pizzamagazine.com
00
Online at PMQ.com August 2012 PIZZA TV: RECENT VIDEOS
New York Restaurant Show 2012
This Week in Pizza
Join the PMQ staff as we review some of the hottest new products at the 2012 International Restaurant & Foodservice Show in New York, including hemp pizza crust, vegetarian sausage, business-branding videos and a monitoring system that ensures employees wash their hands.
Catch up on the latest pizza industry news every Wednesday with Pizza TV’s weekly online broadcast, This Week in Pizza, with hosts Chris Green, Brian Hernandez and Michelle McAnally.
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” franchise 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.
mangiamopizza Every day we announce a random name, and the person with that name eats for FREE. Simple as that. Today “Jessica” eats for FREE! CassanosPizza Get great offers from Cassano’s on your mobile device. Text ThePizzaKing to 90210. NYPD_Pizza Come celebrate “Bring Your Dog to Work Day” at any one of our 8 dog-friendly patios!
Find PMQ at facebook.com/ pmqpizzamagazine.
Westshore Pizza Get deliciously cheesy pizza AND earn cash back? Yes way! Be sure to ask about our customer loyalty program at your local Westshore. FREE PIZZA to one randomly drawn fan response to this question: “If I could have a year’s supply of Westshore, I would choose pizza, cheesesteaks or ______?” Pizza Rita Well, we did it again. Another Treasure Hunt/20 Questions. Let’s review: Pizza Rita hid a coupon good for TWO FREE LARGE PIZZAS (with any number of toppings) somewhere in our delivery area. Your goal is to find it by asking questions on Facebook that can be answered YES or NO. We will answer questions with YES or NO, and you will find said card, redeem and enjoy tasty Pizza Rita pizza! Next Door Pizza & Pub Attention, baseball teams: Today would be a great day to book your season-end party. We fill up very fast (we were booked for three straight weeks when soccer ended). Also, if you decide to do a pool party, let us know, and we can deliver to you (orders over $75). 6
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
Table of Contents August 2012 ON THE COVER 24 The Mozza Masters A dream team of celebrity chefs—including Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali, Joseph Bastianich and Matt Molina—are reinventing pizza at Pizzeria Mozza. By Rick Hynum
FEATURES 30 The Green Mile Pizzeria operators use tricycles, Segways and electric bikes to offer more eco-friendly delivery services to their customers. By Walter Webb
PMQ fills you in on the hottest new products exhibited at the recent International Restaurant & Foodservice Show in New York.
KELLY CAMPBELL
36 What’s Hot!
24
40 The Power of Flour From whole grain and genuine Italian blends to ready-made mixes, flour can make or break a pizza dough recipe. By Michelle McAnally
44 Order Up! Part 2 Learn how to promote your online ordering system to attract more customers and increase sales. By Liz Barrett
48 It’s in the Bag With so many high-tech hot bags on the market, there is simply no excuse for delivering a cold, soggy pizza to a customer’s door. By Michelle McAnally
52 Beyond the Basic Box After decades of creative stagnation, new innovations are helping the humble pizza box get the attention it deserves. By Rick Hynum
60 Fire Up the Grill! Grilled pizzas provide a feast for the senses and can also set your pizzeria apart in a competitive market. By Craig W. Priebe
IN EVERY ISSUE 6
30
Online at PMQ.com
10
Editor’s Note
12
Letters to the Editor
14
Pizza Press
66
Product Spotlight
75
Advertiser Index
76
Industry Resource Guide
89 Resource Guide Advertiser Index
DEPARTMENTS 16 In Lehmann’s Terms: Creating a Light, Airy Pizza Crust Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann explains how to overcome the problem of overly dense dough.
18 New York’s Finest: Spaghetti, Garlic and Parsley Chef Bruno visits La Stella II pizzeria and makes a simple, inexpensive yet delicious spaghetti dish.
20 Accounting for Your Money: Restaurant Valuations and Buy-Sell Agreements Mike Rasmussen discusses some of the key factors in determining a restaurant’s value.
Linda Duke reveals how to increase your brand’s visibility even during an economic downturn.
60
CHARLES SCHILLER
22 The Marketing Maven: Play to Win in Hard Economic Times
58 Pizza of the Month: Potato Potato-based pies have enjoyed rising popularity on pizza menus.
90 Time Capsule: Aldo’s II Pizzeria & Restaurant Aldo Calore started his popular New York pizzeria in 1962 and still keeps his prices low and quality high.
Coming Next Month Pizza of the Month: Taco Soft Cheeses: As consumers get more adventurous, rich, gooey, melt-in-your-mouth soft cheeses are becoming the new rock stars of the pizzeria menu.
40
Gift and Loyalty Cards: Learn how to leverage gift and loyalty cards to encourage repeat business.
Ovens: Having a better understanding of pizza ovens is essential to choosing one that works for your recipes, staff, space and budget.
August 2012 • pmq.com
9
Editor’s Note Rick Hynum
A Trailblazing Culinary Spirit There once was a time—long ago, I’ll admit, but I remember it well—when I could eat anything I wanted without gaining an ounce. And what I liked to eat most of all was pizza. Lunch, dinner, late-night snack, even a couple of cold slices from the fridge for breakfast now and then, I’d gobble it down without a trace of worry or remorse. Sadly, as I’ve gotten older, my body’s metabolism has slowed down, and I’ve begun to sport a gut that one might generously describe as ample. So what am I doing for a living now? I’m writing about pizza. And when I’m not writing about pizza, I’m looking at pictures of pizzas. And when I’m not writing about pizza and looking at pictures of pizzas, I’m eating pizza, because I’ve been writing about it and looking at pictures of it all day long, and I am, after all, only human. It’s great fun, but it cannot bode well for my belly. Today, I’ve been writing about Pizzeria Mozza, the popular Los Angeles restaurant founded in 2006 by Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich, for this month’s cover story (see page 24). After chatting on the phone with executive chef Matt Molina and listening to his descriptions of their pies, such as the Pizza alla Benno with smoked prosciutto, pineapple, jalapeño, mozzarella and tomato, or a pizza featuring fennel sausage, panna cream, red onions and scallions—well, all I can say is that a rushed, 10-minute lunch of beanie weenies and potato chips just won’t cut it. Aside from the mouthwatering food, what’s most admirable about the Pizzeria Mozza sensibility is that Silverton, who came up with the concept, does pizza her way. Here’s how she put it to The New York Times last year: “At Mozza most of the comment cards say something about [our pizza] being as good as sex or wanting it for their last meal. But some say, ‘Go to Italy and learn the Neapolitan way. What pie are you making? Is it New York? Chicago? Italian?’ And I say no. It’s mine.” One must applaud that sort of bold, trailblazing culinary spirit, even in the tradition-bound culture of pizza making. Of course, one can never go wrong by following in the well-worn footprints of the great pizzaioli, and it’s hard to beat a classic New York slice or some thick, cheesy deep-dish from the Windy City. But chefs like Silverton and Molina teach us that there’s also a time and a place—and a demand, judging by the waiting time for tables at Pizzeria Mozza—for innovation and experimentation. They have put their own spin on the world’s most popular food and will influence pizza’s future in ways that remain to be seen. Just thinking about it makes me hungry. Fennel sausage pizza, anyone? Thank you, as always, for reading PMQ, and, hey, keep those cards and letters (and emails) coming!
Rick Rick Hynum Managing Editor PMQ Pizza Magazine
On the cover: Matt Molina and Nancy Silverton prepare for a busy lunch shift at Los Angeles’ Pizzeria Mozza. Photo by Jenny Lopez
10
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
Letters to the Editor Rick Hynum Take-and-Bake Dough I own a small take-and-bake pizza restaurant, and I’ve been struggling with our pizza dough. I want our dough to taste like it came from one of the big guys. Is it possible to create a crust like Pizza Hut’s or Domino’s with a take-andbake concept? Malikah Pimpleton Urban Pizza Grand Rapids, MI Thanks for the question, Malikah. We referred it to Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann. Unfortunately, Tom says you probably won’t be able to create the type of dough you desire with a take-and-bake concept because chains like Pizza Hut depend heavily on commercial ovens to achieve their pizza’s unique characteristics. Your best hope is to create a dough that’s comparable to that of the big take-and-bake chains. Tom has posted several excellent takeand-bake dough formulas on PMQ’s Recipe Bank at pmq.com/recipe. These formulas use a lot of sugar to achieve the browning and flavor common to pizzas made by the “big guys.” But you can replace the sugar with equal amounts of bakery-grade sweet dairy
whey. For a stronger, darker crust color, increase the whey in 2% increments until you achieve the characteristics you’re looking for. Let us know if this helps!
Pizza in Brazil I have a pizza shop in Goiania, Brazil. Do you have any suggestions for marketing our pizzeria? What are other pizzerias doing here? We know that some use leaflets, but that is all. We need to increase our sales urgently, or we’ll go out of business. Manoel Reis Mister Lenha Pizzeria Goiania, Brazil Unfortunately, Manoel, we’ve only recently begun to explore the Brazilian pizza market. In fact, our publisher, Steve Green, and his daughter Missy made a trip to Sao Paulo shortly before press time for this issue. The results of their visit—and what they learned about the pizza business in Brazil—will be described in upcoming articles and PizzaTV. com videos. We’ll reach out to you via email at that time. Meanwhile, we hope you find some inspiring ideas from the U.S.-based operators profiled in PMQ!
— A Publication of PMQ, Inc. — Winner of 4 ASBPE Awards Winner of 4 GAMMA Awards ISSN 1937-5263 PMQ, Inc. Publisher Steve Green sg@pmq.com ext. 123
Co-Publisher Linda Green linda@pmq.com ext. 121 EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Liz Barrett liz@pmq.com ext. 126 Managing Editor Rick Hynum rick@pmq.com ext. 130 Senior Copy Editor Tracy Morin tracy@pmq.com ext. 140 Assistant Editor Michelle McAnally michelle@pmq.com ext. 124 DESIGN/PRODUCTION Art Director Kara Hoffman kara@pmq.com ext. 135 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 Dianna Seddon dianna@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 U.S. Pizza Team Director Missy Green missy@pmq.com ext. 125 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
Think Tank 2.0
French Liaison Julien Panet jpanet@pizza.fr EDITORIAL ADVISORS
What’s the buzz? Log on to find out the latest industry buzz at PMQ.com/tt. Rebates…
Chef Santo Bruno Tom Lehmann Joey Todaro Ed Zimmerman
Possibly this is not the best LSM…
CONTRIBUTORS Chef Santo Bruno John Correll Linda Duke Tom Lehmann Craig W. Priebe Michael J. Rasmussen Walter Webb
Pilot light on oven… Cinnamon sticks… Any pointers on running a pizzeria kitchen? Thank You to Our PMQ Think Tank Moderators Daddio: Member since June 2006 Tom Lehmann: Member since June 2006
Rockstar Pizza: Member since June 2006 ADpizzaguy: Member since January 2007
We want to hear from you! Have a complaint, compliment or suggestion about something you’ve read in the pages of PMQ? Send your letter via email to editor@pmq.com with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject line, or mail to PMQ, ATTN: Letters to the Editor, 605 Edison St., Oxford, MS 38655. We look forward to hearing from you! Friend us on Facebook! Visit facebook.com/pmqpizzamagazine. Managing editor Rick Hynum 12
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
Volume 16, Issue 6 PMQ Pizza Magazine 605 Edison St. • Oxford, MS 38655 662.234.5481 • 662.234.0665 Fax • linda@pmq.com PMQ Pizza Magazine (ISSN #1937-5263) is published 10 times per year. Cost of U.S. subscription is $25 per year. International $35. Periodical postage pricing paid at Oxford, MS. Additional mailing offices at Bolingbrook, IL. Postmaster: Send address changes to: PMQ Pizza Magazine, PO Box 2015, Langhorne, PA 19047. Opinions expressed by the editors and contributing writers are strictly their own, and are not necessarily those of the advertisers. All rights reserved. No portion of PMQ may be reproduced in whole or part without written consent.
Opening a New Location I have written to PMQ Pizza Magazine before, and I was very pleased with the answer that was given to my question, so I have another one. I am going to be opening another location soon, and I was wondering what month/time of the year would be good, if not best, to open a new pizza restaurant?
Gianni Pietanza Via email That’s an excellent question, Gianni. According to our publisher and resident pizza guru Steve Green, industry statistics show that autumn has consistently proven to be the best time of year to open a new pizzeria. October, in particular, is a good month, although November
Pizza Press News and Views
PETA’s Pizza Pick Three Brothers Pizza Café (3brotherspizzacafe.com) in Rockville Centre, New York, recently garnered the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Best Vegan Pizza award for its Seitan Bacon Ranch pie, a pizza that even a pig could love. In 2009 owner Andy Astafovic’s son, Jay, a vegan, developed a comprehensive vegan menu in addition to the regular fare, including appetizers, pastas, meatless burgers, a full Sunday brunch and 12 kinds of pizza. “We’re a place that caters to all people, but it’s our vegan menu that brings people from all over,” Jay Astafovic says. “It ranges from comfort food favorites to gourmet entrees.” “We looked at many different restaurants and pizzerias, and 3 Brothers Pizza Café stood out to us because its pizza showcased a variety of cruelty-free and delicious toppings, including faux meats, dairy-free ranch dressing, vegan cheese and fresh veggies,” says Ashley Palmer, PETA’s assistant manager of online marketing.
Champion eater Damon Wells competed in the Grand Sicilian Smackdown at Big Mama’s & Papa’s Pizzeria. His team, the Wreckless Eaters, won by finishing a 54” pizza in 46 minutes.
The Grand Sicilian Smackdown It was called the Grand Sicilian Smackdown—in the left corner, the Competitive Eaters, and in the right corner, the Wreckless Eaters. The teams came together at Big Mama’s & Papa’s Pizzeria (bigmamaspizza.com) on June 24 in Burbank, California, to pit their skills against the Grand Sicilian, the pizzeria’s 50-pound, 54” Guinness World Record holder for the world’s largest deliverable pizza. With six people per team, each member had to eat about eight pounds of pizza. According to the Big Mama’s media director, Julian Martinez, the eating contest and the monster pie draw great publicity and help boost sales. “It started out as a novelty thing for marketing purposes, but it’s really starting to pick up some momentum,” he says. “The room in which the challenge took place was full of viewers, and there was a great buzz in the air, especially as the teams got closer to finishing. All the people who were there just to watch ordered pizza or wings. It’s gotten us great exposure, and we have plans to market the challenge and giant pizza even more.” Big Mama’s holds regular challenges in which teams of up to seven people must finish the massive pie in two hours to win $1,000. “Currently there are about 10 teams who attempt the challenge per month, and a Grand Sicilian gets ordered for delivery almost every day,” Martinez says. The community-minded pizzeria also donates the monster pies to charity events. And the winning team was…the Wreckless Eaters, who finished in 46 minutes, well under the allotted time. Martinez says the winners had one request after polishing off the 50-pound pie: “Can we have some dessert?”
