ................................ 64 System Filtration ............................................... 877-508-0777 ..................................... systemfiltration.com ................................ 63 Univex .............................................................. 800-258-6358 ......................................... univexcorp.com .................................... 38 Woodstone ........................................................ 360-650-1111 ..................................... woodstone-corp.com ............................... 38 XLT .................................................................... 888-443-2751 ........................................... xltovens.com ..................................... 13 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. January/February 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ pmq.com

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

ADVERTISING

CHEESE, CONT.

APPAREL

COFFEE

BAKING SCHOOLS

COMPUTER SYSTEMS: POINT OF SALE

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

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Technology choices for every taste. p p p

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

p Loyalty Programs Point-of-Sale Online Ordering p Automated Marketing Smartphone Ordering

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

COMPUTER SYSTEMS: POINT OF SALE, CONT.

CONSULTING

CRUSTS 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 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

CUTTING BOARDS - EQUAL SLICE

DOUGH

January/February 2012 • pmq.com

PMQ Industry Resource Guide DOUGH DIVIDERS/ROUNDERS

DOUGH TRAYS/PROOFING TRAYS 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 800-501-2458 ........... www.doughmate.com ......... fax: 908-276-9483

FLOUR, GLUTEN-FREE 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

DOUGH PRESSES, ROLLERS

pmq.com/tt2/recipe 72

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

FLOUR

PMQ Industry Resource Guide FOOD DISTRIBUTORS

GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCTS

INSURANCE

LICENSING FRANCHISE Should You Franchise Your Restaurant? Call today to receive your free DVD on â&#x20AC;&#x153;How to Franchise Your Businessâ&#x20AC;? and learn about one of the most dynamic methods of expanding your business in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marketplace.

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FRANCHISE CONSULTANTS

January/February 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ pmq.com

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

MACHINERY/OVENS/EQUIPMENT, CONT.

MAGNETS

JUMBO PIZZA SLICE MAGNETS 399-2966 WE DELIVER

www.magneticadconcepts.com

977 Butternut Dr. Holland

MAILING SERVICES

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.

KEEP MORE OF YOUR HARD EARNED DOUGH!

Just to name a few...Randell · Stephan · American Range · Imperial · Cold Tech · Middleby Marshall Lincoln Impinger · LEER · CTX · True

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

Randell Refrigeration Prep Units & Freezers

MANAGEMENT

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

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

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!

MARKETING IDEAS

WWW.TIMEFORGE.COM 866.684.7191

PMQ Industry Resource Guide MARKETING IDEAS, CONT.

MEAT TOPPINGS

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 QSPÃ¶UT GSPN QSFTFOU DVTUPNFST t )PX UP HSBC CVTJOFTT BXBZ GSPN ZPVS DPNQFUJUPST

901-767-2937

loyaltycoach.com

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

MIXERS *OREH )RRG (TXLSPHQW &R 63 3

4XDUW +HDY\ 'XW\ 3L]]D 0L[HU +DQGOHV OE EDJ RI Ã&#x20AC; RXU Â&#x2021; 'LUHFW JHDU GULYH WUDQVPLVVLRQ 5LJLG FDVW LURQ FRQVWUXFWLRQ Â&#x2021; %HVW ZDUUDQW\ LQ LWV FODVV

ZZZ JOREHVOLFHUV FRP Â&#x2021; MIXERS, USED USED HOBART 60 QT. MIXER FOR SALE AT US $4980.00 PLUS SHIPPING. Call Lynn at 214-552-3218........................................ or e-mail tbfm@tbfm.com

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

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 January/February 2012 â&#x20AC;¢ pmq.com

PMQ Industry Resource Guide OLIVES, CONT.

PIZZA BOX LINERS

ON HOLD MARKETING

PIZZA OVENS EARTHSTONE OVENS, INC. .. 6717 San Fernando Rd....Glendale, CA 91201 800-840-4915 .........Fax: 818-553-1133 ...... www.earthstoneovens.com All units UI listed. FISH OVEN & EQUIPMENT CORP. 120 W. Kent Ave........Wauconda, IL 60084 TOLL Free 877-526-8720 ....... Fax: 847-526-7447 ...... www.fishoven.com

ONLINE ORDERING

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 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

PIZZA SHAKER LIDS

PIZZA BOXES

PIZZA DELIVERY THERMAL BAGS BAG SOLUTIONS ................................................. Home of the Pizza Jacket Deliver that pie HOT and DRY! 866-Bag-To-Go (866-224-8646) ........................ www.deliverybags.com

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 B]]hÛPgmjÛ=gg\ ?FKÛoal`Ûgmj 8CCÛE<N GYl]fl]\ÛJqkl]e

<d][lja[ÛGarrYÛ;]dan]jqÛ9Y_k 888-556-2024 • www.RediHeat.com 76

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

PMQ Industry Resource Guide

January/February 2012 â&#x20AC;¢ pmq.com

PMQ Industry Resource Guide PIZZA PANS

PIZZA OVENS, CONT.

i feel preƩy.

oh, so preƩy!

