PMQ Pizza Magazine August 2015

AUGUST 2015 | WWW.PMQ.COM

BORN TO WIN

America's team celebrates 15 years of global success PAGE 30

6

TIPS for

choosing the perfect POS system

PAGE 48

Master the profitable possibilities of pasta PAGE 56

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RECENTLY ON PIZZATV.COM WINNING AT LOSING: BRIAN’S PIZZA DIET What happens when you eat pretty much nothing but pizza for 16 weeks straight? If you’re eating the right kind of pizza, you may just lose a lot of weight and feel healthier than ever. PMQ’s test chef Brian Hernandez reflects on his four-month pizza diet and discusses how all that pizza has changed his life for the better.

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WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? Liz Barrett takes a look at three small pizzeria chains that earned nearly $20 million last year. Although each has its own unique style, all three share common moneymaking features, taking advantage of sales-boosting tactics that most pizzeria operators can start integrating almost immediately.

(SLICEOFLIFE.PMQ.COM)

HOW TO BE MORE LIKABLE ONLINE You may think you’re a pretty likable person, but does your social media truly reflect your personality—and your pizzeria? For pizza operators who manage their own social media pages, Melanie Addington shares some tricks of the trade for increasing likability and attracting more fans.

WEEKS 15-17: PAST, PRESENT AND PIZZA PMQ’s test chef Brian Hernandez committed himself to a diet built entirely around pizza—and it worked. By week 16, he had lost nearly 30 pounds and four inches on his navel measurement. And if a week in Italy couldn’t fatten him up, maybe, just maybe, he’s on his way to a lifetime of good eating habits!

(BRIANSPIZZADIET.PMQ.COM)

(PIZZAWITHOUTBORDERS.PMQ.COM)

5 MYTHS ABOUT BALSAMIC VINEGAR Supermarkets are filled with vinegar products bearing the balsamico name. In Italy, it’s practically a sacred word. Yet misunderstandings about these products and their authenticity abound. Missy Green wades through the sour stuff to get to the sweet truth about balsamic vinegar.

FIND US ON:

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

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PMQ PIZZA MAGAZIN E | August Volume 2015 |

| WWW.PMQ.C

OM

6

ON THE COVER

30

AUGUST 2015

19, Issue

Contents

BORN TO WIN

m America'sstea 15 years celebrate suc bal cess of glo 30

The Dream Team: Born to Win

PAGE

6

TIPS forthe

The Pizza

choosing perfect POS system

’s Busines Industry

Inspired by a scene in Dumb and Dumber,, the U.S. Pizza Team has evolved into a global force, producing world champions and dazzling audiences for 15 years. By Rick Hynum PAGE 48

s Monthly

m | PMQ.co

able Master the profit of pasta possibilities PAGE 56

FEATURES

38

Dancing With the Pizza Stars As the U.S. Pizza Team celebrated its 15th anniversary, Jamie Culliton brought home his second straight silver medal in acrobatics and led a crack squad of American pizza makers and dough spinners competing in the 2015 World Pizza Championship. By Andy Knef

48

48

POS for Beginners Pizzeria owners offer six must-follow tips to help you choose your first POS system. By Liz Barrett

56

Master the Pasta-bilities From the humble spaghetti to stuffed-pouch Sacchettini, we break down the common pasta types that pizzeria operators use in uncommonly delicious ways.

By Tracy Morin

66

Pop Quiz: Here Are the Answers Is that Joan Rivers or Justin Bieber? We reveal the answers to last month’s pop quiz featuring pizza portraits of celebrities past and present.

70

56

The NRA Show: 5 Trendy Takeaways From the fast-growing millennial generation to social issues, NRA panelists laid out the challenges—and opportunities—that pizzeria owners face in the coming years. By Andy Knef

78

The Best of NRA 2015 The PMQ crew reviews some of the most innovative products on display at this year’s National Restaurant Association Show.

70 8

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

DEPARTMENTS

16

In Lehmann’s Terms: Expressing a Sauce Formula in Percentages Learn how to achieve consistency and precision with your pizza sauce by following Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann’s formula.

18

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New York’s Finest: Pasta Paglia e Fieno Savory and creamy, this classic fettuccine dish reflects the colors of the Italian flag.

20

Accounting for Your Money: Gift Cards and Tax Deductions IRS rules about gift cards differ, depending on whether you donate them to nonprofits or give them as gifts to employees.

22

20

The Art of Marketing: Business Card Raffles and Selling Appetizers Learn how to boost traffic by collecting business cards—and how to boost your profits by selling more appetizers.

24

Liquid Assets: Partnering With a Brewery Working with a brewery to develop your own signature craft beer scores a win at every level.

28

Recipe of the Month: Panino’s White Clam and Shrimp Pie Gino Rago, owner of Panino’s in Chicago, and Galbani share a recipe for this pizza treat from the deep blue sea.

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Pizza Hall of Fame: Augie’s Pizza A former WWII ski paratrooper and his wife built a Midwestern pizza legacy that has created family business opportunities for three generations.

Click here for featured video: Jamie Culliton leads the U.S. Pizza Team to a second straight silver-medal win at the World Pizza Championship.

Click here for featured video: Check out the highlights of the 2015 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago.

Click here for featured video: Lenny Rago of famed Chicago pizzeria Panino’s prepares our Recipe of the Month, the White Clam and Shrimp Pie.

10

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

IN EVERY ISSUE 6

Online at PMQ.com

92

Product Spotlight

12

From the Editor

100

Advertiser Index

14

From the Inbox

101

26

Moneymakers

Pizza Industry Resource Guide

It pays to tend to your flock.

Over the past 5 years, employee out-of-pocket expenses have risen nearly 40%.1

Aflac can help protect your employees with cash to cover their bills in the event of a covered sickness or injury. And now employees’ claims can get paid in a day with Aflac’s One Day PaySM when they submit online.2 Small businesses like how easy it is to add voluntary coverage to their benefits at no direct cost. Especially when it is from Aflac, the number one provider of worksite/voluntary insurance sales for 13 consecutive years.3 Aflac may even be a pre-tax deduction, so when we say it pays to tend to your flock, it just might.

Call your local agent and visit aflac.com/smallbiz

2014 Employer Health Benefits Survey, The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, September 10, 2014. 2One Day PaySM is available for most properly documented, individual claims submitted online through Aflac SmartClaim® by 3 PM ET. Aflac SmartClaim® not available on the following: Short Term Disability (excluding Accident and Sickness Riders), Life, Vision, Dental, Medicare Supplement, Long Term Care/Home Health Care, Aflac Plus Rider and Group policies. Individual Company Statistic, 2015. 3Eastbridge Consulting Group, U.S. Worksite/Voluntary Sales Report. Carrier Results for 2002-2014. Avon, CT. Coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus. In New York, coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.

1

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Worldwide Headquarters | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999

3/15

FROM THE EDITOR

Winner of 5 ASBPE Awards Winner of 4 GAMMA Awards ISSN 1937-5263

A P U B L I C AT I O N O F P M Q , I N C .

Changing With the Times

N

othing grates on my nerves like a ringing telephone. I’ve always hated it, that shrill, metallic jingle-jangle that sets your nerves on edge, intruding on your solitude, ruining the moment with a pretty woman or calling you away from a favorite TV show just as it’s getting good. With the advent of the smartphone, some genius replaced that piercing death knell with kinder, gentler “ringtones”—a soft rustling of wind chimes, a jaunty series of notes from a xylophone, a snippet of Kid Rock or Beethoven. I hate them, too.

Actually, I hate smartphones in general. Forgive me if I sound curmudgeonly, but I don’t want to be accessible 24/7 to the world. Unless you’re lost, dying or in mortal danger, an email will do just fine for anything you’ve got to tell me. And yet I have owned a smartphone for years, following societal norms against my better judgment. I even recently upgraded from my sickly iPhone 4 to the sleek, speedy iPhone 6, which I hate slightly less than smartphones I’ve owned before. (But don’t get a big head, iPhone 6. I still hate you plenty.)

Sometimes we just have to go with the changing times. We can tell ourselves that clinging to old, comfortable ways is a matter of integrity, but, really, it’s probably just a fear of the new and the different.

Many of our readers stick with outmoded technologies for the same reason. Some still don’t own a POS system, even though it can boost their bottom line in several ways. In this month’s “POS for Beginners” (page 46), Liz Barrett gives these technology-averse readers a better understanding of their POS options. She has spoken to several experienced operators about what to look for in a system and how to ask the right questions when POS vendors come calling.

As knowledgeable as you may be about pizza, a POS system has smarts and skills no one person can possess. Think of it as the world’s shrewdest business partner, always on your side and always watching your bottom line.

Best of all, it will never wake you up in the middle of the night with a blast of Kid Rock’s “All Summer Long.” Thank the good Lord for that!

VOLUME 19, ISSUE 6 AUGUST 2015 PUBLISHER Steve Green, sg@pmq.com ext. 123 CO-PUBLISHER Linda Green, linda@pmq.com ext. 121 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Rick Hynum, rick@pmq.com ext. 130 ASSOCIATE EDITOR Andy Knef, andy@pmq.com ext. 136 EDITOR AT LARGE Liz Barrett, liz@pmq.com SENIOR COPY EDITOR Tracy Morin, tracy@pmq.com INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT Missy Green, missy@pmq.com ART DIRECTOR Kara Hoffman, kara@pmq.com ext. 135 GRAPHIC DESIGNER Eric Summers, eric@pmq.com ext. 134 MEDIA PRODUCER Daniel Lee Perea, dperea@pmq.com ext. 139 SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Melanie Addington, melanie@pmq.com ext. 133 IT SPECIALIST Aaron Harris, aaron@pmq.com ext. 137 CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Shawn Brown, shawn@pmq.com CIRCULATION MANAGER Sherlyn Clark, sherlyn@pmq.com ext. 120 TEST CHEF/EVENT COORDINATOR Brian Hernandez, brian@pmq.com ext. 129 PROJECTS AND PROMOTIONS Chris Green, chris@pmq.com ext. 125

ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Linda Green, linda@pmq.com ext. 121 SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Clifton Moody, clifton@pmq.com ext. 138 ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Tom Boyles, tom@pmq.com ext. 122 ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Anna Zemek, anna@pmq.com ext. 140 SALES ASSISTANT Brandy Pinion, brandy@pmq.com ext. 127

PMQ INTERNATIONAL PMQ CHINA Yvonne Liu, yvonne@pmq.com PMQ AUSTRALIA-NZ Tom Boyles, tom@pmqaustralia.com PMQ RUSSIA Vladimir Davydov, vladimir@pmq.com EDITORIAL ADVISORS Chef Santo Bruno, Tom Feltenstein, Tom Lehmann, Joey Todaro, Ed Zimmerman

PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | August 2015 | Volume 19, Issue 6

Rick Hynum Editor-in-chief PMQ Pizza Magazine AUGUST 2015 | WWW.PMQ.COM

BORN TO WIN

America's team celebrates 15 years of global success PAGE 30

The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly | PMQ.com

6

TIPS for choosing the perfect POS system

PAGE 48

Master the profitable possibilities of pasta PAGE 56

12

ON THE COVER: U.S. Pizza Team member Jamie Culliton won his second straight silver medal at this year’s World Pizza Championship in Parma, Italy, earning a place in the team’s lore as it celebrates its 15th anniversary. Photo by Andy Knef.

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

CONTRIBUTORS Chef Santo Bruno, Tom Lehmann, Michael J. Rasmussen 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.

FROM THE INBOX

Rose George Vito & Nick’s Chicago, IL Congratulations, Rose, and thank you for hosting PMQ at Vito & Nick’s anniversary celebration this summer. We’ll share your story with our readers soon in the magazine and on PizzaTV.com!

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: 14

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Tom Iannucci Pietro’s Kauai, HI

ORY

Good suggestion, Tom! We’ll look into that further!

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WORKING FOR THE WORKING CLASS We celebrated our 95th year in business at Vito & Nick’s on June 25. The business started as a tavern owned by my grandfather, Vito Barraco, in 1920. Around 1928, he moved the business to 80th and Halsted, and my grandmother started making pastas and sandwiches. When my dad, Nick, returned from WWII in 1945, they began serving pizza. The recipes came from my grandmother, and we still use the same ingredients as we did in 1945—nothing has changed.

In 1965, we moved to our present location on South Pulaski Road, and we’ve been here for 50 years. We’ve been featured on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and in Chicago-area TV shows, including Check, Please and Chicago’s Best. Before he passed away, my dad gave me some advice. He said, “No matter what, keep your prices as low as you can. You’re working for the working-class person— they are your bread and butter. This is a place where they can bring their families and be able to afford to go out for dinner.” His second piece of advice was to never, ever vary the quality of our food. This advice has kept us in business for 95 years, and I hope we’ll be here for another 95 years!

PMQ’S INSIGHTFUL WEBINARS Aloha! You guys do a great job on your webinars— they are very, very insightful. Your gluten-free webinar (“Gluten-Free Does Not Have to Mean Bad Pizza,” sponsored by Caputo Fiore Glut) was my third one, and I do take notes. It would be cool if you would give attendees access to the slides and Powerpoint presentation featured on the webinars. I want to sit down with my guys and go over the information with them so they’ll better understand the market, products and what other people are doing. Thanks!

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ast chain tory.com), a West Co ac af izz (p y or ct Fa Pizza o bully zone.” , bills itself as a “n es or st us pl 010 ith w tober, ention Month in Oc ev Pr g in lly Bu l na During Natio a Bully,” and at read, “Don’t Be th s irt sh Tn do s employee anti-bullying ith area schools in w er rtn pa es se hi s can franc their bullying storie e ar sh ho w s er om programs. Cust s. even win free T-shirt

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IN LEHMANN’S TERMS

Expressing a Sauce Formula in Percentages Tom “The Dough Doctor” fires up his calculator to help you achieve precision and consistency with your pizza sauce recipe. By Tom Lehmann Tom Lehmann recently retired as the longtime director of bakery assistance for the American Institute of Baking (AIB). He is now an industry consultant dedicated to helping pizzeria operators make more money. Need more dough advice? Visit the Dough Information Center at PMQ.com/ dough.

16

Q

Pizzaioli use baker’s percentage to formulate dough, but is there any way to express a sauce formula in percentages?

A

Yes, there is a way to express a sauce formula in percentages. With dough, the percentages are based on the total flour weight, whereas the percentages for sauce are based on the total sauce weight. This is also known as “true” percent. To express a sauce formula, we first add up the weights of all sauce ingredients, and then divide the weight of each individual ingredient by the total sauce weight. For example: TOMATO SAUCE—200 oz. (12.5 lb.)

TOMATO PUREE—64 oz. (4 lb.)

OLIVE OIL—16 oz. (1 lb.)

SEASONING BLEND—4 oz.

Adding up the weight of each ingredient, you’ll get a total sauce weight of 284 oz. (17.75 lb.) Now it’s time to try a little division and multiplication to calculate some percentages.

TOMATO SAUCE—200 ÷ 284 x 100 = 70.42253% TOMATO PUREE—64 ÷ 284 x 100 = 22.53521%

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

OLIVE OIL—16 ÷ 284 x 100 = 5.6338% SEASONING BLEND—4 ÷ 284 x 100 = 1.40845% To check our math, we add up all of the percentages, and the total should be 100% or very close to it. In this case, the total comes to 99.99999%, which is close enough for our pizza sauce. So let’s say we want to make 70 pounds of sauce: TOMATO SAUCE—70 x 70.42253 ÷ 100 = 49.295771 lb. (Instead of dividing by 100, you can simply press the “%” key.)

TOMATO PUREE—70 x 22.53521 ÷ 100 = 15.774647 lb.

OLIVE OIL—70 x 5.6338 ÷ 100 = 3.94366 lb.

SEASONING BLEND—70 x 1.40845 ÷ 100 = 0.985915 lb.

If our math is correct, the total of all new ingredient weights should come to 70 lb. or very close to it. In this case, the total is 69.999993 lb.—close enough! Just keep in mind that any changes to the ingredient amounts will require you to recalculate each percentage, allowing you to manipulate the “new” formula as necessary.

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NEW YORK’S FINEST

Pasta Paglia e Fieno Celebrate the pizza industry’s Italian roots with this savory pasta dish that reflects the colors of the Italian flag.

By Chef Santo Bruno

T

his month, we’re going to try out a dish that has been around a long time. Paglia e Fieno is Italian for “straw and hay,” but it tastes like heaven. This pasta dish reflects the colors of the Italian flag, combining standard (egg-based) fettuccine and green spinach fettuccine with ham and a cream sauce. Not everyone makes this dish the same way, but I’ll show you how to make it the Chef Bruno way—if you follow this recipe, you can’t go wrong! You will definitely want to put this Italian classic on your menu. It’s a great way to celebrate your Italian roots. Trust me, your customers will love it and keep coming back for more. Mangia!

Chef Bruno is PMQ’s culinary advisor, with more than 50 years of international pizza experience. He is the corporate chef for Marsal & Sons and the culinary coach of the U.S. Pizza Team.

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

INGREDIENTS: 1 c. skim milk ½ c. cottage cheese 1 tbsp. cornstarch ½ c. Parmesan cheese, divided ¼ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. pepper

1 garlic clove ½ c. frozen peas 4 oz. fettuccine 4 oz. spinach fettuccine ¼ lb. ham Pinch of nutmeg

DIRECTIONS: Combine the milk, cottage cheese and cornstarch in a blender.

Process until smooth. Transfer the mixture into a medium-size nonstick skillet. Over medium heat, add ¼ c. of Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir until the cheese melts and set aside.

In another pan, sauté the ham and garlic for 2 minutes. Stir in the peas and sauté for a few more minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the milk-and-cheese mixture. Set aside.

Boil the fettuccine in a pot according to the box’s directions.

Once it’s done, drain the water and pour the pasta into the Paglia e Fieno mixture. Toss until coated. Add the rest of the Parmesan cheese if desired.

ACCOUNTING FOR YOUR MONEY

Gift Cards and Tax Deductions Gift card donations to fundraisers and charities are tax-deductible, but the IRS has different rules when it comes to your employees. By Mike Rasmussen

Q

My pizzeria often donates gift cards in support of local fundraisers. Can I deduct these donations from our taxes?