The Great Spokane Treasure Hunt Not all treasure is silver and gold. Sometimes it’s a meal from Pizza Rita (pizzarita.net) in Spokane, Washington. About once a month the popular chain hides a coupon for two free large pizzas with any number of toppings somewhere in its delivery area and plays a game of 20 questions with its Facebook fans to narrow down the location. “We usually hide the coupon in a park or at a shopping center—someplace where you have to be looking for it, not just stumbling upon it,” says owner Brian Dickmann. “It’s amazing how quickly they find it.” Dickmann says about 25 people participate in each game. “It keeps our Facebook fans interested and encourages customers to ‘like’ us,” he says. “We’re getting a lot of good publicity from it.” 14
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
Secrets of the Montanara
Italian celebrity chef Antonio Starita put the Montanara on the American pizza map in 2007. Recently, he divulged the secrets of this Italian-style delicacy in a class held at Ridgewood, New Jersey’s authentic Neapolitan trattoria A Mano (amanopizza.com). “I’ve seen a lot of people all over the world trying to make the Montanara but, unfortunately, doing it incorrectly,” Starita says. “I want to teach the proper methods to make an authentic Montanara.” In addition to Starita’s signature tomato sauce, his Montanara is topped with smoked buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil leaves. But the real secret is in the preparation, as his students learned. “The techniques of dough making and stretching, combined with frying and then baking, are the keys to my Montanara,” Starita says. “Traditionally, it was fried only. I was the first pizza maker to change the method by finishing it in the wood-burning oven to dry some of the oil. I’m glad to see other pizza mak- Celebrity chef Antonio Starita (above right) shared his technique for making the perfect Montanara pizza at Ridgewood, New Jersey’s A Mano. ers are now using my technique.”
It’s All in the Name Every Tom, Dick or Mary has a chance to win free food sooner or later at Mangiamo Pizza Buffet (mangiamopizzabuffet. com) in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. That’s because the pizzeria announces a random name every day, and anyone with that name eats for free. “Our main announcement goes on Twitter and our Facebook fan page,” says Mangiamo president Raja Kuppuswamy. “We have over 600 followers on our Twitter account and are still building it. Many followers retweet our announcement or send a direct message to someone they know with that name. We have about 100 fans on our Facebook page, and many of them ‘like’ the announcement or ‘share’ it. We also have a ‘Wanted’ poster on our restaurant wall where we write the name every day.” Kuppuswamy says the promotion helps build business. “Anyone that comes with the daily name brings at least one person. I have seen customers who have eaten free come back again. Our name is out there, and people are talking about us.”
Gino’s East Tips Taxi Drivers
Taxi driver Rashid Temuri (right) and Gino’s vice president of sales and marketing Debbie Frank celebrate Gino’s East’s support for Chicago’s cabbies.
Gino’s East (ginoseast.com) recently celebrated the heroes who get us where we need to go with Cab Driver Appreciation Day, offering complimentary mini deep-dish pies to taxi drivers at its North Wells Street location in Chicago. “Gino’s East was founded in 1966 by two cab drivers,” says Debbie Frank, the pizzeria’s vice president of sales and marketing. “Cab Driver Appreciation Day is a great way for us to come full circle in celebrating our heritage. This year we honored taxi drivers by distributing 700 complimentary deep-dish pizzas, while also thanking them for bringing us customers.” Customers from all over the world come to enjoy Gino’s East’s cast-iron skillet pizzas and scribble their names into the wood and stucco walls of the flagship restaurant. August 2012 • pmq.com
15
In Lehmann’s Terms Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann
Visit PizzaTV.com to see more tips from Tom Lehmann.
Creating a Light, Airy Pizza Crust Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann explains the secret to softer, more extensible dough. Question: Our crust always seems to be too dense. It lacks the large holes and airy texture that we are looking for. We have tried to attain these characteristics, but nothing has worked for us so far. What do we need to do?
Answer: There are a number of things that can be done to impart the characteristics you’re looking for. Make sure that your dough is soft enough to freely expand during the very early stages of baking. The dough needs sufficient water to have a soft and extensible feel, which is best achieved through water absorption. I suggest that you begin by increasing the water absorption of your dough in 2% increments (based on total flour weight), up to a maximum of about 60%. Additionally, in order to expand properly during baking, the dough needs to have sufficient yeast. For typical pizza dough, I recommend a level of 1% compressed/fresh yeast, 0.5% active dry yeast or 0.375% instant dry yeast. Dough mixing time is another important factor. Pizza doughs should be mixed until they take on a smooth, satiny appearance. Mixing beyond this point might develop enough gluten to restrict dough mobility, thus reducing the ability of the dough to expand freely during the early baking stage. Another factor to consider is the protein content of the flour. In general, flours with high protein content tend to produce doughs that are somewhat tough and elastic, which can often inhibit the oven-spring characteristics of the dough. Changing to a flour with a lower protein 16
content can help by providing a softer, more extensible dough that will exhibit better oven-spring traits in the oven, thus creating a more open and porous crumb structure. The salt level in the dough can also contribute to lack of oven spring due to the salt’s toughening effect upon the gluten and its inhibiting effect upon the yeast action. For the best results in pizza dough, the salt level should be between 1.5% and 2.5% of the total flour weight. Finally, fermentation can play a significant role in the crumb structure. As the dough ferments, it has a mellowing—or softening—effect upon the gluten structure of the dough, giving it a softer, more extensible trait, which will help to promote oven spring
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
and a more open crumb structure in the finished crust. Research has shown that most pizza doughs require a minimum of four hours of fermentation at room temperature (70°F) or between 12 and 16 hours under refrigerated storage (also known as cold fermentation) to produce a finished crust with an acceptably open crumb structure and desirable eating characteristics.
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
Spaghetti, Garlic and Parsley
See cooking demos by Chef Bruno on PizzaTV.com.
A visit with a fellow chef inspires a simple but tasty dish that’s perfect for sharing with friends and family. I chose this month’s recipe, Spaghetti, Garlic and Parsley, in honor of my friend Giuseppe del Pretes, owner of La Stella and La Stella II in Oyster Bay, New York. Giuseppe was born in Naples, Italy, and came to the United States in 1982. At one point he worked as a chef on an oil tanker in the Middle East. He has a diploma from a culinary school in Italy and is a great master chef.
Mangia!
Giuseppe purchased his first pizza shop in Mineola on Long Island. The store was so successful that he decided to open another shop, this time in partnership with his five brothers. I stopped in La Stella II one day, and we ended up cooking a number of dishes. We had so much fun that some professional photographers came in and started taking pictures of the place and of the food that we were making. One of those dishes was Spaghetti, Garlic and Parsley, a simple yet tasty combination of only a few ingredients. It’s a great dish to enjoy with your family or a group of friends, just as I enjoyed it with Giuseppe.
You’ll Need: ¼ c. olive oil 3 crushed garlic cloves 1 lb. spaghetti 3 tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Reserve 1 tablespoon of oil and heat the remainder in a medium pan. Add the garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat—do not let the garlic burn, as this will taint the flavor. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil, add the spaghetti and remaining oil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the garlic, oil and parsley to the spaghetti and toss until the spaghetti is completely coated. Add pepper if desired. Serve immediately.
Chef Bruno (right) samples his Spaghetti, Garlic and Parsley recipe with (left to right) a Stella II employee, Guiseppe del Pretes and Sid Hausen. 18
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
Chef Bruno is PMQ’s culinary advisor, with more than 40 years of international pizza experience. He is the corporate chef for Marsal & Sons and the culinary coach of the U.S. Pizza Team.
Accounting for Your Money Michael J. Rasmussen, CPA
Restaurant Valuations and Buy-Sell Agreements Seemingly simple formulas and contracts may mask more complex issues. QUESTION: What are some key factors in determining my restaurant’s value?
ANSWER: Important financial decisions depend on accurate, reliable valuations. Knowing the market value of your business is critical in resales and financial restructuring. Without an accurate assessment, the proposed business for sale would either remain on the market indefinitely (i.e., overpriced) or fail to sell for its maximum value (i.e., underpriced). Countless factors affect the value of a restaurant or chain, so it can be difficult, if not impossible, to list them all. Typically, you should hire a firm with valuation experience that can provide an independent perspective about your restaurant’s performance and its ultimate value. A few key factors include: adjusted cash flow of the business; unit-level sales trends; location; regional economic factors; local trade area conditions; terms and conditions of the real property lease; strength of the owner or franchisor; condition of the facility; potential competitive intrusion; availability of financing; terms and conditions of any franchise license; and employment conditions. Every restaurant owner I’ve ever met has asked himself the age-old question, “What’s my number?” The operator may be in expansion mode and building restaurants to achieve an eventual selling price for all locations. Alternatively, that person may own a mature restaurant and has to devote considerable personal time to maintain the cash flow it generates; if someone offered him a wad of cash that met the “number,” he’d sell!
QUESTION: Do my partner and I really need a buy-sell agreement?
money to prepare a buy-sell agreement?” Simply put, it’s just good business. Circumstances in life change, and, although you and your partner may get along well today, life-altering events may create the need for a buy-sell agreement in the future. Partners should make sure the agreement establishes a proper value for estate and gift tax purposes that can withstand a challenge by the IRS. This, in turn, requires that consideration be given to a number of special rules that affect valuations for estate and gift tax purposes. An independent valuation or the assistance of a valuator in deriving a formula approximating fair market value at the date of the agreement helps ensure the proper tax result of a buy-sell agreement. Buy-sell agreements also have valuable nontax uses, including: • Ensuring the smooth, orderly transfer of a business interest upon the owner’s death, disability or retirement • Preventing a sale to outsiders (including nonactive survivors of the owner and unwanted owners such as competitors) and ensuring that control of the business stays with the remaining, usually active, owners • Creating a market for the interest of the transferring owner • Providing a mechanism for funding the purchase • Inducing a key employee to stay with the business • Furnishing funds to pay estate tax and estate administration expenses • Preventing transfers of ownership interests through litigation actions such as divorce or bankruptcy • Determining the amount of insurance necessary to fund a buyout of an owner by the entity or remaining shareholders through the use of a price setting formula
Have a question for Mike? Send it to editor@pmq.com.
ANSWER: This is a common question: “My partner and I would never disagree, so why spend the time and 20
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
Michael J. Rasmussen is the owner of Rasmussen Tax Group in Conway, Arkansas. Visit rasmussentaxgroup.com for additional insight into restaurant-specific tax strategies and technology programs.
The Marketing Maven Linda Duke
Play to Win in Hard Economic Times A simple shift in marketing strategy can pay off during a recession. During periods of economic turmoil, business owners often react by slashing their marketing budgets. But corporate missions center on delivering value to shareholders, an objective that applies during recessions and prosperous times. Without sales growth, creating, sustaining and increasing value is virtually impossible. Savvy marketers perceive such a challenge as an opportunity to set their brands apart from the competition, achieve increased visibility and emerge stronger when things return to normal. Economic downturns come and go, yet, strangely enough, many businesses that have been rocked by one downturn appear to be unprepared for the next. Here are three key questions to consider as you attempt to keep your pizzeria profitable in today’s less-than-ideal economic climate: 1.
2.
3.
What is life like during a downturn? For the most part, business owners hunker down, conserving resources for the fight ahead. The release of new products may be delayed. During these times, leadership becomes very important. Leadership includes good communication, the ability to teach, strategic insight and a readiness to commit to a course of action. How do I successfully negotiate my way through a downturn? Pay close attention to changes in the marketplace, learn from your frontline staff and question the continuing relevance of your strategy and resource base. Be realistic—see the world as it is, talk with your staff about the future and how to achieve your goals, be honest, have the courage to trust your employees and reduce risk by coaching your staff. What do my customers want? When faced with pennypinching consumers, it helps to shift your ad campaign
from messages like luxury and status enhancement to efficiency and value. A troubled economy offers the perfect opportunity to grow closer to your customers and to identify and better understand their attitudes, desires and needs. It’s also the ideal time to build trust with your customer base and make your brand the best, most reasonable and obvious choice, even for the more image-conscious or emotionally oriented consumer categories. Check out this list of additional recommendations, culled from the American Marketing Association and the World Advertising Research Center, for coping with economic challenges: • Stay in the game. As your competitors cut back on their marketing efforts, your “voice” will be more easily heard if you continue to promote your own product aggressively. Your brand will attain higher visibility for less money and will come out of the recession with greater momentum. • Get more than your share. Share becomes more important in tough times, and benefits accrue for those pizzerias with the resources—and willingness— to outspend the competition. In other words, when everyone is struggling, the strong businesses become relatively stronger. • Provide better value. Businesses that provide better value for their customers’ money can become more profitable during economic downturns and grow faster after recovery. • Strategic flexibility is crucial. Economic downturns give managers the opportunity to look closely at their organizations and reconnect with their markets through bold and innovative strategies. • Spend more. Business operators that boost spending in economic downturns generally improve share and increase their profits. Those that increase spending significantly may have to absorb short-term drops in their return on investment but can ultimately gain share and greatly improve their positions—and profitability— for the future. • Strike while the iron is cold. By focusing on driving brand awareness, operators can build momentum and emerge from hard times with increased market share. • Good times always follow bad. Taking action during difficult economic times provides a foundation for staying ahead of the competition when the economy improves.
22
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
• No more Mr. Nice Guy. In the Darwinian world of restaurant marketing, brands fight for their very survival against determined competitors, and the struggle becomes even fiercer in tough times. Playing the role of Mr. Nice Guy in such a world is a big mistake. Hence it is essential to determine how tough you can be. An economic downturn can be viewed as a wonderful time to capitalize on what may appear to be an unfair advantage over your rivals. • Manage your message. Your branding strategy should reflect the new customer mindset. To achieve success, you should modify your advertising message, shift funds to product lines that are suited to an economic downturn, stress quality and value, and unveil new uses for old brands. The recession of 1991 struck quite a blow to the American economy, and many leading companies responded by rethinking their branding strategies and creating new, more effective messages and products for price-conscious consumers. As steak became less affordable to some consumers, for example, A.1. Steak Sauce changed its advertising message to reflect that stark reality. The company’s message, “A.1. Steak Sauce isn’t just for sirloin anymore,” had the added advantage of being truthful—the product’s ability to enhance flavor applied equally to hamburgers. Quaker Oats capitalized on two successful recession-era messages. The company reversed a long-term decline in sales
by emphasizing that its grain products served as inexpensive sources of protein. It also stressed value in its television commercials, with actor Wilfred Brimley explaining, “A bowl costs you one nickel and four pennies.” That message worked so well that Quaker Oats allotted half of its budget to the campaign, resulting in huge sales. Meanwhile, Wendy’s faced the recession with a straightforward advertising pitch for its fast food-loving customers: “Look, I know you have less to spend these days, but that doesn’t mean you have to eat less.” Furniture company IKEA took a similar tack with its pitch: “What recession? Sure, the country’s going through a recession. That doesn’t mean you have to.” And Dow Chemical Company shifted funds from its Glass Plus cleaning product to introduce a new line of Ziploc freezer bags that protected the freshness of leftovers. If you haven’t already taken steps to make your pizzeria recession-proof, now is the time to do it. Consider the tips offered above and come up with your own ideas as well. Plan ahead, and you can make 2012 one of your best years ever. After all, as the saying goes, a bend in the road is not the end of the road—unless you fail to make the turn.
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.
August 2012 • pmq.com
23
The
MOZZA MASTERS Innovative superchefs Nancy Silverton and Matt Molina throw “the best dinner party in LA” every night at Pizzeria Mozza.