Bakeware Specialists

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

PIZZA SUPPLIES

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

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:

PIZZA PEELS

718-200-1013

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

pmq.com/tt2/recipe 78

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

PMQ Industry Resource Guide PRINTING, CONT.

PRINTING, CONT.

90 FOR 9 -0 9 3 -7 0 0 CALL 8

COMMERCIAL PRINTING • MAIL FULFILLMENT SERVICES

8999

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

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

ER Y L F E 2-PAG$ 00

FOR 95 ONLY 6 0 0 ,0 5 2

E TIME AT THE SAM SAME COPY E TH OF R HE PRINT ANOT

25,000

0 2950

FOR $ ONLY

50,000

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FOR $ ONLY

E E SAME TIM E COPY AT TH M SA E TH HER OF PRINT ANOT

795

50,000 NGERS FOR $ ONLY

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10,000

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25,000

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25,000

399

FOR $ ONLY

FOR MORE

S T C U D O R PRINT PAND VICES MAIL SEWREBSITE AT VISIT OUR

S U . S M C WWW.B

REFRIGERATION

90 9 0 9 3 7 800January/February 2012 • pmq.com

PMQ Industry Resource Guide SAFES

TOMATO PRODUCTS

SPECIALTY FOODS 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

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

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

GUARANTEED LOWEST INDUSTRY PRICE! www.fidelitycom.com.........................800-683-5600

VENTILATION

STICKY NOTES

TAKE AND BAKE TRAYS

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

WINGS

Resource Guide Advertiser Index January/February 2012 Resource Advertiser

Phone

Page

411eat.com..........................................................213-622-4247 ............................. 76 AFC Insurance ......................................................800-411-4144 ............................. 73 Allied Metal Spinning ...........................................800-615-2266 ............................. 78 AM Manufacturing ..............................................800-342-6904 ............................. 78 American Institute of Baking ................................785-537-4910 ............................. 70 American Wholesale.............................................216-426-8882 ............................. 79 Armanino Foods ...................................................866-553-5611 ............................. 80 Arrow POS ............................................................888-378-3338 ............................. 70 Bacio ................................................................... 855-BACIO85 .............................. 70 Bag Solutions.......................................................866-224-8646 ........................76, 77 Baker’s Quality Pizza Crusts ..................................800-846-6153 ............................. 71 Bay State Milling ..................................................800-55-FLOUR ............................. 72 Belissimo .............................................................800-813-2974 ............................. 73 Best Choice Print & Marketing Experts ..................800-783-0990 ........................78, 79 Best Point of Sale .................................................866-285-7613 ............................. 71 Burke Corporation ................................................800-654-1152 ............................. 75 California Blending ..............................................626-448-1918 ............................. 80 Campus Collection ................................................800-289-8904 ............................. 70 Caputo .................................................................868-450-0090 ............................. 70 Castella Imports ...................................................866-CASTELLA ............................. 80 Chef a la Mode .....................................................888-804-3375 ............................. 70 Chef Santo Bruno .................................................813-230-8108 ............................. 71 Color Vision ..........................................................800-543-6299 ............................. 74 CoverTex ..............................................................800-968-2310 ........................76, 79 Crust Saver ...........................................................877-437-4903 ............................. 76 Dakota Prarie Flour ..............................................701-324-4330 ............................. 72 DeIorio’s...............................................................800-649-9212 ............................. 71 Domata Living Flour .............................................417-654-4010 ............................. 72 Dough Xpress .......................................................800-835-0606 ............................. 72 DoughMate ..........................................................800-501-2450 ............................. 72 Dutchess Bakers’ Machinery .................................800-777-4498 ............................. 72 Earthstone Ovens .................................................800-840-4915 ............................. 76 EDGE ....................................................................888-480-EDGE ............................. 76 Erica Record .........................................................973-614-8500 ............................. 72 Fidelity Communications ......................................800-683-5600 ............................. 80 Fish Oven & Equipment ........................................877-526-8720 ............................. 76 Fluid Media Group ................................................408-837-2346 ........................70, 72 Fontanini ............................................................ 800-331-MEAT ............................. 75 Forever Lids..........................................................815-494-1919 ............................. 76 FreePOSPlace.com ................................................800-856-5175 ............................. 71 GI. Metal ..............................................................630-553-9134 ........................76, 77 Globe Food Equipment Co. ....................................800-347-5423 ............................. 75 Granbury Restaurant Solutions .............................800-910-3947 ............................. 70 Grande Cheese Company ..................................... 800-8-GRANDE ............................ 70 High Point Coffee .................................................662-234-9942 ............................. 70 Hudson Refrigeration Manufacturing ...................800-924-8687 ............................ 74 iFranchise Group ..................................................708-957-2300 ............................. 73 Incredible Bags ....................................................888-254-9453 ............................. 77 J & G Mills ............................................................734-469-4504 ............................. 74 Krisp-It ................................................................800-590-7908 ............................. 75 Klondike Cheese ...................................................608-325-3021 ............................. 70 La Nova............................................................... 800-6-LANOVA............................. 80 Le 5 Stagioni ........................................................800-780-2280 ............................. 72 Liguria Foods .......................................................800-925-1452 ............................. 75 Lillsun..................................................................260-356-6514 ............................. 78 Lindsay ................................................................800-252-3557 ............................. 75 Lloyd Pans............................................................800-840-8683 ............................. 78