A

restaurant acting as a corporation can claim a limited deduction for charitable contributions made in cash or other property.

Gift certificates and gift cards are considered cash equivalents, so such donations to fundraisers—for example, a raffle prize at a school club event—are deductible in accordance with the restaurant’s normal method of accounting.

Furthermore, since the value of the gift card or gift certificate is easily converted to a dollar amount, the contribution is also deductible if it’s made to or for the use of a qualified nonprofit organization. However, you cannot take a deduction if any of the net earnings of the organization receiving contributions will benefit a private shareholder or individual.

The rules are a bit different when it comes to gift cards given to employees. A small property (noncash) gift given to an employee—such as a Christmas present or tickets to a local sports event—most likely won’t be counted as income for that employee. Instead, it’s usually considered 20

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

a de minimis fringe benefit, which means its value is so small that accounting for it in their taxes would be unreasonable or impractical. Tax law specifically states that “traditional birthday or holiday gifts of property (not cash) with a low fair market value” will qualify as a nontaxable de minimis fringe benefit.

But that rule does not apply to gift certificates and gift cards given to employees. Since they aren’t cash and tend to be relatively low in fair market value, many assume they qualify as de minimis fringe benefits. Unfortunately, the IRS has not come to the same conclusion. Because gift certificates and gift cards are considered cash equivalents—or easily convertible to cash—they do not meet the requirements to be excluded from the employee’s income. Furthermore, since the value of the gift card or gift certificate can be easily determined, they must be treated as wages, subject to payroll and income taxes.

In other words, if you give your employee a holiday ham, it’s not considered taxable income.

If you give your employee a Visa gift card to purchase a holiday ham, it counts as income for the employee, subject to payroll and income taxes!

Michael J. Rasmussen is the owner of Rasmussen Tax Group (rasmussentaxgroup. com) in Conway, Arkansas. He is also the co-owner of Eyenalyze (eyenalyze. com), a company that provides real-time profit analysis for restaurant owners.

Fresh Quality, Made Easy

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Quality, Selection, and Value.

That’s the beauty of Bellissimo. our line of fully cooked and par-fried poultry products offers pizzerias and italian restaurants convenient solutions to traditional favorites. available in a range of restaurant preferred sizes and styles, our poultry products are quick and easy to finish to perfection and can be prepared in common areas safely without cross-contamination. From garlic wings to breaded breasts, our chicken products can be served with pride. enjoy the beauty of Bellissimo - the taste of fresh chicken made easy for every occasion.

To l o c a t e y o u r l o c a l B e l l i s s i m o d i s t r i b u t o r, v i s i t B e l l i s s i m o F o o d s . c o m o r c a l l 8 0 0 - 8 1 3 - 2 9 7 4.

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THE ART OF MARKETING

Boosting Traffic 1 2 3 With Business Card Raffles

Provide more information. The more information you provide to contest entrants, the more entries you will receive.

People want to know what they’re getting and when they can expect it.

Have more winners. The faster the giveaway, the better. Run weekly or even daily contests, depending on your store’s traffic. Give away a free lunch every Friday and announce it on the jar: “Free lunch drawing every Friday at 10 a.m.!” Contestants will know by 10:15 a.m. if they won or not.

4

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Announce the winner. Posting last week’s winner on the bowl and on social media is a great way to show customers your contest is real and generate excitement.

Give prizes to all entrants. Don’t pick only one big prize. Send menus and a “special discount for entering” to every person who entered. They will be excited to use their consolation prize.

Want m ore sa market ing tips les and ?C Liz Bar rett’s w heck out eekly b The lo (thepiz Pizza Insider g, zainsid er.pmq .com)!

Looking for more marketing ideas and insights? PMQ has you covered! By Liz Barrett

Tips&Tricks 11 Easy Ways to Sell More Appetizers 1.

it. !

TRY THISia only works if you womrkent with d gage Social me regular en ss. d n a s e t a h to succe t a p ly Daily upd n o wers is the your follo

Offer an assortment of appetizers at a range of prices that fits every budget.

2. Walk around the dining room and hand out small samples to make guests want more.

3. Send free appetizer coupons to your best customers to get them hooked.

4. Call appetizers “small plates” or “sharing plates.” The appeal—and price—naturally rises.

5. Highlight an “appetizer of the week” on social media to get stomachs grumbling for it.

6. Promote appetizers online and during your on-hold message.

7.

Offer a free appetizer with purchase on slow days.

8. Offer appetizer combo platters that several diners can share.

9. Include a sample of a featured appetizer with your best customers’ takeout/delivery orders.

10. Use tent cards on tables and counters to promote appetizers.

11. Create a separate appetizer menu for those at your bar or those coming in for a late-night snack.

Make Regular Customers Feel Special If you want people to eat at your pizzeria and not the one down the street, offer regular bonuses and perks to your VIP customers. Have a new menu debuting in a couple of weeks? Reveal it to loyal customers before everyone else. They will love the exclusivity of their sneak preview!

August 2015 pmq.com

23

LIQUID ASSETS

The Brewer’s Perspective

ver wanted a beer brand to call your own? By partnering with a local brewery, you can help create a beer specifically for your pizzeria. While it requires some effort, this collaboration scores a win at every level: Breweries get positive exposure, your pizzeria offers a one-of-a-kind beer, and both benefit from cross-promotional opportunities. Meanwhile, customers are excited to try something new that perfectly pairs with your pizza.

Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom (oldchicago.com), based in Boulder, Colorado, recently partnered with Minnesota-based Summit Brewing Company to create a featured brew called the Cracking Wit witbier. Old Chicago brand manager Jason Murphy gave us the scoop on the process: dd Realize you’re taking a risk... The biggest concern is that the beer might not turn out well and may not have a great guest perception. About 95% of the time, the breweries do a great job, but there have been a few duds! dd …But the risk can pay off in the long run. We’re always happy when we do an exclusive beer with a brewery and the brewery later launches it as a core or seasonal brand. One of Boulder Beer’s most popular brews, Shake Chocolate Porter, started as an exclusive on an Old Chicago Mini Tour. It gives you a sense of pride, knowing your company had a hand in launching the success of that brand. dd Create a tie-in or theme. We base our Mini Five50 Pizza Bar Tours around themes, whether it’s St. Patrick’s in Las Vegas Day, Halloween or our baseball-themed Extra partnered with Sin City Brewing Company Innings Mini Tour (when a brewery aged a to create the exclusive beer over maple baseball bats!). It’s a lot easier Sin City Extra Pale Ale. to tie the beer back into what you’re doing at the restaurant when everything works together.

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

FIVE50 PIZZA BAR

Beer Buddies: Partnering With a Brewery E

Rich Johnson, master brewer at Sin City Brewing Co., collaborated with Five50 Pizza Bar (aria.com/dining/restaurants/ five50-pizza-bar) in Las Vegas’ ARIA Resort & Casino to create the exclusive Sin City Extra Pale Ale. His advice on maximizing the pizzeria-brewer connection: dd Choose your partner carefully. The relationship between craft breweries and pizza is a natural—craft beer pairs easily (both from a taste profile and philosophically) with pizza. Both are handcrafted, artisanal products that are bold in flavor, incorporate carefully sourced ingredients, and are limitless in variety of styles to suit a guest’s tastes on different visits. A successful proprietary beer is almost always locally sourced and shares a common clientele between the companies—and the partnership can be viewed as a source of local pride and community ownership.

By Tracy Morin dd Look at the big picture (but don’t dd Get on the same page. Both partforget the details). At its simplest, ners should have a clear understandthe pizzeria owner and brewer ing and agreement on expected get together to discuss the (and realistic) sales goals. strengths of each other’s Clarity on what each Don’t forget the ABC! Label operations and what side wants to achieve approval must be the pizzeria seeks in with the partnergranted through the standard ABC process its proprietary beer ship—financially before the new beer can flavor profile. Obviand even philosophbe distributed to your restaurant. ously a brewery wants ically—is essential. It’s to broaden its production key that they treat each output and partner with other as partners and that an accommodating, like-minded items such as marketing materioperation that can be beneficial to als, menu inclusion to highlight the its portfolio. More importantly, a partnership, and staff training are pizzeria is a source of greater conutilized to promote the product. sumption potential than other types Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor. of restaurant operations. Pizza and beer—what else do you need?

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MONEYMAKERS

Marco’s Throws Airline Pizza Party

Marco’s Pizza (marcos.com) in Knoxville, Tennessee, turned a flight delay into a pizza party in late May. After taking off from Philadelphia, the Delta Airlines flight, which was Atlanta-bound, had to be diverted to Knoxville due to bad weather.

Back on the ground, the flight crew dialed up Marco’s for some pies. “I was a bit taken aback at first,” says store manager Ashley Akins. “We never delivered pizzas for airline passengers before, but it sounded like a great idea—an airline pizza party. My focus was getting the 40 pizzas done fast so that we could boast of an on-time delivery.” Delta’s crew ordered the pizzas as part of a company-wide initiative to provide food and beverages to passengers when bad weather causes flight delays.

A flight crew member serves up pizza slices for passengers on a delayed Delta Airlines flight in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Love in an Olive Jar Pulcinella Pizzeria (pulcinellapizzeria.com), with three locations in Fort Collins, Colorado, built a simple and engaging promotion around a jar filled with olives—and a lot of love. For $1 per entry, customers guessed the number of olives in the jar to win a $50 gift card for Pulcinella, a logoed sweatshirt and a one-hour massage. The promo raised funds for the National Brain Tumor Society, according to general manager Artemus Legg. “Our owner, Mary Race, has been part of Team Amazing Grace for the past four years,” he says. “The team walks for Rebecca McKenna, Chell Bastian and nine-year-old Hunter Sandstorm, all fighting the battle.”

Mary Race, owner of Pulcinella Pizzeria, is committed to raising awareness of—and money for—the National Brain Tumor Society.

Quick Tip 1: WE SECOND THAT EMOTION Emotion often trumps logic when your customers make a buying decision, says Jay Siff, owner of Moving Targets in Perkasie, Pennsylvania. Create direct mail and digital marketing campaigns that tell vivid, compelling stories to evoke a positive emotional response.

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Pies for Potheads

How did April 20—better known as 420—become a national holiday for pot smokers? Its origins are as hazy as a college dorm room on a Saturday night, but Pizza of Venice (pizzaofvenice.com), located in Altadena, California, knows a tasty pie is the perfect antidote to the weed-fueled munchies. For this year’s 420 celebration, the pizzeria served up randomly shaped cheese pies (“every pizza is like a snowflake, man!”) all day for $4.20. No wonder LA Weekly singled out Pizza of Venice for offering the city’s “Best Stoner Pizza” in its 2014 “Best of L.A.” issue.

The randomly shaped pies at Pizza of Venice just may blow your mind.

Quick Tip 2: GET ON GOOGLE PLUS Google rewards Google Plus users with enhanced visibility for their businesses, says PMQ’s editor-at-large Liz Barrett. Setting up a Google Plus page for your pizzeria is “one of the single best tactics a pizzeria owner can do (for free) that will help them get visibility on the Web,” Barrett notes.

Smackdown On Hunger

Austin McCord, co-owner of Vic’s Pizza, uses the power of pizza to improve the lives of people struggling with addiction.

Prospects can seem bleak for recovering addicts, but Brenda and Austin McCord, owners of Vic’s Pizza (vicspizza4u.com) in Greenville, South Carolina, are doing their part to spread hope through pizza. In a promotion called Smackdown On Hunger, the McCords donate two large pizzas every Thursday to Miracle Hill Ministries’ Renewal Center, which houses adult women who are homeless and recovering from drug and alcohol addiction. The pizza parties have become a popular weekly treat for residents, and Vic’s customers can also purchase and donate additional pizzas for the facility—and get a 20% discount on the entire order.

August 2015 pmq.com

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Sponsored by

RECIPE MONTH of the

INGREDIENTS: 12 oz. ball of pizza dough (for a 14’’ pie) 8 oz. clams (manila or littleneck), freshly shucked 6 oz. large shrimp, chopped 10 oz. mozzarella, shredded 2 oz. fresh mozzarella 2 oz. Parmesan, grated 1 lemon wedge 2 tbsp. fresh garlic, minced 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped 2 tbsp. olive oil Pinch of oregano 2 oz. seasoned breadcrumbs, melted butter and Parmesan DIRECTIONS: Toast the seasoned breadcrumbs in a sauté pan and mix with melted butter and Parmesan. Slightly sauté the clams and shrimp (for about 30 seconds) in a little garlic and olive oil. Drain and set aside. Brush olive oil and minced garlic on the 14” pizza skin. Sprinkle on the shredded mozzarella.

Spread the clams and shrimp around the pie and sprinkle oregano on top. Pull some fresh mozzarella with your hands and place sparingly on the pie. Add some grated Parmesan, then bake in the oven at 600°F or hotter until golden brown. Immediately sprinkle on the toasted breadcrumbs and parsley and garnish with a fresh lemon wedge in the center of the pizza.

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Panino’s White Clam and Shrimp Pie

Recipe provided by Gino Rago, Panino’s Lenny Rago of Panino’s demonstrates this recipe in “Cooking With PMQ” on PizzaTV.com.

tv A Delicious Twist On a Classic Dish Gino Rago, his brother Lenny, and their cousin Bruno Brunetti are tinkerers. When they come across a pizza they like, simply recreating it isn’t enough; they prepare it with their own innovative twists, which have made their three Panino’s (paninospizzeria.com)restaurants neighborhood treasures in the Chicagoland area.

Like many pizza connoisseurs, Gino made a pilgrimage to The Original Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana (pepespizzeria.com) in New Haven, Connecticut, to try its legendary White Clam Pie. For his own version, Gino used dough made with a levito madre (“mother yeast”) from the late 18th century, which had been smuggled in from Naples. And rather than use only Parmesan, as Pepe’s does, he uses both Galbani Dragon Cut™ Mozzarella shreds and Galbani Fresh Mozzarella.

To finish the pie, seasoned breadcrumbs conjure clams casino, and many diners have commented that they never dreamed a wedge of lemon could be so critical to a pizza experience.

DANIEL PEREA

Featured Video: Lenny Rago of famed Chicago pizzeria Panino’s prepares our Recipe of the Month, the White Clam and Shrimp Pie.

TThe Dream Team

BORN TO WIN As the U.S. Pizza Team celebrates 15 years of global success, we look back at the highlights, from its dream-team beginnings to Live! With Regis and Kelly. By Rick Hynum

I

n a way, we’ve got Jim Carrey to thank for the U.S. Pizza Team (USPT). Without the famous actor’s star power, the 1994 comedy Dumb and Dumber probably never would have made it to theaters. And without Dumb and Dumber Dumber, the hilariously lowbrow tale of two dimwits trying to return a suitcase of money to a beautiful stranger, Steve Green, PMQ Pizza Magazine’s much smarter publisher, may have never hit upon his idea for a national team of competitive dough spinners and pizza chefs.

“There was a scene in Dumb and Dumber that featured the appearance of the Swedish Bikini Team,” Green recalls. “It was a half-funny and half-plausible name that begged the question: If the Swedes can have a bikini team,

why can’t the Americans have a pizza team?”

OK, so Jim Carrey gets some of the credit, and some goes to a bevy of blondes in bathing suits. Regardless, Green was on to something. And 15 years after he assembled the first U.S. Pizza Team to compete in the World Pizza Championship (WPC) in Italy, the squad is still growing and racking up victories and fame, with member Jamie Culliton claiming his second WPC silver medal this year for acrobatic dough spinning.

Although it would make a better story if this bunch had started out as the archetypal plucky but hapless bunch of losers who stumbled their way to success against all odds, the USPT was never a Bad News Bears kind of club. Since its inception in 2000, it has been producing

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Steve Green (far right), seated next to Pizza e Pasta Italiana Magazine publisher Enrico Fama, celebrates with his dream team, including (from left) Dino Ciccone, Tony Gemignani and Danny Wolfe; Ciccone puts the finishing touches on a culinary masterpiece.

Timeline 32

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

2000

THE DREAM TEAM To be fair, Green had been mulling over the notion of a pizza team before he ever saw Dumb and Dumber. “We took a small group of people to the World Pizza Championship its first year,” he says. “As it started growing, I was feeling a team spirit evolving. At the time, there were no national teams there, but there was a lot of flag waving from individual members.”

For the 2000 event, Green put together his first “dream team,” consisting of Gemignani, Dino Ciccone and Danny Wolfe. “I had written a story about Tony and his dough spinning history months earlier,” Green remembers. “He was the most talented dough spinner I could call to join me on our journey to Italy. Dino had won awards for the best pizza in both America and Canada in the same year. And Danny Wolfe used to fascinate me with stories of his days working in the White House as a chef cooking pizza for Ronald Reagan and George Bush. As it turned out, he didn’t actually ever work in the White House.”

Wolfe’s tall tales aside, Green’s instincts were largely right. “We were not expecting to win anything, since we were just three out of about 300 competitors,” he says.

“But Tony tied for first place the first year and won first place alone the second year.”

First U.S. Pizza Team competes in World Pizza Championship (WPC) in Salsomaggiore, Italy; team member Tony Gemignani performs blindfolded and spins his way to a 1st place tie.

USPT holds first Qualification Trials at the Mid-America Pizza Show in Columbus, Ohio.

2002

winners—a lot of winners—from repeat gold medalist Tony Gemignani, who competed with the team for years before venturing out on his own, to the squad that won the WPC’s Team Acrobatics category in Salsomaggiore, Italy, in 2011. In honor of the team’s 15th anniversary, we asked Green and former PMQ editor-in-chief Tom Boyles (now an account representative for the ad sales team) to look back and reflect on some of the highlights.

Over time, the team began to grow, holding trials for new members and attracting corporate sponsors—the California Milk Advisory Board came on board first.

Before long, the national media took notice. “I think one of the first milestones was when the team caught the attention of the Food Network around 2003,” says Boyles, who accompanied the USPT on many international trips during his tenure. “They traveled with us to the WPC and aired a prime-time feature on their channel, which brought a massive amount of attention to the team and its members. Everyone on the team felt like true rock stars of the industry with the cameras filming their every move and the finished piece that was shown on TV.” The Food Network special aired on March 21, 2004.