Pizzeria Mozza’s building had “that certain vibe” sought by restaurateur Nancy Silverton and her head chef Matt Molina while they were developing the Mozza concept.
By Rick Hynum Photos by Kelly Campbell
I
n a city like Los Angeles, certain older buildings come with a history so colorful and so illustrious that they ought to be haunted— because the ghosts would be so cool. Before Pizzeria Mozza (pizzeriamozza. com), the popular LA restaurant founded by the dream team of Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich, was Pizzeria Mozza, it was Emilio’s, a fabled eatery on the corner of Highland and Melrose Avenues that drew a star-studded clientele in Hollywood’s heyday. There, movie mogul Jack Warner held court with a retinue of famous 24
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
friends. Elizabeth Taylor nibbled on salads. John Wayne chomped on New York rib-eyes. Richard Burton brooded over linguine with clams. And owner and maître d’ Emilio Baglioni hovered nearby between courses, playing Italian ditties on his accordion to set the proper mood. Today, during a quiet moment in Pizzeria Mozza’s private dining area, called the Jack Warner Room, a visitor with sufficient imagination may still catch a lilting note or two from Emilio’s accordion and envision himself in the presence of long-lost legends.
Baglioni sold Emilio’s in 1995, and lesser-known restaurants occupied the space in later years. But, according to executive chef Matt Molina, the building’s rich history imbued it with exactly the sort of personality that he and Silverton were seeking when they first conceived of Pizzeria Mozza. “It had that certain vibe,” Molina says. “It was loud, it was small, the tables weren’t perfect. It felt lived in. It had a history. And it just felt right to put a pizzeria there.” Opened in 2006, Pizzeria Mozza— which also has newer locations in Newport Beach, California, and Singapore—boasts some star power of its own. Now collaborating with celebrity chef Batali and his partner Bastianich, Silverton first made a name for herself in the late 1980s with the celebrated restaurant Campanile as well as La Brea Bakery, both of which have become LA institutions. She was named Pastry Chef of the Year by the James Beard Foundation in 1990 and has authored numerous best-selling cookbooks. Molina’s no slouch either. He earned the Best Chef: Pacific award from the James Beard Foundation in May, worked under Silverton as Campanile’s head chef and helped Batali and Bastianich open the acclaimed Del Posto in New York. “After Nancy sold her shares in La Brea and Campanile, she wanted to open another restaurant of her own,” Molina recalls. “Since I’d worked for her at Campanile for six years, I was someone she trusted. We shared the same sensibilities
Originally conceived as a mozzarella bar, Pizzeria Mozza, which shares space with sister restaurants Osteria Mozza and Mozza 2 Go, has achieved considerable renown for its unique wood-fired pizzas and sides.
and had developed a great relationship. So, when Joe and Mario decided they were also interested in opening a restaurant in LA, with Nancy and me being the key players in making the products, everyone felt comfortable with the partnership. That’s how it all started.”
Thinking Outside the Stove Pizzeria Mozza shares space with a sister restaurant, Osteria Mozza, as well as a carryout operation called Mozza 2 Go. According to a 2011 article in The New York Times, Silverton hit upon the Mozza concept after shopping for cheeses in a market in Umbria, Italy, and
learning about a mozzarella bar called Òbikà in Rome. “At first this was only supposed to be a mozzarella bar,” Molina says. “But, being a baker, Nancy had always wanted to make pizza, and the building itself already had two restaurants, including a pizzeria, joined together. When we found this location, with all of the kitchens and properties connected, it made sense to open a pizzeria and an osteria, with the pizzeria being really casual with a modest price point, great pizzas and wines.” Silverton immediately set out to create a unique dough recipe—one that incorporates rye flour and malt—that met her
After working together for years at Campanile in LA, Nancy Silverton (left) and Matt Molina (right) had to delve into the mysteries of the wood-burning oven and learn an entirely new style of cooking when they entered the pizzeria business. August 2012 • pmq.com
25
Creative and elegant table settings create an upscale atmosphere at Pizzeria Mozza, even though nothing on the menu costs more than $24.
exacting standards. Meanwhile, Batali insisted on tossing out the building’s existing stoves and making the wood-burning oven the focal point of the restaurant. “We were like, ‘You’ve got to be crazy!’ At first I think we were all a little shocked because none of us had ever cooked that way,” Molina says. “But when we saw it through his eyes, we thought, yeah, we can do that.” The intricacies of the wood-burning oven took some getting used to, Molina
admits. “It’s a different style of cooking,” he explains. “It’s daunting—taking away the stoves and pans from a chef and telling him to use this wood-burning oven, to just figure it out. It can be intimidating, and you tend to feel limited. However, you have to start thinking about the fire and how the oven works, what your advantages are, and how to get creative in what you offer to your diners.” Mastering the oven led to new approaches in the kitchen. “We had to challenge ourselves,” Molina says. “We had to think outside of the stove and the pots and pans and put something new together. I think it made us more creative.”
Beyond the Ordinary Although Pizzeria Mozza’s menu features reasonably priced items—pizzas start at $14, and nothing costs more
Pizzeria Mozza’s pizzas venture beyond the standard cheese-and-pepperoni fare and are distinguished by Silverton’s acclaimed dough recipe, which benefits from her experience as a baker and pastry chef.
26
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
than $24—Molina and Silverton have ventured beyond the ordinary cheeseand-pepperoni fare. Ipswich clams, rapini, stinging nettles, white anchovies and speck—a type of smoked prosciutto—play prominent roles in the recipes. Molina says a lot of thought went into every item, from the antipasti to the dishes of the day (including crisp duck leg with lentils on Tuesdays and trout al forno with Castelluciana beans and sott’aceto on Fridays). “We set out to do things that are pizzeriaesque,” Molina says. “We asked, ‘What do I like to eat before I have pizza?’ This led to serving a lot of room-temperature vegetables, items containing a lot of acids, cheeses, sweet-and-sours, earthy mushrooms—things that get your palate ready for pizza. You have to think in terms of cooked vegetables, greens and maybe some crispy elements—maybe a lentil dish would be great.” Antipasti items include marinated baby peppers with stuffed tuna salad and fried squash blossoms with ricotta. A popular bruschetta combines chicken livers with capers, parsley and guanciale, while another features white beans alla Toscana with extra-virgin olive oil and saba. One of the restaurant’s two margherita pizzas is prepared with hard-to-find Bianco DiNapoli organic tomatoes from famed pizzaiolo Chris Bianco and tomato processor Robert DiNapoli. One of its biggest sellers has a panna cream base with fennel sausage, red onions and scallions. And then there are Silverton’s crusts, which benefit from her years of experience as a pastry chef. Frank Bruni, food critic for The New York Times, raved about them in his review of Pizzeria Mozza about six months after it first opened. Silverton, he wrote, “makes crusts with extraordinary character: softly chewy in
June/July 2012 • pmq.com
45
spots, crisply charred in others, ever so faintly sweet, even more faintly sour.” Molina and his crew also take special pride in preparing delicious—and innovative—side items. “One advantage of the wood-burning oven is that we can get creative and do a lot of cooking with small cast-irons,” Molina explains. “We’ll take the hot embers that have burned down from the logs, pull them aside and make a small, 2’ bed of embers. Then we flatten it down with the paddles. We keep these fajita platters in the oven at all times at 500°, very similar to a plancha. We’ll pull them out, put a little oil on them, add some marinated calamari and sear it. It cooks up in a couple of minutes, and we serve that with a little antipasti. It’s this sort of sensibility that sets us apart.”
Reinventing Pizza While Pizzeria Mozza doesn’t serve hard liquor, its extensive wine list— with bottles ranging in price from $37 to $85—satisfies both the picky and the price-conscious. Customers also take advantage of a special offering that pairs wine, pizza and dessert for $25. Guests who get seated for private events in the Jack Warner Room enjoy pricier fare in a luxurious setting worthy of the legendary Hollywood producer for whom it’s named. Wine bottles and flickering votives enhance the wood-lined beauty of the room. Guests choose from an array of menu “scenarios” that may begin with prosecco and antipasti and a selection of artisanal salumi. Before long, the real feast begins, with servers bearing a bounty of antipasti, bruschette, signature pizzas and gelato. Even without Warner ensconced in the dining room, Pizzeria Mozza still draws its share of famous diners. Michelle Obama
THE STATS: PIZZERIA MOZZA Headquarters: Los Angeles, CA Owners: Mario Batali, Joseph Bastianich and Nancy Silverton Total units: 3 Year started: 2006 Dine-in Number of employees: 68 (LA) Number of seats: 64 (LA)
has paid visits there with daughters Malia and Sasha. Some Hollywood honchos are said to make weekly reservations. And, although the restaurant does not offer carryout, it will reportedly make exceptions for the likes of Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg. Ultimately, though, it’s the food that matters, and make no mistake: Silverton and Molina do pizza their own way, borrowing from various styles and traditions but adding their own unique touches. The result is a style of pie that defies labels. As the LA Weekly put it: “Nancy Silverton has more or less reinvented the idea of pizza, airy and burnt and risen around the rim, thin and crisp in the center, neither bready in the traditional Neapolitan manner nor wispy the way you find pizza in the best places in Tuscany.” The Los Angeles Times summed it up more succinctly, praising Pizzeria Mozza as “a master class in the art of making pizza.” Los Angelenos apparently agree. Pizzeria Mozza serves between 350 and 500
Pizzeria Mozza serves between 350 and 500 diners per day and attracts an impressive clientele, from Steven Spielberg to First Lady Michelle Obama. 28
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
diners per day, Molina says. So what’s the key to preparing so much high-quality food and maintaining such a sterling reputation? “You’ve got to be consistent,” he adds. “And that means you have to keep your head down and keep tasting product. You have to understand exactly what makes the machine run and do your best to keep everything as consistent as possible. It’s not easy to do. But it’s something that, to be quite honest, just comes naturally for us. “What I tell the staff is that we’re here to throw the best dinner party in LA every single night,” Molina continues. “If you invite people over to your house for dinner, you’re going to put a lot of attention into it. At a restaurant, you have to do that every single shift. And you have to love what you do. You have to love the hospitality industry. If you don’t like having company and people at your house, you’re in the wrong business, man!” Rick Hynum is PMQ’s managing editor.
August 2012 • pmq.com
xx
The By Walter Webb
Green Mile
Pizzeria operators turn to bikes, trikes and Segways for fast, eco-friendly delivery over short distances.
W
hen a grown man goes pedaling a shiny, red tricycle down a busy suburban street, most people just naturally stop and stare. But for Ron Bednar, owner of Pizza Schmizza (schmizza.com) in Forest Grove, Oregon, his gas-free delivery vehicle serves a purpose beyond drawing the attention of curious passersby—it’s also the perfect way for his delivery employees to fill the numerous orders he receives from students at nearby Pacific University.
“The tricycle can go many places on campus you can’t get to with a car,” Bednar notes. Equipped with a tie-dyed pizza carrier on the rear and an old-fashioned bugle horn mounted between the handlebars, the oversized tricycle allows delivery riders to traverse short distances quickly and to park in spaces too small for a regular automobile. It’s also the sort of “green” vehicle that Oregonians love, requiring no fossil fuels and leaving virtually no carbon footprint. Green delivery makes a big impression on customers who care as much about the environment as they do about getting hot, fresh pizzas delivered to their doorsteps. Going green with your delivery service— which translates into very effective marketing strategies—also has the benefits of cutting initial investment and operating costs while helping reduce emissions and sustaining the environment.
“A Happier World”
Pizza Schmizza’s oversized tricyle allows quick, gasfree deliveries to nearby Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon.
30
Fred Smith, founder of Federal Express and an innovator of package delivery services, has predicted that green vehicles will be in wide commercial use within the next six years, delivering everything from parcels around the globe to hot pizzas around the block. He recently told National Public Radio that he plans a
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
complete conversion of FedEx’s vast fleet of oil-dependent delivery vehicles, with vans running on electricity, trucks on natural gas and airplanes on biofuels. Several years ago, Doreen’s Gourmet Pizza (doreenspizza.com), a Chicago pizzeria and wholesale frozen pizza distributor, set out to accomplish similar goals, albeit on a smaller scale. Fast, cost-effective delivery is essential to Doreen’s success in a market that stretches into four states from the company’s base in Calumet City, Illinois. But owner Bob Wisz didn’t want to sacrifice clean air for speedier service, so he began converting his fleet of vehicles to greener fuels. “In 2008 we bought our first natural gas vehicle and started retiring our gasoline vehicles,” Wisz says. “Now all of our vehicles run on compressed natural gas. We have six trucks on the road at all times.” Doreen’s has its own natural gas fueling station, receives government tax credits and boasts fuel costs of only $1.25 per gallon. And the company serves as a shining example of how going green can also garner positive publicity. After converting the delivery trucks, Wisz painted “Green Pizza Machine” on the sides of the vehicles. People took notice, Wisz says, and so did local radio and television stations. “We got an interview for 10 minutes on WGN, the biggest TV station around this area,” he says. “I don’t know how I could ever afford to buy that much exposure.”
“Of course, there are two prongs to this approach,” Wisz adds. “One thing is saving money; we are in business. But, by being green, we are also offering something back to the community. Natural gas is an American commodity—it doesn’t come from the Middle East. So we’re putting more Americans to work.” Wisz says he knew a green strategy had to be employed for his business when the price of oil spiked to $145 a barrel in 2008. “We needed to look for alternatives. We were getting squeezed by the price of cheese and squeezed by the price of fuel,” he says. “But if we had to look for an alternative, we thought we might as well look for a clean one. We had to do it anyway. We’d be out of business if we hadn’t switched to compressed natural gas.” Wisz also bought renewable energy certificates for its electricity. The approach “isn’t efficient, but it’s green,” Wisz explains. “All of our electricity is being generated by windmills, not in our backyard but throughout the region. The guys who are making electricity are having a hard time competing, so, with the renewable energy certificate, they get to stay in business, and we get to continue our trend of
Doreen’s Gourmet Pizza owner Bob Wisz began converting the company’s fleet of vehicles to natural gas in 2008, lowering his fuel costs to $1.25 per gallon.
being green. And it’s a happier and more wonderful world.”
Hot Wheels Some green delivery options offer the added advantage of increased mobility. For example, the Segway Personal Transporter, a high-tech, self-balancing, two-wheeled, zero-emissions vehicle, maneuvers easily and handles smoothly on streets, sidewalks and pathways. “We use it because it’s energy-efficient,” says Daniel Mesheski, manager of Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza (petesapizza.com) in Arlington, Virginia. “It costs about eight pennies’ worth of electricity a day to operate.” The Segway’s maneuverability is perfectly suited for the area that Pete’s serves, a densely populated region of high-rise condominiums and office and apartment complexes. With a platform made of PVC tubing attached to the front of the Segway, the delivery person carries piping-hot pizzas straight to the customer’s door, gliding down sidewalks and across driveways with the greatest of ease. “We get calls at the Arlington location from customers who request the Segway specifically for their delivery,” says Michael Wilkinson, Pete’s director of development. But the Segway, which can run
between 25 to 30 miles on a single charge, has its limitations. “Deliveries more than a half-mile away are done by scooter or car,” Wilkinson says. The vehicle isn’t cheap, either; the Segway sells for around $6,500. Nor is it especially fast—it only achieves speeds of about 12 to 13 miles per hour. A speedier solution may be the electric bike. According to Pat Rolfes, CEO of Thrust Bikes in Santa Ana, California, these delivery vehicles offer several advantages. For starters, an electric bike is completely green, with no carbon emissions. “A bike removes 10,000 tons of carbon off the road a year by replacing one car,” Rolfes says. Finding a parking space is relatively easy, too, and pizzerias near colleges and universities find bikes particularly useful on campuses that prohibit or limit automobile traffic. Best of all, according to Rolfe, an electric bike is cost-effective. “Your operational costs are virtually zero once you own the bike: No insurance, no gas, and it costs a nickel to recharge.”
Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza uses an energyefficient Segway Personal Transporter, which costs about eight cents’ worth of electricity per day to operate.
August 2012 • pmq.com
31
Portland Pedal Power offers environmentally friendly delivery services for pizzerias and other clients in Portland, Oregon.
Electric bikes also can be outfitted with lighted signage for promotional purposes. “It’s really great from a marketing perspective, as the bikes are going into the neighborhoods marketing your business,” Rolfes says. “It becomes a very cost-effective method of localized delivery and marketing. It’s such a dynamic product from a visual sense.” That’s also the idea behind the services offered by Portland Pedal Power (PPP), a Portland, Oregon, company that offers sustainable bicycle delivery service for pizzerias and other clients. PPP caters to restaurants and other businesses that want to offer environmentally friendly delivery services to customers without actually purchasing vehicles and hiring personnel. Each PPP bicycle sports a rear cargo box that displays large promotional posters for the pizzeria as riders make their deliveries around the city. Unfortunately, two-wheelers aren’t the ideal green delivery solution for all pizzerias. Bike delivery won’t work year-round in harsher climates, for example. Even so, using a bike for only a few months out of the year can still save money on fuel costs and reap promotional advantages, Rolfes says. “What we’re trying to accomplish is to reduce the overall operations expense for pizza delivery in general. If we can reduce that even in some northern markets where clients have to supplement delivery with a car periodically, they still get the advantage of marketing bike delivery.”
goal unto itself. According to the restaurant’s website, Galactic Pizza strives to be “the perfect example of what is called a values-led company…by integrating as many socially beneficial actions into our day-to-day operations as possible.” This philosophy extends throughout the pizzeria, from the use of wind energy to organic ingredients and menus printed on hemp. Galactic Pizza was an early adapter of green delivery methods and now operates its third-generation fleet of electric cars. “We started off with Gizmo threewheelers, like a covered go-cart,” says Galactic manager David Yelen, referring to a type of small, light electric car designed for short trips and light commuting. “We now have two new Mitsubishi four-wheel cars and have upgraded our Zap cars.” Galactic’s green vehicles operate in a two-mile two two mil ilee radius radi ra dius us in in a highly high hi ghly ly popupop popu u ate lated section of uptown Minneapolis.
Doing the Right Thing For the green-minded operators of Galactic Pizza (galacticpizza.com) in Minneapolis, protecting the environment is a 32
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
While many forms of eco-friendly delivery cut expenses and offer marketing benefits, some pizzeria operators have gone green simply because it’s the right thing to do. They share a vision of preserving the environment and creating a better world for future generations. Yelen says his company falls into that category. “Imagine what the world would be like if every restaurant, store and corporation were run this way,” the Galactic website reads. “It would be beautiful, and we will have taken one giant step toward fulfilling Galactic Pizza’s vision of a sustainable and harmonious earth.” Walter Webb is a freelance writer in Holly Springs, Mississippi.
Pizza Fusion, a pizzeria with locations in Colorado, Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey, Nevada and Ohio, delivers all of its pizzas in company-owned hybrid vehicles.
Whatʼs Hot! PMQ hunts down some of the hottest products at New York’s International Restaurant & Foodservice Show 2012. This past March, PMQ Pizza Magazine and Pizza TV hit the show floor at the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show in New York. The only event in New York exclusively serving the restaurant and foodservice industry, the New York Restaurant & Foodservice Show is held each year at the Javits Convention Center and attracts thousands of attendees from the restaurant, foodservice and hospitality industries. Three event days are filled with live culinary demonstrations; more than
Company: Freekehlicious (201-297-7957, freekehlicious.com) Product: Greenwheat Freekeh In the pizza industry, operators are always looking for new ways to stand out with unique menu items. When we heard that pizzas were being made with something called freekeh flour, we wanted the scoop. It turns out that the low-carb, high-fiber freekeh flour is milled from roasted whole green grains and is 100% natural and free of chemicals or GMOs. Because freekeh is harvested while still young, the flour is highly nutritious. The flour mimics the texture of whole-wheat pastry flour and can be substituted in any pasta, bread or pastry recipe.
36
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
See exclusive footage from the show at PizzaTV.com.
500 product vendors; dozens of educational seminars; culinary competitions; and more. PMQ’s show booth allowed staff to meet with readers and learn about new products and businesses, and when there was a break in traffic at the booth, the Pizza TV team was out on the show floor gathering interviews and footage about some of the latest products making their way into pizzerias this year. Read on to see what we found, and visit PizzaTV.com to see exclusive interviews from the show.
Company: Positive Technologies (888505-5767, positivetechnologies.com) Product: eMenu In today’s self-service world, a product such as eMenu fits right in. Many people demand instant gratification, and allowing customers to browse your menu from a digital tablet at the table, read item descriptions and nutritional information, select items at their leisure, interact with other tables, and view and pay the bill instantly can be just what a busy pizzeria needs to ensure that orders are delivered correctly and customers leave happy.
Company: Ultra-Thin Pizza Shells & Flatbreads (516-2796659, ultrathinpizza.com) Product: Hemp Pizza Crust When we saw this ready-made pizza crust, we wondered what the benefit might be of adding hemp to pizza dough. It turns out that, according to Beau Bronsky, director of operations at Ultra-Thin Pizza Shells & Flatbreads, hemp pizza offers a very high protein content with loads of essential amino acids. The taste? Nutty, earthy and paired best with a creamy sauce, such as Alfredo.
Company: CloudClean (800-627-6368, cloudclean.com) Product: Hand Wash Monitoring System When customers come into your restaurant, they want to know that they’re entering a safe and hygienic environment. You may have a sign in your employee restroom that states, “Wash hands before returning to work,” but is that enough? Now, a device that’s been used in hospitals for years is available to the restaurant industry. Designed to track—via an ID tag, soap sensor and room sensor— whether or not employees are washing their hands, the system can finally help put your mind at ease.
August 2012 • pmq.com
37
Company: Taft Foodmasters (212-644-1974, taftfoodmasters.com) Product: Taft Seasoned Seitan Sausage With the recent rise in bacon’s popularity, you may not be thinking about imitation meats every day. However, a growing number of people have embraced Meatless Mondays and found ways to limit their meat consumption for various reasons. When we met the owner of Taft Foodmasters, who admitted that she was not a vegetarian, it helped drive home the point that you don’t have to be a dedicated herbivore to appreciate the variety of meat-free options available today. At Taft, the Seasoned Seitan Sausage is a great idea for pizzerias seeking to offer a choice to customers wanting a tasty meat alternative.
Company: Branding Shorts (646-644-2270, brandingshorts.com) Product: Branding Videos for Businesses At PMQ, we always get excited when we come across a company working with video. Branding Shorts has won numerous awards for its projects helping to brand businesses through video productions. The company offers full-production and express options to fit any budget, and no equipment is needed to get the ball rolling on a customized video that you can later post to your website, social media accounts, email newsletters and more.
38
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
August 2012 • pmq.com
39
The Power of
Flour By Michelle McAnally
A better understanding of the different flour types can lead to better pizza dough recipes. 40
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
As the old Portuguese proverb says, “Make good flour, and you need no trumpet.” Good pizza crust begins with good flour, which comes in several varieties, each with different baking properties. Pair the right flour with your delectable dough recipe, and you’ll have customers sounding their trumpets in praise of your pizzeria. “Flour is the most important ingredient in pizza and, more than any other, determines its style and quality,” says Mike Forter, co-owner of Amici’s East Coast Pizzeria (amicis.com), a San Mateo, California-based chain. “It requires careful selection and quality assurance as well as correct storage and measuring.
When the right flour is combined with proper cooking procedures, the final product is a delicately calibrated meal.” The most common flour used for pizza crust is made from wheat grain, which consists of three parts: the bran on the outside, the germ on the inside, and the endosperm, the starchy part in the middle. White flour is made from the endosperm, while whole-wheat flour includes the bran and germ. Flour is generally classified according to how much gluten-forming protein it contains. This depends on the type of wheat from which it comes— red or white—and whether it is planted in spring or winter. “Hard red winter, hard red spring and hard white wheats are the predominant types used to mill flour for pizza,” explains David Kovacic, director of technical service at Bay State Milling Company in Quincy, Massachusetts. “From these wheat types come three broad classifications of flour: high-gluten, bread and all-purpose.” The type of crust you make should determine the flour you use. “In general, high-gluten flours are used for a chewier type of crust,” Kovacic notes. “A high protein content of at least 13% provides dough strength characteristics, such as elasticity and mixing and fermentation tolerance, that are needed for hand-tossed or New York-style thin crusts.” Bread and pizza flours, with a protein content ranging from 11.5% to 13%, provide good processing tolerance with a less chewy texture compared to flours with higher gluten content. Bread flours can be used for a range of crust styles, including thin, hand-tossed or thick. All-purpose flour—also called hotel and restaurant flour—has the lowest protein content of the hard wheats and is best suited for cracker-style thin-crust or Chicago-style deep-dish pies with a tender crust. But, as Matt Petty, director of regional sales for Chattanooga, Tennessee-based Pendleton Flour Mills, warns, “All-purpose flour will make a pizza but will not have the strength and protein needed to make a consistent pizza crust that holds toppings up and stores for very long in the refrigerator.” Whatever type of flour you use, the dough making process— along with factors such as whether it’s stored in the cooler for several days or used fresh—affects the result, Petty says. “This is what makes pizza such a simple product in terms of the number of ingredients, but, at the same time, so unique due to handling and makeup. By adjusting water, oil and mix time, you can make both thin and thick crusts with the same flour.”
enjoy increased popularity. Stone grinding preserves more of the grain’s nutrition and yields a sweet, nutty taste, so many pizzerias use it for their artisan crusts. Stone-ground flours, including those designed for pizza, are produced in modern stone mills that don’t heat the wheat. “The grinding process preserves the outer parts of the grain, which are rich in minerals, nutrients, bran and soluble fiber,” says Joseph Latino, the North American representative for Molina Quaglia, a flour miller in Padua, Italy. “The fiber and high protein make for pizza that has a golden, robust crust that does not fold when sliced.”
“When the right flour is combined with proper cooking procedures, the final product is a delicately calibrated meal.”
Waves of Grain Whole grains aren’t just for health food stores anymore. Even chains such as Papa John’s (papajohns.com) offer a 100% wholewheat crust. “Whether it is traditional red whole wheat with its characteristic nutty flavor and brown, speckled appearance or white whole wheat with an extra-fine granulation and milder, sweeter flavor, whole grains are in demand, and the pizza industry is looking to capitalize,” Kovacic says. Stone-ground whole-wheat flour has undergone a revival as consumers become more health-conscious and artisan pizzas
Blue Moose Pizza (bluemoosepizza.com), a pizzeria with locations in Beaver Creek and Vail, Colorado, features stone-ground whole-wheat pizza crust on its menu. “People actively seek out a healthier way of life around here, so we wanted to provide a signature pizza crust that supported this idea,” says kitchen manager Bryan Simonsen. “Our customers have responded well.” Simonsen says it took some experimentation to develop his dough recipe. “The stone-ground flour was a bit trickier to work with because it is a heavier grain,” he says. “By using a special mixing technique in which we allow the flour to soak prior to mixing it with other ingredients, along with adding a small portion of white flour to help the dough setting process, we are able to produce consistent dough in a high-volume environment. Our whole-wheat dough has about half the shelf life of our white dough, so we make smaller batches more frequently.” Semolina is a by-product of wheat production and used mainly in pastas, cereals and couscous. According to Tim Huff, bakery services manager for Minneapolis-based General Mills Bakeries & Foodservice, semolina can be incorporated into a dough formula for a unique look and texture. “Substituting 10% to 20% of your flour with August 2012 • pmq.com
41
semolina will yield a crust with a firmer chew, mild, nutty flavor and a slightly more amber color tone,” Huff says. “It’s best to use semolina along with high-gluten flour, as semolina will give a slight reduction to the strength of the dough. Semolina also can be used as dusting flour for hearth-baked pizza.”
Italian Flour The two types of Italian flour most often used for pizza are “0” and “00,” designations that refer to the level of refinement as measured by the ash—or mineral content—of the wheat. “00” is the most highly refined, with almost all ash impurities removed, resulting in a soft, almost talcum powder-like consistency. At La Tavola Marche Farm, Inn and Cooking School in La Marche, Italy, chef Jason Bartner uses a blend of North American Manitoba flour and type “0” Italian flour. “This blend creates a thin dough with a chewy crust,” Bartner says. “It’s a great mix for the type of pizza that we make in our outdoor wood-burning oven.” Meanwhile, the popularity of traditional wood- and coal-fired brick ovens has brought ultra-thin pizzas into fashion. Some manufacturers offer a low-protein, highly extensible “00” flour designed specifically for this application. Flour designed for Neapolitan wood-fired pizza gives thin crusts a soft bite and is easy to hand toss.
Going Gluten-Free According to Colleen Zammer, director of product marketing at Bay State Milling, pizzeria operators have become increasingly aware of the problem of gluten intolerance. “From our research, pizza is one of the products that people miss most when they start a gluten-free diet,” Zammer says. Julie Madison, co-owner of Domata Living Flour in Minneapolis, agrees. “Currently, we would estimate that less than 5% of pizza sales are gluten-free,” Madison says. “However, the demand is growing rapidly, probably 100% a year. Many pizzerias are scrambling to fill this need.” 42
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
Initially, Domata sold the bulk of its gluten-free flour and pizza crust mixes to manufacturers of par-baked shells. “But we are seeing a shift in sales directly to the restaurants,” Madison says. “As customer demand for gluten-free options increase, restaurant operators are looking for more cost-effective means to fill this need. Some pizzerias prefer to make their own dough using gluten-free flour.” While premade par-baked crusts and mixes are the norm, some chefs prepare their own from scratch. Piper Kapin, owner of Backroad Pizza (backroadpizza.com) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, prepares her blend with organic white rice and tapioca flours. “I wanted our gluten-free crust to match, as closely as possible, the unique flavor of our regular crust,” she says. When creating your own gluten-free flour, Kapin advises, “Go simple and don’t be scared. Take the time to educate yourself about the differences compared to wheat flours, because glutenfree flour behaves very differently. Recreating the bonds and structures of gluten means using more than just alternative flours. Ingredients such as guar and xanthan gums help create the structure you need in order to produce good dough.”