Resource Advertiser

Phone

Page

Loyalty Coach .......................................................901-927-2937 ............................. 75 M.Press Packaging ...............................................541-548-9889 ............................. 80 Magnetic Ad Concepts ..........................................800-365-3351 ............................. 74 Mario Camacho Foods...........................................800-881-4534 ............................. 75 Marsal & Sons ......................................................631-226-6688 .................. 74, 76, 78 McClancy Seasoning .............................................800-843-1968 ............................. 80 Melissa Data ........................................................800-635-4772 ............................. 74 Menu Powerhouse ...............................................888-210-8189 ............................. 79 MenuPro ..............................................................800-907-3690 ............................. 71 Message On Hold..................................................800-392-4664 ............................. 76 MFG Tray ..............................................................800-458-6050 ............................. 72 Microworks POS Solutions.....................................800-787-2068 ............................. 71 Molino Caputo .....................................................201-368-9197 ............................. 72 Mountain Harvest Pizza Crust ...............................800-342-6205 ............................. 71 Moving Targets ............................................. 800-926-2451 ext. 356 ..................... 75 Mr. Peel ...............................................................888-994-4664 ............................. 78 Musco Family Olive ...............................................800-523-9828 ............................. 76 Neil Jones Food ....................................................800-291-3862 ............................. 80 NMI .....................................................................800-994-4664 ............................. 78 Northern Pizza Equipment....................................800-426-0323 ............................. 74 NoteAds ...............................................................800-309-9102 ............................. 80 Off the Wall Magnetics .........................................800-337-2637 ............................. 74 Pacific Coast Producers .........................................800-510-3706 ............................. 80 P.A. Products ........................................................884-421-1060 ............................. 78 PDQ Signature Systems ........................................877-968-6430 ............................. 71 Peel A Deal...........................................................877-563-5654 ............................. 75 Peerless Ovens .....................................................800-548-4514 ............................. 76 Picard ..................................................................800-668-1883 ............................. 76 Pizza Dough .........................................................718-951-3555 ............................. 71 Pizza Ovens.com...................................................877-367-6836 ............................. 76 POSnet ................................................................866-976-7638 ............................. 71 Portion Padl .........................................................330-608-5928 ............................. 71 Presto Foods ........................................................800-589-8604 ............................. 73 Proxprint .............................................................888-310-7769 ............................. 79 Red Gold ....................................................... 877-908-9798 ext. 163....................... 80 Redi Heat .............................................................888-556-2024 ............................. 76 Ruxter .................................................................800-923-1953 ........................75, 76 Saputo .................................................................800-824-3388 ............................. 70 Somerset .............................................................800-772-4404 ............................. 72 SpeedLine ............................................................888-400-9185 ............................. 72 Stanislaus Food Products ......................................800-327-7201 ............................. 80 Star Pizza Box ......................................................800-626-0828 ............................. 76 Sugar Creek Packing .............................................800-848-8205 ............................. 75 Sunset Plastics .....................................................878-200-1013 ............................. 78 T&T Graphics .......................................................800-557-9914 ............................. 79 Tasti Grain............................................................315-624-2748 ............................. 73 Tasty Breads.........................................................888-352-7323 ............................. 71 The Pizza Maker ...................................................248-363-1887 ............................. 73 Thermal Bags by Ingrid.........................................800-622-5560 ............................. 76 Thunderbird .........................................................800-7-MIXERS ............................. 73 Timeforge ............................................................866-684-8791 ............................. 74 Ventilation Direct .................................................866-433-8335 ............................. 80 Vesuvio Foods ......................................................800-997-0887 ............................. 73 Wood Stone .........................................................800-988-8103 ............................. 76 World Wide Safe Brokers.......................................800-593-2893 ............................. 80 XLT.......................................................................888-443-3751 ............................. 78