Meanwhile, CNN had also covered the team’s performance at the 2003 WPC, and CBS’ The Early Show featured a USPT Trials event held in Columbus, Ohio, that same year. Gemignani showed off his moves to Jay Leno on The Tonight Show, and programs like NBC’s Today show and Fox Sports’ The Best Damn Sports Show Period

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2004

2003

USPT members spin for the cameras on CNN, CBS’ The Early Show, The Tonight Show, Today and more.

In the 2004 World Pizza Championship, USPT member Giorgio Giove (left) won the silver medal for the Pizza Classica, while teammate Brian Edler struck gold in the Fastest Pizza Maker competition.

The Food Network airs a one-hour special about USPT; Giorgio Giove wins silver medal in WPC’s Pizza Classica category; USPT members perform for the first time as an acrobatic team at the Edeka event in Munich, Germany.

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

2007

PMQ co-publisher Linda Green (far right) enjoys a meal with U.S. Pizza Team members during a trip to Rome.

also spotlighted the team that year.

But the annual trips to Italy weren’t just about stoking competitive spirit. “Another huge leap was when PMQ started organizing tours to places like the ParmigianoReggiano factories, Barilla’s main production facility, the Caputo flour mills, vineyards, Rome, Pisa and other places,” Boyles says. “I think this was when the team members started to take home some real knowledge of traditional Italian foods and methods that many incorporated into their menus back in the States.”

Meanwhile, the USPT kept winning at the World Pizza Championships. In 2004, Giorgio Giove took home the silver medal for the Pizza Classica, the event’s most prestigious culinary category, while Domino’s franchisee Brian Edler earned solid gold as the Fastest Pizza Maker (Edler set a new record at the time by making five pizzas in 37 seconds).

For a change of pace, the team traveled to Naples in 2007 for a different global competition, the International Pizza Championship, sponsored by Caputo and the Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani. The new venue

At the International Pizza Championship in Naples, USPT takes gold medal for Team Acrobatics, and Juan Hermosillo wins gold for Largest Dough Stretch.

Millions of Americans tuned in as the U.S. Pizza Team marched in the 84th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2010.

didn’t affect the squad’s winning ways—the USPT grabbed the gold medal for the Team Acrobatics category that year, and member Juan Hermosillo captured the gold in the Largest Dough Stretch competition.

PRODUCING WORLD CHAMPIONS Along the way, the team went on memorable excursions to famous Italian landmarks and partied in grand European style. Some side trips were strictly educational—touring a buffalo mozzarella factory, for example—while others took in the wonders of legendary cities like Venice and Naples.

The 2007 trip took the team and guests far afield to Mt. Vesuvius and the ancient city of Pompeii, followed by a tour of Rome. “The architecture and history of the Coliseum, Caesar’s palace, the Vatican and all of the historical

The team marches in the 84th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

USPT wins gold medal for Team Acrobatics at WPC.

2011

2010

2008

USPT television appearances include Good Morning America, Live! With Regis and Kelly and Martha Stewart Living!

2014 2015

Juan Hermosillo took home an Acrobatics gold medal from the International Pizza Championship in 2007.

places we visited left me as awestruck as a little kid seeing the castle at Disney World for the first time,” Boyles says.

“To actually climb the ancient tiled staircase inside the Leaning Tower of Pisa, stand on the top and feel it sway with the wind is a sensation I’ll never forget. Although, at the time, all I could think was, ‘Please, don’t let today be the day it falls.’”

The team enjoyed a banner year in 2008, earning more glory when member Chris Green taught a fumble-fingered Diane Sawyer how to spin dough on Good Morning America. Green’s teammate, John Howe, gave a demo in speedy pizza making that same year on Live! With Regis and Kelly, culminating in a frenzied scene that saw host Regis Philbin hurling dough balls at the cameras in the episode’s closing moments. And team member and culinary coach Chef Santo Bruno even taught Martha Stewart a thing or two about making pizza in a skillet.

Two years later, the USPT was selected to march— while spinning dough—in the 84th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2010. The squad went on to win the Team Acrobatics category at the WPC in Salsomaggiore the following year, and Culliton has earned two straight silver medals in Individual Acrobatics over the past two years.

USPT member Jamie Culliton wins two straight silver medals in Individual Acrobatics competition at WPC.

August 2015 pmq.com

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Jamie Culliton accepts his second silver medal at the World Pizza Championship in Parma, Italy.

In other words, after 15 years in action, the USPT still knows how to produce world champions. But, more importantly, many team members have also learned how to run more successful pizzerias. “I have personally seen how the competition, experiences in Italy and the overall team camaraderie have saved several pizzerias from going out of business,” Boyles notes. “Just being part of the team creates such a huge boost in publicity and brings in customers eager to try world-class pizza.”

AMERICAN HEROES For Green, the U.S. Pizza Team has never really been a moneymaking venture. It’s more about celebrating pizza and learning more about the craft and industry he loves so much. “It’s been an invaluable source for finding great new people and great stories to tell,” he says. “Going to the birthplace of pizza every year keeps us close to new ideas and products.”

Boyles and Green both see the team as an American delegation of pizza-bearing goodwill ambassadors. “I think each and every person who has been part of the team has been the best ambassador we could ever ask to represent us,” Boyles says.

And USPT membership helps drive these pizzaioli to bigger and better things. “Some that I met on the trips had only one store at the time and now have over 30,” Boyles adds. “Several have appeared on TV on the Food Network, CNN, Martha Stewart Living, the Travel Channel and more. While America doesn’t have an official pizza mascot, we do have these great people out there, representing the best of what American pizza has to offer.”

Rick Hynum is PMQ’s editor in chief.

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Featured Video: Jamie Culliton leads the U.S. Pizza Team to a second straight silver-medal win at the World Pizza Championship.

When Jamie Culliton needed a little something extra for the final round of the WPC Acrobatics competition, he turned to USPT colleague Samantha Jones, co-owner of two Mellow Mushrooms in Chattanooga.

The pair took a spin around the competition floor, much to the delight ot the judges, who awarded Culliton second place in the event.

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

g n i c n a Dw i t h t h e

é

A Z Z I P S R STé

é

BOCELLI

As the entire industry looked on, the U.S. Pizza Team shone at the World Pizza Championship. Andy Knef takes us behind the scenes of this memorable adventure. By Andy Knef

I

t was May 22, and I was standing in line with members of the U.S. Pizza Team (USPT) at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. The team’s 17 members—along with a supporting cast of another dozen or so—were renewing friendships and greeting newcomers at the boarding gate for Parma, Italy, host city of the World Pizza Championship (WPC), which brings together 600 competitors from 20 nations in 10 events. As U.S. pizzaioli Bradley Johnson and Jamie Culliton, wearing black USPT jackets with white numbers, tossed their Throw Dough in the air, a crowd of travelers—smiling, cheering and clapping—formed a semicircle around them. The audience members started peppering the USPT teammates with questions about the adventure ahead, and it hit me: Experienced reporter that I am, having covered presidential visits and other breaking news, I said to myself, “This is a big deal.”

BOCELLI

Suddenly, I knew this would be a trip to remember.

Chris Mallon (top), a pizza chef at Five Points Pizza in Nashville, felt confident going into his two events at this year’s World Pizza Championship in Parma; meanwhile, Leah Scurto (bottom left), executive chef at Pizza My Heart in Los Gatos, California, got some pointers from official team translator Paola Laghetti. Scurto, in her second year on the U.S. Pizza Team, said she felt the squad had a successful competition, despite the lack of culinary medals.

Watch highlights of the U.S. Pizza Team’s performance at the WPC on PizzaTV.com.

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BOCELLI

Jamie Culliton, who won his second straight silver medal in Acrobatics, combined deft acrobatic moves with a keen sense of musical pace to earn a spot on the medalists’ stage with irrepressible competition host Johnny Parker.

ANDY KNEF

BOCELLI

Later, as we settled into our seats and the plane taxied toward takeoff, a flight attendant made an announcement over the intercom. “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re honored to welcome aboard some special guests: The U.S. Pizza Team.” As the applause faded, I knew that—although I was coming along primarily as a reporter and observer—I was wearing my own USPT jacket with as much patriotic pride as anyone in that crowded cabin.

GETTING BETTER EVERY YEAR During the grueling eight-hour flight from New York to Milan, I chatted with veteran and first-time USPT competitors. Making his second consecutive trip to Parma, Michael LaMarca, owner of the Chagrin Falls, Ohio-based Master Pizza (masterpizza.com) chain, said he looked forward to improving his WPC score this year.

But the pizza entrepreneur, who would be competing in the Classica, Pizza-for-Two and Pizza-in-Teglia events, was equally motivated to learn from the Italian masters 40

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

of pizza. “Certainly I’d love to finish in the top three in my events, but I view this trip primarily as a learning opportunity,” he said, over the steady hum of the Airbus’ engines. “I’m here to fine-tune my ability—and help my teammates—to ultimately deliver what the Italian pizzaioli, who mostly judge the competition, are looking for in championship-quality pizza.”

LaMarca and fellow USPT veterans, like his Staten Island-based Pizza-for-Two partner Lenny Giordano, were fully committed to supporting and advising new team members as they baked, topped and stretched against their international competitors. “Our style of pizza making is different in America,” said Giordano, owner of Mona Lisa Pizzeria & Ristorante (monalisasi.com) in New York.

Born in Sicily and fluent in Italian, the jocular New Yorkstyle pizza specialist says U.S. pies generally feature bolder sauces and thicker crusts compared to standard Italian pizza. But returning USPT members have been schooling themselves on Italian techniques. “We get better and learn

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more every year that we come over,” Giordano added.

“But win or lose, I’m proud of my teammates and proud to be competing for America.”

Then there’s rookie Chris Mallon, a large man with a stylish black beard who fancies colorful bandanas for both cooking and traveling. As he struggled to get comfortable in the cramped seats of the Airbus, Mallon, who would compete in the Pizza-for-Two and Classica events, had the look of a pirate thirsty for pizza combat and new adventures. Backed up by a five-person crew of Five Points Pizza (fivepointspizza.com) shipmates from Nashville, including lawyers-turned-owners David and Tara Tieman, Mallon welcomed the challenge ahead. “I’m naturally competitive,

“Win or lose, I’m proud of my teammates and proud to be competing for America.”

—Lenny Giordano, Mona Lisa Pizzeria & Ristorante 42

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

BOCELLI

Bradley Johnson, an employee at a Mellow Mushroom store in Chattanooga, was all elbows as he expertly fashioned a dough canopy in the dough-stretching competition. Johnson’s girlfriend, Abby Robbins, also took part in the event this year.

Using edible orchids for a colorful topper, Rick and Jane Mines, owners of Nima’s Pizza, produced a beautiful ham and poached pear pizza (top) in the Pizza-for-Two category. Michael Stevens of Palo Mesa Pizza (bottom left) teamed up with Dave Sommers, owner of Mad Mushroom Pizza, in the same event.

but I feel surprisingly calm,” he mused. “I have a comfort level with cooking—especially making great, honest pizza that the people of Nashville really love.”

Mallon was trained as a high-end restaurant chef, but he prefers the no-nonsense camaraderie of Five Points and its proven formula of award-winning pizza and craft beer. “My Five Points colleagues made it possible for me to compete at this high level by supporting me in the qualifying competitions,” he noted, as he scribbled notes to himself about his competition pizza, featuring Gorgonzola and buffalo mozzarella cheeses, truffle cream and balsamic vinegar. “We have an awesome shop in Nashville led by David and Tara and driven by people who really want to be there,” Mallon adds. “My co-workers are into pizza making so much that they’ve volunteered to travel with me and assist me in every aspect of this competition.”

KEEPING IT REAL Outside of Milan, the beautiful Italian Alps projected a snow-capped backdrop as rolling hillside pastures and vineyards sped past our windows, marking the road south to Parma. Known as Italy’s food valley, this region earns

DANIEL PEREA

The entire U.S. Pizza Team shows its spirit in front of a centuries-old coliseum in Verona, home of Romeo and Juliet.

its nickname, producing an abundance of world-class cheeses, olives and wine. With bags unpacked and room keys accounted for, team members devoted their first afternoon in Italy to scouring Parma’s markets. They sniffed artisan cheeses and picked through olives, prosciutto, basil and oregano, determined to entice Italian judges with customized local pizza offerings.

Then it was off to Verona, hometown of Romeo and Juliet, followed by the beautiful lakeside town of Bardolino, where USPT members twirled Throw Dough on the sparkling waterfront and visited La Conchiglia Bardolino (laconchigliabardolino.com), a pizzeria owned by WPC judge Giuseppe Conte. The pizzaiolo warmly greeted his fellow pizza makers in his parlor, fragrant with the scents of baking dough and basil. The expressive Italian shared insights on competing against the home team. Using a fresh slice of classic Neapolitan as a prop, Conte handed out technical tips on flour quality, maneuvering around the pizza peel, oven etiquette and sanitary protocols. He also explained how to behave around the competition judges. “Keep it real,” he urged. “Act like you do at your own place. Your body language is important. The key

to winning is to be comfortable while preparing your pizza—demonstrate that you’re having fun.”

The American visitors listened carefully, watching Conte’s every movement, hanging on every word. It was all good advice, they knew, but, under the glare of the bright stage lights, with all the pizza world watching, “keeping it real” would be easier said than done.

WHEN THINGS GO WRONG On the competition’s opening day, the USPT members climbed off the bus and strode, in unison, through the parking lot. Their steps resonated with purpose, and every face reflected quiet determination. In the auditorium, hectic prep work in the crowded staging section was punctuated by staccato bursts of animated Italian, French, even an occasional smidgen of Arabic. Uniformed pizza makers from various nations wielded their knives expertly, chopping and dicing veggies and meats.

As pizza culinary events began in front of a bank of superheated pizza ovens, the competitors continued stretching dough, spreading cheese and saucing crust. The USPT teammates worked quickly but coolly, bearing up under

August 2015 pmq.com

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This red-hot pizza entry, created by an Italian competitor, featured actual fireworks in a good example of how far teams went to impress the judges in Parma.

the scrutinizing stares of the judges. With finished pizzas in hand, they presented their pies to the judges, who poked, prodded and, finally, tasted each pie. The final results would not be revealed until the awards banquet on Wednesday night; without any feedback from the judges, competitors—such as Rick and Jane Mines, a husbandand-wife team who competed together in Pizza-for-Two— were left to second-guess themselves and fret about what went wrong. “Jane made a beautiful pie with great, fresh ingredients and taste-tested complementary flavors like lamb, fresh basil and black olives,” said Rick, who co-owns Nima’s Pizza (nimaspizza.com) with his wife in Gassville, Arkansas. “Unfortunately, I slightly overcooked the crust on the darn thing.”

Will Shaw, representing Pizza Bogo (pizzabogo.com) in Olmstead, Ohio, had it even worse. His carry-on bag, with all of his crucial ingredients, had been stolen en route to Parma. Forced to work with some local flour he’d hurriedly purchased, he watched helplessly as his gooey dough crumbled and broke apart when he began stretching it. “I was disappointed, sure,” Shaw admitted 44

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ANDY KNEF

ANDY KNEF

Lenny Giordano, originally from Sicily and now owner of Mona Lisa Pizza in Staten Island, got back to basics with a classic competition pie featuring fresh basil and mozzarella. Giordano, fluent in Italian and a veteran team participant, served as a valuable advisor for the rest of the team.

later. “But my teammates picked me up and let me borrow some of their ingredients. I pressed on to Pizza-in-a-Pan, where I was very proud of my final product.”

Old-fashioned team camaraderie pulled him through, Shaw said. “The thing I’ll always take away from this experience is the professionalism and generosity of my teammates. Without thinking about it, they had my back when I needed them, even though technically we were competing against one another. It’s pretty inspiring.”

Meanwhile, Samantha Jones, co-owner of two Mellow Mushroom (mellowmushroom.com) stores in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and her assistant manager Bradley Johnson collaborated on a unique Pizza-for-Two entry, the Puttanesca, featuring a garlic and anchovy sauce accented with chili peppers, artisan tomatoes, black olives and capers.

“Bradley and I went for simplicity in our competition pizza, deciding on this rustic Italian dish-turned-pizza after we taste-tested it at our store,” Jones explained.

Going simple—and trusting in her intuition—worked for Jones before. Naysayers questioned her judgment when she picked out the original downtown Chattanooga

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Mellow Mushroom site in a crumbling section of town.

But the area made a comeback, and the pizzeria’s urban hippie brand and craft beer menu helped make her store the biggest-selling pizzeria in Tennessee at one point.

And for Jones, making delicious pizza wasn’t the only role she would play in Parma. She would soon emerge as a candidate for top performer in a supporting role.

A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA While errors and happenstance plagued some USPT members, their teammate Jamie Culliton of St. Petersburg, Florida, pulled off a nearly flawless routine in the opening round of the Individual Pizza Acrobatics

“I think the trip was a success. Regardless of scores, I think that having the guts to travel to Italy to participate in an incredibly tough pizza competition makes us all winners in our own right.”

—Leah Scurto, Pizza My Heart 46

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

category. Clad in a bright-pink shirt and white fedora, Culliton juggled pizza dough to the pulsating rhythms of Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” and flat-out stole the show. Varying his routine with over-the-shoulder, between-the-legs and flat-on-his-back moves, the confident Sunshine Stater—who captured the silver medal in last year’s event—quickly advanced to the second round while his USPT buddies wildly cheered him on. “I knew I performed well, but I also knew I’d need a little something extra for the championship round,” said the dapper pizza dancer and USPT acrobatics coach.

That “little something extra” was his friend and teammate, Samantha Jones. In the middle of his second-round Acrobatics competition routine, Culliton surprised—and wowed—the audience by suddenly turning to Jones, outfitted in an elegant black gown, and pulling her onto the floor. The two joined hands and danced as their teammates shouted their approval and the crowd applauded enthusiastically. Later that evening, Culliton found himself in the winners’ circle again, celebrating his second straight silver-medal victory in a boisterous, happy scene.

“To hear my teammates cheering me on made me proud to be an American pizzaiolo,” he said later. (Culliton ran a close second to first-place winner Takumi Tachikawa, who impressed the judges with his dramatic, highly nimble routine set to synchronized techno beats.)

(Far left) Veteran team member Michael LaMarca of Master Pizza took part in three culinary events. He said he’s proud that his scores each year have steadily improved.