The Perfect Mix Many mills offer ready-made or custom mixes that include flour, yeast, sugar and salt. “The advantages of a mix go beyond convenience and consistency, including labor savings, improved inventory control and pricing and purchasing benefits,” Kovacic says. With 13 locations in California’s Bay Area, Amici’s uses a mix based on 13% protein flour to achieve crust consistency at every store. Forter says he tried many flours before achieving the perfect blend for his New York-style crust. “We were looking for the right mix of crunchy outside and chewy inside,” he says. Once Forter perfected his recipe, his supplier formulated a custom mix. “More and more pizzerias are going to a complete mix, especially newer startups that may not have much pizza experience,” Petty says. “A mix makes dough more consistently, with fewer mistakes due to improper scaling, and it makes training dough mixers much easier.”
However, the expense of ready-made mixes can outweigh the convenience, especially for single-store operations. An operator should first do the math and make sure buying a mix is the right choice for his pizzeria. Finally, since flour can absorb moisture and smells from the kitchen, it should be stored in an area that is clean and dry, Huff advises. “The temperature should be less than 80°F with a relative humidity of 70% or less,” he recommends. “Flour should be stored away from walls to allow for adequate inspection—18” is recommended—and first-in first-out inventory control should be utilized. It should also be stored away from materials with strong odors.” Selecting the perfect flour for your pizza poses challenges, but you can always turn to suppliers for help. “Your suppliers might not be experts on the different flours, but they will have specification sheets,” says Tom Lehmann, director of bakery assistance for the American Institute of Baking in Manhattan, Kansas. “If you give them a brand name that they don’t have, they should be able to find a comparable product in their line. If you still can’t find the right flour or blend, speak directly to a miller, who will be able to help you find what you need or make a special blend for you.” Michelle McAnally is PMQ’s associate editor.
At The Mill ADM, 800-637-5843, adm.com Antimo Caputo, 201-368-9197, molinocaputo.it Bay State Milling, 617-479-8910, bsm.com Briess Malt & Ingredients Co., 920-849-7711, briess.com ConAgra Flour Milling, 800-851-9618, conagramills.com Domata Living Flour, 855-366-2821, domatalivingflour.com Dakota Prairie, 701-324-4330, dakota-prairie.com General Mills, 800-248-7310, generalmills.com Molina Quaglia, molinoquaglia.com/eng/azienda King Arthur Flour, 800-827-6836, kingarthurflour.com Le 5 Stagioni, 800-780-2280, le5stagioni.it North Dakota Milling, 800-538-7721, ndmill.com Pendleton Flour Mills, 423-265-2313, pfmills.com Pizza Blends, 800-826-1200, pizzablends.com Shawnee Milling Company, 405-273-7000, shawneemilling.com
August 2012 • pmq.com
43
It’s in the
Bag Innovations in pizza delivery have made cold, soggy pies a thing of the past. By Michelle McAnally
E
ver since Naples pizzeria owner Raffaele Esposito made the first pizza delivery, to Italy’s Queen Margherita in 1889, restaurateurs have been searching for better ways to get hot pies to their customers. Fast-forward to 1982, when Ingrid Kosar patented the first hot bag made specifically for pizza. Kosar’s invention combined insulation with ventilation to keep the pizza hot while preventing condensation from turning it to mush. The next wave of innovation brought heated bags that incorporated electric elements, warmed disks or electromagnetic pellets. Today’s bags can hold two to 10 pizzas and come with strap options and even reflectors for safer night deliveries. With so many high-tech bags on the market, there is no excuse for delivering a cold and soggy pie to your customer’s door. Hot pizzas mean repeat business for operators and better tips for drivers, so it pays to do your homework and choose the right bag for your delivery needs.
Thermal Bags Kosar says the inspiration for her revolutionary thermal bag came out of her own experiences with cold delivery pizzas. Recognizing an open niche, she contacted Domino’s Pizza (dominospizza.com). “Domino’s needed a thermal bag that would keep its small cheese pizzas above 160° for 45 minutes. What we gave them, beyond the temperature retention, was a thermal bag that released the steam but retained the heat, so they would not deliver soggy pizzas,” says Kosar, owner of Thermal Bags by Ingrid in Gilberts, Illinois. “When we did that, we knew we were in business.” A thermal bag may be made with a vinyl, nylon, polyester or Cordura exterior and with Thinsulate, polyester or 48
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
Hot pizzas generate repeat business for the pizzeria and higher tips for delivery drivers, so it’s important to choose the right bag for your delivery needs.
foam insulation. Vinyl bags are the least expensive, but they can trap moisture over time. Nylon and polyester bags are popular because they’re durable and allow moisture to escape. Cordura bags are very strong, yet they have the breathability of nylon. Good thermal bags will lose heat at a rate of only about 4° per hour, so look for quality insulation and bag lining and solid construction. “Look for polyester batting insulation and lining that doesn’t hold moisture or smells, so you can deliver your pie hot and dry,” says Jenny Sanios, vice president of Bag Solutions in Yorkville, Illinois. “Double-sewn linings and handles help make sure your bag doesn’t rip apart.”
Internally Heated Bags Internally heated bags utilize interior heating elements with an external power cord, allowing the entire bag to be plugged into an electrical outlet. Most also come with adapters for car cigarette lighters, and the bags will stay hot as long as they are plugged in. With some models, the cord can be disconnected from the bag, and the heating element will maintain warmth for up to 45 minutes. “A heated bag will allow delivery customers
to experience the pizza almost as if they are eating it in the restaurant,” says Dave Breen, president of RediHEAT, located in Cleveland. “Typically, smaller pizzerias do not have the marketing budgets of the large companies, so purchasing a heated bag is a way to go above and beyond to serve and maintain their customer base.” Internally heated bags, which can sustain temperatures of about 170° or higher as long as they’re plugged in, make it easier to deliver pizzas to events where the food may remain in the bag for a while. Some restaurants also use plug-in heated bags to hold pizzas for pickup orders. “Communities are keen on health issues, and they want to make sure that pizza for their school lunches, festivals and sporting events maintain temperature en route and during the event,” Breen notes.
Hot Flash
Disk-Heated Bags
Check Corporation, 800-927-6787, hotbag.com
For operators who don’t want to deal with power cords, diskheated bags keep pizzas warm for at least 45 minutes. The disks are preheated in a countertop warmer and inserted into a flap in the bag, where they generate heat for about an hour before needing a recharge. Initial heat-up takes about 30 minutes, and it takes about 10 minutes to recharge the disks, so employees need to keep a supply of disks charging between deliveries. Disk bags require a complete system that’s more expensive than thermal bags alone, but the systems take up little counter space, last a long time and help keep your pizzas oven-fresh. “Moisture creation is directly proportional to the temperature drop inside each bag,” says Tudor Marcarian, director of business development for Port Huron, Michigan-based Covertex Corporation. “When you manage the temperature with a hot disk that cools off in a controlled manner, the pie stays drier and crisper.”
Check out this list of manufacturers and suppliers of products that will keep your pies at the right temperature on the road to your customers’ doorsteps. Acutemp, 937-312-0114, acutemp.com Aladdin Temp-Rite, 615-537-3647, aladdintemprite.com A Plus Bags, 888-254-9453, incrediblebag.com Bag Solutions, 630-882-8784, deliverybags.com
Heat H eat Wave Wavve
Cooktek, 412-781-1446, cooktek.com Covertex Corporation, 905-799-1016, covertexcorp.com Delivery Bags USA, 888-501-BAGS, deliverybagsusa.com Drake Corporation, 732-254-1530, drakecorp.com Glopack, 718-349-9813, glopackinc.com ICI/Bag Solutions, 866-224-8646, deliverybags.com Intedge Industries, 864-969-9601, intedge.com National Marketing, 888-994-4644, nminc.com Rediheat, 216-252-1190, rediheat.com TCB, 800-523-8715, tcb-bagmfg.com
Induction-Heated Bags
Thermal Bags by Ingrid, 847-836-4400, thermalbags.com
The latest trend in delivery over the past decade has been induction-heated bags. These bags utilize pellets or disks that are heated with magnetic waves. Placed on a counter-mounted charger, the bags can be heated in a couple of minutes and reheated in mere seconds. This technology offers several advantages, according to Edward Nunn, vice president of sales and marketing for Chicago-based Cooktek. “Charge times are low, and the bag has no cords—delivery tends to be pretty hard on equipment and cords, especially the 12-volt car cords,” he says. “Also, only one outlet is required for the system.” Fast heat-up time, ease of use and the ability to retain a temperature of 160° for 45 minutes make induction bags a good choice for busy operations. They cost more than regular thermal bags but can be helpful if your pizzeria caters large events or has trouble keeping enough heated bags ready to go during peak delivery hours. Cristy’s Pizza (cristyspizza.com) in Lancaster, Ohio, mostly uses polyester thermal bags. “We found that the heated bags did not deliver a hotter pizza than the standard thermal bags as long as the deliveries were at the customers’ doors in less than 40 minutes,” says Cristy’s vice president Chris Hammack. “If you do catering events where the pizzas will need to be held for 60 to 120 minutes, then heated carriers are beneficial.” Other factors should be taken into consideration as well, Marcarian notes. “When you need longer delivery time, deliver
Thermonde USA, 510-573-4501, thermonde.com Vesture Corporation, 336-629-3000, vesture.com
August 2012 • pmq.com
49
Heated bags may incorporate electric elements, warmed disks or electromagnetic pellets to keep pizzas hot and fresh for the customer.
in a cold climate or service a large territory, you need a heat source,” he advises. “Heat is also required when the vegetable content of the pie requires extra moisture control.”
Keeping Count Once you’ve decided on what type of bag you need, you still have to determine how many bags will be required for your location. You can base this decision on your store’s volume at peak business hours, such as a Friday night, Hammack says. “We carry 15 to 30 standard delivery bags in each store at all times and three to five of the 10-pie carriers for larger orders,” he says. “If we have 10 delivery drivers scheduled, then we have 30 pizza bags. If you have large orders, such as for factories and schools, then the larger 10-pie bags make sense.” Hotlips Pizza and Soda (hotlipspizza.com), a pizzeria with five locations in Portland, Oregon, keeps several sizes handy. “We have an assortment of small bags that hold about four 18” pizzas, some medium bags, and then a few larger bags that will hold 10 pizzas,” says operations manager Matt Harris. “Typically, our new stores start out with two of the small bags, one medium and one large, and, as our delivery business grows, we buy additional bags.” You may even want to keep a couple of extra bags on hand to leave with customers. “Occasionally, we let a customer hold on to a bag if it is a large order and they won’t be serving the pies for a while, but they are always brought back or picked up after the event,” Harris says. A little routine care and maintenance will extend the life of your hot bags. Check for loose stitches regularly and have them repaired. “In many cases, the bags are not worn out, only the seams, so we have a seamstress stitch them,” Harris says. “Then we can use them for a lot longer.” Don’t simply pile up all of your bags at the end of the day, as some may still be moist from delivery. “We suggest wiping your bags down each night with a mild disinfectant and hanging them up to dry,” Sanios says. “Deep-clean them as often as necessary by handwashing them in a basin. This keeps the bag clean for a lot longer.” However, always take the disk or element out of heated bags before you immerse them in water. 50
PMQ – The– Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly 00 Pizza PMQ’sMagazine Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Magazine
Finally, remember that the least expensive product isn’t always the most cost-effective choice if it fails to keep your pizzas hot or falls apart after a few months. Whenever possible, talk to experienced pizzeria operators and determine which products have worked best for them. Michelle McAnally is PMQ’s associate editor.
August 2012 • pmq.com xx
Beyond the
Basic Box In the ongoing quest for a pizza box that rocks, a few new innovations stand out.
By Rick Hynum A bionic penguin. A bacterium that can generate electricity. A supermodel robot that struts the runway in designer dresses. With competition like that, it’s probably no surprise that entrepreneur William Walsh’s Green Box—an environmentally friendly pizza box that breaks down into serving plates and a storage container for leftovers— failed to make the list of Time magazine’s “50 Best Inventions of 2009.” But the revolutionary box—one of those deceptively simple breakthroughs that makes you slap your forehead and exclaim, “Why didn’t I think of that?”—was still good enough to land Walsh a prominent spot on Time.com’s photo gallery of notable inventors that year. Not bad for a slab of perforated cardboard. The GreenBox—a product manufactured by New York City-based Ecovention—even made Business Insider’s review of “The 15 Most Brilliant New Ideas We’ve Seen This Fall” in 2010. Tragically, Walsh died last year of a heart attack, but his legacy lives on, and the humble pizza box has finally started getting the attention it deserves. Reusable plastic boxes, boxes that convert into tiny tables or interactive games, boxes outfitted with a reflective polyester coating for better heat retention—these innovations offer a glimpse into the future possibilities of pizza delivery and takeout even if they haven’t been widely adopted by the industry. “All in all, I don’t think the pizza box has evolved very much,” says Scott Wiener, a self-described “professional 52
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
pizzeria customer” and owner of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York. “In the past 60 years, it went from paperboard to corrugated board, which is an improvement in the stability of the box but has nothing to do with maintaining the quality of the food in the box. The only differences are in stability, structure and paper use, with some boxes using less paper. But it’s basically the same functional material. As far as maintaining the food itself, I don’t think there’s been any real progress.”
The Cardboard Era The corrugated cardboard pizza box has been in use since the 1960s, and we’ve got Tom Monaghan, founder of Domino’s Pizza (dominos.com), to thank for it. With a business model based on prompt pizza delivery, Monaghan needed something better than the relatively flimsy paperboard box commonly used at the time. He enlisted a Detroit company, Triad Containers, to design the stackable, front-locking corrugated box that has since become the industry standard. “The boxes have angles on the two forward-facing edges that allow for perfect support for up to 15 or 20 pies,” Wiener says. “Domino’s engineered a pretty great box that’s perfect for stacking.” Corrugated board consists of three sheets of cardboard—two liner sheets and a middle sheet, also known as the flute sheet. Of the two flute types, the B-flute is thicker, making the box more crush-and steam-resistant, while the thinner E-flute takes up 50% less space and offers a better print surface. The boxes themselves are usually made of either white paper—which works better for printing a logo or advertising message—or brown kraft, which is less expensive. Don Roy, senior director of corporate sales for RockTenn Company, headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, agrees with Wiener that the pizza box hasn’t evolved much over the past six decades. “This market has resisted change more than other market segments,” Roy says. “The traditional pizza box design with red and green print dominated the market for years. Only recently have a few ventured outside the box to create some separation from a crowded and competitive field by using graphics and new designs to gain market share.” Choosing the right box depends on the individual pizzeria’s needs. A thicker or heavier style of pizza usually calls for the
Making Contact There’s no better tool in your marketing arsenal than the pizza box. By John Correll When it comes to consumer impact opportunity, your pizza box stands alone. Except for the actual pizza, your pizza box has the highest frequency and longest duration of customer contact of any element in your business. Customer contact frequency. For each delivery/carryout pizza sold, an average of 2.5 persons have contact with the box. So the pizza box of a pizzeria that sells 50,000 pizzas annually has 125,000 customer contacts per year (50,000 x 2.5). Similarly, for a company that sells, say, 100 million pizzas annually, its pizza box has 250 million customer contacts per year. No other element in your business—except for the pizza—has that level of customer contact frequency. Customer contact duration. With each purchase, a typical consumer spends at least 10 minutes viewing and interacting with your box. (About 20% of them even save the box for another 12 hours in the refrigerator.) In that period, the customer views it, reads it, feels it, transports it and operationally interacts with it, spending more time exposed to your box than to all of your company’s other marketing factors—including advertising, signage, building and service staff—put together. So what’s the result of these two factors combined? For a pizza store that sells 50,000 to-go pizzas annually, its box garners a whopping 1,250,000 minutes, or 20,833 hours, of customer contact time per year (50,000 pizzas x 2.5 persons per pizza x 10 minutes per person = 1,250,000 contact minutes). Best of all, unlike with advertising and other marketing factors, a pizza business doesn’t pay a single extra cent to generate this exposure time. So not only is your pizza box the most potentially powerful impression-shaping tool in your marketing arsenal, it’s also the most cost-effective. John Correll is the author of The Original Encyclopizza, a comprehensive guide to purchasing and preparing the ingredients that make a quality pizza. His company, Correll Concepts, holds 43 patents on pizza packaging and pizza business-related inventions. Visit his website at correllconcepts.com.