January/February 2012 • pmq.com

Inside PMQ Find out everything you’ve always wanted to know about PMQ from Steve and Linda Green.

To view the interview in its entirety, log on to PizzaTV.com.

At the start of PMQ’s 15th anniversary year, editor-in-chief Liz Barrett sits down with owners Steve and Linda Green to find out how the magazine has progressed over the years and what’s coming next for the publication.

Why a pizza magazine? Linda Green: We are former Domino’s Pizza franchisees. Steve learned a lot about marketing when we were with Domino’s and really grew to love it. Steve Green: I kind of just moved into it. After being a Domino’s franchisee, I started helping other independent pizzeria operators with their marketing, which included a newsletter. People started wanting to subscribe to the newsletter and I thought, if I could get a couple of sponsors, I could sell a couple of ads and enlarge my mailing list. It was after I went to the NRA Show in Chicago and saw all of the vendors who could help operators sell more pizza that we decided to start PMQ in 1997.

What do the letters PMQ stand for? LG: We started the magazine as a quarterly called Pizza Marketing Quarterly, but as demand grew, we eventually expanded to 10 issues peryear and shortened the name to PMQ Pizza Magazine. Steve thought that if GQ (originally Gentlemen’s Quarterly) could get away with publishing 12 times a year, we could, too.

How does your vision for the magazine now compare to 15 years ago? SG: The first vision I had was just getting enough sponsors in order to send our magazine out and be able to make a living. After a while, we started seeing how much our readers were using the Internet, and we started putting additional content on PMQ.com. We’re able 82

PMQ owners Linda and Steve Green

to communicate much more intimately with our readers now through Pizza Radio podcasts, Pizza TV videos and the magazine. The industry has grown and is much stronger today. We now have 40,000 magazine subscribers, 15,000 unique visitors to PMQ.com each month, 15,000 e-newsletter subscribers, and connections on Twitter and Facebook. We even have a weekly news show called This Week in Pizza, which can be viewed online and on smartphones.

What impact do you hope PMQ has had on the industry so far? SG: We hope that people see the magazine as a pizza coach—we try to make it the kind of magazine that would help me if I were still in the pizza business. The independent pizzeria operator doesn’t have a whole lot of support, so we try to impart the wisdom we come across from experts and relay it to our readers.

What has been your biggest success? LG: I think that going from a quarterly publication to 10 times per year—in the middle of a recession—was a great success for us. SG: I don’t know if it’s attributable to anything we’ve done, but just the

PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

discovery that pizza is so accepted by so many people around the world. We’ve had some great success in China and Australia. All over the world, you don’t even notice that people speak a different language if they’re in the pizza business. There’s just something about pizza guys. They’re hard-working, salt-of-the-earth people who take pride in what they do. All over the world people are eating some form of pizza, and eventually they end up eating what we hope will be American pizza.

What sets PMQ apart? SG: I’ve been in the pizza business since 1982, and I was born to sell pizza. It’s a joy to share this asset with our readers and see people grow. We really care. I travel around the world and inspect pizzerias and talk with pizza operators every day. I know what it’s like to have a business that’s not doing very well. I’ve owned two stores that didn’t make any money, and I’ve owned two stores that made a lot of money. I have a lot of respect for the folks out there who are trying to make a single store work. If there’s anything I can do to help someone get their sales to go north, we’ll get that information in the magazine.

Try the sauces that made us famous!!

Hot Boneless Chicken Bites

Bar-B-Que Boneless Chicken Bites

NEW ITEMS! CALL 1-800-6-LANOVA FOR A DISTRIBUTOR NEAR YOU! Ph: (716) 881-3355 â&#x20AC;¢ www.LANOVA.com