Jane Mines (middle) of Nima’s Pizza makes quick work of some celery in the prep area before the competition starts.

ANDY KNEF

Peter Anderson, a new USPT member from Gelsosomo’s Pizzeria in Crown Point, Indiana, chops tomatoes during the team’s side trip to the Academia Barilla in Parma.

Anderson called the chance to create a nine-course meal the opportunity of a lifetime.

AN EMOTIONALLY REWARDING EXPERIENCE In the end, Culliton was the team’s only top finisher, but USPT members’ pizzas earned high praise behind the scenes from the mostly Italian judges, and final scores in the culinary categories were up dramatically from the previous year. Second-year competitor Leah Scurto, executive chef at Pizza My Heart (pizzamyheart.com) in Los Gatos, California, believes the team is getting closer to medal contention in the pizza making events. “Even though we haven’t won any culinary awards, I’ve walked away both years feeling enriched, invigorated and having learned something,” she said. “Between making new friends, visiting new cities and eating incredible food, I think the trip was a success. Regardless of scores, I think that having the guts to travel to Italy to participate in an incredibly tough pizza competition makes us winners in our own right. My biggest takeaway is that we need to cater more to the Italian palate.”

For me, the World Pizza Championships was a thrilling, emotionally rewarding experience. The teamwork, pride and perseverance on display are qualities that will live on in the memories and hearts of a remarkable group of American pizza professionals. They are among those fortunate few who do what they love and are superb at what they do—and for one magical week in an Italian food paradise, they shared that passion with the world.

A Team to Remember

Talk about a home-field advantage. The Italians again dominated this year’s World Pizza Championship in the culinary categories. Winners were Alfio Russo and Tancredi Parentignoti, Pizza-for-Two; Federico Visinoni, Pizza in Teglia; Samuel Sini, Pizza On the Peel; Angelo Cossu, Classica; Giuseppe Lapolla, Gluten-Free Pizza; and Emanuele Castelnovo, Heinze Beck.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Pizza Team may not have won any culinary medals, but they made lasting memories and earned plenty of behind-the-scenes praise from judges and improved their scores over 2014. Members included: • Dave Sommers, Mad Mushroom, West Lafayette, Indiana • Michael Stevens, Palo Mesa Pizza, Arroyo Grande, California • John Coletta, Quartino, Chicago • Michael LaMarca, Master Pizza, Cleveland • William Shaw, Pizza Bogo, Cleveland • Heather Zook, Sinfully Gluten-Free, Dayton, Ohio • Leonardo Giordano, Mona Lisa Pizzeria, Staten Island • Samantha Jones, Bradley Johnson and Abby Robbins, Mellow Mushroom, Chattanooga • Jamie Culliton • Leah Scurto, Pizza My Heart, Los Altos, California • Rick and Jane Mines, Nima’s Pizza, Gassville, Arkansas • Chris Mallon, Five Points Pizza, Nashville • Peter Anderson, Gelsosomo’s Pizzeria, Crown Point, Indiana

Andy Knef is PMQ’s associate editor.

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Kerry Maher swipes a vendi natur rerenis credit card for a customer pratatecae si doat Romeo’s Pizza in Pickluptaquiam quiatem ering, Ohio. eatquatectem rendebi tasperu ptatissim laut faci?

DANIEL PEREA

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R O F POS

s er n n i g e B Faced with too many POS choices? Experienced operators offer 6 tips for choosing the perfect system for your pizzeria. By Liz Barrett

R

eader surveys have shown that half of today’s pizzeria operators don’t own a POS system. The problem isn’t system costs or a lack of technical skills.

Over the years, PMQ has learned that many operators shy away from POS systems simply because they can’t figure out which system—out of the numerous options available—would work best in their store. There are just too many offerings from which to choose.

Many take the route of trial and error and end up frustrated. But the operators we talked to for this article unanimously agree that doing your homework up-front will save you hours of headaches. “We spent months looking at several POS companies, and most of them were shocked at the amount of time we spent and the number

of specific questions we asked,” says Roger Killian, director of operations at Pizza X (pizzaxbloomington.com), with five locations in Bloomington, Indiana. “Choosing a POS is an expensive and critical decision for your company. Making the wrong decision can result in lost profits, bad operations and a lot of wasted time.”

With that in mind, we asked four pizzeria operators for advice on choosing the perfect POS system—the first time around. Here’s what they told us: 1. DECIDE WHAT YOU NEED. There are dozens of POS companies that offer all types of bells and whistles. But all that really matters is what you and your specific pizzeria needs. “The first thing we did

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“Take questions from your staff about what type of functionality they’d like to see, then hit the POS provider with all of those questions at the beginning and see how many steps each function will take.”

—Kelvin Slater, Blue Moon Pizza Amanda Slater, co-owner of Blue Moon Pizza in Atlanta, and her husband, Kelvin, started out with a cash register before realizing that a POS system was what they really needed for their fast-growing operation.

AMY HUNSINGER

was gather our general managers and make a list of the features we had to have in a POS, the features we’d like to have in a POS and the features we didn’t want, all based on our previous experience with POS systems,” Killian says. “That gave us a road map for finding the right POS for us. You shouldn’t base your decision entirely on what others are doing. Make sure that the POS meets your specific needs.”

It all starts with doing your research and asking the right questions. “Know the difference between purchasing a system and leasing it,” says David Goldy, sheriff at Wild West Pizza Grill (wildwestpizzaoflompoc.com) in Lompoc, California. “Also, is the system expandable? Can it grow with you? Are training materials available and easy to follow? Is tech support free and available when you need it?”

“We had a cash register when we first opened,” says Kelvin Slater, co-owner of Blue Moon Pizza (bluemoonpizza. com), with four stores in the Atlanta area and one in Ft. Myers, Florida. “But you want to be able to know what you’re selling—what costs should be versus what they are.

A POS helps with your inventory, labor costs and writing a schedule. Also, choose a POS company that understands delivery if you think you will ever deliver. We didn’t start with delivery and then needed to add modules later [to accommodate it]. Choose a POS system that specializes in pizzerias, if possible.”

2. MAKE A LIST OF MUST-HAVES. You’ll need a list of must-have features for your POS. Goldy focused on five must-haves for his system. It would 50

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

need to “be easily updatable in terms of menu items, pricing, coupons, etc.; user-friendly—it should not take a computer science degree to make changes; have a searchable customer database; simple, intuitive order entry; and 24/7 support.”

Order entry was crucial to Killian, too. “The order entry process needs to be efficient, allowing you to take more orders during peak business periods,” he says. “Good cost control reporting is also important. The inventory part should quickly and easily show where you have waste, over-portioning or under-portioning. The labor cost report should provide you with tools that can help you evaluate your efficiency and create better schedules.

And before making a decision about which system to buy, have the POS vendor put your menu into their system to see how your operations work in their POS system.”

Errico Magnoli, who owns Uncle Rico’s Pizza (unclericospizza.com) in Niskayuna, New York, agrees

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Red Flags Ready to start researching POS companies? Here are a few red flags to watch out for: Little or no customer support. “I can’t stress how frustrating it is when you need something fixed and you can’t reach anyone,” says Errico Magnoli, owner of Uncle Rico’s Pizza in Niskayuna, New York.

Missing features. Don’t put stock in vendor promises that a needed feature will be added later. “If a feature is important to you, make sure it is currently included in the system and test how it works,” says Roger Killian, director of operations for Bloomington, Indiana-based Pizza X. Bad reviews. Look for recurring complaints in online reviews. “If the same issue keeps coming up, there’s not just one upset customer—there’s a few,” Magnoli notes.

No track record. How long has the vendor been around? Who are its current clients? “Not to say that young, smaller companies can’t create innovative POS systems, but if they don’t have a solid business plan, you could find yourself heavily invested in a POS system that’s no longer supported because the company has gone out of business,” Killian warns.

“You want to choose a POS company that is constantly upgrading the software to fix any issues or address any requests. You want a system you can grow into, not out of.”

—Errico Magnoli, Uncle Rico’s Pizza

that scheduling and inventory are very important in a POS system, along with a few other key features. “I look for PCI compliance; sales forecasting; scheduling; reports—the more, the better; inventory tracking with ideal usage and cost; menu editing; coupons; and integrated online ordering capability.”

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BRIAN HERNANDEZ

Jason Cotton, a driver for Pizza X in Bloomington, Indiana, runs a quick check on the company’s POS system before making a delivery run.

Your list of must-haves will depend on what you need to successfully run your business, but don’t balk at adding extra features you may need further down the line.

3. YOU’LL NEED MORE FEATURES THAN YOU THINK. To save money, you may be tempted to choose a system that covers only the basics, but what happens when you’re ready to expand next year? Will your current POS have the features you need? “I don’t feel that the size of the company should dictate which system to choose,” Killian says. “Many of the features used by larger companies can also be a huge benefit to a smaller company. When buying a POS for the first time, you don’t know what features you will or will not use. Talk to [a POS user] at another pizzeria whose operations are similar to yours. Find out how he uses his system and what features he can’t live without. There are likely more features—ones that you don’t think you’ll need—that will end up improving your operations or profitability.”

4. THINK ABOUT SUPPORT AND UPGRADES. “Upgrades and support are a critical part of the life of your POS system,” Killian notes. “Once you become dependent on your POS and it goes down, you will need efficient solutions. POS systems are not just about the initial cost of installment. Understand that these ongoing costs are an important element in looking at the overall cost of a system.”

Even the most experienced POS user needs expert advice sometime, adds Magnoli. “Operators need to

know they will have customer support when they need it, that they’ll be able to reach someone who is knowledgeable about the system and competent enough to fix any issues you’re having.”

Meanwhile, upgrades keep your system secure, current and efficient, so don’t take them lightly, Magnoli advises. “Find out how often

upgrades are made to the system.

You want to choose a company that is constantly upgrading the software to fix any issues or address any requests.

You want a system you can grow into, not out of.”

Slater agrees, adding, “You need to discuss upgrades in the maintenance contract and make sure they’re included at no charge.”

Finally, take note of everything that’s included in your system so you won’t be surprised by add-on costs later. “Some software has a base level, and things such as inventory management, time-keeping, etc., are addons,” Goldy points out.

5. TEST THE SYSTEM AND GET OPINIONS. Who will be using your POS system the most? If it’s your staff, it only makes sense to bring them into the conversation and let them test prospective systems. “Take questions from your staff about what type of functionality they’d like to see,” Slater advises. “Then, hit the POS provider with all of those questions at the beginning and see how many steps each function will take. Do your research and learn how the system works in a live test mode before committing.”

6. DON’T LET COST BE THE DECIDING FACTOR. Don’t just look at the price tag when you’re choosing your POS. It’s easy to go with the cheapest system and hope it works out, but you may regret it later. “Obviously, you shouldn’t buy a system that you can’t afford, but you often get what you pay for,” Killian says. “We researched what systems worked best for us first. Once we had a list of systems that could do the job, only then did we consider the price of the systems, both the initial investment and the ongoing costs. If you use all of the cost-saving, marketing and efficiency features of your POS, the system should pay for itself.”

Proudly made in the

Liz Barrett is PMQ’s editor at large and author of Pizza: A Slice

of American History.

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

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Pasta offers a perfect blank slate that’s ready to be dressed up with creative ingredients and artful presentation.

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Master

THE

Pasta-bilities Pasta comes in more shapes and varieties than you can shake a wet noodle at. Use them creatively to wow customers and ramp up your store’s profitability. By Tracy Morin

I

n one form or another, noodles have been satisfying hungry humans for thousands of years, but fast forward to 2015, and the pasta varieties gracing menus around the world can be downright mind-boggling. From the humble spaghetti to newer innovations like the stuffed-pouch Sacchettini, there’s a pasta to fit your needs, no matter what ingredients you’re seeking to highlight.

Like pizza, pasta comes in all shapes and sizes—and it can prove a major profitability driver for your business. Pasta boasts a low food cost and infinite versatility for operators, while providing diners with a customizable, belly-filling meal option that can easily be prepared to accommodate special dietary needs. Here, we break down some common pasta types—used in uncommon ways by savvy operators around the country.

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BIGALORA WOOD FIRED CUCINA

VIVO 53

Vivo 53 creates both innovative and familiar pasta dishes—including gluten-free options for special diets.

Strozzapreti Norcina Provided by Bigalora Wood Fired Cucina

“For a modern Italian restaurant that’s vibrant and diverse in its menu offerings, pasta is a must.”

—Paul Daneshrad, Vivo 53 TAKING SHAPE While it’s recommended to sample a variety of pasta types to find the right fit for your specialty dish, even the most common pastas can play a part in unique culinary creations. Carol Freysinger, national director of the National Pasta Association, shares nine common types of pasta (and their suggested uses), while we also examine how pizzerias are incorporating them in outside-the-box ways: Acini di Pepe is ideal for soup recipes due to its small shape. Try combining Acini di Pepe with plenty of vegetables in recipes like Italian Wedding Soup for a wholesome and filling meal. Stanziato’s Wood Fired Pizza (stanziatos. com) in Danbury, Connecticut, adds this diminutive pasta to a salad with baby spinach, mint, fresh peas, smoked bacon, ricotta salata and lemon vinaigrette.

Bucatini, a straw-like pasta that’s shaped like thick spaghetti but is hollow in the center, pairs perfectly with chunkier sauces, such as Bolognese or ragu. Bucatini Trattoria (bucatini.biz) in La Quinta, California, pays homage to its namesake with a new take on the classic broccoli rabe pasta: the Bucatini Broccoli, with garlic, olive oil, broccoli rapini florets, ricotta, sun-dried tomato and creamy Pecorino Romano sauce.

Conchiglie shells pair best with heavy cream or meat sauces, while large shells can be stuffed with a cream, vegetable or meat filling. (Tip: For lighter stuffed shells, 58

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

(“Strozzapreti” means “priest-choker” in Italian.)

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage 1 c. white wine 2 ¾ c. prepared marinara 10 oz. heavy cream ½ oz. black truffle shavings 1½ lb. strozzapreti pasta, dried ½ c. Parmigiano, grated ¼ c. parsley, chopped 1 tbsp. white truffle oil Brown the sausage in a heavy bottomed skillet. Break up the sausage liberally as it cooks, using a fork. Add white wine, marinara and heavy cream. Cover and cook for 20 minutes on a low simmer, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil for the pasta. Salt liberally.

Cook the pasta al dente and add to the sausage sauce.

Toss over medium heat to combine and cook the sauce into the noodles for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the Parmigiano, parsley and truffle oil. Makes 6 servings.

reduce the amount of cheese used in the recipe and add more veggies.) Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream (happyjoes. com), with more than 40 locations in seven states, offers the Supreme Pizza-inspired Combo Pasta: sausage, pepperoni, salami, beef, green peppers, mushrooms and onions, smothered in cheese atop shell macaroni.

Farfalle, or bowtie pasta, adapts to a variety of sauces but pairs best with simple oil-based sauces and is perfect for pasta salads. “Their unique shape and ability to lock in flavor make them a favorite pasta shape among Americans,” notes Freysinger. Angelo’s Italian Restaurant

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Inventive takes on the classic lasagna draw customer interest and allow operators to incorporate seasonal ingredients.

Bucatini With Pork & Red Pepper Ragu Provided by the National Pasta Association

(angelosrestaurants.com), with two locations in Wisconsin, serves farfalle underneath a wild Alaskan salmon filet, tossed with fire-roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, garlic and Alfredo sauce.

Linguine, with its long, flat, narrow shape, pairs best with clam sauces and cream-based sauces. The Gorgonzola Linguini at Fuego Bistro and Pizzeria (fuegopizzeria.com) in Park City, Utah, tops the thin pasta with Gorgonzola cheese simmered with portobello mushrooms, red onions and garlic, finished with pears. Meat-craving diners can add chicken or shrimp.

Lasagna, a wide, flat noodle, is arguably one of the oldest—and most popular—types of pasta. These sheets are often served with meat and cheese sauces, but a unique spin can garner national attention: The New York Post lauded the Lasagna Osso Bucco at Florian (floriannyc. com) in New York, calling attention to its braised veal “layered with homemade semolina pasta and creamy Parmesan béchamel,” then topped with “a veal shank packed with bone marrow” for a memorable presentation.

Penne complements virtually every sauce, but it shines when teamed with chunky meat, chunky vegetable, cream or oil-based sauces, or when used in baked pasta dishes. Cajun Chicken Pasta is the most popular pasta at Carbone’s Pizza Bar & Grill (carboneslakeville.com) in Lakeville, Minnesota, featuring penne topped with flame-grilled breast meat and andouille sausage tossed in housemade Cajun Alfredo sauce with red peppers, red onions and tomatoes.

Spaghetti, which Freysinger calls “America’s favorite shape,” is the perfect choice for nearly any sauce, but it can also be used to make casseroles or stir-fry dishes. This 60

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2 roasted red peppers (about 8 oz.), cleaned and roughly chopped 2 tsp. vegetable oil 1½ c. (6 oz.) onion, diced 2 tbsp. (3/8 oz.) garlic, roughly chopped 2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves 1 lb. ground pork ¼ c. (2 oz.) tomato paste ½ c. (4 oz.) white wine 1 14.5-oz. can tomatoes 12 oz. bucatini 6 tbsp. basil, sliced Place the roasted red peppers in a food processor or blender and puree. Reserve. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and sauté the onions until softened and starting to brown (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and thyme and cook until aromatic (another 30 seconds).

Add the pork and break it up with a fork. Cook until any water that releases dries up and the pork browns (about 10 minutes). Stir in the tomato paste. Allow it to cook and caramelize (about 1 minute).

Add the white wine to deglaze the pan, stirring up any brown bits, and add the tomatoes and red pepper puree.

Simmer sauce for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning as needed. While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the bucatini according to package directions. Drain and reserve. Toss sauce with pasta and divide between 6 bowls. Sprinkle with basil. Makes 6 servings.

Plan ahead— October is National Pasta (and Pizza!) Month!

• • • classic gets the exotic treatment at Sotto (sottorestaurant. com) in Los Angeles, where it’s served with a spicy octopus ragu, black kale, burrata and breadcrumbs.