The environmentally friendly GreenBox has earned acclaim from the media since its debut in 2009.
August 2012 • pmq.com
53
Doug Brandt of Pie Hole Pizza Joint demonstrates how he and his staff customize each to-go box with hand-drawn artwork or stencils.
sturdier B-flute, while pizzerias offering New York-style or thin pizzas can choose the E-flute. But Roy says that kraft paper and white paper are equally strong, “provided they are the same basis weight.” Additionally, he says, “Our testing has not shown that one flute performs better or worse than the other in heat retention.” Pizzeria operators should consider these options carefully, Wiener says. “There’s a one-size-fits-all mentality, which I think is a bit crazy considering how many pizza styles we have in the United States. The pizza style should dictate the box style. For example, wood-fired pizza that bakes in 90 seconds has a different amount of moisture trapped inside the box compared to a pizza that bakes for 15 minutes in a gasfueled deck oven.”
Generally speaking, however, operators see it differently. “The market is trending toward E-flute due to space concerns in distribution and stores and the fact that internal processes have made E-flute an attractive option,” Roy notes. “A large number of people are using kraft paper for economic reasons, but some have switched back to white due to perception in the market and economic pressure. White pizza boxes still enhance graphics, and white has a very close association with the foodservice sector.”
A Box With a Message Functional as the cardboard box may be, it needs to be something more than that—a marketing tool for the pizzeria. Domino’s figured that out a long time ago, Wiener points out. “Every Domino’s
Black Box Pizza’s customized box boasts bold, striking colors and a message that touts its website and online ordering capabilities.
54
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
box is 100% advertising, which is how all pizzerias should do it,” he says. Many companies offer customized printing services for pizza boxes, with options ranging from a simple logo to more elaborate, full-color marketing messages. An eye-catching design is the key to effective pizza box marketing. Black Box Pizza Co. (blackboxpizzaco.com), located at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas, offers a box featuring a striking combination of colors—red, gold and white on a black background—to tout its pizzas, wings and salads along with its website and online ordering capabilities. Meanwhile, New Zealand chain Hell Pizza (hellpizza.com) lives up to its name with cutting-edge packaging designs that boast irreverent imagery—including scantily clad devils and flaming skulls—as well as a novelty box that can be folded into a coffin “for your remains.” But customized boxes can be expensive, so Doug Brandt, owner of Pie Hole Pizza Joint (pieholepizzajoint.com) in Chicago, turned to his own staff members for box designs. “Because we’re a single indie pizza joint, we haven’t had the money to invest in the huge up-front costs for printing and storing custom-printed boxes,” Brandt says. “So, for a long time, we were buying plain white boxes and, more recently, kraft boxes, then hand-drawing our logo on each box. This was a way for our pizzaioli to put their mark on their final product, and we encouraged everyone to personalize our Pie Hole logo as long as it was still recognizable as us.” A customized box, although costly, offers “immeasurable” value for a pizzeria,
August 2012 • pmq.com
xx
Alyssa Lippi of Knights Pizza shows a pie to Sue McKee before packing it into a reusable plastic box.
says Hal Porter, president of Star Pizza Box, headquartered in Lakeland, Florida. “I would recommend that the pizzeria’s logo and name appear on the top of the box, but don’t forget the bottom so that, when the box is in the recycle bin at home or in a school dorm, potential customers will be able to see where the pizza came from. If the pizzeria has been in business for more than 10 years, I would also suggest placing a message on the top of the box that says, ‘In Business Since 1995.’ This shows stability and that they must have a good product.” Porter also recommends placing coupons on the front or the sides of the pizza box. “Everyone is coupon-crazy, and it works,” he says.
From Polyester to Plastic Wiener, who has a collection of more than 200 pizza boxes from around the 56
world, is constantly on the lookout for new innovations. But his favorites—such as one developed by Naples-based iPack and Trade—haven’t caught on yet. “This is a beautiful box with full-color print, 17 vents and a reflective polyester coating affixed to the box with water-soluble glue that separates when it goes into a recycling masher,” Wiener says. “The polyester coating helps keep heat inside the box and also keeps the pizza oil away from the cardboard box, which is better for recycling the box. The problem is, it’s not cost-effective yet. Only artisan woodfired pizzerias can afford to use it. But this technology takes us a giant step closer to a recyclable box that retains heat, expels moisture and keeps the product stable.” Another of Wiener’s favorites, a reusable plastic pizza box, has gained some traction in the States. Manufactured by Danville, California-based DMS
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
Innovation, the box can be washed and reused by customers. Knights Pizza in Convoy, Ohio, has been selling these plastic boxes for a couple of years now. “We charge $13.86 for each box, and every time a customer brings in the box to pick up a pizza, we take $1 off the order,” says supervising manager Ronnie Reidenbach. “Each box can be washed as many as 500 times, and we replace them at no cost if they’re damaged.” But DMS president Mike Sudia admits the pizza market “is not a simple nut to crack.” He adds, “We’ve had interest from around the world—63 countries to date—but it’s still a concept before its time.” Most pizzeria operators haven’t been willing to take a chance on the plastic box, while the typical customer “has not correlated reusable grocery bags with other repeat-purchase transportation options,” Sudia notes. Even so, Wiener sees a strong marketing advantage in a reusable, logoed plastic box. “It works really well for the pizzeria because it locks people into coming back to your pizzeria,” he says. “Your logo is on the box, and they keep seeing it and thinking, ‘We’ve got this box; let’s go back to Charlie’s Pizzeria.’ It means you’re going to get repeat business.” Unfortunately, too many operators underestimate the power of a well-designed pizza box, whether it’s a plain kraft box or a nifty, newfangled one—and this is a common mistake that can hurt the restaurant’s bottom line. “For most operators, the box is the connection with the end user,” Roy says. “They all need to take a hard look and ask, ‘Does this package portray the image I want in the market? Does it tell the customer that I’m unique?’ If not, operators need to explore options to enhance their package. Viewing the package as an expense will yield only one result. Having a package that helps sell more pies will drive more profitable growth.”
Rick Hynum is PMQ’s managing editor.
Pizza of the Month:
58
Seafood
Potato
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
Sponsored by
Sweet Potato Pizza Photo and recipe provided by Nash Produce 1-1.5 lb. pizza dough 1 c. pizza sauce 8 oz. provolone, thinly sliced 3 slices thick slab bacon, diced and cooked until just shy of crisp ½ small raw sweet potato, peeled and very thinly sliced on a mandoline Sliced green onions (to taste) Shredded Italian cheeses (optional) Preheat the oven to 425°F. Roll the dough into the desired shape. Using the back of a large spoon, spread the tomato sauce onto the stretched dough, leaving about a ½” border. Distribute the provolone, bacon and sweet potatoes evenly over the sauce. Add the desired amount of green onions and sprinkle with shredded Italian cheeses as desired. Place on pizza stone or on oven rack and cook for 10 to 15 minutes to desired doneness. Cool for 1 to 2 minutes, slice and serve. Makes 1 12” round or 13” by 18” rectangular pizza.
Promoting Potato Pizzas •
If your restaurant caters to the early-morning crowd, create a Hash Brown Breakfast Pizza. For customers with heartier appetites, throw in some spicy ground beef for good measure.
•
Advertise a “Get Loaded!” promotion touting your Loaded Baked Potato Pizza.
•
Celebrate National Potato Month in February by introducing a number of potato pie recipes. The most popular ones can be added to your permanent menu. If you’ve already got potato pies on the menu, offer them at a discount.
•
Appeal to a customer’s sweet tooth by offering an optional sweet potato crust for every pizza.
You Say Potato... Potatoes are, for many people, the ultimate comfort food. They’re perfect with a fast-food burger and even better with a hearty pot roast for Sunday dinner. But lately these humble tubers have enjoyed increasing popularity on pizzeria menus. Two potato pizzas made Food Network Magazine’s list of the 50 best pies in the country last year, including the Mashed Potato pizza—prepared with buttery mashed potatoes, bacons and scallions—at Otto Pizza (ottoportland.com) in Portland, Maine, and the Pollotate—roasted potatoes, chicken breast, red onions and asiago and mozzarella cheeses—at Boombozz Pizza and Taphouse (boombozz. com) in Louisville, Kentucky. Here are other examples of how pizzerias are pleasing picky eaters with potato pies:
At Black Market Pizza (blackmarketpizza.com) in Ames, Iowa, any pizza can be ordered with a sweet potato crust. The specialty crust, paired with Black Market’s Reuben Pizza (Thousand Island sauce, sauerkraut, corned beef and Swiss and mozzarella cheeses) earned Black Market coverage on the Travel Channel series, Man v. Food. The Loaded Baked Potato Pizza, a favorite at Corral Drive-In Pizzeria & Grill (corraldrivein.com) in Guymon, Oklahoma, boasts a sour cream base, topped with sliced potatoes, bacon, green onions and cheddar cheese. Some customers order it with jalapeños for an extra kick. Cambridge, Massachusetts’ Emma’s Pizza (emmaspizza. com) serves up several potato pizzas, including the No. 18, a tomato-sauce pie featuring roasted sweet potatoes, artichoke hearts and baby spinach, and the No. 4, made with roasted Yukon potatoes, smoked bacon, cilantro and dried cranberries. Piaci Pub & Pizzeria (piacipizza.com), a Fort Bragg, California, restaurant that bills itself as the “home of the adult pizza,” serves up the Toscano, a tasty red pie topped with prosciutto, Yukon Gold potatoes, herbs and mozzarella.
For more recipes, visit PMQ’s Recipe Bank at PMQ.com/recipe. August 2012 • pmq.com
59
Fire Up the Grill! Grilled pizzas offer a unique flavor profile and a distinctive appearance that commands attention. By Craig W. Priebe Photography by Charles Schiller Photography copyright © Dorling Kindersley Limited and Craig W. Priebe
60
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
W
hat’s hotter than an 800° pizza oven? Grilled pizza. A number of pizzerias, including celebrity chef Mario Batali’s Otto Enoteca Pizzeria (ottopizzeria.com) in New York and Bob & Timmy’s Legendary Grilled Pizza (bobandtimmys.com) in Providence, Rhode Island, now serve grilled pizzas, which were first introduced by another Providence pizzeria, Al Forno (alforno.com). Serving grilled pies helps set pizzerias apart from their competitors and can even earn free publicity from local media interested in unique food items. This delectable, easy-to-make pie offers a feast for the senses, with a smoky, cracker-thin, chewy, crisp crust; vibrant, flavorful toppings that are perfectly cooked; and an artistic natural appearance. Additionally, the grilled pizza’s crust distinguishes it from other pies. Dry radiant heat directly beneath the freshly rolled crust helps create a crispy texture with pillows of air throughout the pie. Smoke and the charring of proteins in the flour adds substantial flavor, while varying degrees of heat on the surface of the grill create some bites that are chewy and some that are very crisp. The crust has a distinctive grilled look and a taste that commands attention—the grilled flavor is right up front. The thinness of the dough may appear barely stable enough to hold the toppings, but, when you pick up a piece, the crust holds tight and doesn’t droop. It’s definitely not a folding slice—it’s an elegant bite of intense, caramel-toned, smoky flatbread with a tender crumb and a crunchy veneer glazed with fruity olive oil and salty Parmesan cheese. It’s as perfect as a crust can get. The top of a grilled pizza also has a unique appearance. The colors and shapes of the toppings are more apparent because they are not baked into the cheese and dough. Toppings rest on a grilled pizza as if they are sitting up in their Sunday best, trying to steal all of the attention from the crust, which is no small task. You can design the look of your pizza with great precision because the toppings will stay where you put them and not bake down into the pizza. They retain a bright and vibrant color because they receive only a quick heating from the grill. Finally, the ingredients are naturally healthier because they remain crisp and essential nutrients are not baked in an
The possibilities for grilled veggie pizzas include the Margheritan (above) and the Asparago.
oven. The only rule in grilled pizza topping is to have your raw meats partially cooked before you put them on because the cooking time of grilled pizza is so fast that raw meats will not be fully cooked by the time the pizza is ready. But you can take full advantage of the brightly colored toppings you choose and create mosaic patterns on your grilled pie. The colorful patterns will be clearly defined on the finished pizza, and your guests will notice the intrinsic beauty of a freshly topped grilled pizza.
The Right Technique Operating a grilled pizza restaurant requires a different approach from that of a pizzeria that sells traditional baked pies. During its years of operation, from 1995 until 2007, C.K.’s Grilled Pizzeria in Norcross, Georgia, won so many accolades and awards with grilled pizza that it once made Travel + Leisure magazine’s list of the top six pizzerias in the nation. This was especially impressive because C.K.’s was a newcomer next to legendary names like Pizzeria Bianco (pizzeriabianco.com) in Phoenix and Lombardi’s Coal Oven Pizza (firstpizza.com) in New York. Bob & Timmy’s Legendary Grilled Pizza still serves a fantastic grilled pizza and has garnered media attention from the Today show, the Travel Channel and GQ magazine. Bob & Timmy’s grills pizza the old-fashioned way: with real fire from
wood-burning grills. The dough balls are stored in pizza trays and marinated in olive oil. The room-temperature dough is then stretched by hand to a thickness of about ¼”. The oily dough is placed on top of a grill heated to approximately 500°. After getting charred for about one minute, the crust is turned over on the grill and topped while it finishes grilling on the other side. It’s ready to serve in three minutes. C.K.’s handled its grilled pizza differently, but with excellent results. C.K.’s pizza makers prepared dough in five-gallon August 2012 • pmq.com
61
buckets and allowed it to proof overnight in the refrigerator. Then, at the dough bench, the cook cut off a 10-ounce piece of dough and rolled it through a sheeter to form a 16” crust. The crusts were brushed with extra-virgin olive oil, flipped onto a wood-burning grill and charred on one side for about a minute until crisp. The crust was then removed from the fire and stacked with other crusts at the pizza assembly station, where a cook would slather on olive oil and Parmesan cheese, add the toppings and send it down to the grill
for completion. Using this technique, an entire night’s worth of crusts could be readied for topping each day with no loss in quality.
Selecting a Grill Wood-burning grills are the tool of choice for grilled pizza professionals. Keep in mind, though, that the grills, which are generally very large, can take up as much space as a pizza oven in your kitchen. The grill also produces a great deal of soot, sparks and ash and should be placed
How to Grill Pizza Whether you grill indoors with a castiron pan on the stove top or fire up a charcoal or gas grill outside, you’ll be amazed at the results if you follow these basic steps for grilling pizza: 1. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough with smooth, even strokes until it is about 12” in diameter and 1/8” thick. Place the dough on a flat surface, such as an inverted cookie sheet. 2. Heat the grill to medium-high. 3. Hold the cookie sheet over the grill and slide the dough onto the grill’s surface. Make sure the crust falls flat onto the grill. 4. The dough should take about three minutes to brown and will bubble as it cooks.
62
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
underneath an exhaust vent. Installing a grill also can require a costly upgrade to your ventilation system. If you don’t have a wood-burning grill in your kitchen, the next best piece of equipment for grilled pizza would be a gas char-broiler, preferably a powerful one that puts out a minimum of 108,000 BTU. Pizzas are bigger than steaks or chicken, so you’ll need to use a grill that’s at least 36” wide, which allows enough room to grill two pizzas at the same time. By grilling two pizzas simultaneously for
about three minutes, you can serve about 40 grilled pies in an hour from one 36” grill. Tabletop gas char-broilers come with legs and are easy to install, but, again, they’ll need to be placed in an area beneath your ventilation system. A flat-top grill provides another option for grilling pizzas. Mario Batali offers grilled pizzas at Otto Enoteca Pizzeria, although Batali calls them “griddled pizzas.” He makes these pies by grilling pizza dough in olive oil on a flat-top grill. The griddle is a great tool for creating a crisp, thin crust, and it produces various textures in a single crust as the dough receives slightly varying degrees of heat
throughout. The flat-top grill, which also should be placed under an exhaust fan, has other uses in a kitchen. When you’re not grilling a pizza on it, you can sear meats, grill vegetables and heat liquids in pans. It’s worth a place on the line and produces great grilled pizza quickly as long as you have a powerful unit that puts out at least 54,000 BTU. If these tools don’t fit within your budget and you’d still like to serve a deliciously crisp grilled pie, here’s another option: Take a 12” to 16” cast-iron skillet and heat it on high until it gets smokinghot. Paint a little extra-virgin olive oil on a raw crust and plop it down into the pan. The high heat of cast iron chars the dough quickly and gives a great, smoky grilled flavor. Then, turn the crust over and top the pizza while it finishes grilling in the pan. This bare-bones method yields a very impressive result. Grilled pizza will grab anyone’s attention right away, especially if you choose the right combinations of toppings. Once your guest takes that first bite, the crust will seduce his senses, and he’ll be hooked. Building grilled pizzas is also a lot of fun, and the creative possibilities are virtually limitless.
Craig Priebe is the former owner of C.K.’s Grilled Pizza, an award-winning chef and author of Grilled Pizzas Piadinas. He is presently the executive chef for Henry Crown & Company in Chicago. Visit his website at grilledpizzasandpiadinas.com.
The Margheritan You’ll Need: 1 grilled pizza crust 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated 1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded ½ c. chunky tomato sauce 1 ball (8 oz./225 g) fresh mozzarella 2 tbsp. basil leaves Directions: Brush the grilled side of the pizza crust with olive oil. Dust with the Parmesan and sprinkle with the mozzarella. Drop spoonfuls of the tomato sauce onto the pizza. Tear the fresh mozzarella into chunks and distribute 64
across the pizza, filling in the holes between the sauce. Grill the pizza according to instructions on page 62. Garnish with basil leaves before serving. (Recipe provided by Grilled Pizzas Piadinas by Craig Priebe)
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
Product Spotlight What’s On the Market FRESH FROM THE SEA Traditionally used to wrap sushi, seaweed has been popular in Asian countries for years. Now it’s going mainstream as Sea Farm USA unveils a seaweed snack in wasabi, sesame and olive oil flavors. No rice needed—seaweed aficionados munch on the flavor-packed snacks like potato chips. Loaded with vitamins and minerals, it’s crispy like a potato chip, but with less salt and oil. 718-991-3816, seafarmusa.com.
TASTE OF THE OLD WORLD Blendako Flour is your locally sourced solution for Neapolitan pizza. The wheat is grown in the Rocky Mountain foothills of Idaho, where the growing conditions are similar to those of Naples, Italy. U.S.produced translates into lower ingredient costs, ease of delivery and increased profits— all without compromising old-world quality or flavor. 800-545-5640, pfmills.com
CHARGE IT! Going green has never been so easy. An electric vehicle (EV) charging station from SPX is an eco-friendly innovation that will attract new customers and give you an advantage over your competitors. Hungry EV drivers seek out restaurants where they can charge their vehicles while they eat. That means they’ll spend more time and money in your pizzeria. Providing a charging station also sends a message that your restaurant cares about the environment. 877-805-3873, evse.spx.com
A BETTER BOX Pizzeria operators make careful choices about the ingredients in their pizzas. RockTenn makes careful choices about the ingredients in its pizza boxes. Quality policies, safety guidelines and continual testing ensure that only safe materials go into RockTenn’s food packaging items. With 17 manufacturing plants serving the country from coast to coast, RockTenn offers full foodservice capabilities. 816-415-7359, rocktenn.com.
66
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
THAT’S MY BAG! When you hand off a generic bag to your carryout customers, others may not know what’s inside. This insulated carryout bag from CoverTex changes that. The pizza graphic on the bag’s exterior ensures that observers will know—and remember—what the customer is carrying and where it’s coming from. It’s an inexpensive method to encourage repeat business! 800-968-2310, covertextcorp.com
Pizza Job Board 1.2 DPN 1J[[B+PC#PBSE Employer BeneďŹ ts: t 1J[[B JOEVTUSZ TQFDJm D DBOEJEBUFT t " MBSHF OVNCFS PG IJHIMZ TLJMMFE KPC TFFLFST t 1SFTDSFFOJOH m MUFST t 1BZ QFS VTF SĂ’TVNĂ’ CBOL t 4QFDJBM JOUSPEVDUPSZ SBUF
Job Seeker BeneďŹ ts:
Finding the perfect employee– for the perfect job– just got easy!
t 1J[[B JOEVTUSZ TQFDJm D FNQMPZFST t "OPOZNPVT SĂ’TVNĂ’ QPTUJOH t +PC QPTUJOHT BWBJMBCMF t /P DIBSHF UP BQQMZ GPS PQFO QPTJUJPOT t 1FSTPOBM KPC BMFSUT
Job Category Examples: PMQ, your source for all things pizza, has partnered with JobTarget, an industry leader in job board development and management, to create a new online career center. Focused on connecting employers with eligible, qualiďŹ ed candidates, the site will bring together job seekers with those aligned to the industry.
t t t t t t t t
%JTUSJDU .BOBHFS (FOFSBM .BOBHFS "TTJTUBOU .BOBHFS 0QFSBUJPOT %JSFDUPS 1J[[B .BLFS %SJWFS -JOF $PPL 4FSWFS
Visit the site today to search or post jobs.
PMQ.com/PizzaJobBoard
August 2012 • pmq.com
69
70
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
June/July 2012 • pmq.com
63
:RXOG YRX /LNH To
Make An Additional
$97,238
In Sales This Year?
24 hour free recorded message reveals one of the low cost, high profit strategies a nearly bankrupt oklahoma pizzeria i i owner usedd to t double d bl sales l in i less l than th 12 months. months th
&DOO 1-800-884-9129 ext. 500 WR JHW WKLV SRZHUIXO VWUDWHJ\ IRU FREE You'll also get a copy of my FREE report that reveals: +RZ WR JHW \RXU FXVWRPHUV WR SD\ IRU DQ\ HPHUJHQF\ H[SHQVHV WKDW SRS XS (I used this strategy to get a $3,998 repair bill paid - without paying a penny out of my own pocket)
:KDW WR GR RQ RQO\ D DGYHUWLVLQJ EXGJHW +RZ \RX FDQ LQFUHDVH WKH HIIHFWLYHQHVV RI \RXU \HOORZ SDJH DGYHUWLVLQJ E\ XS WR DQG FXW \RXU FRVW WR D IUDFWLRQ RI WKDW \RXU SD\LQJ QRZ Call now to get your FREE report and FREE strategy.
August 2012 • pmq.com
71
72
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
August 2012 • pmq.com
73
Advertiser Index Display Advertiser
August 2012 Phone
Website
Page
AM Manufacturing ............................................. 708-841-0959 ............................................ ammfg.com ...................................... 43 American Metalcraft .......................................... 800-333-9133 .............................................amnow.com ....................................... 47 Bacio Cheese ..................................................... 855-BACIO85 ............................................ baciocheese.com ............................. 34,35 Bay State Milling................................................. 800-553-5687 ......................................baystatemilling.com................................. 27 Bag Solutions .................................................... 866-BAG-TO-GO ........................................ deliverybags.com ................................. 39 Bellissimo .......................................................... 800-813-2974 ...................................... bellissimofoods.com ................................ 21 Burke ................................................................. 800-654-1152 .......................................... burkecorp.com .................................... 51 Caputo Flour....................................................... 201-368-9197 .......................................... molinacaputo.it.................................... 33 Covertex ............................................................ 800-968-2310 ......................................... covertexcorp.com .................................. 70 CrustSaver ......................................................... 877-437-4743 .......................................... crustsaver.net ..................................... 73 Domata ............................................................. 855-366-2821 ...................................... domatalivingflour.com.............................. 70 EZ Dine .............................................................. 877-853-1263 .......................................... ezdinepos.com ................................... 74 Fontanini ........................................................... 708-485-4800 .......................................... fontanini.com ............................. Cover 3 GI. Metal ........................................................... 630-553-9134 .......................................... gimetalusa.com .................................... 39 Grande...............................................................800-8-GRANDE ....................................... grandecheese.com ................................... 3 Hoshizaki .......................................................... 800-438-6087 ..................................... hoshizakiamerica.com ................................ 67 HTH ................................................................... 800-321-1850 ........................................... hthsigns.com ...................................... 71 Katherine Baker ........................................... 800-844-9129 ext.500 ................................................................................................. 71 La Nova.............................................................. 716-881-3355 ............................................ lanova.com ............................... Cover 4 Le 5 Stagioni ...................................................... 800-780-2280 ........................................... le5stagioni.it ...................................... 55 Liguria ............................................................... 800-765-1452 ......................................... liguriafood.com ................................... 46 Lillsun................................................................ 260-356-6514 ............................................. lillsun.com ...................................... 64 Meridian Star POS .............................................. 855-853-6485 .......................... meridianstarmerchantservices.com ..................... 57 MF&B Restaurant Systems .................................. 888-480-EDGE ......................................... edgeovens.com .................................... 38 Marsal & Sons .................................................... 631-226-6688 ......................................... marsalsons.com ................................... 62 Melissa Data ....................................................... 800-MELISSA ................................. melissadata.com/pmq.drive ........................... 17 Microworks ........................................................ 800-787-2068 ......................................... microworks.com ................................... 11 Middleby Marshall ............................................. 877-34-OVENS .......................................... wowoven.com ...................................... 7 Moving Targets .................................................. 800-926-2451 ...................................... movingtargets.com ................................ 65 PDQ Signature Systems, Inc. ............................... 877-968-6430 ............................................ pdqpos.com ...................................... 29 Pendleton Flour Mills ......................................... 800-545-5640 ............................................ pfmills.com ................................ Cover 2 Petra Molino Quaglia Flour ................................. 631-804-1879 ......................farinapetra.it/Benvenuto/Eng_Petra.html ................ 69 Perfect Crust ...................................................... 800-783-5343 ........................................ perfectcrust.com ................................... 69 Pizza Equipment Warehouse .............................. 888-749-9237 ............................... pizzaequipmentwarehouse.com ...................... 72 Pizza Packet ...................................................... 866-291-5455 .......................................... pizzapacket.com ................................... 63 Prox Print........................................................... 888-310-7769 .......................................... proxprint.com ..................................... 69 Redi Heat ........................................................... 888-556-2024 ........................................... rediheat.com ..................................... 73 Restaurant Depot ........................................................................................................... restaurantdepot.com ................................ 23 RockTenn............................................................816-415-7359........................................... rocktenn.com....................................... 19 Stanislaus .......................................................... 800-327-7201 .......................................... stanislaus.com ...................................4, 5 System Filtration ............................................... 877-508-0777 ..................................... systemfiltration.com ................................ 71 Take Out Printing ............................................... 877-25-PRINT ...................................... takeoutprinting.com ................................ 71 The Menu Express............................................... 877-250-2819 ..................................... themenuexpress.com ................................ 73 Univex ............................................................... 800-258-6358 ......................................... univexcorp.com ................................... 70 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. August 2012 • pmq.com
75
Industry Resource Guide Grab a direct weblink to every advertiser in this guide at PMQ.com
ADVERTISING
CHEESE
APPAREL
COMPUTER SYSTEMS: POINT OF SALE BAGS
BAKING SCHOOLS AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF BAKING .............................................Manhattan, KS 785-537-4750 ....................................................................Fax: 785-537-1493 66 76
PMQ’sPizza PMQ PizzaMagazine Magazine– –The ThePizza PizzaIndustry’s Industry’sBusiness BusinessMonthly Magazine
PMQ Industry Resource Guide COMPUTER SYSTEMS: POINT OF SALE, CONT. Technology choices for every taste. p p p
p Loyalty Programs Point-of-Sale Online Ordering p Automated Marketing Smartphone Ordering
COMPUTER SYSTEMS: POINT OF SALE, CONT.
FREE POS SYSTEM Meridian Star offers a free POS system with no gimmicks. Included in a low-cost processing account, merchants can enjoy an all-in-one touch screen, a thermal printer, a kitchen printer, an electronic cash drawer and PC America restaurant management software, all at no cost.
As Seen in Product Spotlight!
855-853-6485, meridianstarms.com 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
August 2012 • pmq.com
77
PMQ Industry Resource Guide DOUGH, CONT.
DOUGH PRESSES, ROLLERS, CONT.
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-prairie.com............ ............701-324-4330
DOUGH PRESSES, ROLLERS
FLOUR
pmq.com/tt2/recipe 78
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
PMQ Industry Resource Guide GELATO
FLOUR, CONT.
True Artisan Gelato
FOOD DISTRIBUTORS
(888) 316-1545 www.stefanosgelato.com
GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCTS
INSURANCE
1051 Amboy Avenue, Perth Amboy NJ
800-997-0887 or 732-346-0600 Fax:732-346-0882
Serving NY, NJ, PA, DE, CT
www.vesuviofoods.com
FOOD COSTING
MACHINERY/OVENS/EQUIPMENT
FRANCHISE Should You Franchise Your Restaurant? Call today to receive your free DVD on “How to Franchise Your Business� and learn about one of the most dynamic methods of expanding your business in today’s marketplace.
t XXX JGSBODIJTFHSPVQ DPN
ÂŽ
FRANCHISE CONSULTANTS August 2012 • pmq.com
79
PMQ Industry Resource Guide MACHINERY/OVENS/EQUIPMENT, CONT.
80
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
MACHINERY/OVENS/EQUIPMENT, CONT.
PMQ Industry Resource Guide MAGNETS
MARKETING IDEAS, CONT.
MAILING SERVICES MARKETING, MOBILE
Eighty-Six Slow Sales Mobilize your best customers with a free mobile website and low-cost texting.