Tortellini, a ring-shaped pasta, is typically stuffed with meat, cheese or vegetables and commonly served in a broth or cream sauce. But Pronto’s Restaurant & Pizzeria (prontospizzeria.com) in Hackettstown, New Jersey, uses this pasta for a best-of-both-worlds creation, the Tortellini Pizza—a crust topped with cheese tortellini in Alfredo sauce and mozzarella.

•

Create some one-of-a-kind pasta dishes.

Offer an all-you-can-eat pasta special to drum up business on slower nights.

Promote your special creations on social media, to your e-newsletter subscribers, on your website, and through in-store signage.

Host a voting contest for customers to select their favorite pasta, then add the winner to your permanent menu!

cine incorporates a truffle Bolognese and white truffle oil, while another dish finds classic spaghetti jazzed up with Calabrian peppers, poached clams and mussels, and botarga pangrattato (cured fish roe finely grated over the pasta). Some dishes are available with gluten-free pasta to cater to special diets.

USING YOUR NOODLE Jax Sperling, director of Culinary R&D for Go Roma Many pizzeria and restaurant operators love pasta for its adaptability and profitable price points, and many (goroma.com), with three locations in Illinois, also appreingredients you already stock can be cross-utilized for ciates classics with a twist. One of his most popular recinventive pasta dishes, diversifying your menu with lit- ipes is the Rustic Rigatoni, which blends Northern and tle added investment. “We wanted Vivo 53 to be more Southern Italian traditions. “Rigatoni pasta is typically than just a pizzeria,” notes Paul Daneshrad, CEO and used in the Southern regions of Italy; we add roasted red founder of Vivo 53 (vivo53.com) in Fort Worth, Texas. bell peppers, roasted tomatoes and mushrooms, paired “Adding other options, like pasta and salads, gives our with a hearty garlic-infused cream sauce and Italian sauguests more reasons to visit the restaurant. For a modern sage (common in the Northern part of Italy), to form our Italian restaurant that’s vibrant and diverse in its menu signature dish,” he explains. “The reason for the fusion really lies in the pasta itself: With its deep ridges and the offerings, pasta is a must.”

Vivo53 creates balance within its pasta menu, serving large cavity running down the center of the pasta, we classic preparations that are famil- catch more sauce and ingredients for that perfect bite.”

Daneshrad agrees that meat sauces typically pair best iar to patrons, plus new and innovative recipes. For with tube-shaped pastas, but he breaks tradition by using example, alongside spaghetti and fettuccine for his meat-based pasta dishes. a traditional spa- However, he adds that the shape of rigatoni pasta is perghetti Bolog- fect for holding and capturing more sauce, allowing the nese, the Vivo flavors of the dish to come forward.

As you would with your pizzas, it’s important to experTruffle Fettuciment; sometimes, you’ll find a fine line Many ingredients you use for topbetween what works and what doesn’t. “In ping pizzas can be cross-utilized our Garlic Shrimp pasta, we choose linguine, for pasta dishes—and vice versa. as it pairs with lighter flavor profiles while August 2015 pmq.com

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Versatile pasta can be used for a variety of dishes, including soups and salads.

GERARDO LUNA

“With [rigatoni’s] deep ridges and the large cavity running down the center of the pasta, we catch more sauce and ingredients for that perfect bite.”

—Jax Sperling, Go Roma still creating textural differences in the dish,” notes Sperling. “A thinner pasta, like angel hair, would get lost in the sauce and ingredients, while a fettuccine, with its wider noodles, would be too heavy and disrupt the balance that the dish creates.”

However, keep in mind that beyond the traditional go-tos that will remain perennially popular, a world of pasta shapes await. Explore the benefits of corkscrew cavatappi, fusilli and gemelli; tubular mostaccioli, ziti and campanelle; or flat fettucine, tagliatelle and pappardelle.

You’ll discover endless pasta-bilities!

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.

Introducing

PIZZA BUTLER!

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Uniquely stylish and uncommonly practical, The Pizza Butler makes an impact in more ways than one.

• Space-saving footprint - Compact design uses less table space than traditional stands • Easy storage - stackable • Versatile Function - serve pizza, appetizers, mini deserts and more • Sturdy Contruction - Dishwasher-safe, 18 gauge stainless steel • Customizable - Personalize with engraved logos

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Call Manny at 718-894-1212 ext. 218 Order online at www.thepizzabutler.com

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“Quality ingredients are essential

in today’s competitive pizza business. It’s no different with the pasta on my menu… my customers and I demand the best. That’s why I’m proud to use Barilla.”

Insist on it.

Sign Up for our Foundations quarterly e-newsletter and you could win a case of Academia Barilla 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil!*

For more information on Barilla® products, call 1-866-349-4386.

One winner selected each month. Limit one entry per person. Entries not selected each month will roll to the next month’s selection. See official rules for details at www.signupfoundations.com. © 2014 Barilla America, Inc.

to

Yours

OUR KITCHEN

Mary’s Pizza Shack is a regional pizza chain with 20 stores and growing in California’s Sonoma County and greater Bay Area. Founded in 1959 by Mary Fazio – back when pizza was something of a novelty for American diners – it’s still family-owned today with a 3rd generation leading the company. Nearly 60 years later, Mary’s is still a family favorite across the region. Mary’s is known for their pizzas, pastas, salads and signature giant meatballs and for making everything from scratch with fresh, high-quality ingredients. We chatted with Vince Dito, Mary’s grandson-in-law and F&B Director about the brand, and why pasta works at Mary’s: Pasta has long been part of what you do and what you’re known for. What about pasta resonates with your guests?

A Pizza and pasta are married together in Italian cuisine, and pasta is one of those foods that’s a comfort food for all ages, from little kids to seniors. We focus on quality and freshness, but keep it simple.

Q

Q A

Tell me about the pasta section of the menu.

The spaghetti with a giant house-made meatball is (and probably always will be) our #1 seller. But lighter dishes, like the Lemon Shrimp Linguine on our new Mediterranean Menu, do really well as well. We change the menu twice a year, to lean a little lighter with more seafood in the summer, and heartier in the winter.

“

Pizza and pasta are married together in Italian cuisine...

Q You’ve been serving Barilla for almost a

decade, what’s behind the partnership?

A First the product itself is very consistent, we know that we can depend on that quality every day in our stores. Barilla has also been great about showing us new shapes and cuts to help us differentiate. Pasta is very visual in its appeal; having variety helps inspire our culinary staff, and engage our customers. Finally, Barilla’s support to our culinary team is huge, it’s something you just don’t get from every supplier. True partnerships like that don’t come around every day!

Learn more in our next edition. This is the third in a series of six editions Barilla will share on best practices for menuing pasta in the pizza segment.

For more information and foodservice-ready pasta recipes, visit barillafoodservicerecipes.com

1 2 Pop 3 Quiz: Here Are the Answers!

4

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ast month’s Pizza Portrait Pop Quiz was a little tougher than we thought. As you’ll recall, pizza portrait artists Domenico Crolla and Wilhelm Rodriguez helped us test our readers’ knowledge of pop culture past and present. Turns out everyone recognized Miley Cyrus and Rihanna, but George “Spanky” McFarland—a child actor in the “Our Gang” series of short films from the 1930s—proved a bit trickier. One person mistook Andy Warhol for Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner (for the record, Jenner was still going by Bruce when we created the quiz). And Rodriguez’s portrait of rival pizza artist Crolla threw a lot of people for a loop. (Still, no one thought he looked like Adam Levine. Sorry, Domenico—we tried!)

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Congratulations to our winner, Rino Arnone of Bona Foods Ltd., who will receive a $100 Visa debit card. Thanks to everyone who participated, and, as promised, here are the answers:

6

7

9 Image No. 1

££ Tina Turner

££ Andy Warhol  ££ David Bowie

££ Bruce Jenner (Artist: Domenico Crolla)

Image No. 2

££ Mike Tyson ££ Kanye West ££ Floyd Mayweather ££ Vin Diesel (Artist: Domenico Crolla)



Image No. 3



££ Beyoncé ££ Jennifer Hudson ££ Naomi Campbell ££ Janet Jackson (Artist: Domenico Crolla)

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10

Image No. 4

Image No. 7

Image No. 10

££ Brandy Norwood ££ Aaliyah (Artist: Domenico Crolla)



££ Rihanna  ££ Nicki Minaj

££ Amal Alamuddin Clooney ££ Tyra Banks ££ Princess Ameera al-Taweel ££ Kim Kardashian (Artist: Domenico Crolla)



££ Vince Vaughn ££ Adam Levine ££ Buddy Hackett ££ Domenico Crolla (Artist: Wilhelm Rodriguez)

Image No. 8

Image No. 5

££ Mickey Rooney ££ Spanky McFarland ££ Robert Blake ££ Jackie Cooper (Artist: Wilhelm Rodriguez)

££ George Michael ££ Chris Evans ££ Ricky Martin ££ Channing Tatum (Artist: Wilhelm Rodriguez)



Image No. 6

££ Britney Spears ££ Justin Bieber ££ Miley Cyrus ££ Gene Simmons (Artist: Wilhelm Rodriguez)



Image No. 9

££ Emma Roberts ££ Joan Rivers ££ Keira Knightley ££ Emma Stone (Artist: Wilhelm Rodriguez)





August 2015 pmq.com

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Spice up your specialty pizza menu with Mediterranean-inspired recipes.

Greek Squad Give your customers a taste of the Mediterranean this fall by introducing a new Greek-style pizza to your menu. With its rich, sharp flavors and appealing colors and textures, Greek pizza creates a feast for the taste buds and the eyes. Here are some ideas for marketing your new menu addition: Grab attention on social media with a mouthwatering photo of the new pie and the tagline, “Greek is the word at [your pizzeria name]!”

Craft a text message blast offering the new pizza at a discounted price that’s valid for only 48 hours and send it to your entire mobile database.

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Thousands of restaurant industry employees, vendors and supporters packed the McCormick Place exhibition halls at the NRA’s 2015 Show in Chicago May 16-19.

5

Trendy Takeaways The NRA Show:

PMQ takes you behind the scenes at this year’s NRA Show on PizzaTV.com.

tv

The pizza marketing business is evolving rapidly. Are you keeping up? Here are five key trends revealed at the 2015 National Restaurant Association Show.

Story and photos by Andy Knef

F

ast-casual pizzerias are sprouting up across the American landscape faster than mushrooms after a warm summer rain, outnumbered only by pizza loving millennials (a catch-all term for those born between 1982 and 2004, give or take a couple of years). So it’s no wonder these two topics dominated panel discussions at the 2015 National Restaurant Association Show, held May 16 to 19 in Chicago. Like it or not, pizza marketing is evolving rapidly, and smart operators need to keep up to stay on top. PMQ attended a wide range of educational

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sessions at this year’s show and sniffed out several noteworthy trends to share with our readers. Here are five key takeaways:

1

MILLENNIALS ON THE ASCENT It’s not just that so many educational sessions at this year’s NRA event had “millennial” in their titles. One glance around the vast McCormick Place exhibit halls revealed squadrons of casually dressed, protein bar-munching, iPhone-jabbing young people. That’s

Featured Video: Check out the highlights of the 2015 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago.

not surprising, since Pew Research Center statistics show that millennials in 2014 topped Generation X and baby boomers in workforce participation. According to Peter Harrison, chief executive with the online job placement firm Snagajob, millennials will make up almost 50% of the American workforce by 2020.

Hence, millennials reflect a rising tide of restaurant buying power, says Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the NRA’s Research and Knowledge Group. This demographic, which he classifies as 18-to-34-year-olds, has cash to spend, enjoys dining out, and is best characterized by its digital independence. “They’re not tied down to desktop computers,” Riehle said. “About 90% use tablets or digital phones, compared with about 60% of consumers between 45 and 64, and only 34% of those age 65 and up.”

In fact, many millennials—particularly in urban America—aren’t even tied down to permanent addresses or cars, Riehle noted. So what can this wristwatch-shunning tribe of foodies teach restaurant operators? Be flexible, Riehle advises. Four out of five operators are moving toward changing their menu prices depending on the time of day to accommodate snack-happy millennials.

Tactics such as off-peak discounts and one-time tweeted online coupons meet these impulsive youngsters’ craving

for convenience. And social media and mobile marketing have become indispensable channels for reaching millennials. “Operators are missing an important opportunity if they don’t use technology as a tool to communicate locations, menus, reviews, and takeout and nutrition information,” Riehle adds. “In the past, diners came to restaurants—now information-savvy millennials want restaurants to come to them.”

And they want you to bring them something a little different while you’re at it. When it comes to pizza toppings and sauces, Darren Tristano, executive vice president at the

Pizza industry products like this Italian-made Marra Forni gas-fired pizza oven were popular attractions for NRA attendees.

August 2015 pmq.com

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The Nathan’s Hot Dog Stand drew NRA crowds like a weenie oasis amid the multitudes of highend food samples.

At BAR 2015, one of the NRA Show’s main attractions—highlights included automated cocktail dispensers like this robotic barkeep whipping up a lethal Long Island Iced Tea.

foodservice research firm Technomic, notes that pizza eating millennials embrace variety, customization and quality.

“They want to be engaged with nontraditional premium toppings, such as artichokes, eggplants and crumbled meatballs,” Tristano said. “They’re inclined to try bolder sauce flavors—barbecue, pesto, herb butter and ranch dressing—topped with artisan cheeses, including blue, feta, Gorgonzola and ricotta. Younger, health-conscious consumers are also eager to sample specialty grain crusts with allergy-preventive options, including gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan varieties.”

2

FAST, CASUAL AND RED-HOT Fast-casual entrepreneurs have moved aggressively in recent years to grab a share of the pizza market. It’s worth noting that two of the four panelists in this year’s National Pizza Council session have launched fast-casual pizzeria projects. Fred Morgan started Fired Pie (firedpie.com) two years ago. Now, he operates 10 units in Arizona and has three deals in the works. “We use the Subway/Chipotle model, and we’ve reached double-digit sales in our first store,” Morgan said.

Morgan’s fellow panelist, Sean Brauser, built the more traditional Romeo’s Pizza chain (romeospizza.com) in Ohio. But he has been impressed by the rise of fast-casual pioneers, such as Blaze Pizza (blazepizza.

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com), Uncle Maddio’s (unclemaddios.com) and Pie Five (piefivepizza.com). “I worked my way up in the pizza business and bought a mom-and-pop store, where we’ve worked unbelievably hard to do things the right way and offer our loyal customers great value,” Brauser said.

Even so, Brauser sensed a change in the marketplace and didn’t hesitate to act. He recently opened his first fast-casual restaurant, PizzaFire (pizzafire.com), in Akron, with three more in development. “A traditional approach to pizza, like Romeo’s, works—it’s a proven formula,” he said. “But there is no denying that the fast-casual concept is a force in the industry, especially for younger customers. We believe fast-casual will complement our traditional pizzerias.”

Morgan and Brauser agreed that millennials are lighting the fuse for the fast-casual explosion. And Tristano has the numbers to back it up: Overall, the fast-casual restaurant segment has grown by 14% over 14 years, he noted.

Compare that to the growth of limited service (4.1%), quick service (3.3%) and quick service pizza (2.1%), and it’s clear that fast casual is leaving the others in the dust.

College towns, which are havens for millennials, are an ideal setting for fast-casual’s pizza-as-theater approach. It’s no accident that Brauser plans to place his next PizzaFire store in South Bend, Indiana, home of Notre Dame.

The question is, are these fast-casual operators really offering anything new? Not necessarily, said panel moderator Marla Topliff, president of Rosati’s (rosatispizza.com), a traditional pizza chain with locations in six states. She says legacy operations like Rosati’s have always embraced the fast-casual credos of customization and creativity. “If you look at how independent pizzerias evolved in urban centers like New York and Chicago, we’ve always taken Hungry browsers sampled offerings from succulent roast beef and other select meats to endless gelato varieties and artisan cheeses.

the freshest ingredients and made everything to order for our customers,” she said. “Pizza is growing all over the country. Independents are adding units and becoming chains because they make good pizza and people love their food.”

3 3-D food printing is largely still restricted to pastry applications, but Culinary Institute of America Chef Tom Vacarro says pizza may be next in line at the copy machine.

Three Takeaways to Go If your plate’s still not full, here are three bonus takeaways from the 2015 NRA Show: You have more competition than you thought. “Restaurants are not just in competition with other restaurants,” said Bill Cross, senior vice president for food industry consultant Broad Street Licensing Group.

“They’re in competition with all food providers.” Take convenience stores, for example. As they are losing revenue on gas and cigarette sales, they’re successfully marketing more food.

Pizza is now available at 63% of c-stores, along with sandwiches (95%) and hot dogs (86%).

Food trucks are on a roll. Food trucks hit that millennial sweet spot, but not only younger consumers love them. With 70% of adults saying they would patronize a mobile restaurant, a rolling test kitchen—whether as a standalone operation or coupled with a brick-and-mortar restaurant—pizzerias can expand their brand and scope out promising new locations for expansion.

I’ll take 200 copies of that pizza, please.

The folks at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) are blazing new trails in 3-D food printing. Currently, most of the applications involve pastry molds and printing with sugar. But CIA chef Tom Vacarro says the organization’s team of culinary scientists believes flour and sauce may soon translate into printable pizzas.

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CHARITY BEGINS IN YOUR PIZZERIA It’s more important than ever for pizzerias to act as good corporate citizens in their communities. According to a 2014 study on dining ethics by the Culinary Visions Panel, 73% of respondents said they like to patronize restaurants that support their local communities or charitable causes.

Few operators understand that better than Pizza Panel speaker Sue LaTour, co-owner of Macomb County, Michigan-based Passport Pizza (passportpizza.com), with 14 locations in the Wolverine State. With 31 years in the pizza business, LaTour and her husband, Mike, have earned accolades for Passport’s hefty menu, featuring specialty pizzas like the two-foot behemoth called Big Ben and award-winning ribs. But it’s LaTour’s personal passion for fighting hunger and food waste—and giving back to the less fortunate—that has resonated nationally. She received the NRA’s 2014 Good Neighbor Award for serving as a conduit for restaurants, vendors and grocery stores donating leftover food to nonprofits, shelters, pantries and soup kitchens throughout Macomb County.

“We change the lives of the people we deal with, and that is the biggest reward we can enjoy at Passport Pizza,” LaTour says, adding that community involvement is the single best way to promote your pizzeria. “The churches and businesses who help us donate and distribute food have become our biggest supporters around the state.

The publicity we’ve been blessed to receive has created thousands of new Passport customers. Once someone tries out food, they’ll be back.”

Unfortunately, Michigan law was getting in the way of pizzerias trying to do the right thing. The LaTours were prominent backers of Michigan House Bill 4017, which amended the Michigan Food Law of 2000 to extend immunity from criminal and civil liability to those who donate food to nonprofit organizations

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Gluten-free pizza was a major item of interest as NRA attendees learned that health-conscious food consumers are increasingly driving industry spending.

helping the needy. Governor Rick Snyder signed the bill into law on June 3. “This law will be a major help in sharing our excess food with the state’s growing ranks of hungry citizens—especially children,” LaTour said.

“And it has a side benefit of reducing waste in Michigan’s landfills by 10% to 20%.”

4

BRAND LOYALTY IS A TWO-WAY STREET Building strong customer relations is more important than ever in the digital age. That was the message conveyed in an NRA session on product innovation. Discussing Pizza Hut’s (pizzahut.com) recent efforts to launch an array of new menu options, Dominique Vitry, the chain’s director of food innovation, said, “We understand food innovation is a science, but it’s also an art. The success you have in the test kitchen doesn’t always translate into sales in the restaurant.”

Vitry knows that from personal experience, thanks to the sluggish sales of her company’s revamped menu, which includes 10 new crust flavors, 11 new specialty pizzas and four new sauces. Vitry made it clear that feedback—partic76

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

ularly via social media tools that younger, hipper consumers use to communicate with brands—must be constantly monitored and evaluated. Sometimes consumer rejection of a product “might be a result of the wrong messaging instead of the wrong variety of balsamic vinegar in one of our drizzle sauces,” she added. “We have to continue asking: ‘Why is this product relevant to the consumer?’

We believe our new menu items answer a compelling demand—especially among millennials—for healthier, fresher, bolder taste options. That message might not have fully sunk in yet, but we’re not about to give up.”

Achieving two-way communication with customers is Pizza Hut’s goal, Vitry noted. Sometimes old-school outreach is the best tool. “We want to make consumers team members,” she said. “We’re more active than ever in sponsoring local Little League teams around the country. We promote those relationships on our social media outlets, and our leadership closely monitors the volume and quality of our Facebook impressions at our corporate headquarters in Louisville,” Vitry said.

Additionally, Pizza Hut has placed millennials on its marketing and food innovation teams. The company also counts on a “We Want to Know” email feedback system to get real-time input from its worldwide workforce.

5

EMBRACE THE PAIN—SUSTAIN Sustainability means different things to different people. At the NRA Show, applications ranged from using leftovers efficiently in soups and casseroles to refraining from serving sea bass. Regardless of how the word is used, it’s a marketing message that sells. According to a 2014 Technomic study, 63% of surveyed consumers said they would be more likely to visit a restaurant that emphasized sustainability and social responsibility.

Customers under 45 are more likely to be conscious consumers, the study found. And the NRA’s own Culinary Forecast for 2014 listed environmental sustainability as the No. 3 most important trend in the restaurant industry.

NRA statistics also show that health concerns drive consumer restaurant choices. Four out of five consumers now say they want more healthy food options, while 70% say they want more local sourcing, and three out of five are more likely to dine at restaurants with organic, ecologically friendly menu items.

Chef Susan Feniger, co-owner of Mud Hen Tavern in Los Angeles, knows a thing or two about creating healthier

menus with an emphasis on sustainability. Her restaurant serves up gourmet pub food with an unapologetically pro-environment stance. During a lively NRA session on sustainability, Feniger said restaurateurs have the power to not only meet health-conscious consumers’ demands for more nutritious fare, but to create that demand—all while contributing to a healthier ecosystem. “We’re committed to recycling cooking oil to fuel our delivery trucks. We’ve taken bottled water off the menu,” she said. Feniger has also taken a stand for less meat consumption. “We try to serve plates with 80% plant and 20% protein, which is a better way to eat and better for the planet,” she said.

Chef Douglas Katz, owner of several Cleveland-area fine-dining spots, admitted it’s more expensive to source ingredients from local farmers’ markets, avoid overfished seafood, and use antibiotic- and hormone-free meat. But he adds that the PR benefits and boost to his team’s morale more than compensate for the extra costs. “Part of my job as owner is to educate staff as to why we strive for sustainability,” Katz said. As they develop a better understanding, he added, “I find our kitchen staff is excited about the

The SmartBrew display at NRA demonstrated how craft beer and microbrewing is a growing option for restaurants that want to pair fresh, handcrafted beer with locally sourced menu items.

food we prepare. When they see farmers carry produce in the restaurant’s back door, they’re more motivated as cooks, and they communicate that excitement to our waitstaff, which brings that information to the table.”

Andy Knef is PMQ’s associate editor.

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the

BEST NRA

of

2015 The PMQ staff shines the spotlight on the most exciting and innovative products at this year’s National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago.

Steve GREEN Publisher

SPELLBRITE My No. 1 pick is Spellbrite because they’ve made neon easy, inexpensive and customizable. Designing a neon sign is now as easy as putting together a changeable-copy sign board. Each letter connects to the next. You can order just the letters that you need. It looks real because it is real, unlike the last generation of imitation neon.

312-575-9620, spellbrite.com

APPLOI Apploi is an app that allows management to see much more than ever before in an employment application. Apploi is designed for restaurant applicants who want to take an interview anytime directly through their smartphones. Video questions and answers allow management to gauge the applicant’s personality, attitude and presentability. 917-297-3943, apploi.com 78

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

CELLO WHISPS Cheese whisps are brand-new and are likely to put potato chips out of business. Made with 100% real Parmesan cheese, these delectable delights are gluten-free, with no sugar added. They’re a great source of healthy fats, and they go great with a glass of wine or to zest up a pizza. I was wondering if these Whisps might be something restaurant servers could give customers while they’re waiting for their pizzas to arrive. 973-227-0030, cellowhisps.com

Linda GREEN

Steve GREEN Publisher

ECARD SYSTEMS What an awesome find this is for every pizzeria operator!

These great-looking gift cards allow pizzeria customers to share their favorite pizzas with friends and loved ones. I was especially impressed with the creative packaging, design and attention to detail, which make each card feel like a special gift—and a fun gift to give. eCard Systems can help a pizzeria increase their gift card sales right away. 866-776-7409, ecardsystems.com

Co-Publisher

TASTE IT PRESENTS Tiramisu, cannoli, limoncello mascarpone cake—these are just a few of the insanely delicious desserts I sampled from Taste It Presents.

Yes, they really are that good! The Limoncello is my new favorite—it’s a light, fluffy cake with just the right amount of lemon. It took my breath away— what an excellent addition to any pizzeria’s menu, and what a great dessert for your customers looking to finish off a delicious meal! 908-241-9191, tasteitpresents.com

AMERICO, INC. After a great visit with Ken and Rodney of Americo, we found many of our readers use Americo’s top-quality vinyl fabrics for their table covers.

Americo also carries the classic red-and-white checkered Italian table cloth. My favorite, however, is the Merlot, a burgundy-colored check pattern. What a great way to upgrade your decor, with a cheerful checked table cloth! They also have a large variety of patterns and color to choose from, with matching upholstery.

800-626-2350, americo-inc.com

August 2015 pmq.com

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Clifton MOODY Senior Account Representative

Tom BOYLES Account Representative

GAMECHANGER POS This tablet-based POS system allows pizzerias to engage their customers with gift cards, deals and coupons delivered straight to their mobile phones. It’s perfect for delivery, carryout, dine-in or catering. GameChanger has all the features you need to run a successful operation. It’s designed to increase your revenue, add value and enhance the customer experience. 800-756-0809, gamechangerpos.com IQ PASTA These pasta machines are unique. They have the ability to perform well for the independent pizzeria owner who wants to add high-profit pasta dishes to their menus. This is a highperformance pasta and noodle machine with an elegant design.

It’s not just great for pizzerias; any food truck or Italian restaurant that specializes in pasta dishes will get their money’s worth and more from this piece of equipment! 508-946-6007, iqpasta.com

EMMI ROTH ULTIMATE FIREHOUSE This one-of-a-kind cheese blend is made from shredded Grand Cru, three-chile pepper Gouda and smoked Fontina, producing a bold blend with smoky and spicy undertones to elevate your pizza, pasta, grilled cheese sandwiches and other dishes to a new, flavor-packed level. It’s certainly a favorite for the spicy hot pizza lover! 608-3282122, emmirothfoodservice.com

MONTHLY TARGETS One of the best marketing products I saw at NRA was the turnkey direct mail and loyalty program from Monthly Targets. The Pop-It Card plastic postcard really stood out and is targeted at new movers, birthday celebrants and existing loyalty club members, and Target Track technology allows you to track who redeems the offer. Clients are seeing new sales upwards of 30% and as high as 15 times return on investment.

310-379-1155, ext. 100, monthlytargets.com

BACON JAMS Hands down, this was one of my favorite foods from NRA. This spreadable, real-bacon product has endless uses. It’s great as a spread on pizza, sandwiches and grinders, mixed with pastas or smeared on bruschetta. The first thing I thought of was wings tossed in bacon spread. I even saw one gelato exhibitor that was using it as a gelato topping. It comes in three flavors—Original, Black Pepper, and Red Chili & Garlic. 717-341-6889, thebaconjams.com 80

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

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Tom BOYLES Account Representative

Anna ZEMEK Account Representative

TURBOCHEF FIRE OVENS I was really impressed with the new TurboChef FIRE ovens. They’re small and compact, can reach temps of more than 840°, and have adjustable top and bottom heat settings. They can cook a pizza in as little as 90 seconds. You can plug them in and basically start cooking right away, with no vents required. They’re a great option for operators who want an additional oven to create artisan pizzas or a dedicated oven for gluten-free or off-site use. turbochef.com

NOBLE VIEW CHEESE Justa, frying cheese, Finnish squeaky cheese, juustoleipa—whatever you call it, this is, hands down, the best cheese ever. It could be simply served as an appetizer or as the base for a crustless, low-carb, gluten-free pizza. Grill it in a skillet and watch as the outside caramelizes and crisps while the inside melts slightly.

It’s great with a topping or as a standalone.

Step up your menu with this unique cheese!

920-994-9306, nobleviewcheese.com

QIRI APP Dinner is over, and your once-attentive server is nowhere to be found as you wait for your ticket. I have lived this scenario over and over again. I’m surprised that the payat-the-table option has not taken off more than it has.

Now Qiri App offers tableside ordering, POS, a table tablet pay kiosk and online ordering, all in one simple and affordable system. RJ Neel, 304-634-6276; Mindy Settle, 304-932-3250; qiriapp.com

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PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

TECNO BEVERAGE Aside from the aesthetics of this beautiful machine and the bright liquor bottles, I was impressed by the ease and quickness with which anyone could create a cocktail.

With its easy touchscreen tablet, this machine creates a uniform quality drink in under 10 seconds and tells you when your liquor and other beverages are low. Now you can spend less time training your servers on recipes and specialty mixes and more time training them to provide great service—this machine takes the guesswork out of mixing the drink. 630-672-4500, tecnobeverage.us

Have you always wanted an

on-line training system

but found the cost prohibitive?

Not anymore!

check out

pizzaskool .com Fully customizable training for all aspects of pizza making.

Customer Service courses for phone, counter and at the door. The Upselling course will raise your sales more than enough to pay for the system. Pizza Making courses that include basic food safety and

Customizable, testable, trackable and reportable online training. Ideal for multi store franchises.

pizza making skills. And of course

Delivering Safely.

Reduce turnover by providing the training your team members want and need.

517.395.4765 dan@pizzaskool.com

Visit pizzaskool.com/demo to see how it works!

Pizza restaurant marketing is an art.

And we’re the masters.

At PMQ Pizza Magazine, the M stands for Marketing. Always has, always will. For 17 years, PMQ has focused first and foremost on helping you sell more pizzas through innovative marketing strategies and creative promotions. We show you how to drive more traffic on slow nights, earn positive news coverage, develop a large and loyal social media following, and build solid, lasting relationships with community leaders and organizations. Every issue of PMQ is jam-packed with moneymaking ideas, products and solutions. And it’s absolutely free!

Subscribe to PMQ online today at www.pmq.com/Subscribe

SMARTMARKET Industry innovators share their insights and expertise to help you attract more customers and sell more pizza. u

Learn how to create customers for life with GameChanger POS

u

Idea Zone: Spreadable Bacon Jams make everything taste better

u

Idea Zone: Peel-A-Deal offers winwin fundraising opportunities

u

Idea Zone: Get a free iPad-based POS system from OrderSnapp

u

Idea Zone: NoteAds promotions will double-stick with customers

August 2015 Sponsored Section

S1

SMARTMARKET GAMECHANGER POS

SPONSORED CONTENT

Create Customers for Life With GameChanger POS This tablet-based solution offers affordability, flexibility and mobility for pizzerias.

“My customers now count on receiving gift cards, deals and coupons straight to their mobile phone, and they love it!”

—Waleed Zarou, Owner The Don’s Wood-Fired Pizza, Sterling VA

This tablet-based solution transforms your business in affordability, flexibility and mobility. Added features help you reduce overhead costs, increase productivity and manage your business in real time anytime, anywhere!

Connect with your customers.

H

ow would your customer loyalty improve if you could place a promotion right in the palm of their hand? What if you could send them an electronic gift card expressing thanks around the holidays? Would they enjoy the convenience of paying directly from their mobile phone or being rewarded for their continued patronage?

From delivery to carryout, from dine-in to catering, GameChanger POS has all the features you need to run a successful operation. Its user-friendly interface allows you to easily manage your menu, inventory and employees. It is designed to increase revenue, add value, enhance the customer experience, and provide merchants with a strategy for transforming everyday customers into lifelong clients.

What’s “game-changing"?

Whether you are new or looking to expand and enhance your business, GameChanger POS helps turn convoluted multivendor components into one efficient, robust, end-to-end merchant solution.

S2

Sponsored Section August 2015

Mobile consumer engagement is a critical channel to reach your customers. But to really boost sales, build brand awareness and create customer loyalty, you need a game-changing strategy—and GameChanger’s consumer engagement tool helps you do just that.

Forty percent of consumers say they want brands to deliver deals and coupons to their mobile devices. GameChanger’s campaign platform supports promotional text and email with social media outlets that create incentives for your customers to stay connected to your pizzeria.

Coupons, deals and eGift cards are available for immediate and future customization and personalization. You can create unlimited deals, coupons and promotions for maximum loyalty, delivered directly to customers’ mobile phones with a single click. Rich analytic and demographic reporting allows you to identify, understand and target consumer trends based on purchasing habits and behaviors.

The investment is minimal; the return is up to you. With features that allow you to build, grow and really know your customer base, you gain repeat business with incentives that keep them coming back!

Some people play the game, others change it…GAME ON! To learn more about GameChanger POS, visit gamechangerpos.com or call 1-800-756-0809.

Connect with your Customers Our Campaign platform supports promotional text and email with social media outlets that help your customers stay connected to your business.

How would your customer involvement improve if you could place a promotion right in the palm of their hand?

40%Â of consumers say that they would like brands to deliver Gift Cards, Coupons and Deals to their Mobile Devices.

Find out why businesses are making the move to GameChanger POS

Some people play the game, others change it...

GET IN TOUCH

Call 1-800-756-0809 or email sales@gamechangerpos.com to learn more!

GAME ON!

gamechangerpos.com

IDEA ZONE BACON JAMS

SPONSORED CONTENT

Spreadable Bacon…Finally!

M

eat candy, salt pork, strips of heaven, there are many names for one of America’s most beloved food ingredients—bacon—which seems to make any food taste better. For salads, sauces, appetizers, sandwiches, cocktails and, of course, pizza, bacon might as well be regarded as a condiment. Now it’s easier than ever to include bacon in your signature dishes with Bacon Jam, the first commercially available bacon spread (finally!).

Bacon Jam is sweet, spreadable bacon that’s dense like a meat spread. The bacon is hickory-smoked with a black pepper rub, giving a complex, smoky and peppery taste. The bacon is finely chopped and cooked to a crisp, then folded with onions and brown sugar to give a spreadable texture and an irresistible sweet and salty flavor.

Bacon Jam is a shelf-stable product that doesn’t need refrigeration until after it’s opened. The spread allows you to easily add bacon to anything you’re preparing. There’s no more pausing to take bacon from the cooler to fry on the fly. As a fully cooked product, Bacon Jam eliminates concern over the food safety issue of handling raw pork products. Finally, the food cost after cooking regular raw bacon compared with Bacon Jam is similar.

THE BACON JAMS

Bacon Jam is perfect for a wide range of uses, such as a topping, layer of sauce, ingredient, spread, or replacement for strips of bacon. Some current clients of Bacon Jam already use the product on arugula feta flatbreads, stuffed cheesy bread or a replacement for pizza sauce on a Hawaiian pizza. It’s also popular on burgers, sandwiches, chicken fries, waffles, or even combined with bourbon and vanilla for a boldly meaty cocktail.

You can even toss finished chicken wings in Bacon Jam to make Crispy Bacon Wings or serve a dollop alongside an appetizer. Bacon Jam can also be used as an ingredient in a signature dipping sauce.

Bacon Jam was just launched for the restaurant industry in May at the NRA show. The company is currently taking direct orders for foodservice with tubs that hold 60 ounces of spread and is looking to expand to full-scale distribution. Ask your food distributor if they already carry Bacon Jam—the first and only bacon spread created for commercial restaurant use! Contact them at mike@thebaconjams.com or 856-222-2000.

SPREADABLE BACONally!

Fin

www.thebaconjams.com

Bacon Wings!!!

Sweet Savory Spread on Sandwiches

Makes a Killer Burger

Innovative Gourmet Sauce

Your Customers Will Love this Easy-to-Apply Addition to your Menu Bacon you can keep in dry storage No Fry on the Fly! S4

Sponsored Section August 2015

sales@thebaconjams.com

856.222.2000

IDEA ZONE PEEL-A-DEAL

SPONSORED CONTENT

Peel-A-Deal Offers Win-Win Fundraising

H

ow many times a year are you approached by a school, church, youth sports association, or other fundraising group wanting money for this or that?

Community involvement is a necessary part of running a successful business, and now there’s a way you can do it that’s both hassle-free and profitable!

The answer is Peel-A-Deal, a unique fundraiser peel-off coupon card. The cards let pizzerias partner with local schools and nonprofits while increasing pizza sales and customer loyalty. The idea is simple: The pizzeria purchases custom-designed cards from Peel-a-Deal (Vision Marketing, Inc.) and either sells or gives them to schools, churches, soccer teams, and other groups in their area, who then turn around and sell them for a fee.

Peel-A-Deal cards are typically sold to schools and groups on a two- to three- week consignment basis. For example, if a school has 200 children participating and each child sells five cards for $10, the profit is $10,000. If the pizzeria charges $4 per card and gives the school the other $6, the profit for the school is $6,000, and the pizzeria gets $4,000. Schools love this program because they can quickly raise a lot of money with no risk, as they return all unsold cards to the pizzeria.

Pizzerias love it because they make money on every card sold and from the coupons redeemed, while establishing new loyal customers. The card is used by the customer as a savings card and pays for itself after a few uses. The savings coupons are on the back, and customers peel them off and turn them in with their purchase. The coupons have an adhesive back and can stick right on a cash register receipt, thus providing easy coupon redemption and tracking for the pizzeria.

Many pizzerias have significantly increased their sales while supporting their local communities by offering PeelA-Deal fundraising programs. They advertise the programs on box toppers, table toppers, at the register, and in local advertisements. One pizza franchise sold 11,000 cards in less than six months, earning a “prepaid” income of $55,000 (at a profit of $5 per card).

Vision Marketing, Inc. can supply you with all the tools to run a successful fundraising program. They will help you design a customized card for your pizzeria and consult with you on how to market it to nonprofit groups in your area.

For more information, visit peeladeal.com or contact Vision Marketing, Inc. at 877-563-5654.

August 2015 Sponsored Section

S5

IDEA ZONE ORDERSNAPP

SPONSORED CONTENT

Free iPad Point-of-Sale System Available

O

ver the past two years, there has been a significant move in the restaurant market to replace larger, pricier point-of-sale (POS) systems with iPads and other tablet devices. The shift is being driven by the need for restaurants to accept new mobile payment options, as well as prepping for EMV and better integration with e-commerce and operational systems.

OrderSnapp, a leading provider of online and mobile ordering technologies for pizzerias and small restaurants, now offers a free tablet POS system. Both startups looking to control investment costs and current restaurant owners who want to avoid expensive upgrades on old POS systems can rely on OrderSnapp POS to help them manage their businesses and start selling today.

The OrderSnapp POS system offers high-end POS features without the price. It provides easy menu or catalog editing, split checks and payment, shift/cashbox management, and kitchen and receipt printing. It allows restaurant owners to track sales and cash flow and simplifies bookkeeping by acting as a cash register and payment terminal. It also makes communications between the kitchen and servers more direct while providing fast transactions through secure credit card processing for in-store, takeout, and delivery orders.

No setup fee or contract is required for OrderSnapp POS,

S6

Sponsored Section August 2015

and the software is free. Businesses will pay only 2.75% per swipe-through for all major credit cards. The system can be used with most standard hardware. Should a business need hardware, startup packages are available for as low as $650, including printer, cashbox, iPad enclosures, secure credit card reader, and cables. OrderSnapp POS is available in the Apple iTunes store, and customer service is available 24 hours a day.

The OrderSnapp POS system integrates with the company’s all-in-one digital ordering system. Through this solution, the OrderSnapp team helps businesses create their own customized online ordering website—or page off an existing site—and mobile application for Apple and Android. The easyto-use website lets customers find a restaurant, its phone number, location, coupons, and menu and place orders in mere seconds, helping pizzerias increase profits.

There are no hidden fees or commission charges with OrderSnapp. Business owners can promote their own URL and access all of the customer contact data that is collected, including customer name and email addresses. OrderSnapp also provides social media support, business listing management and reputation management to help pizzerias establish or improve their online presence.

For more information, call 888-402-6863 or visit ordersnapp.com.

IDEA ZONE NOTEADS

SPONSORED CONTENT

NoteAds: Promotions That Double-Stick With Customers

A

new double-adhesive technology makes NoteAds strong enough to be used on more surfaces as a repositionable “box topper” or “door hanger.” While the concept of using repositionable sticky note ads was popular from its introduction 15 years ago, this new technology allows shops to affordably and conveniently replace the taped or spot-glued boxtoppers. Also new is the ability to add perforation to the note, which allows the bottom portion to be used as a coupon, receipt or acknowledgment.

They can be used as door hangers, direct mail “on-serts” and windshield leaflets. Best of all, unlike other direct marketing products, customers know Post-it Notes can be repositioned on the refrigerator, cupboard or wall as a reminder. Sticky note ads are the most versatile and affordable direct marketing tool available to the savvy pizza marketer.

The biggest challenge for many stores has been sourcing the right type of sticky note. Many have purchased notes and been disappointed with the less expensive alternatives.

That’s why 3M Post-it Note designed the new Double Adhesive Notes.

While the uses as a box topper and door hanger are obvious for current customers, many of the best results for gaining

Post-it

®

new customers have come from the controversial practice of “windshielding” in parking lots. The advantage to the pizza store owner is you can hit a lot more cars than houses in the same amount of time.

With NoteAds Advertising, you can get double the coverage. They are currently offering a two-for-one deal on their Standard Adhesive Notes. When you purchase one order of a quantity of 6,250 total notes, you’ll receive a second order of the same quantity for free!

As we all know in the pizza industry, time is money, and now there is the option to set your promotion in motion even faster. NoteAds Advertising recently started to offer a 24-hour production service for Full Color Post-it Notes. What’s even better than faster? It’s the fact that there is no additional charge for this service. This production service is available in the 3”x4” size as well as the 4”x6” size. This allows you to get your message printed on the most popular sizes and in your client’s hands in less than one week in some cases!

To learn more about how NoteAds Advertising can help you draw more traffic and increase your sales, visit noteads. com or call 800-309-7502.

Double Adhesive

Keep your message where they can see it!

Custom Printed Notes

with MORE staying power!

555-555-8585 Dine

FREE DELIVERY! FREE ERY!

in • Take out

85 VE 85SA 555-55in5-• Take out

LIV LADETE R! Dine !

R E T FF A $5 L O E V A large pizza (limit 2 toppings Sany ) good through June

• DOUBLE the ADHESIVE strip with perforation!

e

ugh Jun

good thro

F $5 OF PIZZA

Limit 1 coupon per order. Coupon redeemable ONLY hte offer specified herein. Coupon on void if altered, sold, purchased copied, , restricted or prohibitedtransferred, exchanged, taxed, by law. Good only territories, and in the USA, its possessions.

a (limit

ge pizz

any lar

• Repositionable — sticks and re-sticks so message won’t get lost

DINO BIGG’S )

ings

2 topp

on ONLY mable d, on redee d, copie , r. Coup if altere per orde Coupon void anged, taxed coupon , its exch herein.

Limit 1 the USA ferred, specified only in d, trans Good hte offer purchase ibited by law. sold, or proh ns. restricted , and possessio territories

G’S DINO BIG

PATIO PIZZA PATIO

SAVE NOW! OW! EN $5 FF SAVO good through May

through

May

any large pizzgood a (limit 2 topp ings

Add a perforation to the note to use the bottom portion as a coupon, receipt or acknowledgment

FF $5 OPIZ ZA

Limit 1 coupon per order. Coupon redeemable ONLY hte offer specified herein. Coupon on void if altered, sold, purchased copied, , restricted or prohibitedtransferred, exchanged, taxed, by law. Good only territories, and in the USA, its possessions.

)

DINO BIGG’S

a (limit

ge pizz

any lar

ings)

2 topp

BIGG’S

PATIODINOZZA PI O PATI on

ONLY mable d, on redee d, copie , r. Coup if altere per orde Coupon void anged, taxed coupon , its exch herein.

Limit 1 the USA ferred, specified only in d, trans Good hte offer purchase ibited by law. sold, or proh ns. restricted , and possessio territories

Coupons on pizza boxes, food bags and trays - in-store signage door hangers - delivery notices - in-store donation acknowledgments For more information

Call 800-309-7502 Custom Printed Notes N

www.NoteAds.com

August 2015 Sponsored Section

S7

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Fresh Pasta Made Fast Available from IQ Pasta and Noodles, the Dué is a highperformance pasta and noodle machine that’s perfect for pizzerias using the freshest ingredients possible in their recipes. It can produce around 180 servings of fresh pasta or noodles per hour, and it’s so compact that it can be tucked away under a workstation or on a shelf when it’s not in use.

508-946-6007, iqpasta.com

Revolutionize Your Dessert Menu Mr. Bey’s Chocolate Lava Cake is a frozen cake that’s firm on the outside, with a creamy, hot filling on the inside. Once it’s prepared in the oven or microwave, a delicious, warm layer of chocolate forms, delivering unique flavor and incomparable consistency. Its irresistible taste and speed of preparation could revolutionize your dessert menu and boost your profits. 954-788-7648, mrbeyfoods.com

Be Known for the Pizza Cone!

Do More With Your Toppings New BONICI toppings have the traditional flavors, consistency and quality that operators want. The full BONICI product line includes a vast array of pepperoni and toppings, plus doughs, crusts and chicken products such as boneless wings. BONICI products help make great pizza.

Why stop there? Just think what they’ll do for your appetizer, entrée and sides menus. 800-248-9766, tysonfoodservice.com

Fill the Pizza Cone with ingredients you already have in-house, and you can create exciting, new signature appetizers, side items and pizza treats for kids. These leak-proof and par-baked portable pizza shells are available in regular, whole wheat, and garlic and herb varieties.

Available through most distributors, there are no franchise fees, royalties or special machinery required! 732-707-9009, pcifrozenfoods.com

Turn Empty Space Into Cash

Choosing the Right Pan Whether thin-crust or artisan-style, it’s important to choose the right flatbread pan for your oven and recipe. LloydPans offers three styles, from solid to perforated, each designed to bring the right heat and browning for your particular style of pie. All pans feature PSTK, a permanent release coating that will not flake or chip off, and do not need to be seasoned. 800-748-6251, lloydpans.com S8

Sponsored Section August 2015

Looking to drive revenue from underutilized square footage in your pizza shop? Do what Disney, Walmart, and similar family-fun brands have done. Vtail’s Glow Machine product line is driving cash flow in familyfriendly locations all over the country. These automated kiosks can generate thousands of dollars in passive sales every year.

888-219-8500, vtailing.com

THE PIZZA EXCHANGE BULLETIN BOARD YOUR ONE-STOP BAG SHOP • UNBEATABLE BAGS AT UNBEATABLE PRICES

CALL US TOLL FREE

1-844-HOT-BAGS BAGS

n o i t c a f s Saartianteed! gu MON-SAT: 9am-5pm

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Try our bags for 30 days and if you are not 100% satisfied return them and we will refund the purchase price of the bags.

PRICES AS LOW AS

MONSTER PIZZA HOT BAG

$13.49

(Holds Four 16” or Three 18” Pizzas)

AVAILABLE COLORS CATERING HOT BAG

24/7 SECURE ONLINE ORDERING

(Holds up to Two or Three Full Pans)

Order online at www.deliverybagsdepot.com

Make Your Menus Worth Reading 11x17 FULL COLOR MENUS

Designed, Printed and Folded on 70lb. Gloss Paper

10K

895

$

$

25K

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LET THE NEIGHBORS KNOW YOUR BUSINESS Ask About Our Direct Mail Services or EDDM The Most Affordable Mail Program Ever!

Call Us Today! 877-250-2819

Designed and Printed Fresh Daily

Menus • Flyers • Box Toppers • Postcards • Inserts • Door Hangers • Magnets • Banners • Lawn Signs

June/July 2015 pmq.com

93

THE PIZZA EXCHANGE BULLETIN BOARD

Restaurant for Sale STONE PONY PIZZA

Clarksdale, MS For information, please contact:

Law Office of Craig Geno, PLLC

601-427-0048

94

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

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877-853-1263 EZDINEPOS.COM

Software Solutions LLC

Home office: Indianapolis, IN

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE BULLETIN BOARD

Know a pizzeria that’s over 50 years old and a pillar of the community?

Nominate them for inclusion into the Pizza Hall of Fame!

Visit www.PizzaHallofFame.com for more information.

JANUARY 24-25, 2016

Greater Columbus Convention Center | Columbus, Ohio

www.NAPICS.com

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

OHIO STATE LEGEND

archie griffin griffin!!

Columbus native and two-time Heisman Trophy winner, Archie Griffin, will present the Sunday morning keynote at NAPICS ‘16. The most decorated football player in the history of The Ohio State University will give an inspiring presentation on motivating your team in 2016.

A packed house is expected, so all seats are first come, first served.

REGISTER AT NAPICS.COM TODAY TO SAVE BIG ON ADMISSION. FREE WITH

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96

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

Want to GROW your franchise?

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Put Pizzaskool’s on-line training to work for you!

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You can’t grow a franchise without well trained people, Pizzaskool provides that training.

Contact pizzaskool today at 517.395.4765 or visit www.pizzaskooldemo.com

pizzaskool June/July 2015 pmq.com

97

TEAMING RAISING AWARENESS AND

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Promoting pizza through sportsmanship.

ADVERTISER INDEX AUGUST 2015 Advertiser

Phone Website

Aflac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

American Baking Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319-373-5006 . . . . . . .

AM Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219-472-7272 . . . . . . .

Barilla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-349-4386 . . . . . .

Bellissimo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-813-2974 . . . . . . .

Chef Revival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-352-CHEF . . . . . .

Delivery Bags Depot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 844-HOT-BAGS . . . . .

Delivery Bags USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-501-2247 . . . . . .

Doughmate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-501-2458 . . . . . .

Edge Ovens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-480-EDGE . . . . .

Escalon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

EZ Dine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-853-1263 . . . . . .

Fontanini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-331-MEAT . . . . . .

Galbani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

GameChanger POS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-756-0809 . . . . . .

Grain Craft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423-265-2313 . . . . . .

Grande Cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-8-GRANDE . . . . .

Great Gazebo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-962-2767 . . . . . . .

Harbortouch POS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-286-8744 . . . . . . .

HTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-321-1850 . . . . . .

La Nova . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 716-881-3366 . . . . . .

Lloyd Pans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-748-6251 . . . . . . .

Marsal & Sons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631-226-6688 . . . . . .

Menu Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-250-2819 . . . . . . .

Micro Matic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-327-4159 . . . . . .

Microworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-787-2068 . . . . . . .

Middleby Marshall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-34-OVENS . . . . . .

NAPICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

NoteAds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-309-7502 . . . . . .

OrderSnapp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-402-6863 . . . . . .

PCI Frozen Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 732-707-9009 . . . . . . .

PDQ POS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-968-6430 . . . . . . .

Peel A Deal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-563-5654 . . . . . . .

Peerless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419-625-4514 . . . . . .

Pizza Butler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 718-894-1212 . . . . . .

Pizza Skool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517-395-4765 . . . . . . .

Pizza Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 855-BUY-OVEN . . . . .

Silgan Containers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 818-710-3700 . . . . . . .

Speedline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-400-9185 . . . . . .

Somerset Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 978-667-3355 . . . . . . .

Stanislaus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-327-7201 . . . . . . .

State Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Stone Pony Pizza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-427-0048 . . . . . .

The Bacon Jams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 856-222-2000 . . . . . .

Turbochef . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-800-90TURBO . . . .

Tyson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Univex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-258-6358 . . . . . .

XLT Ovens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-443-2751 . . . . . .

aflac.com/smallbiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 abs1.net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 ammfg.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 barilla.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64, 65 bellissimofoods.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 chefrevival.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 deliverybagsdepot.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 deliverybagsusa.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 doughmate.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 edgeovens.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17, 77 escalon.net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 ezdinepos.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 fontanini.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 galbanipro.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 gamechangerpos.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S2, S3 graincraft.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 2 grandecheese.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 greatgazebo.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 iharbortouch.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 hthsigns.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 lanova.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 4 lloydpans.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73, 94 marsalsons.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 themenuexpress.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 micromatic.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 microworks.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 wowoven.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 napics.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 noteads.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S7 ordersnapp.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S6 pcifrozenfoods.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 pdqpos.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 peeladeal.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S5 peerlessovens.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 thepizzabutler.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 pizzaskool.com/demo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83, 97 pizzasolution.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 silgancontainers.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 speedlinesolutions.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 smrset.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 stanislaus.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5 statefarm.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 thebaconjams.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S4 turbochef.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 bonici.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 univexcorp.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 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.

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE Grab a direct weblink to every advertiser in this guide at PMQ.com

ADVERTISING

CHEESE CONT.

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

BAKING STONES FIBRAMENT-D BAKING STONE.....................................................www.bakingstone.com 708-478-6032 ......................................NSF approved baking stone for all ovens by AWMCO

BEVERAGES ON TAP CALL (800) 824-3373 OR VISIT SAPUTOUSAFOODSERVICE.COM

Authentic Flavor for Modern Menus Mozzarella I Provolone I Blue Cheese I Gorgonzola I Asiago I Romano

Made by us from our own cows’ milk!

CHEESE

Mozzarella & More!

We ship anywhere.. giftboxes, orders, etc.

Call- 715-286-4007 www.gingerbreadjerseycheese.com COMPUTER SYSTEMS: POINT OF SALE All The Tech Your Pizzeria Needs • •

Tablet and Traditional Point-of-Sale Integrated online & smartphone ordering

• •

CALL FOR A DEMO TODAY!

Self Serve Kiosk ordering Automated customer loyalty marketing

800.750.3947 www.granburyrs.com

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE COMPUTER SYSTEMS: POINT OF SALE, CONT.

CUTTING BOARDS - EQUAL SLICE

WE’RE IN TOUCH WITH YOUR POS NEEDS. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Integrated Inventory Management Marketing Systems Result Mapping Online Ordering System and much more!

817.299.4500 sales@BreakawayPOS.com www.BreakawayPOS.com

DESSERTS

Incredible Affordable Pizza POS! $

The POS software of choice for thousands of pizzerias over more than a decade. Detailed features and demo software available at the Point of Success web site.

599 ®

Taste It Presents...

Dessert is the last impression you’ll make on a customer.

Make it count.

You Have To Taste It, To Believe It...

Tasteitpresents.com

908-241-9191

DOUGH

(800) 752-3565 www.pointofsuccess.com

DeIorio Foods

@DeIorios

blog.DeIorios.com

DOUGH DIVIDERS/ROUNDERS

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“The best tiramisu on the planet”

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

DeIorios.com

THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE DOUGH DIVIDERS/ROUNDERS

DOUGH TRAYS/PROOFING TRAYS, CONT.

When Dough Matters!

Eliminate racks, lids and tins with our stackable, airtight and cost effective Dough Trays.

1-502-969-2305 www.DoughTrays.com COST EFFECTIVE

STACKABLE

AIRTIGHT

DURABLE

ORDER DIRECT

4601 COMMERCE CROSSINGS DR., STE 300, LOUISVILLE, KY 40229 | p: 502-969-2305 | f: 502-810-0907

WWW.DOUGHTRAYS.COM

DOUGH PRESSES, ROLLERS

FLOUR, GLUTEN-FREE

Premium Gluten-Free Blends & Baking Mixes Since 1993 Let us simplify your gluten-free needs and create the quality your customers crave.

800.835.0606 ext. 205 | www.doughxpress.com

Tel: 310-366-7612 E-mail: sales@authenticfoods.com Web: www.authenticfoods.com

dough presses, dough dividers/divider rounders, dough dockers, carts and accessories

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

FLOUR

DOUGH TRAYS/PROOFING TRAYS • Dough Trays – extremely durable and airtight!

Outlasts All Other Dough Trays • Dough Tray Covers – designed to fit!

• Plastic Dough Knives – two ergonomic designs!

• 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 25 years manufacturing in dough trays.

Call 800-501-2458 ........... www.doughmate.com ......... fax: 908-276-9483

Full line of Flour: Pizza, Pasta, Bread, Pastries, Gluten Free, & Whole Grains Imported Exclusively by: Manzo Food Sales, Inc. Tel. (305) 406-2747.........www.manzofood.com August 2015 pmq.com

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCTS, CONT.

FLOUR , CONT.

Premium Gluten-Free Blends & Baking Mixes Since 1993 Let us simplify your gluten-free needs and create the quality your customers crave.

Tel: 310-366-7612 E-mail: sales@authenticfoods.com Web: www.authenticfoods.com

FOOD DISTRIBUTORS

INSURANCE PIZZAPRO .............................................................Low cost pizza delivery insurance program Contact Julie Evans (717) 214-7616..............................................................www.pizzapro.amwins.com

KIDS MARKETING

Build Your Family Business Keep Kids www.kidstar.com 1-888-543-6368 Happy Children’s Placemats • Kid Menus • Kid Cups • Crayons • More

FRANCHISING

MACHINERY/OVENS/EQUIPMENT

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.

®

FRANCHISE CONSULTANTS

708-957-2300 • www.ifranchisegroup.com

GARLIC SPREAD

GELATO

True Artisan Gelato

(888) 316-1545 www.stefanosgelato.com

GLUTEN-FREE W H PRODUCTS O L E S O M

E

&

MIDDLEBY MARSHALL

OVENS MIXERS

RANDELL

PREP TABLES

D E L I C I O U S ™

AMERICAN RANGE

WALK-INS W

HOLESOME & DELICIOUS

™

SOMERSET

PARTS SMALLWARES

1-800-426-0323

www.northernpizza.com

IMPERIAL

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE MACHINERY/OVENS/EQUIPMENT

MAGNETS, CONT.

MAGNETS 7.9¢ ea.

• Business Card Magnet • Pizza Slice Magnet

ing C ring Cater Dine In•Carryout•Cate

• Free Design Work

INSTANT ONLINE PRICING

on St. isson 2503B N. Harris VISIT OUR WEBSITE TODAY

INSTANT ONLINE PRICE QUOTE

CLICK TO VIEW PRICING

6 16 7-161 207-16 Arlington, VA 2220

• 2,000 minimum

0 200 020 703-237-0 a.com za.com nza www.pie-tan

GET ONLINE PRICING

MAGNETS

800-521-4773

GET ONLINE www.magneticattracations.com/BCM ONLINE PRICE

FREE PRICE QUOTE

PRICING

QUOTE

INSTANT ONLINE PRICE QUOTE

MAILING SERVICES INSTANT ONLINE PRICING

AFFORDABLE

PRINT & DIRECT MAIL

No Money Down, Pay Weekly on All Mailings!

(888) 915-8369 www.GetMailshark.com

MENus • MAGNETs • PosTCARDs • sCRATCh-offs • DooR hANGERs • Box ToPPERs • NEW MovERs

pmq.com/Recipe-Bank/

pmq.com/Recipe-Bank/

MACHINERY/OVENS/EQUIPMENT

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE MARKETING IDEAS

MEAT TOPPINGS, CONT.

PRESTIGE FOODS ............................314-567-3648 ........................MEATTRADER@MSN.COM Low Closeout Pricing! Call for this week’s special. For Deals That Go To Your Bottom Line.

MIXERS

American Baking Systems • • • •

MANAGEMENT

Spiral Mixers Planetary Mixers Dough Sheeters Deck Ovens and more!

Over 60 Years of Combined Service to the Baking Industry!

319-373-5006 • www.abs1.net

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

MEAT TOPPINGS BURKE CORPORATION ...................................................................................... www.BurkeCorp.com Beef & Pork Pizza Toppings, Italian & Breakfast Sausage, Meatballs and Specialty Fully Cooked Meats

Contact:Jamie Reynolds..................Sales_Info@BurkeCorp.com............................. 800.654.1152 THE BACON JAMS

SPREADABLE BACONally! www.thebaconjams.com

sales@thebaconjams.com 856.222.2000

Fin

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

Precision HD-60 Pizza Mixer 7-Year Unconditional Parts Warranty on all gears and shafts in the planetary and transmission!

Holdsbowl! art 80-qundles a Ha . bag 50 lb our! of fl

www.pizzamixers.com • 1-877-R-MIXERS

60 QUART—HEAVY HEAVY DUTY

Pizza Mixer

Handles 50 lb. bag of flour • Direct gear drive transmission Rigid cast iron construction • Best warranty in its class

Globe Food Equipment Co. | www.globefoodequip.com Bacon Wings!!!

Makes a Killer Burger

Innovative Gourmet Sauce

Your Customers Will Love this Easy-to-Apply Addition to your Menu Bacon you can keep in dry storage... No Fry on the Fly!

pmq.com/Recipe-Bank/

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Mixing, Dividing, Rounding, and Spinning www.univexcorp.com Tel. 800-258-6358 Fax. 603-893-1249

THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE MOBILE CATERING TRUCKS/UNITS

ONLINE ORDERING

MOISTURE-ABSORBENT TOPPINGS CONDITIONER/SUPPLIES

MUSHROOMS

We don’t take a canned approach to mushrooms.

Mushrooms

Avondale, PA | 610.268.8082 to-jo.com | info@to-jo.com

PASTA

OLIVES

For foodservice-ready pasta recipes, visit www.BarillaFoodserviceRecipes.com PIZZA BOXES

CUSTOMIZE YOUR PIZZA BOX Doing It The American Way! TAKE YOUR IMAGE TO THE NEXT LEVEL 7” to 36” Custom Boxes and Odd Sizes Available

UP TO 4-COLORS | NO PLATE FEES* *CALL US FOR DETAILS

888.400.3455 ext.107 | www.wpackaging.net 2001 East Cooley Drive, Colton, CA 92324

ON HOLD MARKETING

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE PIZZA DELIVERY THERMAL BAGS

Metal is the right choice.

Aluminum is lighter and longer lasting that wooden peels.

Introducing the ultimate perforated pizza peel to easily sift away excess flour.

Tailored to your preferred length, shape and functionality.

100% made in Italy and available in America, close to you with the service you need.

Pro fe & r ssion est au al too ran ts, ls for sin piz ce z 19 erias 86 .

GI.METAL USA, INC Phone (630) 553 9134 www. gimetalusa.com info@gimetalusa.com

Be Smart.

Wood is over.

MADE IN ITALY

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE PIZZA BOX INSERTS

PIZZA DELIVERY THERMAL BAGS, CONT.

FRESH PIE

YOUR ONE-STOP BAG SHOP • UNBEATABLE BAGS AT UNBEATABLE PRICES

Carrie Yanke-Customer Service Rep 724-657-3650 • ccd.pop@ccd-pop.com

$13.49

Pizza Box Liner/ Insert

PRICES AS LOW AS

Check our our informational blogs!

www.creativecolordisplay.com

$10

PIZZA BOX LINERS

ATE FLAT R ING SHIPP

1-844-HOT-BAGS

Satuisafaractniotened! g

www.deliverybagsdepot.com

PIZZA OVENS EARTHSTONE OVENS, INC. ...............6717 San Fernando Rd...................Glendale, CA 91201 800-840-4915 .......................Fax: 818-553-1133.......................... www.earthstoneovens.com All units UI listed.

PIZZA DELIVERY THERMAL BAGS

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 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

CUSTOMERS CARE

HOW THEIR FOOD IS DELIVERED The Electric HOTBAG™ Heated Delivery System Heats and stays at 160-175F Dry electric heat = No Moisture 1000 Denier Nylon Construction Two Heating Elements Easy to clean

Any quantity or mix of bags AC to DC power supplies Heat all bags simultaneously Quick release power connectors

www.hotbag.com 800-927-6787 Made in the USA

NO MORE COLD & SOGGY FOOD, NO MORE UNHAPPY CUSTOMERS!

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE PIZZA OVENS CONT.

PIZZA PANS, CONT.

TRADITIONAL, FAST CASUAL, ARTISAN...

WE’VE GOT PIZZA COVERED VENTLESS IMPINGEMENT CONVEYORS, BATCH, AND ARTISAN BATCH OVENS 1-800-90TURBO | www.turbochef.com

Stone Deck, Pizza Dome, and Bakery

www.univexcorp.com Tel. 800-258-6358 Fax. 603-893-1249

WWW.XLTOVENS.COM TO ORDER CALL (316) 943-2751 | TOLL-FREE: (888) 443-2751 | FAX: (316) 943-2769

AMERICAN MADE

Pizza Screens • The Ultimate in Bake Disks 6/8/15 CAR0036 Pizza Magazine_V6_Preflight.indd 3 Pizza Pans... Round, Square, & Rectangular Sauce/Cheese Rings • Pan Covers Pizza Cutters/Knives

P.A. PRODUCTS, Inc. BAKEWARE SPECIALISTS

33709 Schoolcraft • Livonia, Michigan 48150 (734) 421-1060 • FAX: (734) 421-1208 www.paprod.com

PIZZA PANS

PIZZA PEELS Inventor of

The Quik-Disk™

The best screen replacement since 1989.

LLOYD INDU STR IES ®

100’s OF SMART PIZZA PRODUCTS ONLINE!

Buy Direct and Save $$ • www.lloydpans.com • 1-800-748-6251

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3:11 PM

THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE PRINTING, CONT.

PIZZA SUPPLIES

Best Print Prices

• Pizza Preparation and Delivery Products •

FROM

National Marketing, Inc.

www.nminc.com 800-994-4664

734-266-2222

P R I N T E R S & M A I L E R S

Call NOW 877-604-3111

Fax: 734-266-2121

Manufacturers’ Direct Pricing • Call or order online • We export

These offers expire September 30, 2015

GET NOTICED EXTRA LARGE FLYERS 11" X 11" WITH OUR

GLOSSY PAPER •

4-color • Two Sided

25,000 50,000 100,000 For Only

845

$

INSTANT ONLINE PRICING

CLICK TO VIEW PRICING

PRINTING

Menus 11"x17" 25,000 for only $

1050

Always Special Pricing to the Pizza Industry GET ONLINE

877-604-3111 ONLINE PRICING

PRICE QUOTE

Flyers 8½"x11" 50,000

INSTANT for only ONLINE PRICE $ QUOTE

990

MENUS • FLYERS • BOX TOPPERS • POSTCARDS • DOOR HANGERS

No Money Down, Pay Weekly on All Mailings!

1,295

For Only

1,945

$

EDDM JUMBO POSTCARDS CARD STOCK •

Full-color • Two Sided

JUMBO POSTCARDS 8.5 x 11 25,000 - $1,350 50,000 - $2,300

10,000 - $700 20,000 - $1,200

100,000 - $3,995

AFFORDABLE

PRINT & DIRECT MAIL

For Only

$

OR (888) 915-8369 www.GetMailshark.com

MENus • MAGNETs • PosTCARDs • sCRATCh-offs • DooR hANGERs • Box ToPPERs • NEW MovERs

REGULAR POSTCARDS 6 x 11 10,000 - $650 20,000 - $1,100

25,000 - $1,300 50,000 - $2,200

100,000 - $3,200

DOORHANGERS CARD STOCK •

Full-color • Two Sided

LARGE 5½" x 11" 25,000 50,000 100,000 For Only

995

$

pmq.com/Recipe-Bank/

For Only

1,795

$

For Only

3,395

$

Call NOW 877-604-3111 August 2015 pmq.com

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE REFRIGERATION

SAUCE, CONT.

SALAD BAR EQUIPMENT

englishmfg.com 916-638-9902

SCALES

SECURITY

see more at

www.marsalsons.com

(631) 226-6688

SPICE FORMULATION, BLENDING & PACKAGING

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

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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE TOMATO PRODUCTS, CONT.

SUPER DOUGH BOWLS

SUPER DOUGH BOWLS Non Stick • Easy to Clean • FDA Approved Plastic Heavy Weight • Last 10X longer than metal!

Replace your dented ones TODAY !

MADE IN THE USA Manufacturer’s Direct Pricing Free Sample Available - $15 del/hand REBATED on first order. email us at: bhausen@aol.com

Call Sid

516-546-7744

TRAINING

TAKE AND BAKE TRAYS

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

VINYL REPAIR

GUARANTEED LOWEST INDUSTRY PRICE!

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

TOMATO PRODUCTS

Restaurant Upholstery Experts RepaiR Remodeling Custom Build

561.981.6200

www.vinylrepairmaster.com

WINGS

August 2015 pmq.com

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PIZZA HALL OF FAME www.pizzahalloffame.com

(Clockwise from left) Augie manned his pizzeria seven days per week, creating a strong relationship with customers and employees; Dan and Debbie Jenks, with sons Will and Dan, Jr., accept the Best Sauce award at the Cleveland Pizza BakeOff in 1990; an Augie’s ad from 1994 touts the pizzeria’s history.

Augie’s Pizza Starting with one modest location, a former WWII ski paratrooper and his wife crafted a remarkable pizzeria lineage for their family over three generations. By Tracy Morin

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fter arriving in the States as a teenager, Augie D’Amicone, raised in the mountainous Abruzzo region of Italy, was drafted for the U.S. Army as part of the 10th Mountain Division, a group of ski paratroopers in World War II. Once back in America, he worked various jobs; a shoemaker by trade, he also made cheese in Middlefield, Ohio, selling his product to Italian importers—including a Mr. Gallucci (for whom Augie also made shoes).

It was Gallucci who, in 1964, helped Augie start up his own pizzeria, Augie’s Pizza (augiescatering.com), in Warrensville Heights, Ohio. Augie and his wife, Mary, developed the recipes from scratch. “In that area, pizza was in its infancy, but he was a stickler for quality, precision and detail,” recalls Daniel Jenks, who co-owns Augie’s with his wife, Deborah (Augie’s daughter, who grew up sleeping in the pizzeria’s booths). “Success was based on word-

of-mouth and the quality of the product. And if you met Augie, you loved him. He’d work the ovens and talk to customers with a smile on his face.”

But Augie’s bigger dream was to set up his three daughters with their own pizzerias. Teresa and Tom opened their Maple Heights, Ohio location, Teresa’s Pizza (teresaspizza.com), in 1969; their son took over the business and is now franchising, with 14 stores and growing. In 1977, daughter Pamela and Steve opened an Augie’s in Corry, Pennsylvania. Augie also set up a pizzeria for his brother-in-law Guido.

Even after his death in 1978, Augie’s hard work continued to pay off. Deborah and Daniel operated the original location, while Ohio-based Augie’s locations opened in South Russell in 1981 (now helmed by Deborah’s son Danny); in North Royalton in the early ‘90s (run by Deborah and her son Joseph); and in Independence in 2004 (overseen by a cousin, Ed Pesta).

Another of Debbie’s cousins opened Lorenzo’s, while the original Augie’s is now a Teresa’s, run by a nephew.

“It’s amazing how all of these pizzerias were made from one man—who died too young, at 57—but he worked seven days a week, with no vacations,” Deborah says. “In this business, you have to work hard, enjoy it and embrace it.”

Though Augie and Mary grew successful businesses with stellar reputations, his progeny learned well his lessons of hard work, dedication and giving back. All of the pizzerias remain active in their communities though work with charities, local sports teams and schools—and through their employees and customers, whom they consider family. “We carry on Augie’s traditions with great pride,” Daniel notes. “When a customer gets his order, one of us is there to make sure it’s done right and talk to the guest. We can’t be perfect, but we want everyone to see we want to be perfect.”

HAS YOUR PIZZERIA BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR 50 OR MORE YEARS? IF SO, CONTACT US AT TRACY@PMQ.COM. 114

PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly

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PIZZA A Slice of American History Liz Barrett

Liz Barrett, PMQ

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• Stories and insights from longtime pizza journalist Liz Barrett • The history of pizza and pizza styles in America • Recipes for popular American pizza styles • Interviews with pizza industry insiders • 200 gorgeous modern and historic pizza photos • Fun pizza quizzes and insights into pizza terminology • A deeper look into cheese, crust, ovens and more!

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Links to Extra Content Featured Video: Jamie Culliton leads the U.S. Pizza Team to a second straight silver-medal win at the World Pizza Championship.

Featured Video: Lenny Rago of famed Chicago pizzeria Panino’s prepares our Recipe of the Month, the White Clam and Shrimp Pie. Featured Video: Check out the highlights of the 2015 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago.

Featured Video: PMQ’s test chef Brian Hernandez reflects on the success of his four-month pizza diet.

August 2015 pmq.com

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