MANAGEMENT
...mobilize & connect
ruxter.com 800.763.1953
MEAT TOPPINGS KEEP MORE OF YOUR HARD EARNED DOUGH! 3 MONEY SAVING PROGRAMS:
SCHEDULING • ATTENDANCE • DAILY LOG
FAST, PAINLESS SCHEDULING • MONITOR LABOR COSTS • REDUCE TURNOVER • NOTIFY EMPLOYEES • ELIMINATE BUDDY PUNCHING • IMPROVE COMMUNICATIONS • WEB-BASED
SAVE TIME AND INCREASE PROFITS!
WWW.TIMEFORGE.COM 866.684.7191
MARKETING IDEAS BURKE CORPORATION...................................................www.BurkeCorp.com Italian, Mexican-Style and Specialty Fully Cooked Meats Contact: Liz Hertz.............sales_info@burkecorp.com.............800-654-1152 SUGAR CREEK PACKING CO., Private Label Precooked Meat Topping Specialists www.sugarcreek.com800-848-8205...............................sales@sugarcreek.com
MIXERS
August 2012 • pmq.com
81
PMQ Industry Resource Guide MIXERS, USED
OLIVES CONT.
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
MOBILE CATERING TRUCKS/UNITS
ON HOLD MARKETING
ONLINE ORDERING 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
OIL
OLIVES PIZZA BOXES
PIZZA BOX LINERS
82
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
PMQ Industry Resource Guide PIZZA DELIVERY THERMAL BAGS
August 2012 • pmq.com
83
PMQ Industry Resource Guide PIZZA DELIVERY THERMAL BAGS, CONT.
ELECTRIC HOTBAG
DELIVER GUARANTEED OVEN PIZZA • Heats and stays at 160-175° • Dry electric heat = no moisture • Removable heating elements • Made of rugged 1000 Denier nylon • Easily cleaned
PIZZA OVENS • Buy one bag or make a system
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
• Wired with AC power • Heats all bags simultaneously
Made in the USA
• Quick release connectors, no hassle
800-927-6787 84
www.HOTBAG.com
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
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
PMQ Industry Resource Guide PIZZA OVENS, CONT. EARTHSTONE OVENS, INC. .. 6717 San Fernando Rd....Glendale, CA 91201 800-840-4915 .........Fax: 818-553-1133 ...... www.earthstoneovens.com All units UI listed.
i feel preƩy.
oh, so preƩy!
FISH OVEN & EQUIPMENT CORP. 120 W. Kent Ave........Wauconda, IL 60084 TOLL Free 877-526-8720 ....... Fax: 847-526-7447 ...... www.fishoven.com WOOD STONE CORPORATION..............Stone Hearth & Specialty Commercial Cooking Equipment.....1801 W. Bakerview Rd....Bellingham, WA 98226..... TOLL Free 800-988-8103.....Fax: 360-650-1166......woodstone-corp.com
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
PIZZA PANS
Bakeware Specialists
Manufacturer & Distributor of Pizza Smallwares www.paprod.com 734-421-1060
PIZZA PEELS
August 2012 • pmq.com
85
PMQ Industry Resource Guide PIZZA PEELS CONT.
PRINTING CONT.
PIZZA SUPPLIES
PLASTIC DOUGH CONTAINERS
Non Stick • Easy to Clean • FDA Approved Plastic Heavy Weight • Last 10X longer than metal! Replace your dented ones TODAY ! Manufacturers’ Direct Pricing For free* sample email us at:
SunsetPlastics@aol.com
(*Does NOT include postage & handling)
Call Vito:
718-200-1013
REFRIGERATION 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 86
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
SPECIALTY FOODS
TOMATO PRODUCTS
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, SC 29707 Contact: Dominic Damore 800-843-1968 .................................................................info@mcclancy.com
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
WINGS
August 2012 • pmq.com
87
Resource Guide Advertiser Index August 2012 Resource Advertiser
Phone
Page
411eat.com..........................................................213-622-4247 ............................. 82 AFC Insurance ......................................................800-411-4144 ............................. 79 Allied Metal Spinning ...........................................800-615-2266 ............................. 85 AM Manufacturing ..............................................800-342-6904 ............................. 78 American Institute of Baking ................................785-537-4910 ............................. 76 American Wholesale.............................................216-426-8882 ............................. 86 Armanino Foods ...................................................866-553-5611 ............................. 87 Arrow POS ............................................................888-378-3338 ............................. 76 Bacio ................................................................... 855-BACIO85 .............................. 76 Bag Solutions.......................................................866-224-8646 ............................. 83 Baker’s Quality Pizza Crusts ..................................800-846-6153 ............................. 77 Bay State Milling ..................................................800-55-FLOUR ............................. 78 Belissimo .............................................................800-813-2974 ............................. 79 Best Choice Print & Marketing Experts ..................800-783-0990 ............................. 86 Best Point of Sale .................................................866-285-7613 ............................. 77 Burke Corporation ................................................800-654-1152 ............................. 81 California Blending ..............................................626-448-1918 ............................. 87 Campus Collection ................................................800-289-8904 ............................. 76 Capstone Headwear .............................................888-551-8311 ............................. 76 Caputo .................................................................708-450-0074 ............................. 76 Castella Imports ...................................................866-CASTELLA ............................. 87 Chef a la Mode .....................................................888-804-3375 ............................. 76 Chef to Chef Palm Oil............................................716-684-5470 ............................. 82 Chef Santo Bruno .................................................813-230-8108 ............................. 77 CoverTex ..............................................................800-968-2310 ............................. 84 Crown Custom Metal Spinning ..............................800-750-1924 ............................. 86 Crust Saver ...........................................................877-437-4903 ............................. 82 Dakota Prairie Flour .............................................701-324-4330 ............................. 78 DeIorio’s...............................................................800-649-9212 ............................. 77 Delivery Bags USA................................................888-501-BAGS ............................. 84 Domata Living Flour .............................................417-654-4010 ............................. 78 Dough Xpress .......................................................800-835-0606 ............................. 78 DoughMate ..........................................................800-501-2450 ............................. 78 Dutchess Bakers’ Machinery .................................800-777-4498 ............................. 78 Earthstone Ovens .................................................800-840-4915 ............................. 85 EDGE ....................................................................888-480-EDGE ............................. 85 Electric Hotbag.....................................................800-927-6787 ............................. 84 Epic Insurance ......................................................925-244-7719 ............................. 79 Escalon ................................................................ 888-ESCALON.............................. 87 Erica Record .........................................................973-614-8500 ............................. 78 Eyenalyze ............................................................501-358-4292 ............................. 79 Fidelity Communications ......................................800-683-5600 ............................. 87 Fish Oven & Equipment ........................................877-526-8720 ............................. 85 Fluid Media Group ................................................408-837-2346 ............................. 76 Fontanini ............................................................ 800-331-MEAT ............................. 81 FreePOSPlace.com ................................................800-856-5175 ............................. 71 GI. Metal ..............................................................630-553-9134 ............................. 83 Granbury Restaurant Solutions .............................800-910-3947 ............................. 77 Grande Cheese Company ..................................... 800-8-GRANDE ............................ 76 Hojiblanca ...........................................................201-384-3007 ............................. 82 Hudson Refrigeration Manufacturing ...................800-924-8687 ............................ 80 iFranchise Group ..................................................708-957-2300 ............................. 79 Incredible Bags ....................................................888-254-9453 ............................. 83 Imperial Bag & Paper Co., LLC ...............................800-794-7273 ............................. 76 J & G Mills ............................................................734-469-4504 ............................. 80 Krisp-It ................................................................800-590-7908 ............................. 82 La Nova............................................................... 800-6-LANOVA............................. 87 Le 5 Stagioni ........................................................800-780-2280 ............................. 78 Liguria Foods .......................................................800-925-1452 ............................. 81 Lillsun..................................................................260-356-6514 ............................. 85 Lindsay Olives ......................................................800-252-3557 ............................. 82 Lloyd Pans............................................................800-840-8683 ............................. 85 M.Press Packaging ...............................................541-548-9889 ............................. 87 Magnetic Ad Concepts ..........................................800-365-3351 ............................. 81 88
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
Resource Advertiser
Phone
Page
Mario Camacho Foods...........................................800-881-4534 ............................. 82 Marsal & Sons ......................................................631-226-6688 .................. 79, 84, 85 Max Balloons .......................................................800-541-5961 ............................. 81 McClancy Seasoning .............................................800-843-1968 ............................. 87 Melissa Data ........................................................800-635-4772 ............................. 81 Menu Powerhouse ...............................................888-210-8189 ............................. 86 MenuPro ..............................................................800-907-3690 ............................. 77 Meridian Star MS..................................................855-853-6485 ............................. 77 Message On Hold..................................................800-392-4664 ............................. 82 MFG Tray ..............................................................800-458-6050 ............................. 78 Microworks POS Solutions.....................................800-787-2068 ............................. 77 Molino Caputo .....................................................201-368-9197 ............................. 79 Mountain Harvest Pizza Crust ...............................800-342-6205 ............................. 77 Moving Targets ............................................. 800-926-2451 ext. 356 ..................... 81 Mr. Peel ...............................................................888-994-4664 ............................. 86 Musco Family Olive ...............................................800-523-9828 ............................. 82 MyPizza.com ........................................................888-974-9928 ............................. 82 Neil Jones Food ....................................................800-291-3862 ............................. 87 NMI .....................................................................800-994-4664 ............................. 86 Northern Pizza Equipment....................................800-426-0323 ............................. 80 NoteAds ...............................................................800-309-9102 ............................. 87 Off the Wall Magnetics .........................................800-337-2637 ............................. 81 One Click Diner......................................................877-328-8040 ............................ 82 Pacific Coast Producers .........................................800-510-3706 ............................. 87 P.A. Products ........................................................884-421-1060 ............................. 85 PDQ Signature Systems ........................................877-968-6430 ............................. 77 Peel A Deal...........................................................877-563-5654 ............................. 81 Peerless Ovens .....................................................800-548-4514 ............................. 85 Picard ..................................................................800-668-1883 ............................. 85 Pizza Dough .........................................................718-951-3555 ............................. 78 Pizza Equipment Warehouse.................................888-749-9237 ............................. 85 Pizza Ovens.com...................................................877-367-6836 ............................. 85 Pizza Trucks of Canada ..........................................204-297-7667 ............................. 82 POSnet ................................................................866-976-7638 ............................. 77 Portion Padl .........................................................330-608-5928 ............................. 77 Presto Foods ........................................................800-589-8604 ............................. 79 Proxprint .............................................................888-310-7769 ............................. 86 Red Gold ....................................................... 877-908-9798 ext. 163....................... 87 Redi Heat .............................................................888-556-2024 ............................. 84 Restaurant Depot .................................................................................................... 79 Roto-Flex Oven Co.................................................800-386-2279............................. 84 Ruxter .................................................................800-923-1953 ............................. 81 Saputo .................................................................800-824-3388 ............................. 76 Somerset .............................................................800-772-4404 ............................. 78 SpeedLine ............................................................888-400-9185 ............................. 77 Stanislaus Food Products ......................................800-327-7201 ............................. 87 Star Pizza Box ......................................................800-626-0828 ............................. 82 Stefano’s Gelato ...................................................888-316-1545 ............................. 79 Sugar Creek Packing .............................................800-848-8205 ............................. 81 Sunset Plastics .....................................................878-200-1013 ............................. 86 Superior Menu .....................................................800-464-2182 ........................81, 86 T&T Graphics ........................................................800-557-9914 ............................. 86 Tasti Grain............................................................315-624-2748 ............................. 79 Tasty Breads.........................................................888-352-7323 ............................. 77 Thermal Bags by Ingrid.........................................800-622-5560 ............................. 84 Thunderbird .........................................................800-7-MIXERS ............................. 80 Timeforge ............................................................866-684-8791 ............................. 81 Toscana Cheese ....................................................201-617-1500 ............................. 76 Univex .................................................................800-258-6358 ............................. 81 Ventilation Direct .................................................866-433-8335 ............................. 87 Vesuvio Foods ......................................................800-997-0887 ............................. 79 Wood Stone .........................................................800-988-8103 ............................. 85 XLT.......................................................................888-443-3751 ............................. 85
Now Forming: The 2013 U.S. Pizza Team
Join the U.S. Pizza Team at the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show and Pizza Pavilion for the American Pizza Championships and U.S. Pizza Team Trials.
Sept. 22-24, 2012 Orlando Convention Center • Orlando, Fl The trials will feature top pizza chefs and pizzathletes from across America competing in Acrobatic and Culinary categories for a trip to the World Pizza Championships in Italy. To register for culinary or acrobatic trials. Email Brian Hernandez at brian@pmq.com.
THANKS TO OUR U.S. PIZZA TEAM GOLD SPONSORS:
THANKS TO OUR U.S. PIZZA TEAM SILVER SPONSORS:
THANKS TO OUR U.S. PIZZA TEAM BRONZE SPONSOR: Off The Wall Magnetics
(
time capsule
)
Aldo’s II Pizzeria & Restaurant This Ozone Park customer favorite, celebrating 50 years in 2012, has been feeding neighborhood pizza lovers for generations. Aldo Calore, owner of Aldo’s II Pizzeria & Restaurant in Ozone Park, New York, entered the pizza business at 16 years old, working at New Park Pizza in nearby Howard Beach. But at 21, after getting married, he knew it was time to branch out on his own. So in 1962 he opened Aldo’s, a neighborhood pizzeria with affordable prices (back then, a slice-and-soda combo cost 25 cents, and a large pie was just a buck). Today, despite rising costs for ingredients, he still maintains a reasonably priced menu. “Some things have gotten very expensive over the years, but pizza is supposed to be cheap, something that anyone can afford,” says Calore, who now sells $2 slices and $12 pies. rs already rs alrea llrrea eady dy knew kn neew him him ass a hi Luckily, because customers piz maker at New Park, he never had to advertise and continues to see a steady stream pi pizza of regulars returning for the pizza they grew up with. Aldo’s sells both thin-crust and Sicilof ia pies, but chicken rolls are also among the business’ bestsellers. Fried calzones, now a ia ian hii in trendy Manhattan pizzerias, have been popular at Aldo’s for years. With two sides to h hit th h business—an Italian restaurant and a pizzeria—families can choose a casual setting or a the m more formal sit-down dining experience, and catering has also proven a hit with customers. ““S S “Something always comes up in the pizza business, but we just do our best and try to please e everybody,” says manager Gino Gabrielli, Calore’s son-in-law, who’s been working at the p pizzeria for 25 years. Now, the next generation is learning t ins and outs of the pizzeria: Gabrithe e elli’s son and nephew both work in the b business. Though both Calore and Gabrielli concede that owning a pizzeria is challenging, they say they wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. “I’m stuck in here—I can’t ever leave!” laughs Calore. “But in this business, you have to do it every day, seven days a week, and a lot of hours every day, to succeed.” –Tracy Morin
(Clockwise from top) Aldo holds a pie at the beginning of his pizzeria career in the 1960’s; the late ’80s found Goodfellas cast members (including Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci) eating at the pizzeria while shooting the film; Aldo tosses dough in the ’70s.
Has your pizzeria been in business for 50 or more years? If so, contact us at tracy@pmq.com. 90
PMQ Pizza Magazine – The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly