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Detroit Style Pizza: A Guide to Detroit Pizza

Denise Greer — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 14:55:21 +0000

Discover Detroit-Style Pizza

Detroit style pizza is a square, deep dish pizza that is known for its racing stripes sauce on top, cheese crust crown and light crust. Whether you call them red tops or square pizza, Detroit-style pizza is a unique pizza style that hast become one of the hottest pizza styles and one of the most popular pizzas in the U.S.Pizza Today has amassed a library of resources on Detroit pizza. In this guide, you’ll learn about Detroit style pizza’s characteristics, history, dough, recipes, best Detroit pizza and more.

Detroit Pizza Guide Table of Contents

What is Detroit Style Pizza?
What Makes Detroit-Style Pizza Different?
1. The dough
2. The proofing process
3. The pans
4. Toppings and cheeses
5. Deck oven baking
What makes a Detroit Pizza a Detroit Pizza?
1. Detroit Style Pizza Dough
2. Detroit Style Pizza Pan
3. The Detroit Cheese Crown Pizza
4. What is Brick Cheese on Detroit pizza?
5. Why is it called a Detroit Red Top?
Detroit Style Pizza Recipe
1. 3 Detroit Pizza and Detroit Pizza Dough Recipes
Best Detroit Style Pizza
1. Best Detroit Style Pizza in Detroit
2. Detroit-Style Pizza went national
Detroit Pizza vs Chicago
1. What is the difference between Detroit-Style and Chicago-Style Pizza?
What is the difference between Detroit and New York Pizza?
How To Reheat Detroit Style Pizza
Detroit Style Pizza gets a National Food Holiday

What is Detroit Style Pizza?

Detroit-style pizza has gone national and international. Until a decade ago, Motor City visitors would ask, “what is a Detroit style pizza?” Detroit natives just called it pizza. The Detroit style deep dish pizza is unique and unlike any other pizza style. Today, Detroit-style pizza can be found across the United State and around the world.

Detroit-style pizza originated at Buddy’s Pizza in Detroit, Michigan, in 1946.

The square pie can be traced back to who created Detroit style pizza. Buddy’s Rendevous Pizzeria. According to Buddy’s Pizza’s own history on its website, “The Detroit-style Pizza legacy began at Buddy’s Rendezvous Pizzeria on Six Mile and Conant Street on Detroit’s East Side when in 1946 Gus Guerra and team made their first square-shaped pizza. Baked in forged-steel pans borrowed from local automotive plants, they were able to produce a very light and crispy crust which is now known as Detroit-Style Pizza. This was the first known square pizza in the U.S.”

Listen to Buddy’s Pizza CBO Wes Pikula on The Hot Slice Podcast. Detroit-style pizza is trending across the country. This week, we talk to Chief Branding Officer Wes Pikula of Buddy’s Pizza, the original Detroit style. Discover more about Buddy’s, the development of the Detroit pizza and how the legendary pizza company is in full growth mode.

It wasn’t until a pizza maker Shawn Randazzo, who owned Detroit Pizza Company, won Pizza Maker of the Year and placed first in the Pan Division with a Detroit pizza at the 2012 International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. This was the first time a Detroit pizza took the top honor at the international pizza competition.

What Makes Detroit-Style Pizza Different?

There are several characteristics of the Detroit style pizza that separates it from any other style. The late Shawn Randazzo, who owned Detroit-Style Pizza Company in St. Clair Shores, Michigan, helped take the style national when he consulted with pizzerias across the country teaching the Detroit style. He said in “Do it Detroit style” kitchen feature: “One of the most unique aspects of Detroit-style pizza is its square shape due to the fact that it is prepared in square steel pans. Detroit was experiencing a boom in automotive manufacturing in the 1940s, and the pans used to bake the first Detroit-style pizzas were also used as small parts trays at auto plants. Square steel pans are still used to prepare authentic Detroit-style pizza today.”

Detroit pizza is distinctively unique down to how its dough is proofed, the baking process, ingredients used and how to apply toppings.

A brief look at what makes Detroit pizza different from Shawn Randazzo’s Do It Detroit Style feature:

• The dough.

• The proofing process.

There are two ways to proof Detroit-style pizza dough. For the first method, you refrigerate the dough for a 24-hour cold fermentation period, which can enhance taste and texture. After 24 hours, you can press the dough out into the pans, making sure it is consistently even throughout the entire pan. Once fully pressed out, let it rise to a thickness of between one inch and one and one-quarter inch. At this point, the dough is ready to bake.

• The pans.

As mentioned, Detroit-style pizza is baked in square steel pans. We season our pans through a multi-step process that protects the pans and makes pizza more flavorful with each bake. Over time, the oils from the pizzas you bake will lend a natural seasoning to your pans. Like an old friend once said, “Like fine wine, Detroit-style pizza pans improve with time.”

• Toppings & cheeses.

Traditionally, a layer of pepperoni lines Detroit-style pizza crust. Next, cheese is spread evenly across the entire pizza, edge to edge, covering the pepperoni. Brick and mozzarella cheese blends are the most authentic, and brick cheese can be blended with other cheeses as well. However, there are substitutes that can be used in areas where brick cheese is difficult to obtain or extremely pricey. After the cheese is applied, any additional toppings can be placed on top.

• The sauce.

Ladling red sauce on last is one of the signatures of Detroit-style pizza, which is why it has earned the nicknames “red top pizza” and “upside down pizza.” You can craft your own red sauce recipe, but it’s best to begin with ground tomatoes as the base. The sauce is simmered until it’s ready to use, and it’s traditionally applied to Detroit-style pizza after baking. Some pizzerias apply it before baking, which does not jeopardize authenticity — but it can affect the bake due to high moisture content.

• Deck oven baking.

Detroit-style pizza is baked in deck ovens, which admittedly take some time to master. Training your kitchen staff to properly use deck ovens is critical to consistent baking. Natural gas-fired deck ovens with stone or steel decks are fired from the bottom so they don’t dehydrate vegetables and other toppings like forced air conveyor pizza ovens tend to do.

Now’s let’s go deeper in Detroit Pizza characteristics.

A Detroit pizza being made at the International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas.

So, what makes a Detroit Pizza a Detroit Pizza?

According to Buddy’s site: “The style flips traditional pizza on its head by beginning with double proofed dough perfectly fit to a square pan – a process that allows the dough to rise and be stretched twice – followed by the backwards layering of toppings.”

There are several factors that makes a Detroit pizza a Detroit pizza, including its dough process, how the dough is proofed, oven baking and how ingredients are staged.

Detroit Style Pizza Dough

Dough Expert Laura Meyer has covered Detroit style pizza dough extensively. In her Knew to Know article, she explained, “In terms of dough process, I managed to speak with someone within the Buddy’s company; but unfortunately, I am not privy to specific proprietary information. What I could gather is that they, like a lot of pizzerias in Detroit, are doing it the same way they always have or as close to the same as possible. They are using fresh yeast, a mid- to low-range protein flour, and there is no browning agent and no fat or very little fat in the dough. For water I suspect a lower hydration not exceeding 60 percent. The dough is made same day and is proofed in the pan for a number of hours before being cooked. The representative from Buddy’s explained to me that it “should be light and crunchy”. During my eating tour of Detroit, I noticed the height of each pizza was only about one to 1.5 inches and had a crumb structure that was tighter with many small bubbles. There was a crunch on the bottom, but it was never super distinct. It was the type of crunch that you get from contact with the pan and length of cook time, but not the thicker and more sturdy crunch you get from higher hydration.”

Get a Detroit-style Pizza Dough Formula Recipe, including detailed dough process from Dough Expert Laura Meyer in Knead to Know: The Tenets of Detroit-style Pizza, Part II.

Detroit Style Pizza Pan

An example of the Detroit Style Pizza pan

Originally Detroit pizzas were made to readily available auto manufacturing’s small parts trays because they were available and found in abundance in the Motor City.. Those auto parts pans are hard to come by today. But pizza pan manufacturers have stepped in to provide pans that meet the expectations for operators to bake a Detroit-style pizza. LloydPans is featured in our Product Showcase with 8″×10″, and 10″×14″ inch Detroit-Style Pans. See more on LloydPans’ Detroit Style Pizza Pans.

The Detroit Cheese Crown Pizza

Cheese crown at Hunny’s Pizza, Saline, Michigan

It’s unclear whether the cheese crusted crown edging a Detroit pizza is an original trait. But today, it is a signature that pizzerias across the country have strived to outdo each other on the Instagramability of cheese crown on a Detroit-style pizza. Follow hashtags like #cheesecrown on Instagram.

To create the cheese crown, pile extra cheese along the edge of the well-seasoned and oiled pan. After the bake, use a metal spatula to carefully extract the pizza, keeping the crispy crown intact.

What is Brick Cheese on Detroit pizza?

A signature component that makes a Detroit pizza a Detroit pizza is Brick Cheese. What is Brick Cheese? Brick cheese is a Wisconsin semi-hard, cow’s milk cheese that gets its name from the bricks used to press out the moisture in the cheese. It’s a mild and buttery flavored cheese but can get more pungent and tangy as it ages. Pizza makers are experimenting with various ages of brick cheese on Detroit pizza. Brick cheese is often blended with mozzarella. In past, brick cheese was hard to find. Today, many main line distributors carry Brick cheese.

Why is it called a Detroit Red Top?

The reason why you hear Detroit pizzas being called Detroit Red Top is due to the red sauce that is applied to the top of the pizza.

In Motor City Pizza, Jeff Smokevitch says, “The sauce is usually applied before the final bake for par-baked pies. Although gaining recent popularity is the technique of applying pizza sauce after the final bake (raw bake or par bake). Most of the older operators in Detroit will apply their pizza sauce before a raw bake. If applying after the final bake, make sure your pizza sauce is in a hot holding container of 135 F or above. Sauce is a heavy ingredient for the pie. When you apply the sauce, it should be based on the strength of the dough.”

Detroit Style Pizza Recipe

How to make a Detroit style pizza by following one our recipes built by pizza masters and pizza dough experts. The Detroit Style Pizza Dough Recipe As many pizzeria recipe ingredients are proprietary, we have enlisted the best pizza makers in the U.S. to create Detroit Style Pizza Recipes for you to try in your kitchen. Our recipes provide detailed how to make and bake a Detroit style pizza.

Before we get into specific Detroit style pizza and dough recipes, watch as World Pizza Champion Jeff Smokevitch shares how to make detroit style pizza at home in this how-to video:

Detroit Style Pizza Recipes: Try 3 Detroit Pizza and Detroit Pizza Dough Recipes

Jeff Smokevitch instructs on how to make a Detroit style pizza during his demo at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas.

Smoke’s Detroit-Style Dough Recipe. Jeff Smokevitch is a World Pizza Champion who brought Detroit Style Pizza to Colorado — first to Telluride at Brown Dog Pizza, then to Denver and beyond with Blue Pan Pizza. Follow this Detroit pizza recipe. Jeff Smokevitch leads a demonstration at Pizza Expo to teach how to make a Detroit-style pizza. You can also watch him as he created a Detroit pizza in his home kitchen.
Detroit-Style Pizza Dough by John Arena. Co-owner of Metro Pizza in Las Vegas, John Arena is a go-to pizza dough expert. He shares his Detroit pizza recipe that includes a Poolish for Detroit-Style Pizza Dough. His recipe walks you through the dough process, dough fermentation and room temperature proof.
Tony’s Trending Recipe: Detroit Pizza. Tony Gemignani is a world-famous pizza master and restaurateur with over 30 restaurants, most notably Tony’s Pizza Napolentana in San Francisco. His recipe pays tribute to Shawn Randazzo. He says, “I remember having Shawn Randazzo in one of my seminars several years ago and telling the audience that this guy may win it all the next day … and he did. The following year Jeff Smokevitch won with his Detroit pizza. It was a style that was relatively new to the competition circuit, and it was a beginning of a renaissance. Here is a recipe of one of the most popular Detroit pizzas at my restaurants. I call it The Motorhead.”

>> Explore Pizza Dough Recipes for Top Trending Pizza Styles including Detroit, New York, Grandma, Sicilian, Chicago Thin and Deep Dish. <<

Best Detroit Style Pizza

Since Detroit style pizza went mainstream more than a decade ago. Pizzerias across the country are trying the match the Motor City pizzerias who made the style famous. Buddy’s Pizza, Cloverleaf Bar & Restaurant and Loui’s.

Detroit Red Top Pizza at Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco

As Detroit style pizza grow across the country, pizzerias outside of the Motor City became famous for their Detroit pizza. Brown Dog Pizza in Telluride and Denver, Colorado-based Blue Pan have made national best pizza lists for their Detroit-style pizzas. Austin, Texas-based Via 313 was named Pizza Today’s Pizzeria of the Year in 2020 and received investment to take the Detroit style brand to more states.

There are a host of pizzerias throughout the country who are serving up “Detroit inspired” pizza and gaining national and international attention. One of the best rated Detroit-style pizza places actually reside in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Toni’s Detroit Pizza according to Yelp’s Top Pizza Spots.

At the International Pizza Challenge 2024 during Pizza Expo in Las Vegas Charlie Webb, (50.59) Hudson & Packard, Poughkeepsie, New York, won the Shawn Randazzo Memorial Award with the top scoring Detroit style pizza. See how well Detroit style pizzas performed at the International Pizza Challenge.

Best Detroit Style Pizza in Detroit

Buddy’s Pizza

Who has the best Detroit Style Pizza in Detroit? Buddy’s Pizza has long held the title of starting the pizza style. The legendary pizzeria has also been named best pizza on national and international pizza lists. Other Detroit pizza places have also garnered attention for their Detroit Style Pizza including Cloverleaf Bar & Restaurant in Eastpoint was founded by Gus Guerra after selling Buddy’s. Detroit Style Pizza Company was founded by World Pizza Champion Shawn Randazzo who went on to help take Detroit Style pizza national before his passing in 2020. Shield’s Other hot pizzerias that have garnered a reputation for having some of the best Detroit style pizza in Detroit include Green Lantern Pizza, Loui’s Pizza, Amar Pizza, Palazzo Di Pizza, Como’s Restaurant, Amico’s Pizza and others.

Plenty of articles have come out ranking the best Detroit Style Pizza in Detroit. Some of the more prominent rankings include:

The Absolute Best Pizza In Detroit, Ranked — Tasting Table

The Essential Places to Eat Pizza in Detroit — Food&Wine

Jet’s Pizza was one of the first Pizza Chains to introduce a Detroit pizza. The pizza company celebrates National Detroit Style Pizza Day with specials each year.

Detroit-Style Pizza went national

One indicator that a regional style has reached national status is when America’s largest pizza chains start offering the pizza style. Detroit-style pizza landed on the menu of the biggest pizza companies in the U.S. Sterling Heights, Michigan-based Jet’s Pizza is a growing national pizza chain may have been the first franchise to take Detroit style pizza national. Jet’s has been serving Detroit style pizza for over 40 years. Today, Jet’s Pizza has more than 400 locations in 21 states. Pizza Hut introduced a Detroit Style Pan Pizza limited time offer in 2021. Though founded in Detroit in 1959, Little Caesars debuted its Detroit-Style Deep Dish Pizza in 2022.

Listen to Jet’s Pizza Owners on The Hot Slice Podcast. This episode is dedicated to one of the COVID-19 Pizzeria Impact Stories that we’re featuring all month. Jet’s Pizza is one of America’s largest pizza companies with hundreds of locations in 19 states, helping move Detroit-style pizza mainstream. Listen to an engaging roundtable discussion with Jet’s Pizza leadership, including Jimmy Galloway, Vice President of Franchise Sales; John Jetts, President; and Jeff Galloway, Vice President of Store Operations. Learn what the pizza company experienced during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Frozen pizza brands are also getting in on the action. Costco has a Motor City Pizza frozen pizza line, now also available at Kroger and Target. Another frozen pizza brands offering a Detroit style is Digiorno.

Detroit Pizza vs Chicago

Detroit pizza is very different from it Great Lakes neighbor Chicago. Both have long histories of introducing their own regional pizza styles. Chicago deep dish went national long before Detroit. Both are considered deep dish pan pizzas but they look and taste very different.

What is the difference between Detroit-Style and Chicago-Style Pizza?

While both are deep dish pan pizzas, the similarities between Detroit pizza and Chicago deep dish end there. Let’s look at what Chicago Deep Dish style pizza is. In Going Deep, Katie Ayoub outlines, “This unique pie stands out with a crisp, biscuit-like crust that comes up the sides of a three- inch pan. It’s thick with cheese and other ingredients, and then topped with a chunky tomato sauce and baked for 30 to 45 minutes.”

The crust is a lot different. In Deep Dish Pizza, Dough Doctor Tom Lehmann says “the thickness of the crust and the overall heft separate deep-dish from, say, thin-crust pizza. Another difference is that deep-dish pizza is formed and baked in a deep-sided (usually 2 inches high) pizza pan that has been seasoned to the point that it is black. Also, the size and amount of dough require that the pizza be baked longer that a thin-crust pizza (while some shortcuts involving parbaking the crust have been tried, this doesn’t work in favor of a well-made deep-dish pie). The fact is that the longer oven time tremendously enhances the flavor.”

Detroit has a much taller crust with crunch. Detroit Pizza crust is often describe as “looks like a brick, tastes like a feather”. In Tenets of Detroit Style Pizza, Laura Meyer notes, “I noticed the height of each pizza was only about one to 1.5 inches and had a crumb structure that was tighter with many small bubbles. There was a crunch on the bottom, but it was never super distinct. It was the type of crunch that you get from contact with the pan and length of cook time, but not the thicker and more sturdy crunch you get from higher hydration.”

What is the difference between Detroit and New York Pizza?

Short answer: everything! There could not be any two pizza crusts that any more different than New York Style Pizza and Detroit style pizza. Detroit is a thick, pan pizza while New York thin crust is applied directly to deck ovens. In a Q&A with John Arena, pizza champion Derek Sanchez says, “Our target is light, full of air, crispy yet tender, great structure, foldable and fermented to just the right flavor profile.”

The crust height is a huge difference. New York style pizza crust should be about 1/8-inch thick through the middle with a raised edge. Detroit can up up to 1.5 inches high with toppings and cheese to the edge.

Get a detail description and a New York Pizza Dough recipe in New York New York.

How To Reheat Detroit Style Pizza

Send customers home with pizza reheating instructions. Find out how to reheat Detroit Style Pizza now. The skillet seems to be the preferred method of reheating. We suggest if you have cast iron, it will give it that added crunch. Heat the pan to medium, add pizza and cover. Heat for 5 minutes.

Others good ways to reheat Detroit pizza is by using a toaster over or conventional oven. You can also reheat pizza in an air fryer.

Detroit Style Pizza gets a National Food Holiday

National Detroit Style Pizza Day is held annually on June 23. The origin of National Detroit Style Pizza Day can be traced back to the Motor City. Detroit May proclaimed June 23 Buddy’s Pizza Day in 2011. In honor of Buddy’s Pizza’s 75th Anniversary, the date was also made into the National Detroit Style Pizza Day in 2021. Check out the other nine Can’t Miss Pizza Holidays.

Detroit is a one of the hottest pizza trends in America

Each year, Pizza Today surveys pizzeria operators in U.S. to get a gauge on the hottest pizza trends in the U.S. Detroit Style Pizza was the biggest pizza trends in 2023. Learn more about how Detroit ranked in our 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report. In a short decade, Detroit-style pizza has risen to the 7th in pizzas offered in American pizzerias. When we asked what style pizzeria operators intend to add in the next year, Detroit pizza was No. 1. We also sought to find out what the biggest trend was in the pizza industry today and Detroit was a top answer.

The post Detroit Style Pizza: A Guide to Detroit Pizza appeared first on Pizza Today.

2023 Pizzeria of the Year: Modern Apizza, New Haven, Connecticut

Denise Greer — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 13:53:59 +0000

Modern Apizza is Pizza Today’s 2023 Pizzeria of the Year

Modern Take

New Haven-style pizza has become synonymous as a best American pizza style. It’s not just pizza, it’s apizza pronounced “AH-BEETS”. One of New Haven, Connecticut’s ‘holy trinity” of the style resides away from the tourist capitol of Wooster Street, the birthplace of the apizza.

Sandwiched between the I-90 freeway and Yale University, Modern Apizza sits on State Street and has created its own cult following. The landmark pizzeria has been called the local’s favorite and the Boston Red Sox’ lucky charm.

Modern holds an intrinsic truth in pizza history. But it’s today’s Modern that has earned the famed restaurant Pizza Today’s coveted Pizzeria of the Year honor.

Pizza Today visited the acclaimed shop one weekday summer morning before the crowds lined its block. Greeted by a marquee awning displaying the Modern logo, it is flanked by “Traditional Brick Oven Apizza” and “Est. 1934”, it makes an impressive statement before you enter the restaurant. The long, dimly lit dining area is lined with booths leading to the counter at the end. A pass-through opening gives diners a peek into the original kitchen and original formerly cole-fueled oven. To the left is another dining area that features its historic menu board displaying prices from 1960. Photos and articles throughout the restaurant reveal key moments in its history.

Modern Apizza owner William “Billy” Pustari stretches dough.

Standing near the kitchen entrance is the man at the helm: William “Billy” Pustari, who took over the business in 1988. He ushered in a new era at Modern, right when New Haven apizza notoriety escalated. His mark will forever be ingrained into Modern’s history. With 45 years in the pizza business, Pustari says, “It was a labor of love. It’s all I know. It’s all I ever did. Never went to college. Restaurant U., that was it.”

Modern was founded in 1934 as Tony’s Apizza by Tony Tolli. The business changed hands to Louis Persano then to Nick Nuzzo, from whom Pustari purchased the pizzeria.

Pustari already owned a pizzeria in nearby Fairfield and was tipped off by his pizza box supplier that Nuzzo was ready to sell. After working in the business for 50 years and with the sudden loss of his son, Nuzzo was ready to pass the reins over to its next proprietor.

When asked if he had any reservations about taking over Modern, Pustari says, “No. Shoot from the hip.” He worked for Nuzzo, learning the ropes, during an eight-month transition, which brought in some much-needed consistency to the operation. As Pustari was being introduced to his new business, New Haven apizza saw a boom. Since Modern had already established itself as a major player in the style movement, Pustari was able to capitalize on the resurgence.

Modern Apizza Invests Back in the Business

In the early 1990s, Pustari set into motion renovations that would be a key driver to the volume Modern outputs today. First, he expanded the dining area to seat 130, added an additional oil-fired brick oven and makeline, as well as a prep kitchen. In the basement, he added a dough room that today outputs 250-pound batches of dough three times a day and converted an old wooden refrigerator into the store’s beer cooler.

Next, he tackled parking by purchasing and demolishing the neighboring fish market to create parking, a high commodity for a Northeaster urban restaurant.

“We put everything back into this thing,” Pustari says. “We didn’t take the money and run. We threw every penny back into it. That whole side of the kitchen wasn’t there that we walked in on. The Back kitchen wasn’t there. The downstairs wasn’t there. We built all of that. We reinvested constantly.”

Pizza makers work together to make pizza at Modern Apizza in New Haven.

Streamlining Modern’s Systems

Pustari infused a laser focus on the restaurant’s systems. “What I brought was organization, just reorganizing it,” Pustari says. He created an assembly line process so efficient that he consulted with Sbarro to teach the chain how he does it. “I really enjoy that assembly line process of getting the product from here to there,” he says.

Modern sells up to 1,100 pizzas a day on the weekend, so the operation must be running at its most efficient.

Systems had to be dialed in. “It’s flowed as the business got busier because you have to gear up to what you are doing,” he says. “In the past when it wasn’t that busy, you could get away with all this stuff but you’re trying to do the volume that we do here it’s impossible. You must be well-oiled machine.”

The two-makeline setup consists of a dough opener, dresser, oven cook and cutter. You can even find pizza makers tag teaming a pizza to get it topped quickly. “Everyone knows what their job is,” he says. “You don’t have to be told. It just works. I try to explain this to people. They’ll look out there and see a line down the street and say ‘gosh, that’s got to be chaos.’ They come in my kitchen and it’s just like this (a quiet calm).”

The system is fluid and Pustari is always looking for ways to improve it. He insists, “It just happens naturally to me like people are naturally gifted at different things.”

The system depends on Modern’s 62 employees. He’s quick to credit the business’s success on his tight-knit crew. Many of the staffers have been at his restaurant for decades, a testament to the culture Pustari has created, a quiet and calm culture led by example. “If you make it here, if you start working and you’re one of us kind of, you fit in, you never leave,” he says.

There is no shouting or cursing in the kitchen, Pustari says. In fact, as the kitchen received phone orders for 27, 19 and 12 pies in a row, the crew was calm and focused on their tasks. It’s a family affair as his wife folds boxes with the team, while the father and son duo work the makeline and oven.

Modern Apizza’s Product Evolution

Modern still specializes in its charred, chewy yet crispy texture that it was founded on. The apizza was born from its meticulous dough, made from a natural mother starter and its 24-hour cold ferment.

Pustari says not much has changed on the menu since he’s taken over. Modern churns out traditional apizza from its oil-fueled brick oven. The Italian Bomb with bacon, sausage, pepperoni, mushroom, onion, pepper and garlic is still a favorite, as well as the Clams Casino with bacon and peppers.

The menu is streamlined, offering appetizers including salads and its famous garlic bread; apizza and calzones.

Where changes have been made are with the products. “Ingredients have changed from 35 years ago, just buying better products.” Pustari is proud of the local sausage he sources, which is hand-pinched on every pie. “They bring it every day,” he says. “They call us early in the morning. We tell them how many pounds we want, and they grind it, make it and bring it over.” He would rather do business with products right down the street. Rather than dealing with the large soda companies, he opted to stock a local soda.

The beer menu also features local breweries. He even took it a step further and started collaborating with New England breweries as far back as the early 1990s to do limited edition beers only sold at the restaurant. “We did a Modern Lager, a classic Lager,” he says. “This past Monday, we made an Italian Pilsner with a brewery called Counter Weight. That is the first one I’ve done with them. So, we go down to the brewery and add in all the hops and add in all the grains and transfer it from tank to tank and spend the whole day so it’s a lot of fun. We sell them in 4-packs. This year, we’re doing a 4-pack with a t-shirt as a package. The last time we launched it, we sold 40 half barrels of the beer within two months.”

With the house beer and 10 taps combined with an assortment of wine, alcohol is six percent of its sales. “We go through beer like a bar does,” he says.

Modern Apizza Maintains its Community Reputation

While Modern has an ever increasing stream of tourists flocking to try the apizza, it’s known as the locals’ spot, something that Pustari strives to maintain. He puts his emphasis on the New Haven community. “We’ve done fundraisers for all the local cops,” he says. “Someone gets hurt, injured, you know, we jump on board on it. Fire department eat here every Friday from all the different houses in New Haven and if they need something, they have a tragedy, or something happened, we jump in on it.”

With a busy phone system, locals have also cracked the code to miss the tourist lines. “All the locals, all the people that know me, they all do that.”

Modern’s growth is only limited by time and space. The restaurant draws $5 million in annual sales without delivery or use of third-party services.

Even with all the renovations and systems in place, Pustari says they’ve reached maxed capacity. “Demand especially on the weekend is probably five times than what we do,” he says. “We could probably sell 5,000 pizzas a night if we had the capability of it.”

Pustari and his team focus on optimizing what they can with the set number of hours and 2,800 square feet.

“We’re really good at retaining our clientele. We are really, really good and there’s a big face on it. It’s my face on it all the time and that’s why I don’t try to bastardize it.”

Pustari is constantly asked about opening more locations and new ventures, but his resolve is strong. “It’s not my thing,” he says. “I’d rather just have it nice, mellow and easygoing; you know. I love the restaurant business. I’m a social person. I can’t do office work. I can’t sit down, I can’t write. I can’t spell but I can cook and that’s what I like to do.”

Denise Greer is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

New Haven Apizza

Pizza Today overs coverage of common pizza styles in the U.S. New Haven apizza is a favorite American pizza style that has expanded beyond New Haven to cities across the country. Explore more on New Haven-style Pizza:

What is New Haven apizza?

Take a New Haven Pizza Tour with Pizza Today.

Check out how New Haven style pizza has fared nationally in our Guide to the 2023 National “Best Pizzas” Lists

Learn more about Apizza in an in depth interview Frank Zabski on The Hot Slice Podcast. Frank operates the New Haven Pizza School.

Modern Apizza Pizzeria of the Year receives national media attention

Since we announced Modern Apizza as our Pizza Today 2023 Pizzeria of the year, the designation has received a number of national media stories. Check out a few of the media outlets spotlighting 2023 Pizzeria of the Year Modern Apizza:

Food & Wine: This Pizza Joint Was Just Named Pizzeria of the Year, and No, It’s Not in New York or Chicago

Patch: Pizza Today ‘Zine Names Modern Apizza Eatery Best Pizzeria For 2023

Eat This, Not That!: This Is America’s Pizzeria of the Year for 2023

Parade: The Pizzeria of the Year Was Just Named—And It’s Not What You Expect

The post 2023 Pizzeria of the Year: Modern Apizza, New Haven, Connecticut appeared first on Pizza Today.

Building Blocks: Sales Fix Everything, Part 2

Denise Greer — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 15:58:29 +0000

There comes a point for every business when it feels like you just need more money in the bank. That’s what I am addressing in this three-part series. One of the best lessons that I learned early on in my career was that sales fix everything. It can save your job, save your business and even save you from sleepless nights. When attacking the beast that is sales, you have to go at it with the mindset that each day and shift may look different. Most business owners make the mistake of thinking they can put a sales system in place and set it and forget it. When it comes to growing sales, that could not be further from the truth.

Did you miss Sales Fix Everything, Part 1? Read it now.

You must develop a war chest of tools for building sales and divide that war chest into three categories.

Nick Bogacz, founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh

The category we will talk about today is getting more frequent sales. There are the obvious methods for increasing the frequency of sales, like providing good service, having a great product and maintaining a welcoming, clean environment. The main category I’m focusing on today is marketing strategies. Repeat customers can be some of your best customers, and in my business, I’m always searching for new ways to keep them coming back and turn them into our biggest fans.

A VIP program is a great place to start for building a loyal customer base. Many of you probably have some form of this that is integrated with your POS, but you’ve probably treated it with the “set it and forget it” mindset. I suggest you have a call with your company’s marketing arm and have them outline all the marketing services they provide, and how to best leverage them for success. Some services may be free, some you may already be paying for and some may be add-ons. I am a big fan of using QR codes on everything, from boxes to tables, tents and magnets. Having QR codes directing customers to a VIP rewards program where they earn free pizzas is a valuable tactic in our war chest.

Another item I keep in my company’s war chest for growing customers and sales is a database of customers to send our weekly newsletter to. If you do not have a weekly newsletter, you need one … like, next Monday. You can send e-blasts right from your POS database or use a distribution service like Mail Chimp. Newsletters help to build loyalty and retention and keep you top of mind. Consistency is key here — every Monday, like clockwork, at 3:00 p.m., we send out our newsletter. It highlights what we are doing in stores, new products, what’s coming up and what you may want to order that week. Once you get a core group of customers plugged into your messaging, they will support and visit you more often.

In the next installment, we will talk about how to get your customer base to spend more.

Nick Bogacz is the founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh. Instagram: @caliente_pizza

The post Building Blocks: Sales Fix Everything, Part 2 appeared first on Pizza Today.

Mike’s Monthly Tip: Try It Yourself

Denise Greer — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 14:59:24 +0000

Product Testing from Vendors

Lots of vendors contact me asking me to try their stuff. Cheese, flour, pizza toppings and different tech apps or food service products — you name it. When picking food for the menu, we’re picky. We only care about how it tastes. And you should do the same. It’s worked well for us. So, when a vendor says, “Hey, we got this new cheese. You should try it,” you might say, “Nah, I love what I already have. I don’t wanna try it,” or ask, “How much does it cost?”

Let’s go through a cheese performed using this method.

Mike Bausch, owner, Andolini’s Pizzeria

If you’re starting out, you might ask around, “Who uses what cheese?” And someone might say, “That place uses that cheese. So, I’ll use it too.” It’s okay to mimic or even acknowledge the endorsement from a trusted source, but you must create YOUR ideal vision, not someone else’s vision. Get samples of every product in any category you want to try. Try them as they are, without cooking them. Then try them cooked how you would make it in-store and decide for yourself.

Make it a blind taste test. To do that, get someone else to make the food and put a black olive on one item and a single green bell pepper on another, etc., just one of each, so you know which product is which. Write it down on paper, too, i.e., find a way to keep track of the items without knowing which one is what.

Also, don’t add extra items during this test. So, if you usually sprinkle some unique cheese on your pizza, don’t do it this time. Just rely on your taste buds to pick the best cheese, not the cheapest one, not the one with the fancy name, and not the one used by your favorite pizza maker. Just think about what tastes best on your pizza.

After that, try different styles of pizza, like ones with lots of toppings, meat, and veggies. See if the taste test holds up. And when you feel good about your choice, let your staff, customers and even people who are honest about what they think try the different cheeses. Listen to their feedback.

I’m not saying you have to agree with them, but it’s good to know what people in your area who like your pizza think about the cheese or whatever you’re trying. That way, you can make an intelligent choice based on research, not just a guess.

Once you’ve done all that work, you’ll know which cheese is the best for your pizza. Remember, not all cheese is suitable for all pizzas. You might want less salty cheese or a mix of different cheeses. You might like Wisconsin cheese or California cheese, or New York cheese. Or maybe you want fresh mozzarella on all your pizzas.

The intent of this process, of all this added work, is to KNOW that anything you decide on is something you love and know is the best choice for your pizza. That’ll make it easier to sell, and you’ll be confident in your decision. Now, if the cheese you choose is the most expensive, charge for it. Feel free to sell what it’s worth. Make the best pizza you can, and make sure everything in your restaurant goes well with that final product, not the other way around.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @mikeybausch

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: Try It Yourself appeared first on Pizza Today.

MFG Tray Non-Slip Serving Trays

Denise Greer — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 14:38:01 +0000

MFG Tray non-slip serving trays are available in 14” round, 16” round, and 27” oval designs. They inter-stack with other brands, enabling users to replace current stock as needed.

MFG Tray non-slip serving trays are strong, light, and easy to handle. They provide up to 150 percent improvement in surface grip and stability to substantially reduce costly breakage from spills. With a strong, light weight tray that resists scratching and chipping, this non-slip serving tray is sure to be a lasting addition in your serving establishment.

MFG Tray non-slip serving trays feature a stain-resistant surface that will not absorb odors or harbor bacteria. The composite construction ensures dimensional stability without warping or sagging, regardless of changes in temperature or humidity. The trays can be easily cleaned in any standard or commercial washer.

MFG Tray non-slip serving trays are safe for food service and are NSF listed.

MFG Tray’s broad line of products accommodate all aspects of food handling ranging from preparation, storage and merchandising and includes proofing boards and boxes, pan extenders, prep and storage containers, dough trays and boxes, and display, serving, and cafeteria trays.

About our Company: MFG Tray has been a trusted supplier of trays and containers in the food service industry for over 70 years founded and still in Linesville, Pennsylvania USA. MFG Tray is part of Molded Fiber Glass Companies, which includes 11 strategically located facilities in North America. MFG Tray’s broad line of products accommodate all aspects of food handling ranging from preparation, storage and merchandising and includes proofing boards and boxes, pan extenders, prep and storage containers, dough trays and boxes, and display, serving, and cafeteria trays. These trays offer several exclusive design, cost, and performance benefits that cannot be duplicated by other materials or manufacturers. The inherent strength and dimensional stability of MFG Tray composite trays make them exceptionally well suited for food service industry applications. Protect your customers and your brand reputation with the frontline prevention and quality that MFG Tray provide.

Check our food service catalog, products, to locate a representative in your area and more at www.mfgtray.com.

Visit us at Pizza & Pasta Northeast in Atlantic City, NJ October 1-2, 2023 – booth# 549.

MFG Tray (Molded Fiber Glass Tray Company)

TF: 800-458-6050 PH: 814-683-4500

Matt Morian, MFG Tray Food Service Product Line Manager

EM: mmorian@moldedfiberglass.com

The post MFG Tray Non-Slip Serving Trays appeared first on Pizza Today.

Say ‘No’ to Soggy Bottoms with Steam Release Serving Tray

Denise Greer — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 13:50:57 +0000

Lloyd Pans’ new innovation allows for crisp, dry-crust pizza.

Pizza hot out of the oven still has steam to release, and this Steam Release Serving Tray from LloydPans allows the bottom crust to continue releasing moisture as it cools — from oven to tray to table. It’s also perfect for slice applications where pizza is held in a warmer or display.

The Steam Release Serving Tray:

Comes in 12 inch and 14 inch: 18 gauge aluminum and 16 inch and 18 inch: 14 gauge aluminum
Folded-down feet leave 7/8 inch clearance
Perforations result in 40% open airflow, preventing soggy crust
Sized 3 inches larger in diameter than their rated size

Not seeing the size you need? Customize your Steam Release Serving Tray upon request. Contact Sales@LloydPans.com or call (509) 468-8691 for custom orders.

LloydPans

800-748-6251

The post Say ‘No’ to Soggy Bottoms with Steam Release Serving Tray appeared first on Pizza Today.

Lanterna Introduces Three New Personal Italian Focaccias

Denise Greer — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 17:04:22 +0000

Leading European frozen bakery company merges convenience and authenticity for U.S. market

NEW YORK – Vandemoortele, a family-owned European bakery company, has launched three new personal focaccias in the North American market as part of its Lanterna line of authentic Italian bread crafted with genuine, simple ingredients.

Lanterna, which includes a range of focaccia, ciabatta and pizza made in Italy, merges authentic flavor and character with convenience. The new personal focaccias capitalize on classic Italian combinations consumers already love: Herb Garlic Butter; Bell Pepper & Mozzarella; and Cherry Tomato, Pesto & Mozzarella. They are designed to thaw and serve or heat in a toaster oven to release the aroma of focaccia straight from the oven.

“Vandemoortele honors the rich background and origin of every one of our products,” says Raoul Dexters, general manager for Vandemoortele North America. “Our new personal focaccias reinforce our commitment to producing bakery items that are accessible to consumers looking for both authenticity and convenience.”

‘Lanterna,’ which is Italian for lighthouse, is the symbol of Genoa, Italy, where the line originated. Drawing inspiration from the local history and culture, Lanterna products have become an Italian favorite, even winning the “Best Tasting Focaccia” distinction by Italian consumers during a sensory test in 2021.

Made with high quality cold-pressed virgin olive oil and fresh herbs and produce, Lanterna’s baked goods offer authentic Italian flavor and character in every bite. From Rosemary Focaccia to Margherita Pizza, Lanterna’s wide range of items are delicious on their own or pair perfectly with other ingredients like meats, cheeses, eggs and fresh vegetables.

About Vandemoortele:

Vandemoortele, the parent company of Lanterna, is a family-owned, leading European food group that produces and sells high-quality food products with a focus on sustainability from ingredient sourcing to product packaging and shipment. Founded in Izegem, Belgium in 1899, Vandemoortele concentrates on two categories: Bakery Products and Margarines, Culinary Oils, and Fats. The Vandemoortele group has a manufacturing presence in 12 European countries and sells to more than 95 countries, including the United States and Canada. The head Vandemoortele office is in Ghent, Belgium. Learn more here, and connect with Vandemoortele North America on LinkedIn for the latest updates.

The post Lanterna Introduces Three New Personal Italian Focaccias appeared first on Pizza Today.

Knead to Know: Sicilian Style Pizza

Denise Greer — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 17:43:49 +0000

Sicilian Pizza — The Sicilian Way

Have you ever been to Sicily? The first time I visited Sicily I knew nothing about the place outside of it being the island in the south being kicked by the boot of mainland Italy. This was before I had ever watched The Godfather and right at the beginning of my pizza career. I had no clue about the different styles of pizza, let alone the impact simple things could have on food culture.

Sicily, to me, is one of the meccas of street food, and Sicilian-style pizza as we know it today got its humble beginnings among the simple people. Nowadays when you see Sicilian-style pizza on a menu, it generally means a thick-crust pizza made in a rectangular pan cut into square slices. Besides that, the range of toppings and application of toppings varies just as much as any other style of pizza. In addition, like other styles the line between bread and Sicilian “pizza” has blurred tremendously with techniques associated with other styles blended into it. But Sicilian pizza traces its inception back to sfincione.

Sfincione, meaning soft sponge, is one of the OG street foods found in Sicily’s capital city, Palermo. It is topped with tomato sauce and a mixture of cacciocavallo cheese, breadcrumbs, anchovies, onions, olive oil, salt and oregano. Sfincione is easily found all over Palermo with different variations existing outside of the capital city, but mozzarella did not find its way onto Sicilian-style pizza until it left its homeland. Mozzarella is not a cheese that is traditionally associated with Sicily since cows and water buffalo are not generally found on the island, but instead sheep’s milk and goat’s milk cheeses are more common. It is hard for me to call sfincione pizza in that this is something unique unto itself. Like focaccia is focaccia no matter what is put on top of it, sfincione is in its own category with Sicilian-style pizza evolving from it.

When I first started thinking about Sicilian-style pizza and how to define it, I knew I would have to go to two masters of the style. Their names have become synonymous with Sicilian-style pizza, and their version of this pan style wows everyone when they try it. Chris Decker and John Arena have developed a five-day fermented Sicilian that incorporates freezing to help evaporate out additional moisture adding to the crispy final texture. When speaking with both Chris and John, they described their Sicilian as “looking like a brick but feels like a feather.” Sicilians are typically one of the thickest of the pan styles. It normally has a crispy bottom, is ¾ to a full inch in thickness and has a moderately open crumb structure. It can be confusing these days when we begin to talk about the interior crumb because the trend right now is big open structure. Sicilians tend to have a more closed structure with smaller bubbles but many of them as opposed to large sporadic bubbles like you see in Roman and even in versions of focaccia.

Sicilians land between focaccia and the Roman pan style in that focaccia is very closely related to the Sicilian in its original form. Roman techniques and flours have begun to creep into the Sicilian style turning it into a sort of hybrid. Roman can take upwards of three days and have a high hydration leading to a very thin, crispy crust with a very large and airy open crumb structure. Since a lot of toppings are put on after the cooking process in Roman pans, it makes sense to have a large, open crumb structure as it does. The Sicilian style is meant to carry a heavier, wetter ingredient load so having a spongier texture that can hold everything without deflating it is ideal. Using long and controlled fermentation times, like Chris and John do, give the Sicilian a lightness to the interior.

Hydrations into the 70s and above are more common with Roman styles and breads although can be found with some Sicilians. When it comes to higher hydrations, cook temps and whether doughs are topped and baked from raw or par baked then topped and cooked lends to very different finished products. The debate over par bakes or cooked form raw extends into Sicilians. For those looking for a slight crisp and a very soft interior, cooking from raw will give you that texture albeit a longer cook time. Par baking is going to give you a soft interior but the double bake is going to cook out more of the moisture giving you a firmer outer crust. If you are making a New York-style dough that is cooked in a 500-550 F oven, the same dough can be used for a Sicilian.

Incorporating Sicilians into an operation is fairly easy although time is going to be your biggest factor. Sicilians require a rising period after they’ve been pushed into the pan and then a second period if they require an additional stretch to get the dough into the corners. This double rise process as well as large quantities can take hours. Adding this into an operation could mean the addition of new equipment like a proofing cabinet and pans as well as an extra prep person on payroll. Although it may sound like a lot of work, Sicilians are one of the best pizzas for takeaway and delivery as they reheat impeccably and don’t become soggy as fast as thinner pizzas do. Sicilians are also a great catering style as they can be par baked in advance and transported to a site without the worry of your dough over proofing or having been mishandled.

The Sicilian style is one with a deep-rooted history but one that has evolved many times since its beginnings here in the US. I imagine it will continue to evolve as trends change but the origins of the style is one worth traveling to Sicily for.

Laura Meyer is owner of Pizzeria da Laura in Berkeley, CA.

>> Explore Pizza Dough Recipes for Top Trending Pizza Styles including Detroit, New York, Grandma, Sicilian, Chicago Thin and Deep Dish. <<

The post Knead to Know: Sicilian Style Pizza appeared first on Pizza Today.

Building Blocks: Sales Fix Everything

Denise Greer — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 15:14:40 +0000

Early in my career, I had the epiphany that more sales would fix everything. The challenge, however, is figuring out how to consistently increase revenue. My sales philosophy is comprised of three main concepts, and each one drives hundreds of ideas and tactics. Over the next few months with this column, we’ll delve into each one.

The three primary concepts are: new sales, more frequent sales and sales growth from existing customers. In this article, we’re going to focus on new sales.

Nick Bogacz, founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh

I’m sure along your path as a pizzeria owner you’ve encountered at least one salesperson who was trying to sell you the next big thing that will change your business. But how do you know what products and services to choose? More importantly, how do you know what’s going to work?

When going after completely new sales there are so many options to employ. I like to find something that works for me rather than take an old idea that’s been used before and beat it to death. First, I begin by deciding what medium I want to use. I like to think of building sales like building a house. You must lay the foundation before you can put the walls up, the roof on, etc. I never like to use just one medium. I like a broader approach.

Let’s look at direct mail, for example. If you want to take the first step towards gaining more customers, you may begin with direct mail. Once you’ve made that decision, my first step would be to line up at least five companies and have them pitch me their spiel. I want them to sell me on why they’re unique and worth pursuing over their competitors. I’ll then compare and contrast the companies. I don’t always pick the cheapest option — I try to envision how they’ll help my business the most. The more you talk to each company, the more you personally learn about the subject. So, you pretty quickly become knowledgeable about your options, and that allows you to make an informed decision about the product you’ll be engaging and adding into your business practice.

Keep in mind you should not just buy a service or product and expect the salesperson to take care of the rest. You need to monitor it for results and optimize it to your liking and needs as the campaign progresses. When the results do start to come in, it’s important to track them and utilize the data in a way that will inform your future choices in terms of spending.

Once you feel like you have a solid grasp on a particular medium, hopefully the additional sales generated will have given you more dollars to use towards even more marketing. This will enable you to pursue other strategies and tactics that will enhance your existing marketing efforts.

In the next installment we will look at ways to increase sales through securing more frequent purchases.

Nick Bogacz is the founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh. Instagram: @caliente_pizza

The post Building Blocks: Sales Fix Everything appeared first on Pizza Today.

All Roads Lead to Roman Pizza Al Taglio

Denise Greer — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 14:50:54 +0000

LloydPans’ design replicates sizes and shapes of this classic Roman style.

Roman-style pizza al taglio is sold by the cut (break out the scissors!) or slice similar to New York-style, but there’s a few distinct differences. Roman-style is rectangular or square, folded in half and generally sold by the weight. Pizza al taglio is not traditionally enjoyed at a table — instead it’s the perfect street food invented in Rome. It’s gaining popularity Stateside, and the Roman-Style Pizza Al Taglio Pan is one of LloydPans’ best sellers.

Roman-Style Pizza Al Taglio Pan Specifications
● Durable 12-gauge hard coat anodized aluminum
● Permanent and metal utensil safe PSTK finish for easy de-panning and cleanup
● No seasoning required – ready for production
● Made in the USA but designed to replicate the size of classic roman pans.

Pizzaiolos don’t need a special type of oven to make Roman-style. Wood-burning, electric or gas will work just fine, as will configurations such as hearth, deck or rack ovens.

Not seeing the size you need? Customize your Roman-Style Pizza Pan upon request. Contact Sales@LloydPans.com or call (509) 468-8691 for custom orders.

LloydPans

800-748-6251

The post All Roads Lead to Roman Pizza Al Taglio appeared first on Pizza Today.

MFG Tray Food Prep and Storage Containers

Denise Greer — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 15:07:24 +0000

MFG Tray food prep and storage containers are available in a wide variety of sizes to accommodate an array of applications. They can be readily integrated into automated applications. MFG Tray’s composite construction ensures years of dependable service.

MFG Tray food prep and storage containers may be used intermittently in temperatures ranging from -60° to 250° F (-51° to 121° C). They safely handle items to be refrigerated or frozen; they perform exceptionally well in flash freezing applications. The composite construction ensures dimensional stability without warping or sagging, regardless of changes in temperature or humidity. They may be cleaned in commercial, high-temperature and chemical dishwashers or steam cleaned. The smooth, nonporous surface of composite products resists odors, stains and mildew and is not harmed by detergents.

MFG Tray food prep and storage containers come in two standard colors (white and gray) although custom colors are available. MFG Tray Nest and Stack containers can be stacked when full and, with a simple 180-degree turn, nested when empty. MFG Tray Stacking Boxes stacking design ensures product protection ad saves valuable work and storage areas. MFG Tray Nesting Boxes nest empty and stack on lids when full and are ideal for handling small items. Optional dollies are available for ease of transport throughout the operation and snap-on lids for added product protection during proofing or storage, making them perfect for catering and other mobile applications.

Most MFG Tray containers are safe for food service and are NSF listed.

About our Company: MFG Tray has been a trusted supplier of trays and containers in the food service industry for over 70 years founded and still in Linesville, Pennsylvania USA. MFG Tray’s broad line of products accommodate all aspects of food handling ranging from preparation, storage and merchandising and includes proofing boards and boxes, pan extenders, prep and storage containers, dough trays and boxes, and display, serving, and cafeteria trays. These trays offer several exclusive design, cost, and performance benefits that cannot be duplicated by other materials or manufacturers. The inherent strength and dimensional stability of MFG Tray composite trays make them exceptionally well suited for food service industry applications. Protect your customers and your brand reputation with the frontline prevention and quality that MFG Tray provide.

Check our food service catalog, products and more at www.mfgtray.com.

MFG Tray (Molded Fiber Glass Tray Company)

TF: 800-458-6050 PH: 814-683-4500

Matt Morian, MFG Tray Food Service Product Line Manager

EM: mmorian@moldedfiberglass.com

The post MFG Tray Food Prep and Storage Containers appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pizza & Pasta Northeast 2023 is for YOU!

Denise Greer — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 19:26:30 +0000

Get ready for Pizza and Pasta Northeast 2023

Developed specifically for owners and operators of pizzerias and Italian restaurants, there’s something for everyone at Pizza & Pasta Northeast 2023. At this two-day conference and tradeshow, you’ll have access to hundreds of booths of industry specific products and services, as well as top-shelf demonstrations, workshops, and seminars all under one roof. Better yet, as a Pizza & Pasta Northeast attendee, you’ll also have access to Artisan Bakery Expo East.

Bill Oakley
Group Show Director

Whether you’re an industry veteran or just thinking about opening your first unit, Pizza & Pasta Northeast is a must-attend event! It’s your one-stop shop for everything you need to run a successful and profitable restaurant.

We’re really excited about our education program, which includes sessions from influential, successful and dynamic pizzeria owners such as Nick Bogacz, Michael Androw and Will Grant, amongst others. Additionally, our pizza and pasta demonstration program is filled with chefs and pizza makers you’ll recognize and will be eager to learn from.

The Northeast is a tough market to thrive in, but rest assured that Pizza & Pasta Northeast 2023 exists to help you do just that — grow your business in a highly competitive landscape.

The bottom line is there will always be winners and losers. Which do you want to be? Those who arm themselves with industry knowledge and are willing to take action toward positive change will have the ability to outperform the competition and position their restaurants for future growth and success regardless of the business environment.

For more information, please visit our website at PPNE.PizzaToday.com or call me at (502) 599-4650.

Bill Oakley
Group Show Director

Bill Oakley is the Group Show Director for International Pizza Expo and Pizza & Pasta Northeast.

The post Pizza & Pasta Northeast 2023 is for YOU! appeared first on Pizza Today.

Long Pans Get the Pizza Party Started

Denise Greer — Wed, 24 May 2023 20:09:23 +0000

Long Pizza Pans’ versatility allows for pizza makers to shine creatively

No matter if your customers prefer the middle or the edge pizza slice, it will be easily accessible via any seat at the table surrounding the Long Pizza Pan. The name says it all — Lloyd Pans’ Long Pizza Pans are king when it comes to pizza inspiration. From Detroit-style to Grandma, our Long Pans are available in a range of sizes to suit different pizza styles and small to large groups.

12 inches long: serves 1-2 people with 4, 4×3-inch slices
18 inches long: serves 2-4 people with 4, 4×4 ⅕-inch slices
27 inches long: serves 4-8 with 8, 4×3 ⅜-inch slices

Long Pizza Pan Specifications

Each pan is 4 inches wide and 1.5 inches deep
Folded rim for added strength and safety in handling
Durable 14-gauge hard coat anodized aluminum
Permanent and metal utensil safe PSTK finish for easy de-panning and cleanup
Made in the USA

Not seeing the size you need? Customize your Long Pizza Pan upon request. Contact Sales@LloydPans.com or call (509) 468-8691 for custom orders.

LloydPans

800-748-6251

The post Long Pans Get the Pizza Party Started appeared first on Pizza Today.

Ranger Joe’s Pizza in Kalispell, MT among best pizza places in Montana

Denise Greer — Fri, 19 May 2023 14:59:56 +0000

Ranger Joe’s Pizza in Kalispell, Montana proves a pizza worth traveling for

Ranger Joe’s Pizza in Kalispell, Montana is a destination pizzeria in Montana centered around what the state known for adventure. The pizza company’s brand is on point with its adventurous theme. But first let’s explore a gallery of photos provided by Ranger Joe’s Pizza showcasing the concept, design and branding.

Ranger Joe’s Pizza Concept & Branding Photo Gallery

Discover Ranger Joe’s Pizza in 3 Questions and Answers

We asked owner Joe Ledwidge three questions about his unique pizza spot to learn more about the pizza company’s concept, the pizzeria’s branding, pizza styles and its pizza menu.

1.) What defines your restaurant and makes you stand out?

Our theme is the outdoors with adventure at the center of our décor. Our slogan is “Adventure is not complete without PIZZA!” It was themed after a hike me, my sons, nephews, son-in-law and friend went on in Glacier National park here in Montana in 2017. It turned out to be more elevated and challenging than we expected. It was 13 miles round trip, the hottest summer in 10 years. Through it all, I kept everyone motivated and led the pack all the way through black bear and grizzly country. Once back the next day, I was ceremoniously promoted to “Ranger Joe” for keeping all motivated and focused on completing what we set out to do. The pizza shop has the original hiking gear from that day adorning the walls. We also have animal mounts, park signs, fishing gear and other adventure decorations to give it that outdoor feeling when you walk-in.

2.) Tell us about your pizza style(s).

We have three styles: NY hand tossed, Detroit Deep Dish and Sicilian style pizzas. We also have calzones, cheese breads and mountain cinnamon sticks desert.

We are the only pizza shop offering Detroit Deep dish and Sicilian style in the Flathead Valley.

We have customers that drive from Missoula, which is over 100 miles away just for our pizza.

We cold ferment our dough in the walk-cooler on average from 2-4 days in order to develop the outstanding flavor of our pizza crust, we cook our sauce in house with a secret blend of spices and we cook our Italian sausage in-house which our customers really appreciate. We’ve been doing it this way since the 80’s when my parents owned their pizza shops.

We have a slice bar that offers all our styles of pizza to get that quick fix for RangerJoe’s.

3.) What pizza menu item do your fans go crazy over and describe it?

The “Big Fork” which is a Detroit Deep Dish pizza with mozzarella, provolone, triple cheese mix for the edges, Pepperoni, Sausage, onions and topped off with pizza sauce, ricotta dollops, parmesan/Romano cheese and Mike’s Hot honey drizzled on top.

The “Honey Bear” which is a NY hand tossed pizza with a white Alfredo based sauce, garlic. Spinach, Italian sausage, mozzarella and provolone cheese and finished off with Rosa Grande “Cup and Char” pepperonis. Once out of the oven it is sprinkled with more parmesan cheese and topped with a light drizzle of Mike’s Hot honey.

The Pizza at Ranger Joe’s Pizza Photo Gallery

More US Pizza Destinations

A look at two other unique pizzerias in the U.S. that people are traveling to. They provide unique setting, pizza products and a concept to make desired “must visit” pizza places.

O’Zone Pizza Pub, Pensacola, Florida

It’s a local haunt, literally. The pizzeria resides in the basement the old Sacred Heart Hospital and is rumored to have ghosts roaming its halls. The gothic 1915 building makes for a unique setting for a destination pizzeria. The pizza pub features a honed in menu of appetizers, salads and pizza. The apps menu highlights the house-made East Hill Hummus topped with feta, tomatoes, and served with house-made flatbread. The pizza menu spotlights the Ponderosa Stomp with cheddar, bbq sauce, roast chicken, bacon, green peppers red onion and a drizzle of honey. The menu also suggests trying the pie with cream cheese and jalapenos. The Pesto Vecchio is topped with ricotta, Roma tomatoes, mushrooms, artichoke hearts and basil pesto.

Nicky’s Coal Fired, Nashville, Tennessee

Nicky’s was recently dubbed on of Tennessee’s best pizzas by EnjoyTravel. The coal-burning pizzeria is a rarity in the state and its sourdough starter makes its pizza a standout. The counter-service spot serves up Italian dishes. There is even a bagel shop. Nicky’s offers a special vegan menu, featuring the Be Hive Zaza with red sauce, plant-based pepperoni and mozzarella. The pizza menu highlights That’s Hot with spicy Italian sausage, hot giardiniera, garlic, mozzarella and grana Padano. There is also The Goat with spinach, whipped goat cheese, prosciutto cotto and smoked provolone.

The post Ranger Joe’s Pizza in Kalispell, MT among best pizza places in Montana appeared first on Pizza Today.

E-mail Marketing Database Management Strategies

Denise Greer — Mon, 15 May 2023 20:43:05 +0000

E-mail marketing is a great channel to leverage repeat business

While text and social media are increasingly central to digital marketing efforts, e-mail marketing is “definitely still relevant,” according to Matt Zibell, vice president of product at TouchBistro, a POS (point of sale) provider. The company surveyed 2,600 diners in 2023 and learned that 50 percent of diners say e-mail is their preferred communication channel.

“E-mail marketing is one of the best channels to leverage to foster repeat business and is considerably less costly than mailed coupons or no promotions at all!” says Zibell. It’s also 100 percent under your control, unlike platforms like Facebook and Instagram that may suddenly change algorithms and undo your hard work.

Teddy Tsang, vice president of product marketing at Toast, another POS provider, concurs. “E-mail marketing allows restaurants to engage with their guests on a more personal level, identify the most effective messaging that can help drive sales, and build loyalty among new and existing guests.”

According to e-mail marketing software provider Constant Contact, each dollar spent on e-mail marketing nets a return of $36.

Successful e-mail campaigns depend on attractive, intriguing and engaging outgoing messages.

But that’s only half the battle. You’ve also got to capitalize on the data linked to each subscriber. Your database can retain records ranging from subscribers’ zip codes and birthdays to information about the last time they opened one of your e-mails or bought one of your pies, what they ordered, how they ordered it, and how much they spent.

E-mail Marketing Basics

What is the goal of sending an e-mail? Engagement, as demonstrated through opening messages, clicking through, and taking action.

Here are a few critical terms to understand as you optimize your e-mail database:

List Segmentation. Subdividing your subscriber list into smaller, targeted groups based on specific criteria such as location, buying habits and type of customer (catering, take-out, dine-in).
CTA (Call to Action). This is the action you want readers to take, such as clicking on a link in your e-mail to place an order.
Metrics. The collective indicators that measure the success of your e-mail campaigns, such as how many recipients open the e-mail, how many click on your CTA, and how many convert (purchase).
Open Rate. The percentage of recipients who open your e-mail.
A/B Testing. Sending two separate offers and comparing their performance. “For example, restaurant owners and operators can test if a ‘half-off on a large pizza’ promotion generates as many sales as a ‘buy one medium pizza get one free’ deal,” says Tsang, enabling operators to “refine campaigns and send the most effective message.”

E-mail Database Management Tips

These best-practice tips apply whether you are managing your list in-house or outsourcing to a vendor. If you’re managing it in-house, you are best served by using e-mail marketing software such as Mailchimp, Constant Contact or one of their many competitors. These tools provide critical automation features as well as useful metrics.

Outsourcing your e-mail marketing? That might mean simply paying someone else to manage your e-mail marketing with one of the tools just mentioned; paying an expert to use a more sophisticated and robust e-mail marketing tool; or it could mean utilizing an integrated solution such as a POS system that includes e-mail marketing as part of the package.

In any case, here are some major factors to consider when you want to get the most out of your e-mail database.

Quality E-mail Addresses

A high-quality list is built, not bought.

“The first step to good e-mail database management is to ensure that you’re collecting as many compliant and high-quality e-mail addresses as possible,” advises Tsang. In this context, “high quality” refers to customers or potential customers who have voluntarily provided their e-mail addresses. Give your customers a reason to opt in by promising benefits such as discounts and coupons and deliver those benefits to maintain customer trust.

Some platforms include embedded tools to collect addresses. “When the e-mail database management tool is part of the same platform as other key products, restaurant owners and operators never miss an opportunity to collect the contact information of their guests, with their permission,” says Tsang. “With Toast, restaurant owners and operators have multiple touchpoints to collect a customer’s e-mail address – when a guest places an order online or via mobile payments; orders using Toast Mobile Order & Pay™; uses a gift card; and joins a restaurant’s loyalty program.”

E-mail List Segmentation

By segmenting your e-mail list, you can target e-mails to specific groups, which will translate to more successful e-mail campaigns. Depending on how sophisticated your tools and your database are, your segments can be based on geographic area such as zip code; demographics such as age; signup channel (in person, online, by text, via loyalty program); buying habits; buying frequency and more. You can even craft a survey or quiz that will glean data on customer preferences that you will link with their e-mail addresses.

Zibell of TouchBistro urges operators to “know your audience – look at their ordering history to determine what offers will resonate best with them.” You can also “personalize your promotions with birthday specials, discounts on specific meals customers generally purchase, or free delivery to drive purchases.” It’s also important to track unsubscribes and other responses to determine the communication frequency best tolerated by your customers.

Integrate with POS

Integrating your e-mail marketing database with your POS has obvious advantages. The most effective and trackable e-mail campaigns “use technology that integrates your customer database with your POS, loyalty program and online ordering,” says Zibell. “That will make it fast and simple for your customers to order what they love the most using their loyalty awards and it will streamline operations, which reduces staffing time. You’ll also be able to track what has resulted in the most sales, the best times to send promotions, and which customers you should target.”

Likewise, Tsang says that instead of managing multiple vendors, “you want a tool that lets you run your restaurant e-mail marketing activities on the same platform you already use to run your business. Managing your e-mail database with a third-party application will require additional importing and exporting and could limit the type of data you can pull into segment groups of guests. Skip the export: it should have all the guest information in one place, so you never have to export or import e-mails from a third-party tool.”

E-mail marketing has withstood two decades of challenges and is still going strong. Thanks to the ease and sophistication of current database technology, you can harness your e-mail database and the wisdom it contains to target your digital communications for optimal sales and success.

Annelise Kelly is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer.

The post E-mail Marketing Database Management Strategies appeared first on Pizza Today.

JoJo’s NY Style Pizza, Hollywood, Florida — a U.S. Pizza Destination

Denise Greer — Fri, 12 May 2023 14:37:38 +0000

JoJo’s NY Style Pizza CEO shares how the pizza shop serves some of America’s best pizza

Miami is known to be the hottest pizza scene in South Florida and a major pizza city in the U.S. One rising pizza company in Hollywood, Florida is proving that some of the best pizza resides outside of metro Miami. JoJo’s NY Style Pizza is growing and should be on your pizza radar.

Jhonathan Naranjo Estrada, Founder/CEO at JoJo’s NY Style Pizza in Hollywood, Florida

We asked founder and CEO Jhonathan Naranjo Estrada about the concept, JoJo’s pizza style and pizzas on the menu that customers go crazy for. Check out Jhonathan’s responses:

What defines your restaurant and makes you stand out?

We opened our first shop in March 13 2016 in Hollywood Florida, six years later in 2022 we sold $1.5 Million out of the very same location which consist of only 650 SF in size. The concept of the shop it’s takeout and delivery only with no alcohol sales due to the fact that the spaces next door to us are occupied by other businesses one of them being corporate dominos, with that cutting off our chances of expanding the restaurant to a dine in section. But nevertheless, on May 1^st, 2022 we finally did expanded to our second location in Lake Worth, Florida. It’s been about 11 months since the grand opening, and we already have sales of over $400,000. This time the new shop has twice the amount of space with outside sitting to be able to offer the dine in experience to our customers.

Tell us about your pizza style(s).

The high quality, consistency and freshness of our products along with our outstanding customer service and super-fast delivery service would be the main things that defines us as the best pizza shop in town. What really makes us stand out from the rest would be our ginormous pizza slices that are carved from a 30” cheese pie with the option to fully customize those slices however you want by choosing from an array of over 32 different toppings available like fresh vegetables, meats, seafood to never seen toppings on pizza shops like fried sweet plantains. Another important thing to point out would be that we are the only pizzeria in the area that offers 7 different pizza sizes ranging from 10”, 12”, 14”,16”,18”, 20” and 30” pies by doing so we are able to accommodate patrons with different budget styles.

When it comes to the pizza style we solely focus on the New York Style and by that we mean thin crunchy crust with perfectly and evenly applied sauce and flavorful mozzarella cheese.

What pizza menu item do your fans go crazy over and describe it?

The most popular pizza item we have on our menu that our customers go crazy for would have to be the “Pepperoni Lovers” which consist of our New York style crust overloaded with pepperoni and drizzled with mikes hot honey topped with fresh basil. Our next best seller would be the “Tropical Hawaiian” made with crumbled bacon, ham, pineapple topped with a blend of grated parmesan and roman cheese. Last but not least would be the “Happy Pizza” made with fried sweet plantain, bacon bits also topped with parmesan Romano cheese. Our customers also love our made to order “Calzone & Strombolis” that are also fully customizable to the customer preference of toppings.

Check out more of the pizzas at JoJo’s NY Style Pizza on JoJo’s Instagram.

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doughXpress DX Series Dough/Pizza Presses

Denise Greer — Mon, 01 May 2023 00:01:41 +0000

Commercial Pizza Dough Equipment

doughXpress^® Commercial Dough Press with Interchangeable Pizza Crust Molds.

The DX series commercial single-heated upper platen dough presses are the perfect choice for medium to high production volumes. These presses are designed and engineered with production speed, efficiency, consistency, and of course, safety in mind. The lower platen is compatible with our interchangeable platens which are perfect for all sizes of pizza crusts. All our products are easy to use and do not require any degree of skill or extensive training to operate. These dough presses are an easy, affordable way to improve your production time, as well as your finished product.

The heated platens aid in dough flow, helps activate yeast for faster proofing if desired, and prevents the dough from shrinking. Pressed dough keeps air in the crust vs. sheeted dough where the air is forced out of the crust.

The variable thickness control makes it possible to achieve the desired thickness and ensures a consistent product at the same time. Pressed dough is consistent in thickness and size vs. hand tossed where the thickness and size can be inconsistent.

The DX Series dough presses feature a lower swing out platen for easy to load and unload of the dough from the press. They are perfect for medium to high production volumes, 9” to 18” (150-200/hr) or 7” to 9” (300-400/hr). Simple to operate, press dough on standard 18” flat platen or use the interchangeable platens with built in crust rings. Place on peel, top, and put right on the hearth or stone surface. It is a fast, safe, simple, mess free (no flour needed) compared to the alternative of hand tossing or sheeting/rolling your dough. These dough presses are an easy, affordable way to improve your production time, as well as your finished product.

The doughXpress® Interchangeable Platens are a way to change crust size with ease on any of the DX Series equipment. Choose one of six standard sizes, ranging from an 8” platen, to a 17” platen for a variety of crust sizes. The DXA, DXE, or DXM presses are purchased with standard 18” flat. Complete the set of sizes or add a few different sizes to your pizzeria with these Interchangeable Platens.

doughXpress® is a leading manufacturer of Food Processing Equipment for the food service industry and restaurants. doughXpress® has earned a reputation as a high-quality, top-performing line of dough presses for pizza and tortilla dough production and continues to offer new solutions from dough sheeters, mixers, dough dividers & rounders, toasters, bread slicers, grills, ovens and more! Check out our full line of products on our website or download our product catalog.

Our products are top-of-the-line but are also priced for value in today’s market. doughXpress® equipment is used around the world in pizzerias, convenient stores, club stores, sports complexes, Mexican restaurants, theaters, supermarkets, commissaries, food festivals and fairs, and family restaurants.

doughXpress®, a division of HIX® Corporation, located in Pittsburg, KS has been manufacturing the highest quality restaurant equipment for kitchens all over the world since 2002. Call us at 800-835-0606 or contact us sales@doughxpress.com Check out our full product line on our website doughxpress.com.

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Defining the Day’s Top Social Media Trends

Denise Greer — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 17:57:17 +0000

Counting Down Today’s Top Social Media Trends

Here’s what we know: social media is big. Like really, really big.

According to the Pew Research Center, seven in 10 Americans use social media regularly. Social media powerhouse Facebook boasts 2 billion daily active users, while its sister social media site, Instagram, is hurtling toward 1.4 billion daily active users.

Noteworthy as those raw numbers are, it is social media’s continued ability to drive consumer behavior, including the dining decisions of Americans, that is perhaps most impressive. Numerous surveys and studies over the last decade have outlined social media’s ability to spark restaurant trials, generate awareness and increase loyalty.

“As a restaurant owner, you simply can’t discount the importance of social media today,” says Sammy Mandell of the Dallas-based Greenville Avenue Pizza Company (GAPCo). “It’s all about staying top of mind and people need to see you regularly to achieve that.”

Staying current and relevant

But social media doesn’t remain static. Like much of the tech world, it evolves. Its algorithms change. Consumer preferences shift. And restaurant owners must respond in earnest.

While the nation’s large pizzeria chains might be able to dominate the television landscape, Mandell feels local shops like his can compete on social media, where GAPCo can build its brand with entertaining videos and illustrative posts touting limited-time offers. It’s why GAPCo leadership has devoted so much energy to social media, including consistently monitoring trends in the digital landscape to ensure the relevancy and impact of their efforts.

“We absolutely stay on top of social because we know how key it is to our business,” says Mandell, who joined his GAPCo colleagues, co-owner Molly Mandell and creative director Phil Bossart, in delivering “A Pizzeria’s Guide to Social Media” presentation at International Pizza Expo last March.

When independent restaurants monitor social media trends and use market movements to their advantage, they position themselves to earn deeper brand awareness, cultivate richer relationships with customers and better compete in a crowded marketplace.

“Social media has become a crucial component of the marketing and promotion strategies for indie restaurants,” says Jon Morgan, the CEO of Venture Smarter, a consulting firm that specializes in helping small businesses scale and grow. “By staying up to date on the latest social media trends and focusing on creating engaging content, indie restaurants can increase their online visibility and attract new customers.”

So, what are today’s biggest social media trends?

Shorter video content

Video content is highly engaging and shareable. It is also a media format pizzerias can use to showcase their personality, atmosphere, staff and food. But as attention spans dwindle, short-form video content like TikToks, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts have surged in popularity.

Years ago, GAPCo would make 30-second videos – “mini-commercials,” Mandell called them. Today, most GAPCo videos max out at 10 seconds and the three-unit chain is also incorporating TikTok – the home of short-form videos – more often.

“This is what’s resonating now and where eyeballs are going,” Mandell says.

Going live

In addition to short-form videos, live videos on platforms like Instagram and Facebook are generating heightened attention. When going live, restaurants can interact with their followers in real time, offering cooking demonstrations or tips, promoting an upcoming event or teasing the grand opening of a new location or renovated patio.

“By engaging with customers in real-time, indie restaurants can create a more personal connection and build loyalty,” says Ashish Goswami of Krish Technolabs, a full-service digital commerce agency.

Leveraging influencers

There remains an ever-swelling ecosystem of tech-savvy souls creating substantial followings – if not, full-time jobs – off original social content, including posts about restaurant visits. These “influencers” can help restaurants reach new audiences and generate buzz on social media, says Jessica Luna, a marketing analyst with Net Influencer, a media company that tracks influencer marketing.

Now, some hear influencer and immediately think “Kardashian.” That’s the tip of the global influencer spear.

More realistically, independent restaurants can team with locals boasting sizable social media followings. So-called “micro-influencers” might range from a school principal to the local TV station’s meteorologist to a local food blogger. Name, image and likeness (NIL) deals for college athletes have also opened a new opportunity for restaurants to tap into others’ social networks.

“The key is to find influencers who align with the restaurant’s brand and values and who have a genuine interest in promoting the restaurant,” Goswami says.

With almost every special at GAPCo, the pizzeria’s public relations agent brings influencers into the restaurant to post social content.

“There’s no shortage of local people highlighting who they are and where they go, so we leverage that as an economical marketing approach that feeds into social media,” Mandell says.

Inviting user-generated content – and supplying a branded hashtag

Pizzerias have long sought user-generated content (UGC) – that is, diners creating their own original content. UGC provides external validation and valuable social currency.

These days, restaurants are increasingly encouraging customers to share photos and reviews of their visits on their personal social channels. Yet more, restaurants are supplying a branded hashtag like #PizzaAtPappis or #ADateWithPizzaboy to amplify the UGC. The branded hashtag allows restaurant leadership to track content more easily, repost customers’ photos and videos and expand social proof.

“This can help build a sense of community and loyalty around your brand,” Luna says.

Favoring a cozy, homemade aesthetic

As many consumers cringe at the idea of being advertised to or sold on something, authenticity matters. Rather than sharing super polished content, businesses are favoring unscripted content on social media, such as videos recorded from a point-of-view angle or photos that appear unedited and natural.

“If you are planning to use images as ad creatives and want to give the images that homemade and authentic look, you can increase the exposure slightly and brighten the shadows,” suggests Arsh Sanwarwala, founder and CEO of Thrillx, a full-service digital agency based in Toronto. “After that, increase the vibrance of the image until it looks natural.”

Keeping it real

Alongside the homemade aesthetic, Venone Public Relations founder Kelly Richardson is seeing more independent restaurants leaning into social media to share the stories behind their restaurants, from the motivations of founders to the local farmers who supply ingredients. Above all, Richardson says, diners are attracted to stories and lively original content.

As one example, Mattenga’s Pizzeria, a six-unit chain in San Antonio, publishes a “Customer’s Choice” segment on social media every Thursday. Co-owner Hengam Stanfield says the store selects interesting pizza combinations from its POS, recreates the pies and tastes the pizza on camera.

Speaking of “behind the scenes”

Restaurants are taking people behind the scenes more often than ever on social media. It’s a shrewd marketing move that appeases consumers’ growing appetite for content about the businesses they frequent as well as food and cooking.

Using short-form videos or Instagram stories, forward-thinking pizzerias like Mattenga’s are pulling back the curtain and providing fans a glimpse into their kitchen, in particular. Pizzerias can showcase everything from the dough-making process to the preparation to the plating.

“People want to see how their food is made,” says Cari Garcia, a Miami-based social media manager, food content creator and food influencer.

Such behind-the-scenes content shows the personality of the restaurant, unlocks storytelling capabilities, heightens feelings of community and, perhaps most importantly, strengthens trust with diners who want to frequent clean, professional operations.

Getting on TikTok

Over the last five years, TikTok has surged in popularity, especially among American teenagers. In its Teens, Social Media and Technology 2022 study, the Pew Research Center found TikTok was the second most popular social
media platform among U.S. teens, trailing only YouTube. Two-thirds of teens reported using TikTok and one in six said they used the app “almost constantly.”

“If restaurants are already shooting short-form video, they might as well maximize its use and post it on TikTok,” Garcia says. “TikTok reaches a different and relatively younger audience with growing spending power.”

(Of note, the Biden Administration recently gained the ability to ban Chinese-owned TikTok in the U.S. That political situation bears monitoring for pizzerias using the platform to attract and engage with guests.)

Spotlighting sustainability

There is climbing consumer demand, especially among younger Americans, for businesses to act with environmental stewardship and social responsibility in mind. Such actions are something more businesses are highlighting on social media, including restaurants sharing posts and videos spotlighting the sourcing of local ingredients, their steps to reduce waste and their use of environmentally friendly products like eco-friendly packaging.

“Highlight your restaurant’s efforts in these areas on social media to attract like-minded customers and differentiate yourself from competitors,” Luna says.

Creating “Instagrammable” experiences

Instagram is all about the visual and many restaurants are leaning into this by creating photo-worthy opportunities on site to inspire picture taking and posting.

To encourage user-generated content that spreads the restaurant’s name, restaurants are creating photogenic dishes like colorful pizzas or monster-sized desserts served in unique vessels. They are also goading photos by installing distinctive décor in their eateries, such as an oversized throne in the lobby or a retro neon sign that reads, “I’m Hungry.” Here again, inviting customers to take photos and share them with a branded hashtag increases the velocity and impact of the post.“Instagrammability” can certainly extend to other social media platforms as well. Jessica Klein of pizzeria technology platform Slice cites Joe Brignoni from Joe’s Rotisseria in Asbury Park, New Jersey, as one notable example. Brignoni’s dynamic personality and over-the-top, creative recipes like the Triple Threat (a calzone, garlic knots and pizza all in one) have helped him amass more than 72,000 Instagram followers and over 200,000 followers and 2.8 million likes on TikTok.

Klein says some of Brignoni’s dishes are “purposely designed to spark audience engagement.”

Prioritizing engagement, not promotions

Overly promotional content is OUT on social media, as consumers are skeptical of blatant advertisements screaming “buy, buy, buy.” In line with the aforementioned “cozy, homemade aesthetic” trend, there is accelerating movement toward informative, educational or entertaining social content.

“Too many restaurants think you post your food pictures or videos each day and then wonder why no one interacts,” says Matt Plapp, the CEO of America’s Best Restaurants, a national media company that highlights local restaurants.

Instead, Plapp sees restaurants capturing success by prioritizing engagement over promotion. On Mother’s Day, for instance, a restaurant might post photos of staff members with their mothers and urge followers to share a special memory of their own mother in the comments.

“What’s working is using social media for its intended purpose: creating conversations,” Plapp says.

Concocting challenges

Social media challenges continue gaining momentum as a way for brands of all sizes to capture eyeballs and stir engagement.

A pizzeria might create a poll or bracket-style competition to select the name of a new specialty pizza or it might challenge fans to craft their own pizzas using a select group of ingredients and then post their results via video or photo on social media.

Restaurants might also create hashtag challenges. In 2019, IHOP found momentum with its #SyrupTurnUp challenge, which invited TikTokers to send in videos doing funny skits with pancake syrup bottles.

“Humor works really well on social media so a challenge like [#SyrupTurnUp] went viral,” says Joshua Wood, CEO of the tech hospitality company Bloc. “It’s a fun and easy way to showcase your indie restaurant brand’s personality, which is great for marketing.”

Employing social media to listen and learn

So often, business owners think of social media solely as a megaphone, a tool to broadcast their message. Wise businesses, however, have noted social media’s potential as a listening tool and a path to improved customer service and enhanced offerings. Through social media, pizzerias can gain perspective on customer preferences and experiences, double down on what’s working and attempt to recapture customers with earnest and empathetic responses.

“Social media provides a direct line of communication between indie restaurants and their customers,” Venture Smarter’s Morgan says. “Indie restaurants should respond to both positive and negative feedback in a timely and professional manner to demonstrate their commitment to customer service.”

Daniel P. Smith Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post Defining the Day’s Top Social Media Trends appeared first on Pizza Today.

Deep Dish Pan Popularity on the Rise

Denise Greer — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 17:57:14 +0000

Pizza Today names deep dish pizza a style to ‘keep an eye’ on in 2023 and beyond.

What’s more comforting than a thick, butter crust, mounds of cheese and scoops of pizza sauce? Chicago may be the city known for deep dish-style pizza, but the casserole-like nosh is making its way into pizzerias across the country. Make sure your deep dish pizza pan needs are covered with LloydPans’ complete line of deep dish pans, including:

Deep Dish Stacking Pans: Straight sided pans eliminate the need for lids when your pans are full of proofing dough.
Deep Dish Nesting Pans: Angled sided pans offer easy de-panning and nest for storage. Lids are needed for proofing in pans.
Perforated Deep Dish Pizza Pans: The unique center perforationsprovide benefits to both thick crust pizzas and deep dish pizzas that have a thicker layer of toppings. With pizza crust recipes that have seasoned oils under the dough, the raised perforations help by stopping them from leaking out during the bake.

All of LloydPans’ deep dish pizza pans come in a variety of sizes, have a round rim for safe handling and are constructed with heavy 14-gauge aluminum. They also feature our PRE SEASONED TUFF-KOTE finish that eliminates the need for messy oiling.

LloydPans

800-748-6251

The post Deep Dish Pan Popularity on the Rise appeared first on Pizza Today.

The Rise of Italian Pizza in Teglia is Upon Us

Denise Greer — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 17:47:38 +0000

What is Pizza in Teglia?

Steely Pan: A Look at the Authentic Italian Pan Pizza

My first encounter with Pizza in Teglia, or Italian Pan Pizza, occurred in 2006. I competed in the Pizza in Teglia, or Pan Pizza Category, at the World Pizza Competitions in Salsomaggiore, Italy. As my teglia pizza came out of the oven,

I looked at the contestant next to me and my eyes grew wide. His pizza was as large as a house window, and he was making his pizza backwards! He re-cooked his pizza multiple times, adding cheeses and protein after each bake and then put multiple greens, olives, and tomatoes on it. I’ll always be proud of scoring well, but the beauty of that other guy’s pizza in teglia intrigued me and haunted my memory until I visited Rome in 2015.

I was invited to work at Gabriel Boncis Pizzarium in the spring. The amazing number of colorful pizza in teglia ran along a small counter where the long line of customers stood patiently to buy pizza by the slice, called ‘Pizza Taglio.’ I worked with the Manager Frederico and the crew in the tiny kitchen gently pressing the highly hydrated dough into some large square oiled pans I had seen in 2006. I then placed it into their old electric oven with just a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

After I pulled it from the oven, Frederico cut it down the middle then spread a chickpea puree followed by thinly sliced sturgeon as a lemony carpaccio. We crumbled hard boiled eggs and dressed crispy puntarella as a finish. I smiled, knowing I was in pizza in teglia heaven. This type of pizza was irresistible, and I just knew it was going to be very popular someday. I am now here to say this is the year of Pizza in Teglia!

Types of Pizza in Teglia

Teglia means baking tray in Italian. This pan pizza method or ‘Pizza al Testo’ has evolved over the years using a multitude of different types of pans, hydrations, flours and cooking methods. Each pizza microclimate has its own way of representing the tastes, products and baking methods of the different Italian regions and even these may vary from town to town.

Pizza di Sfigole from the Abruzzo region is a pan pizza without all the fuss. It’s just flour, lard and pig bits called sfigole. Pretty much a flavorful and flaky pie-crusted pork bread. Yum.
Pizza al Tegamino, means “Baked pan pizza,” and evolved in Turin, Italy and is still made in the Piedmont and into Emilia Romagna region. It is thought that this (usually) round pan pizza originated from the Northern Italian focaccia recipes that were cooked in dying wood-fired ovens that were still hot with just coals.
Pizza al Trancio from Milan also called ‘Trancio Milanese’ and is attributed to a specific pizzeria in Milan, Pizzeria Spontini. Pizza al Trancio is like that of the Tuscan Schiacciata. It has only 60-percent hydration and is fermented overnight. Traditional toppings in Milan are tomato sauce, mozzarella, oregano and anchovies.
Pizza al Padellino means ‘Pan Pizza’ is from Turin, the first capital of Italy and has a soft, thick and round crust with plenty of char from the wood fired ovens. It was a favorite of Italy’s first king: Vittorio Emanuele II.
Sfincione is a specific Sicilian pan pizza baked in a rectangular tray with tomato sauce, oregano, anchovies, onion, hard sheep’s milk cheese and breadcrumbs. It is served more in bakeries than pizzerias in the region. This pizza mirrors the flavor profiles in the French ‘Pissaldiere’ from Nice.
Scacciata Siciliana is a stuffed pan pizza with items like broccoli, olives, provolone or cacciocavalo, sun-dried tomatoes and sausage. The lower hydration dough is made with semolina and extra virgin olive oil.

All roads lead to Rome

The true hub of pizza in teglia is indeed the Lazio region and especially Rome. These bakers have taken this pan pizza to the next level with one intensive purpose- to create a thin pizza that has cracker-crispness on the outside but a light, airy and moist cell structure on the inside. As Massimilliano Saieva told me, “This is an obsession. The endless search for perfection, an endless love.” That about sums up the level of intensity these Roman pizza masters have.

The Roman style of pizza is cut with sharp scissors and sold by weight. But in many other countries, this cannot be done for convenience, environmental or governmental reasons.

Long Attention Pan

Roman pizza parameters are different for every pizza maker. From what I have researched, these are a few of the principles and secrets. But as usual, all are arguable.

Flours used are either “0” flour or “00” flour or a combination of both. Some Roman bakers are adding ancient whole grains to the mix also.
0.6 percent brewer’s yeast is used crumbled in water and added to the flour mix.
Water at 80-percent hydration is added to the slowly mixing batch. Cold water is used by the many pizza makers that hold their dough for up to 72 hours. This will ensure a delayed fermentation and will have a sweet, mild nuttiness after long refrigeration.
A long mix with a hydration of 80 percent. Some bakers use the autolyze method for a stronger gluten net. This method is letting the already mixed water and flour rest in the mixer bowl for up to 45 minutes before adding the salt and oil. Some Roman pizza makers will use a Biga.
2.0 percent salt is added after the mix and then 2 percent of the extra virgin olive oil is added. This ensures strong gluten strands and a tender crispness desired by Roman Pizza in Teglia bakers.
The folding and storage vary greatly from all the Roman pizza chefs I’ve researched. Some will do a bulk fold and rest every 20 minutes then use a 24-hour bulk ferment under refrigeration. Others will bulk ferment it in a refrigerator for only 12 hours then form the dough.
Dough balls are usually weighed and formed to accommodate the oiled pans used.
Oven temperatures vary from 560-600 F.
Some pizzas are not topped. Some pizza in teglia are drizzled with oil then par-baked to be topped with cheeses and proteins and baked to a final and crisp crust. Some pizzas are coated with tomato sauce, baked, then topped with soft cheese.
Final toppings are a thing of beauty — everything under the sun is used. Using the imagination and food pairing knowledge is key to making a pizza in teglia look like a painting in a museum. Once the bread base is done, the digestibility and crunch of this famous pizza carry it to the finish line in first place!

John Gutekanst owns Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio.

The post The Rise of Italian Pizza in Teglia is Upon Us appeared first on Pizza Today.

Live Updates from Pizza Expo

Denise Greer — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 17:43:10 +0000

Stay tuned for daily updates from the world’s largest pizza show Pizza Expo in Las Vegas

Pizza Today brings you live updates from Pizza Expo. Keep up-to-date on the excitement and happenings at International Pizza Expo all week at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Thousands of pizzeria professionals convene in Las Vegas, Nevada for Pizza Expo, dedicated to all things pizza. Suppliers from across the globe, networking and educational sessions led by top industry professionals, and national competitions round out this unrivaled event. Learn more about Pizza Expo.

If you are attending, don’t forget to download the Pizza Expo Mobile App, watch the Pizza Expo Preview Show and listen to the Ready. Set. Pizza Expo episode of The Hot Slice Podcast.

Thursday

The last day of Pizza Expo brought more attendee-exhibitor connections throughout the exhibition hall. Competitions culminated with champions crowned.

Preliminary Results from the International Pizza Challenge

The Master Pizza Team has been crunching the numbers to present our preliminary results in today’s divisions in the International Pizza Challenge.

International Italian Sandwich Competition

The International Italian Sandwich Competition Top 3 are:

1st Place Michael Vakneen

2nd Place Annamaria Sapere

3rd Place Will Grant

Pizza Napoletana Division

The Pizza Napoletana Division Top 3 are:

1st Place Pasquale Yoann Mormile

2nd Place Michele Rubini

3rd Place Giuseppe Manco

Italian Tandem Division

The Italian Tandem Division Top 3 are:

1st Place Simone Fortunato – Fabrizia Ventura

2nd Place Davide Civitiello – Antonio Sorrentino

3rd Place Anna Crucitt & Nick Mercurio

American Tandem Division

The American Tandem Division Top 3 are:

1st Place John Garland & Dan Succone

2nd Place Juan Ponce & RC Gallegos

3rd Place Javier Murreta & Alma

Best of the Best Champion

Nick Banker

Pizza Maker of the Year

Joe Carlucci

Wednesday

The day kicked off with a look into the present and future of robotics and pizza with a keynote address from Benson Tsai, CEO & Co-Founder of Stellar Pizza and former SpaceX engineer. Attendees listened as Tsai took a scientific look at pizza with a robotics operation.

The exhibition hall was abuzz of attendees and exhibitors talking shop, sampling and demoing products. Food demos like Making Dough and Pizzas with Tony Gemignani, Sandwiches that Sell, Italian Beef Sandwiches, Roman Pizza and Vegan Cashew Cheese inspired attendees to test the menu items in their restaurants.

School was in session with our education program today with seminars devoted specific to the pizza business. From Tinkering with Dough, Menu Editing and Culture is Everything to Detroit Style Explained and Thriving in a Small Town. Seminars focused on key areas like cheese prices, profit margin strategies and food costs.

Competitions heated up with the International Pizza Challenge and World Pizza Games.

Preliminary Results from the International Pizza Challenge

The Master Pizza Team has been crunching the numbers to present our preliminary results in today’s divisions in the International Pizza Challenge.

Pan Division

The Pan Division Top 3 are:

1st Place 28.31 Points Eduardo Ramirez #41 Los Angeles, CA DTown Pizzeria

2nd Place 27.852 Points Josephine Afshar #1 De Pere, WI Oleys Pepperoni Cannoli

3rd Place 27.847 Points Charlie Webb #48 Poughkeepsie, NY Hudson & Packard

Non-Traditional Division

The Non-Traditional Top 3 are:

1st Place 30.05 Points, Joe Carlucci #7 Madison, AL Valentina’s Pizzeria

2nd Place 28.42 Points, Michael Vakneen #86 Las Vegas, NV Pop Up Pizza

3rd Place 28.11 Points, Sara Boyer #84 Pittsburgh, PA Iron Born Pizza

World Pizza Games Final Results coming soon!

Tuesday

The opening keynote address kicked off Tuesday at Pizza Expo with Tony Gemignani inspiring a packed hall. Tony outlined his modest pizza beginnings, long climb to ownership, how his concepts have evolved, what’s next and the people who have revolutionized the pizza industry.

Anticipation built as the show floor opened at 10 a.m. to a rush of attendees enter to browse exhibitor booths. The show floor was filled with food samples, technology, equipment and services.

Tuesday is all about the exhibit hall, seminars, demonstrations and competitions.

Preliminary Results from the International Pizza Challenge

The Master Pizza Team has been crunching the numbers to present our preliminary results in today’s divisions in the International Pizza Challenge.

CMAB California Style Division

Congrats to the winners of the CMAB California Style Division. The Top 3 finishers are:

1st Place: Ivory Yat Vaksman

2nd Place: Sam Li

3rd Place: Mr. Edward Chui Yuen Chien

Traditional Division

Congrats to our Traditional Division winners in the International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo. They are:

1st Place: Gemma Cataldo, Antonio’s Italian Ristorant Elkhart IN

2nd Place: Bill Cornell, Carmine’s Wood Fired Pizza Joplin, MO

3rd Place: Anthony Berghela, Romo’s Pizza, Glenmont NY

Regions and Scoreboards coming soon!

Sunday and Monday

Sunday and Monday are all about continuing education. Take a sneak peek at what’s happening in the School of Pizzeria Management, educational sessions and the first networking gathering – the New Operator/Early Arriving Attendee gathering.

Sunday and Monday kick off Pizza Expo week with intensive 4-hour School of Pizzeria Management workshops each day. These deep-dive sessions covering a myriad of vital pizzeria business topics from operating on shoestring budget, labor strategies and mobile pizzeria foundations to the Million-dollar Operation, business essentials and next level strategies.

From 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. all attendee seminars take over the session rooms exploring topics on the mind of today’s pizzeria operators, from technology, creative promotions, selling the business, profits from liquor sales to working with sourdough, diversifying a pizza concept and habits of successful pizzerias.

Competitors flocked to the International Pizza Challenge area for a pre-competition meeting.

The New Operator/Early Arriving Attendee Reception, our first major networking event commenced at 6 p.m. giving pizzeria professionals the chance to jumpstart meeting and mingling.

Just Announced: Watch the BLOCK PARTY LIVE STREAM

Block Party live stream will begin Wednesday at 5:30 PM PT / 8:30 PM EST.

Can’t make the Block Party? There’s still a chance for you to watch the Acrobatic Dough Tossing Championship!

Don’t miss out and tune into the live stream taking place Wednesday, March 29. Go to the Block Party Live Stream.

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5 Products We’re Bringing to Pizza Expo

Denise Greer — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 14:23:54 +0000

Items will be available for booth purchase and shipped post-show.

From March 28 to 30, LloydPans will be at Booth No. 2351 in Las Vegas for the 39th International Pizza Expo, the world’s largest gathering of pizza professionals. We’ll be displaying the best line of pizza pans, pizza tools and foodservice equipment in the industry.

Here are 5 of our favorite products that will be available for purchase and conveniently shipped to you after Pizza Expo is over:

Bar Pizza Shovel
The Bar Pizza Shovel pan delivers the thin, crispy crust that’s a trademark of bar-style or tavern-style pizza. It’s the perfect pan for busy establishments that want to start the pizza on the pan and finish it on the deck or hearth.

Detroit-Style Pizza Pan
This pan’s sleek body design and hard coat anodized exterior is built to Motor City specifications. We’ve made these pans metal utensil safe and durable enough to withstand the punishing conditions of a high-volume pizza operation. Most importantly, our high-performance release finish means no pre-seasoning is required.

Grandma-Style Pizza Pan
Our Grandma-style pizza pans come in a variety of sizes, each with a 1-inch depth and 76 degrees angled side. These features combined with a highly conductive aluminum construction imparts the perfect crust attributes: crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.

Sicilian-Style Pan
One of the most up-and-coming trends in the U.S. is the Sicilian-style pizza. Our pans’ deep depth allows you to easily recreate the thick, soft crust this pizza is known for.

The Equalizer
The fast, efficient multiblade rocker knife quickly, safely and perfectly cuts slices of pizza equally. Available for slices from 6 to 20 inches.

LloydPans, a U.S. manufacturer of commercial pizza pans and tools, bakeware, cookware and foodservice equipment, is located in Spokane Valley, Washington. In addition to an extensive line of standard products, LloydPans also offers custom solutions for just about anything their customers need. LloydPans’ products are sold online at www.lloydpans.com and through distributors.

LloydPans

800-748-6251

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General Mills Foodservice and the Doughminators Return to Pizza Expo

Denise Greer — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 20:23:44 +0000

Attendees will have the opportunity to tap General Mills’ dedicated dough experts, attend Pizza Crust Boot Camp and learn about ready-made solutions from TNT Crust.

MINNEAPOLIS (March 20, 2023) — General Mills Foodservice is stepping up its presence at this year’s International Pizza Expo to help pizza makers “doughminate” when it comes to creating signature pizzas and preventing crust catastrophes. In addition to expanding access to its popular Pizza Crust Boot Camp featuring the Doughminators™, General Mills will feature dough demonstrations throughout the expo (booth #807) and showcase its newly acquired line of high-quality frozen pizza crusts from TNT Crust (booth #1353).

General Mills and its Doughminators, a distinct group of individuals with a deep knowledge of flour and technical baking expertise, have been a staple ingredient at Pizza Expo for more than 25 years. Taking place March 28-30 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Pizza Expo is the largest event of its kind and draws thousands of pizza makers from independent and chain pizza restaurants from around the world.

Pizza Crust Boot Camp, a highlight of the Pizza Expo, is a free seminar featuring both technical and practical information covering ingredient functionality, formulation, signature crusts, troubleshooting, and dough-making steps and methods. In addition to Pizza Crust Boot Camp, the Doughminators will host free dough demonstrations at the General Mills’ booth and be available to help operators identify the best flour options for their needs.

“We are excited to have a much bigger space to host Pizza Crust Boot Camp this year, which will allow us to interact with more pizza makers and discuss common dough dilemmas and how to achieve the perfect crust—the foundation of any great pizza,” said Tom Santos, who serves as a Doughminator and has seen just about every type of dough issue throughout his long career as both a bakery owner and field sales rep at General Mills. “Our entire team will also stand ready to serve pizzerias and pizza makers at our booth throughout the expo, helping identify the right flour for consistent results every time.”

Pizza Expo attendees who stop by the General Mills’ booth will find information, resources and expertise to spice up their pizza game, including:

Details on a wide variety of pizza flour options, from untreated/clean label and organic flours to Di Prim’ Ordine Farina, a European-style flour available in operator-friendly, 27.5-pound bags.
Information on the Pizza Professional program—an immersive, hands-on, three-day event taking place in September, for those who are passionate about taking their pizza to the next level and want to connect with pizza makers from around the country.
A new interactive component that allows attendees to scan QR codes onsite to access extensive information on flour and troubleshooting resources at their fingertips.
The Pillsbury Doughboy will be onsite throughout the expo along with a variety of giveaways including bowl scrapers, pizza cutters and fun Pillsbury Doughboy swag.

Doughminators Schedule at Pizza Expo:

Dough-Making Demonstrations (Booth #807):

Tuesday, March 28 and Wednesday, March 29: 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m.
- The Doughminators will be available to dish about dough, conduct demos and answer questions.

Pizza Crust Boot Camp (Room W211-212):

Tuesday, March 28: 9:30-11 a.m.
- During Part I (technical), attendees will learn about basic dough formation along with the interfunctionality of ingredients and applications of specialty ingredients.
Wednesday, March 29: 3:30-5 p.m.
- Part II (practical) covers the dough-making process and discusses various dough-processing methods as well as how to make “emergency” dough.

TNT Crust

Attendees are also encouraged to visit booth #1353 to learn about parbaked crust options and Readi-Rise dough from TNT Crust, which General Mills acquired in 2022. There will be giveaways, including pizza cutters, and an opportunity to sample recipes made with TNT Crust products.

“General Mills is excited to expand our offerings and give pizza makers even more options to grow their business based on their back-of-house needs,” said Garren Hamby, director of Custom Commercial for General Mills Foodservice. “From our extensive line of flours to the par-baked, self-rising and custom crusts from TNT, General Mills is eager to partner with pizzerias and position them for success.”

Pizza Expo attendees can inquire about making an appointment with a member of the General Mills sales team for a product consultation and visit at their own operation. For those who can’t make it to the Pizza Expo, General Mills’ website for pizzerias offers helpful resources including dough troubleshooting tips and dough-making video demonstrations. Click here for more information.

About General Mills Foodservice

General Mills Foodservice serves the foodservice and bakery industries by providing quality products from time-trusted brands along with culinary, nutrition education and marketing resources to help operators succeed. Its distinguished brand portfolio includes Big G Cereals, Yoplait, Nature Valley, Gold Medal, Pillsbury, Chex Mix, Bugles, Gardetto’s and Annie’s. For more information, please visit www.generalmillsfoodservice.com.

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Cheese Trends Right Now — What’s Hot in Cheese

Denise Greer — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 15:31:28 +0000

Cheese trends right now hitting pizzerias

If variety is the spice of life, then cheese is what makes life interesting. There are more than 1,800 recognized types of cheese in the world with classifications from fresh, semi-soft to hard, flavored and blue.

The global cheese market is massive and is projected to reach $151 billion by 2027. Cheese is big business in the U.S. as purveyors, distributors and restaurateurs have their eyes on the Chicago Mercantile cheese block pricing.

As you try to leverage prices with your food costs, cheese is a major factor. It’s not just finding the best cheese for your product, but also balancing portioning and flavor. That’s why innovation and creativity are key in 2023. Pizza chefs look to take the coveted element of the holy trinity of pizza and find new and interesting varieties to stand out in a flood of competition.

Consumers too expect new and interesting cheese from the restaurants they frequent. They are being inundated with a greater cheese variety than ever before. They are willing to experiment with cheese themselves thanks to social media inspiration, like TikTok’s cheese obsession with a barrage of cheese-based food challenges. What can a pizzeria owner learn from this? You can go outside of the box with the cheese you select on pizza.

In February, expert judges evaluated 2,249 dairy products at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in search of the nation’s best. An aged Gouda hailing from Bantam, Connecticut took the top honor. An artisan hard cheese was first runner up and medium cheddar took second runner up. Will one of these stars become the cheese of the year and spark new interest in their cheese types? Gouda is already a beloved cheese in pizza restaurants. An aged Gouda has more of a Parmesan texture and feel with more depth of its rich and nutty flavor.

Or will the next big cheese sensation come from one of the many consumer interest pieces that have gone viral. TasteAtlas recently ranked the 100 Best Rated Cheeses in the World. It’s top five included Parmigiano Reggiano, Gorgonzola piccante, Burrata, Grana Padano and Oaxaca Cheese. Italian cheeses scored high on the list. In fact, 14 of the list’s Top 40 are Italian cheeses.

In the retail space, top cheese performers are cheddar, cream cheese, processed cheese product, mozzarella, Colby/jack and cheddar/jack according to IRI WorldWide. Does what’s happening in the grocery isle translate to the pizzeria?

Location matters when it comes to cheese preferences. Zippia conducted data crunching in Google Trends to find out every state’s favorite cheese. The Deep South seems to love cream cheese and queso bianco while Feta won over Vermont and Massachusetts. While these lists are fun, they lead to a resource that you have available at your disposal to evaluate what people are searching for in your area. So, you can see if a cheese you want to introduce is on the radar of people in your state or region. Go to trends.google.com/ and compare cheese types that you currently menu and those that you are researching to add. It’s a good metric to understand how a new cheese may perform on your menu.

We’ve been tracking what’s happening with cheese trends all over the industry, from operator surveys and pizzeria new menu launches to trade show trends and boots-on-the-ground conversations with owners and pizza chefs. Here are our cheese findings for 2023 and beyond.

Mozzarella reigns supreme! But, in which form?

The king of all pizza cheese is mozzarella. Typically, it’s a whole-milk or part-skim mozzarella that creates that signature cheese pull. But today’s pizza fans are craving more from mozzarella, thanks in part to a few mozzarella styles making their way into the mainstream at fast-casual pizza chains. Fresh mozzarella, Fior di Latte, ovoline, perlini, Stracciatella, mozzarella di Bufala and burrata are increasing their reach. Once reserved for Italian, Neapolitan and artisan pizzerias, fresh mozzarella varieties are becoming star ingredients on many pizza styles from Detroit, Standard American to New York and Pan.

Burrata is having its moment.

While, yes, burrata is a form of mozzarella, it seems to be in a class of its own with pizza fans. Burrata’s popularity is being aided by TikTok and Instagram’s fascination with the beautiful cheese. Its presentation wows customers with a whole burrata sitting atop a piping hot pizza. It’s interactive as one cuts into the burrata and its contents made up of Stracciatella spread over the pizza. For great burrata pizza ideas, check out Editor in Chief Jeremy White’s story “Burrata Baby”.

Plant-based Cheese is here to stay.

We can’t talk cheese trends without mentioning one of the hottest new additions to pizza menus across the country, plant-based cheeses. The dairy-free cheese comes in many forms to emulate popular pizza cheeses, as well as having a few varieties of its own. Cashew cheese is a spreadable vegan cheese that some operators are creating in house. At International Pizza Expo, plant-based cheese is one of the most-sought after items on the show floor as pizzeria owners seek to find the right plant-based mozzarella and other varieties with the consistency, bake and mouth feel that matches their pizza.

Herb and flavor-infused cheeses are hitting specialty pizza menus.

Whether they are infused in or marinated with the cheese, herbs and seasoning are increasing in frequency. Infusing strong flavors like black truffle and hot peppers with mild to medium cheese varieties can help prevent the potent ingredients from overpowering a delicate pizza. Another big infused trend is smoked cheeses. You can learn more about smoked cheeses in my Kitchen story, “Where There’s Smoke, There’s Cheese”.

Pizzerias look to stretch boundaries with unique cheese blends.

Pizzerias are finding a point of distinction with new cheeses blends. Popular blends include mozzarella/provolone and mozzarella/cheddar/Parmesan. More pizzerias are creating their own custom blends. Experiment with different mix percentages of one or more of these cheeses: aged Gouda, Asiago, Swiss, fontina, gruyere, Pecorino, Monterey Jack, white cheddar or even Muenster. If there is a type of cheese that is a staple of your area, try a blend.

Pizza cheese has gone soft.

We asked pizzeria operators what toppings they have introduced/are testing to add to the pizza menu for our 2023 State of the Pizzeria Industry Report. Cheese was top of mind. Interestingly, a number of soft cheeses were listed. Cream cheese, ricotta and goat cheese stand out. Soft cheese can offer so much differentiation on pizza. Due to higher moisture, how the cheese is baked or applied post-bake must account for the added liquid.

Denise Greer is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

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7 Steps to Prevent Pests from Taking Over your Restaurant

Denise Greer — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 20:06:49 +0000

Preventing Pest Problems in your Restaurant

When it comes to pest control in your pizzeria, your best offense is a good defense.

Think prevention. It’s much easier to avert an infestation than to get rid of one.

Prevent insects and rodents from getting into your restaurant, and deprive them of the food, shelter and warmth they need to survive and reproduce.

According to Jim Fredericks, chief entomologist and vice president of public affairs at the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), “a single female cockroach is capable of producing 400 eggs in her lifetime, and each egg will hatch and grow into a reproducing adult in as little as 90 days, so populations can really explode.”

“Under ideal conditions, house flies can develop from egg to adult in as little as a week,” says Patricia Hottel, board certified entomologist and technical manager at Rentokil Terminix.

Plus, once you’ve got an infestation it puts your business at risk. Customers have very low tolerance for seeing rodents or bugs where they eat. According to the NPMA, 59 percent of customers say that they won’t return to an establishment where they saw a pest on the premises.

We talked to some experts in the field about how to discourage unwelcome critters from coming into your restaurant and setting up housekeeping.

Sanitation

“My first tip is having a specific sanitation plan for who does what,” says Ian Williams, entomologist and technical services manager at Orkin. “Make sure that the dishes are done at the end of the night and instead of sitting in a sink overnight. Make sure that the floors are cleaned regularly, that there’s product rotation for stored ingredients. Sanitation by itself is a huge step in proactively and reactively dealing with pest problems.”

Matt Lentine, a commercial branch manager at Truly Nolen, agrees. “If you keep a clean establishment, even when pests make it into the building, it’s easier to eliminate them. Pests are all looking for harbor, food and water, and especially at a pizzeria, you’re not going to be able to take their harbor away entirely because of all the pizza boxes, but you can definitely control the food and water portion of it.”

Roaches in particular “are looking for moisture. So dripping pipes, or not wiping down a dish area well or leaving water in it overnight, that encourages them,” says Lentine. “We advise our customers to caulk or seal as many cracks and crevices as possible.” Not only do these spots offer harbor and possibly access to vermin, but they also collect materials like flour and food waste that provide food for your unwelcome animal guests.

“Deep cleaning is really important on any cracks or crevices where flour might start to build up. Those places are a feast waiting to happen for a stored grain beetle,” advises Fredericks.

“Some areas, because they are not food contact surfaces, can be forgotten and not addressed in cleaning programs,” warns Hottel. “This includes things like floor drains, beverage fountain drip trays, grease traps, suspended ceilings and dumpsters.”

Prevent Access

“Probably the one thing that’s most important is making sure that pest entry points are sealed up,” says Fredericks. “That means keeping doors closed in warmer months, and sealing any gaps, especially in older buildings.” He points out that a mouse can squeeze through a quarter-inch gap under a door, which is about the width of a pencil. If you’ve got gaps under the doors, install floor sweeps to close them up. Mice can also slip through a hole the size of a dime, which may exist around unsealed utility penetrations.

Look Out for Seasonal Trends

Know your local vermin and their seasonal habits. For example, rodents will seek shelter when the weather gets cold, and they won’t leave when it warms up. Ants march indoors during warm rainy weather. Flies tend to be a warm-weather problem, while cockroaches and flour beetles are problems year-round, according to Fredericks.

Hottel advises that “insects and related arthropods are cold-blooded and so their ability to survive and reproduce will be tied to temperature. The time for an insect to develop from egg to adult will be faster during ideal temperatures.”

Inspect Deliveries

“Some pests are good hitch-hikers and can be carried in on ingredients and employee belongings,” such as the German cockroach, says Hottel. “Check incoming product deliveries to make sure there are no pests being delivered. Have a designated area for employees to store their personal belongings and monitor those areas for pests like cockroaches.”

Fredericks also urges operators to inspect all incoming goods for signs of insect or rodent activity. Corrugated cardboard is a favorite place for roaches to lodge. “Often you’ll just see little antenna sticking out.” In addition to looking for the actual animals, “damaged packaging is an indicator that you need to take a closer look.” Cockroach feces “might just look like little specks that are almost pasted around the edges of gaps.”

Inspect Your Premises

Keep an eagle eye out for signs of unwelcome creatures so you can address the problem before it gets out of hand. Williams suggests employing “a passive monitor like a paper-based glue board that’s placed in areas where German cockroaches, for example, are likely to travel, so you can detect them early.” This helps indicate the level of population and where the animals are coming from.

Take a close look for rodent and roach fecal matter in crevices and inside corners and around outlets and other potential access points. Drop ceilings are notorious for harboring pests. The insulation around coolers is also an attractive nesting area because the refrigeration mechanism keeps it warm and cozy.

Rotate Your Product

First in, first out is not just about keeping your ingredients fresh — it also discourages infestations. It’s extremely important to rotate your pizza boxes. Cardboard makes a very inviting roach motel and you can’t treat pizza boxes with pesticides, so don’t keep too many boxes on hand at a time and rotate through them.

Seek Professional Support

Partnering with a pest professional experienced in the restaurant industry will help you keep on top of any problems. Professional exterminators know the local vermin and their seasonal habits. They’re experienced at detecting subtle signs of bugs and rodents, and they have extensive knowledge about safe pesticide application, especially in terms of what products can be applied where, and how frequently. “In some states, it would be a violation of law for someone to apply pesticides without the proper certification and credentials,” according to Hottel.

Lentine points out that using an enzyme-based floor cleaner will help in the battle against drain flies. “The enzyme will eat away the bacteria and things that drain flies live off, and it works hand in hand with our products whereas bleach deteriorates our products rapidly.”

The pros also have sophisticated tools in their arsenal. For example, Williams explains that they can place monitors specifically for Indianmeal moths and other flour-eating moths “that have female sex attractant on them. If male moths show up, we can know about it immediately and react very quickly with a management plan already in place.”

Fredericks points out that a pro won’t “just react to an infestation, but will develop a comprehensive Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program that will consist of preventative measures such as identifying potential points of entry and ways to modify the facility to discourage entry, along with monitoring and early detection for proactive instead of reactive pest control.”

You want to be proud of every nook and cranny of your restaurant, not just your amazing pizza. Stay on top of pest presence in your place, or else you risk getting negative health inspections, offending and losing customers, and actually putting the health of your guests and employees at risk.

Annelise Kelly is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer.

The post 7 Steps to Prevent Pests from Taking Over your Restaurant appeared first on Pizza Today.

6 Steps to Improve Your Restaurant’s Indoor Air Quality

Denise Greer — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 19:11:35 +0000

Find practical solutions to address indoor air quality in pizzerias

As the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the country in 2020, Sean Chang noticed an everyday behavior practiced by millions of Americans – visiting a restaurant – suddenly deemed risky. For Chang, an associate professor at Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, the aggressively shifting consumer sentiment intrigued.

“Almost overnight, people became sensitive to something they didn’t think twice about before,” Chang says.

With a scholarly focus on investigating ways hospitality operations can add value to their products and services, Chang thought indoor air quality demanded a look.

In the April 2021 edition of the International Journal of Hospitality Management, a Chang-led study of open-kitchen restaurants with grilling and frying found these establishments were likely to cause respiratory health problems and elevate susceptibility to COVID-19. Chang and his co-authors suggested restaurants use air quality surveillance systems to monitor air quality and take preventative measures to keep restaurants safe and healthy.

“Indoor air quality has ramifications for the customer experience, employee health and the restaurant’s healthcare expenses,” says Chang, adding that today’s customers and employees are far more mindful of indoor air quality than ever before, which has elevated the issue with operators.

Indoor air quality and the pizzeria

Commercial cooking is known as the main source of harmful particulate matter pollution indoors, explains Bendegul Okumus, an associate professor at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management and a research collaborator with Chang. Particulate matter is a mixture of airborne solid particles, which can include dirt, dust and flour, and liquid droplets. Exposure to particulate matter can cause short-term health effects, such as lung or eye irritation, sneezing or shortness of breath. It can also impact lung function and potentially worsen existing medical conditions like asthma and heart disease.

“Anyone who breathes the restaurant’s air can suffer acute or chronic health problems due to these particulate matter rates,” Okumus says, adding that some commercial cooking methods and ingredients generate more particulate emissions than trucks or factories.

For example, Okumus says the use of charbroilers and gas, rather than electric stoves, contribute to higher particulate matter levels. In addition, certain oils, including olive oil, produce higher emissions than others.

“Cooking methods, pans, cooking temperature and lack of ventilation are factors that increase particulate matter emission rates,” Okumus says of restaurant kitchens.

Toss in the use of cleaning products, moisture and a high customer and employee density and maintaining healthy indoor air quality in a restaurant becomes that much more challenging, says Tony Kolotov, an indoor air quality advocate with ATMO (formerly Atmotube), a San Francisco-based company specializing in air quality and environmental monitoring products.

In a pizzeria, Kolotov says good indoor air quality is characterized by clean, fresh air and the absence of dangerous air pollutants, such as particulate matter, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide.

Six practical solutions to address indoor air quality in pizzerias

Admittedly, pizzerias face a challenging dilemma here. After all, crafting tasty pizzas involves working with flour and oils while keeping a tidy restaurant demands the use of cleaning supplies.

While the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) provides standards for ventilation and acceptable indoor air quality – Standard 62.1, for those interested – Kolotov says actual indoor air quality levels will depend on various factors, such as the size and type of establishment, the ventilation system and local weather conditions.

To be certain, though, all restaurants can take reasonable, simple measures to improve indoor air quality in their establishments.

1: Tend to HVAC with care.

Operators should have their HVAC and hood system inspected and serviced on an annual basis to ensure proper operation and adequate ventilation. In addition, operators should frequently change air filters, a simple move that will limit the amount of dust and debris circulating around the establishment.

“It is important to check the hood ventilation system regularly, as the hood system is the key to keeping the kitchen clean and preventing harmful particles from entering the eating area,” Okumus says.

These ongoing maintenance steps are especially important in newer or renovated buildings, Chang says, where municipal codes designed to promote energy efficiency have created tighter and tighter seals that can trap air inside without proper ventilation.

2: Install an indoor air monitoring system.

Running $200 to $500, an indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring system does as its name suggests: it reports real-time levels of common pollutants, including particulate matter, VOCs, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde and carbon monoxide. Ideally, a monitor should be placed in restaurant areas where air quality is most critical, namely the kitchen and dining area.

Kolotov says continuous air quality monitoring “can help pinpoint high-risk areas, be it cooking activities that necessitate increased ventilation in the kitchen or dining areas with increased viral transmission risks.”

3: Clean often – and with the right products.

Regular cleaning of equipment and surfaces in the kitchen and dining room creates confidence in diners and employees, of course, but it also prevents dust and debris from building up and wiggling into the HVAC system. When cleaning, use VOC-free cleaning products to reduce chemical pollution.

4: Consider industrial-grade masks for kitchen staff.

A potentially controversial suggestion given the contentiousness of masking in post-pandemic society, Chang would nevertheless encourage kitchen staff to wear industrial-grade masks to protect themselves from air pollution.

In his research, Chang found air pollution levels in some restaurants exceeding those found in an auto paint shop. And yet, he says, whereas auto painters wear industrial-grade masks, such a practice does not exist in restaurants.

#5: When applicable, use natural ventilation.

While not always possible, opening doors and windows will help stimulate air circulation. Natural ventilation is not a cure-all, Chang reminds, but it can certainly help during specific times of year.

In addition, Kolotov says using air purifiers in the dining room can prove beneficial.

#6: Call in professional help.

To discover the right interventions for their pizzeria, owners might contact an experienced IAQ expert. These specialists can provide an evaluation of the restaurant and offer specific IAQ recommendations to improve the indoor air environment.

The post 6 Steps to Improve Your Restaurant’s Indoor Air Quality appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Look at Ghost Kitchen Operations and Setup

Denise Greer — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 20:56:05 +0000

Going Ghost

As the COVID-19 Pandemic shuttered dine in and off-premise sales soared, ghost and virtual kitchens gained ground. These operations exist solely for online delivery orders through websites, apps and third-party delivery platforms. Some marked them as the way of the future. During that time, Euromonitor estimated ghost kitchens could be a $1 trillion market globally by 2030.

The post-pandemic boom of indoor dining may have slowed the pace of the volume of ghost kitchen openings. You’re hearing less about the trend in restaurant news. Were ghost kitchens a fad or temporary solution to the pandemic? The short answer is no. The ghost model was increasing its frequency even before 2020. But the market forecast has changed and it’s growing at a sustaining pace. Though projections vary. The Global Cloud Kitchen Market is at $31.90 billion in 2022 and is anticipated to reach $117.89 billion by 2031, according to a new report from Astute Analytics. While ResearchandMarkets’s November 2022 release points to $58.13 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow to $89.5 billion in 2026.

We may have seen this trajectory before. Could ghost kitchens be following the fast-casual concepts rise? Fast-casual pizzerias came in red hot on the scene. The concepts that have perfected the segment and learned how to fit into the restaurant industry landscape are still thriving and growing. There have been business casualties along the way as the fast-casual pizza segment crossed the decade mark. Amidst the current turbulent restaurant climate, we have already seen some cautionary ghost and virtual kitchen failures, but success stories are abound too with models like CloudKitchens and Reef Kitchens.

Chuck E. Cheese may be the most well-known ghost kitchen case study in the pizzeria industry. The pizza and entertainment company was among the restaurant concepts hit the hardest by the pandemic’s indoor dining shutdown. Parent company CEC Entertainment Inc. launched the delivery-only virtual Pasqually’s Pizza & Wings in spring of 2020. Today the company website notes more than 450 ghost locations nationwide with online ordering available through its site and third-party delivery partners.

Ghost Ops

Ghost and virtual kitchens have their benefits. They come with lower start-up and operational costs, as well as typically lower labor cost through the use of automation technology. This provides established concepts the ability to gain a foothold in a new market and startups the chance to test concepts within given markets without the high overhead costs of a traditional brick and mortar. Just like any other restaurant businesses, they also have their drawbacks. Since ghosts are delivery only, they tend to carry high delivery service fees. Gaining marketing traction can also be a challenge, especially with customer loyalty. With multiple platforms delivering the product, there can be inconsistency with the customer experience.

To be successful in the ghost landscape, do your homework and get laser focused on the business planning just as you would a traditional restaurant. Let’s take a look at some ghost operation logistics if you are considering adding a ghost or virtual kitchen to your concepts.

First, there are three common forms of ghost operations. They are:

Single Concept Delivery-Only Operation. These concepts are often referred to as ghost because there is no customer-facing component, often no signage, and orders go through third-party delivery services.
Shared Kitchen. Think of this as a food production facility, often with several concepts operating in one kitchen or building. We’ve seen this model used in another form as joint commissary kitchens. They can also be referred to a virtual food halls.
Virtual Kitchen. A virtual kitchen operates in an existing restaurant facility with a different brand that is delivery-only. This is the most common for established restaurants who want to enter the ghost market and test a different product or a certain menu product as a stand-alone business.

There are several things you should know before you dive into starting up a ghost kitchen. Here are just some the logistics you’ll need to nail down to succeed as a ghost operation.

Select a menu that can thrive in a delivery-only format. When deciding on a menu, selecting items that hold and delivery well. You also may want to focus only high margin items.

Know your market. Customer insights are vital. Do the market research and find the right customer demographic for the new ghost brand.

Location. Location. Location. Even though it’s a ghost operator, location is important to being in the right delivery zone for the customers you want to attract. Whether you are setting it up in a shared environment or in an existing restaurant, evaluate if the location is optimal for the specific products you want sell in the ghost environment.

Obtain all proper permits, licenses and follow all health and safety requirements. This is no different than your current restaurant. You must contact local and state entities to operate a ghost kitchen. Processes and rules vary by states and localities.

Make the right delivery decisions for you. Some operations have their own delivery program and others use third-party or both. A majority select to only delivery through third-party delivery platforms. Research and find the right delivery partners for your business.

Focus on your labor estimates. What is it going to take to staff your ghost operation efficiently and effectively? For those considering a virtual concept in an existing restaurant, ydon’t simply tack the ghost operation onto your existing team. Run the numbers and staff it properly.

Factor in supply chain and inventory. While a single-unit ghost kitchen may not have to worry about inventory as much, shared kitchens and virtual concepts have to consider how much product can be ordered and stored. This can directly impact your bottom line with supplier bulk pricing.

Denise Greer is the Executive Editor of Pizza Today.

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Hobart To Host Custom-Designed Mixer Giveaway at the International Pizza Expo 2023

Denise Greer — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 08:00:13 +0000

TROY, Ohio — Hobart, the premium commercial food equipment manufacturer known for designing and building some of the most reliable, must-have equipment, will give away a custom-designed Legacy+® HL662 pizza dough mixer (valued at $30,000) at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, March 28–30.

Hobart encourages visitors to stop by booth 1113 to see the exciting 2023 mixer design and enter for a chance to win. The mixer will be unveiled on the first day of the expo.

The Hobart Legacy+® HL662 pizza dough mixer will be custom designed specifically for Pizza Expo 2023 Giveaway.

Hobart designed its Legacy+ HL662 pizza mixer to meet the needs of even the most demanding operations and to improve productivity. This maximum heavy-duty 60-quart machine offers as much as 30% more mixing capacity in the same size bowl, depending on the application — so pizza restaurants can do more.

The Hobart-exclusive PLUS System is behind the power provided by the Legacy+ HL662 mixer and makes it possible to handle the toughest applications. VFDadvantage delivers precise motor control and exceptional power to ensure consistent mixing and high quality, as well as high production. Maximum capacity overheat protection includes extreme-duty wiring and connections to manage the mixer’s power, while a reinforced planetary shaft drives more power into the bowl for greater output. Combined, these technologies improve mixing performance and reduce downtime.

Those interested in entering the giveaway can obtain and submit a completed sweepstakes entry card at the Hobart booth beginning at 10 a.m. PST on Tuesday, March 28. Entry cards will also be included in the gift bags attendees receive when entering the show. Only one entry per attendee is allowed, and cards must be submitted by 11 a.m. PST on Thursday, March 30, to be valid to enter.

Hobart will randomly select a winner from entries at the International Pizza Challenge Area on Thursday, March 30, at approximately 12:30 p.m. PST. The selected attendee must be present to win.

About Hobart

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Caputo’s Fresh Mozzarella Mini Nodini earns Best in Class at U.S. Competition

Denise Greer — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 21:10:11 +0000

(Green Bay, WI) – Chicago-based Caputo® Cheese earned top honors at the biennial U.S. Championship Cheese Contest®. The most recent awards continue the company’s heritage of award-winning fresh mozzarella cheeses.

Caputo’s Fresh Mozzarella Mini Nodini earned 1^st Place in the category. The company’s Burratini placed second within the Burrata category and Caputo’s Burrata was among the top finishers within the category overall. “The recognition as either Best of Class or as one of the top finishers in this year’s competition is a great honor,” says Natale Caputo, a second-generation leader of the cheese company.

“Our commitment to quality cheeses is apparent in awards we’ve earned since entering U.S. and world cheese competitions over the past five years,” say Natale Caputo, a second-generation leader of the cheese company.

Since 2018, Caputo Cheese has earned 17 awards in various national and international competitions.

“Our most recent wins at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest proves that our commitment grows stronger each year,” says Natale. “I want to thank everyone in our industry for their commitment and to the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association in particular. We look forward to more award-winning entries by our company in 2024.”

A glimpse inside the judging during this year’s competition. (Courtesy U.S. Championship Cheese Contest)

Brett Piccioni is General Manager at Caputo Cheese. “Fresh mozzarella and hard Italian cheese are our passion,” says Brett. “Our entire development and production team is dedicated to finding perfection in the quality of our cheese and in providing our customers with the best service in the business of cheese.”

Caputo Cheese serves the foodservice, food processing, and retail industry with a variety of cheeses from bulk, to portion control packaging formats.

The U.S. Championship Cheese Contest is the nation’s premier technical cheese, butter, and yogurt competition. This year, entries came from 35 states with a total of 2,249 entries. The contest is hosted by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association biennially since 1981. Entries are evaluated by a team of skilled technical judges from across the nation.

Since 1978, the Caputo family has crafted some of the world’s finest cheese. Their award-winning products possess the quality, flavor, and consistency that only high standards and family pride can produce. Learn more about Caputo Cheese award-winning quality at CaputoCheese.com.

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Conversation: Kenneth MacFawn, Rad Pies, Williamsport, Maryland

Denise Greer — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 14:54:05 +0000

A Q&A with Kenneth MacFawn, co-owner, Rad Pies, Williamsport, Maryland

Concept:

Rad Pies is a punk rock pizza shop that pushes the limits of pizza everyday. We have a super positive working environment with a goal of making sure our customers receive the best food possible every time they visit us.

Pizza Style:

Rad Pies’ radical pizzas are two very different styles: Detroit pan and a more traditional, Neo-Neapolitan pie. Let’s start off with Detroit. It’s incredibly light, airy and crispy. The reason? The dough. It’s a 100% hydrated dough made out of a high-gluten, 00 flour. The yeast is extremely minimal and once it goes through its 24 hours of fermentation at room temp, it’s ready to par bake. Our Detroits are 8×10 inches. Now, onto the Neo-Neopolitan pies. These are using the same flour as above, but the fermentation and hydration are much different. These 62% hydration doughs go through a minimum of 48 hours of cold fermentation. However, most of the time, it’s more like 72-96 hours. These are all 12” whole pies. We like to push the limit of pizza. There’s no topping that is off limit. We encourage our staff to be creative and constantly push for new, innovative pies.

What’s the biggest challenge you are facing in the business right now and how are you addressing it?

Labor. It’s an interesting time because of course there’s a labor shortage right now, but at the same time, there’s a lot of new equipment and technology such as conveyor ovens, dough dividers and ballers and even POS systems with kiosks. Everyone in our industry has an opportunity to reinvent our processes by utilizing these new advancements. For us, it’s allowed us to have consistency and efficiency in products and processes, which gives us the ability to invest more in our employees providing quality hours and wages.

How have you been able to capitalize on IPC wins in your market?

When we returned from Vegas, demand was so high, we ran out of pizza dough at both locations for a month. We’ve also been able to hire top talent and are currently in the process of opening our 2nd Rad Pies location and building out a custom food trailer. We will be doing pop-ups and catering, allowing us to introduce Rad Pies to more people in our state and beyond.

In Vegas we also won some other awards; 3rd place in sandwich, 11th in pan, and we also won the whole Northeast in non-traditional round pizza (beating everyone in NYC, yeah that’s right!). Our whole menu has taken off, especially our sandwiches, served on our house made baguettes.

What has been key for you to perform well at the International Pizza Challenge?

Constantly checking the market. Too often you can get stuck in your same four walls and not see for yourself what everyone else is doing. For us it is necessary to meet and try as much pizza as possible. That definitely helped us gain confidence in the product we are putting out.

We like your style. Tell us about your branding.

We are looking for something a little more punk rock, and edgy. We grew up in the 80’s and have always liked the freedom and nonsense of that era. We also try to be as ridiculous as possible at all times while also maintaining the highest work ethic and standards for our food.

The post Conversation: Kenneth MacFawn, Rad Pies, Williamsport, Maryland appeared first on Pizza Today.

Flatbread Pans: The perfect versatile pan

Denise Greer — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 14:50:49 +0000

Chefs will enjoy a blank canvas for pizza, desserts and global inspiration

LloydPans Flatbread Pans serve a multitude of purposes, and they are similar to pizza in that almost anything goes. There is an unending array of foodservice items that can be baked on LloydPans Flatbread Pans in multiple configurations. From traditional flatbread pizzas to flatbread desserts to pita bread and plant-based creations — you name it, flatbread satisfies the course.

Each of LloydPans Flatbread Pans features our proprietary PRE SEASONED TUFF-KOTE finish, a stick-resistant, water-based non-toxic finish that will never wear off.

Flatbread Pan

5×15 inch, 0.5-inch deep
Folded, angled rim for strength

Perforated Flatbread Pan

5×15 inch, 0.5-inch deep
Folded, angled rim for strength
Perforated for increased airflow

Rounded Corner Hex Pan

7×18 inch
Raised beaded edge for strength
Hex perforation for maximum airflow

Need a specialty Flatbread Pan? LloydPans also offers Perforated QDF40 and Hearth Bake for Artisan-Style Crusts. Visit our Flatbread Pans page for additional product specifications.

LloydPans

800-748-6251

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How to source and prepare chicken for your Restaurant

Denise Greer — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 19:46:47 +0000

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Hot Tips on Serving Chicken in a Restaurant

Chicken sandwiches are not the only poultry centered menu item soaring in popularity these days. And even though chicken has long had a presence on pizzeria menus, there has been a renewed love of chicken on pizza.

With chicken prices at an all-time high, you might be tempted to take it off your menu altogether, but remember this: consumers are well aware of what it costs to buy groceries, including chicken. To make this decision, it is important to understand the mindset and behavior of your customer base. In my experience, people are still spending money, and a lot of it. They are not shying away from $68 pizzas, but what they expect in return is quality and value.

A good quality chicken breast speaks for itself and means that you can expect your guests to pay a fair price. Conversely, tough, gristly or dry chicken is a poor argument for rising menu prices.

What you must ask yourself is, is it more offensive to your guests for you to charge appropriately for grilled chicken, or take it off the menu altogether? When I engineered our latest menu, I found that a pizza with the least amount of protein on it (chicken) carried the highest COGS. I seriously considered taking it off the menu, but instead, I increased the price, and it is now one of my best selling 10-inch pizzas.

I also discovered that most of the 20-inch pizzas I was selling were one topping, BYOs — rarely specialty pies, and never chicken on its own. This meant that the bulk of the specialty pies featuring chicken were 10 inches and carried a much better profit margin than 20-inch pies. This prompted the decision to only offer our specialty pies as a 10-inch. If a guest would like to build their own 20-inch specialty pizza, they certainly can, but at the build your own price. This more than adequately meets my target margin when chicken and other expensive proteins are chosen.

All chicken breasts are not created equal, therefore even in the face of supply chain issues, consistency is key! While less expensive — lower-quality chicken breast may seem like a good deal on its face, you may find more “funny business,” which requires more trimming and yields less usable product. Lower-quality chicken breasts can also be injected with saltwater to make them appear larger but tend to shrink considerably when cooked and can be dry and tough. Using higher quality, larger chicken breasts, even if you are not serving them as an entree, will cook more evenly and will be juicier than smaller breasts. A larger breast can stand up to the process of being reheated on a pizza which opens the opportunity for cross utilization on sauté, pantry and dough products. Using a better-quality chicken breast may be a little more expensive, however fewer operators are using them, which may help with availability. I also never allow unapproved substitutions of my key items including chicken. Although I have an approved substitution just in case we run into an issue, I still want the heads up from my broad liner that we will have to make the temporary change.

Quality assurance is important in all things. Our line cooks are encouraged, if not required, to taste everything they prepare, and this goes double for chicken. There is a phenomenon in the chicken business called “woody breast”. It is an unforgettable texture that is created by the mass production of chickens, and it can spoil your appetite. While it can happen with any chicken breast it is less common with higher-quality chicken.

When I am thinking about adding chicken to a pizza, I want the chicken to stand out. Chicken in and of itself does not taste like much. It is really the spices that you prepare it with that shines through. For me, quality and flavor profile are more important than the convenience of a precooked and diced chicken breast. Therefore, I use IQF chicken breasts seasoned with a dry rub then grilled for use in salads and pasta dishes. I minimize waste by then taking the unused grilled chicken from the previous shift to use on the pizza line.

I do not recommend using raw chicken anywhere on the pizza line. The opportunity for cross contamination is too risky and won’t really add anything to the finished product.

Another way to reduce your cost on a pizza featuring chicken is to combine it with other lower cost ingredients that pack a lot of flavor. For example, you could use a white sauce or even cream cheese as your base, add grilled chicken, fresh sliced jalapeños, red onion, fresh diced mango and cilantro. None of those ingredients are terribly high in cost and it makes for an interesting specialty pie. Think about what goes well with chicken. One of my favorite pies was a pesto pinwheel pie made with high-quality olive oil, provolone, grilled chicken, pesto and roasted red pepper. The big flavors of the other ingredients are a nice compliment to the grilled chicken, requiring less of the expensive protein.

Because chicken is rather neutral in flavor, it can be paired with a multitude of unique flavors and sauces. At Wholly Stromboli the newest star on our summer menu is “The Queens Hot Honey”, featuring a cream cheese base, Italian hot sauce, provolone cheese, grilled chicken, sweet picante peppers, drizzled with our house made hot honey, and finished with fresh basil. It is a favorite with team members and guests alike – so don’t be a chicken! Give chicken a crack on your next menu!

Try the 10-inch Queens Hot Honey with two ounces cream cheese sauce or your favorite white sauce, Italian hot sauce that is pinwheeled over the cream cheese, four slices Provolone cheese, four-ounce scoop diced grilled chicken, two-ounce scoop sweet picante peppers, hot honey drizzled before and after the bake (we make our hot honey in house.) and finished with fresh basil.

MELISSA RICKMAN is co-founder of Wholly Stromboli in Fort Lupton, Colorado, and member of the World Pizza Champions.

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Online Ordering Cuts Labor Costs and Increases Sales

Denise Greer — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 15:22:12 +0000

Online ordering has grown exponentially in recent years, accelerated by the smart phone revolution that placed a high-powered computer in everyone’s pocket.

Other contributing factors include peer-to-peer delivery like Uber Eats and Grubhub; a global pandemic that shut down indoor dining and encouraged contactless transactions; and a post-crisis recovery characterized by a labor shortage and higher wages. Notably, online ordering jumped by 3,868 percent in large suburbs from February to April 2020, according to data from Upserve, a leading restaurant management platform.

In fact, the long-term culture of delivery and carryout that characterizes the pizza industry makes pizzerias among the best candidates to benefit from online ordering. It’s safe to say that online ordering plays a bigger role than ever in the success of pizza operations.

However, even though online ordering and delivery have grown 300 percent faster than dine-in traffic from 2014-2020 (according to Upserve), many pizzerias are either not using online ordering or not taking full advantage of their existing systems.

Here’s some information on why pizzeria operators will benefit from online ordering; how to choose the right system; and how to get the most out of your new or existing online ordering system.

Benefits of an Online Ordering System

The pizza arena is crowded and competitive, and every operator needs to maximize revenue while attracting customers with convenience, quality and service. Customers are now used to controlling the transaction, and online ordering fulfills this expectation. Many customers assume they can order online, and may go elsewhere if they can’t.

Restaurants are facing staffing challenges, and online ordering allows staff to focus on other tasks such as building pies or serving in-person customers. A constantly ringing phone disturbs guests and interrupts workers’ continuity, plus the loud environment on either side of the phone line can make it hard to hear and record an order accurately.

At its best, online ordering saves labor while being simple, seamless and accurate.

“With the addition of kiosks in-store, operators can have as much as 50 to 90 percent of their orders placed without human interaction, between web order services and kiosk services in-store,” according to Freida. This reduces staffing crunches by taking employees off of order-taking duty so they can perform higher-value tasks. Plus, you’ll never lose a customer to a busy signal.

Automated upsell suggestions can increase your per-ticket revenue. “The site or app can upsell to the customer: hey, do you want breadsticks or do you want a drink?” says Figueroa. These pop ups can increase sales.

“For our users, average online orders are between 7-24 percent higher in total than over the phone or in-store,” says Tim Freida, VP of Sales at Microworks, which makes Prism POS. “Some locations reach as high as 30-40 percent higher average tickets placed via online ordering, depending upon their market demographics.”

Freida describes a content-sensitive upsell feature that offers a sequence of offers that are predicated on the initial order. For example, the customer sees a different suggestion if they order a pizza versus a sandwich.

Importantly, this technology appeals to younger, tech-savvy, digitally dedicated customers who value convenience and reliability.

Choosing your Online Ordering System

There’s a wealth of online ordering platforms, including ones that may be powered by or compatible with your existing point of sale (POS) system. The number of options, features and value propositions is extensive, so operators need to consider their priorities and examine their range of choices.

Freida urges that operators “should be looking for a point of sale system and service that was designed specifically for the pizza industry.” Talk to your colleagues in the pizza business, and pull up their websites to check out their online ordering.

Compare the huge range of available features, such as an included website, loyalty programs, databases of customers and analytics. For example, Figueroa says his company is a Google Food Ordering Partner, so a blue “order online” button appears on their clients’ Google My Business listing. Freida’s product allows them to add Google Tag Manager, which enables users to access Google Analytics.

Any tool must work equally well on a phone, laptop or tablet, so make sure it is responsive.

“A responsive website design will automatically resize based on the screen resolution of the device you are using. It will increase for a desktop computer and decrease for a smaller mobile device,” says Freida. “This is very important as it lessens the need for a brand-specific app. A pizza store can have one website that works on all devices without the added cost of developing a brand-specific app.”

Compare their pricing structures, whether it’s based on a monthly fee or calculated per transaction. Figueroa says his company’s lowest tier product is free, charging only credit card processing fees.

Most pizzerias want “white label” branding, which means that their brand and logo are featured, not the online ordering company. You’ve worked hard to establish your brand, and your customers need to feel confident that they’re ordering from a familiar place.

Other factors to consider include:

Find out what kind of customer service, coaching and troubleshooting you can expect from your vendor.
Pizza consumers expect custom ordering, so your tool needs to be able to accommodate special requests such as half-pepperoni-half-sausage or extra sauce.
Some tools include images on the menu, which tends to increase sales.
Find out what kind of analytics are available and how you can use them to know your customers better and ramp up receipts.

Ultimately it has to function well enough to win over both your customers and your team members by serving both parties better.

Get the Most from your Online Ordering System

“Promoting your online ordering service is paramount,” says Freida. “The more business that goes through the web order portal with the higher average ticket obviously affects your profit while decreasing your labor.”

Publicize the ease and simplicity of placing online orders in every possible channel, including on menus, table tents, pizza boxes, window stickers, and social media. “We want to make sure that our clients add the order link to their Facebook, to any type of social media,” says Figueroa.

Some customers may resist your new-fangled technology. One way to train your old-school customers away from phone ordering is to send calls to a recorded message that clearly explains where and how to order. Implement a system that offers clear benefits, such as images of the products, ease of check out, loyalty programs, and the ability to save and re-order a pizza or entire ticket.

Get to know your dashboard, and get assistance as needed from your provider to master your system. Seek out feedback from both staff and customers to improve the system and iron out any wrinkles.

Thriving in the competitive pizza industry requires keeping up with 21st century technology. Online ordering can be part of your strategy to be a lean, profitable pizzeria.

Annelise Kelly is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer.

The post Online Ordering Cuts Labor Costs and Increases Sales appeared first on Pizza Today.

Deliver a Wide Variety of Products Fresh and Hot in the Heated Cube Delivery Bag.

Denise Greer — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 18:17:05 +0000

This multipurpose heated delivery bag can be used to deliver a wide variety of products. Measuring 12.5”x12.5”x11” this bag is constructed of premium thermal materials for superior temperature retention with heavy duty handle straps, a RediHEAT patented heating element, and cord.

Our electric food delivery bags are made with a patented heating technology that takes only 4-5 minutes to reach the optimal heating temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit, keeping your food hot for 45 minutes, like it’s right out of the oven! Each bag has a special pocket for the heating element, keeping it secure inside the bag during delivery.

Easy to Use
After the food is prepared, out of the oven, and boxed, insert the boxes into the delivery bag, close the bag, and disconnect for delivery. The combination of the heating element and thermal qualities of the bag will ensure your food stays hot and fresh. All our products are proudly made in the USA and come with a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty.

Founded in 2003 in Cleveland, Ohio, RediHEAT, Inc. is focused on developing the highest quality heated delivery solutions for restaurants and catering companies. Whether you are delivering one meal or many, you can count on RediHEAT to meet your high standards. Learn more: www.rediheat.com.

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Pizza Expo 2023 Preview: Going for the Record

Denise Greer — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 20:50:04 +0000

Let’s have the biggest Pizza Expo ever! We’re expecting more than 9,000 pizzeria owners and operators to converge on the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center on March 28-30. With so much packed into the week, we’re here to get you ready. Let’s break it down by Pizza Expo happenings.

Exhibit Hall

If this is your first Pizza Expo, the Exhibit Hall is the place to shop, learn about products and even taste or test drive products. The show floor is larger than eight football fields with more than 400 pizza-specific manufacturers and suppliers. The exhibit hall is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“Walking the show floor will lead you through some of the restaurant industry’s hottest trends and leading innovations,” Group Show Director Bill Oakley says. “This is the marketplace where the next big industry ideas will be born.”

Insider’s Tip: The show floor is huge. Don’t wait until you hit the show floor to figure out what companies you are most interested in. Review the Exhibitor Floor Plan to create your strategy.

Competitions

The World Pizza Games, International Pizza Challenge and the International Italian Sandwich Competition are back to crown world champions.

Head over to the World Pizza Games stage on the show floor Tuesday and Wednesday to watch feats of pizza athleticism as pizza makers show off their skills in Freestyle Acrobatic Dough Tossing, Fastest Dough, Largest Dough Stretch, Fastest Pizza Box Folding, Pizza Triathlon and the new Tandem Team Competition. Don’t miss the Freestyle Acrobatic Finals at the Block Party on Wednesday evening.

The next Pizza Maker of the Year will be crowned at the International Pizza Challenge Area on the show floor. Pizza makers will compete in four divisions: Traditional, Non-Traditional, Pan and Neapolitan/STG. The winners of each division will face off against each other in a mystery-ingredient bake-off to determine who will be named the 2023 Pizza Maker of the Year.

New this year is the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) California-Style Pizza Making Competition featuring competitors from Mexico and Southeast Asia.

Insider’s Tip: The competition area isn’t just a spectator sport. Competitors make a pizza for the crowd. Watch for new pies to become available after judging.

Seminars and Demonstrations

First, there is still space available in some of the School of Pizzeria Management workshops. These are extensive, fee-based courses taking place Sunday and Monday. Pressing topics include Restaurant Business Essentials, Hiring and Retaining Staff, The Million Dollar Pizzeria, Operating on a Shoestring Budget and more.

“These courses are just so in depth,” Content Director Jeremy White says. “It’s difficult to convey to breadth of knowledge acquired in these classes to someone who has never been to one. We have truly successful, expert pizza and restaurant people who drill down to the core of issues and lay out, in great detail, how attendees can follow proven steps and guidelines to achieve business success. These courses are absolutely phenomenal.”

Beginning Monday at 12:30 p.m. through Wednesday at 5 p.m., we have a packed schedule of seminars and demonstrations led by industry thought leaders. “The seminar lineup has a diverse group of pizza entrepreneurs who are on the front lines daily fighting the good fight,” White says. “They are right there in the trenches operating their pizzerias just like our attendees are. Our speakers have all figured out some ‘secret sauce’ in their own right and have risen to levels of success each and every one of our attendees aspire to reaching. The information presented in our educational lineup is so valuable to the attendees. From marketing to food demos and everything in between, we’ve got you covered. Sales, operating with limited resources, the labor issues pizzeria owners are still fighting, diversification, selling your pizzeria for top dollar, using video in today’s environment … there are just so many that come to mind immediately. Our seminar program is robust. There’s something for everyone.”

Insider’s Tip: Divide and conquer. Assign team members you bring with you different educational sessions to attend and report back on the seminar.

Special Events

Benson Tsai, CEO, Stellar Pizza, Los Angeles California

Let us give you the skinny on a few of the key special events happening at the show.

• Keynotes. Don’t sleep in on Tuesday and Wednesday. The keynote speakers are worth getting up early and getting the keynotes at 8:15 a.m. “Our keynotes are absolutely incredible this year,” White says. “First, you’ve got Tony Gemignani opening things up. Tony needs no introduction. He’s the Michael Jordan of the pizza industry. He’s going to bring enthusiasm, great storytelling and just so much knowledge and inspiration to the show. If I had a dime for every pizzeria owner Tony has helped or influenced over the years I’d be flying to Pizza Expo on my own private Jet.

“Then there’s Benson Tsai of Stellar Pizza. He’s ushering in an entirely new, different and futuristic way of doing business, and it’s going to be very interesting for Pizza Expo attendees to get a glimpse of what he’s been up to. Both of these keynotes are truly can’t-miss events.”

• The Block Party. This is the industry’s place to be on Wednesday evening. And this year, it will take place on the show floor. There’s food, drinks, music, games, contests and the World Pizza Games Dough Acrobatic Finals.

Insider’s Tip: The Block Party will be packed. Find your spot to watch the Dough Acrobatic Finals before the Games start.

Bonus

“Attendees will have the opportunity to attend two food-related trade shows in the same exhibit hall, as well as have a special discounted rate to attend the Bar & Restaurant Show,” Oakley says. “Your badge will allow you entry into International Pizza Expo, SIAL America and International Artisan Bakery Expo.” Now in its second year, SIAL America is one of the most comprehensive B2B food and beverage events in the U.S.

Two More Ways to Get You Ready

Pizza Expo will have something for everyone. As we countdown to Pizza Expo 2023, do these two things to get you ready for the show:

• Download the Pizza Expo App that will be available later this month. Go to PizzaExpo.com to get the direct link to this year’s app. It’s the best way to plan your expo experience.

• Watch The Update Show. Denise and Josh will be back to share more show details each week leading up to Pizza Expo 2023. You can catch the episodes at PizzaToday.com/videos or on social @PizzaToday.

See you in Las Vegas!

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Value Proposition: Elevate Your Elevator Speech

Denise Greer — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 20:35:39 +0000

There are many unique terms used in the business world. It seems to me that many of these terms are jargon. ‘Jargon’ is defined as “special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand”. Case-in-point: Value Proposition. The term Value Proposition was born in 1988 by a group of consultants. The concept already existed, but I believe they created this new term so they could charge more for their services. They took an existing concept and changed the name, so they had something ‘new’ to sell. I prefer the old name, Elevator Speech. Both terms are equally descriptive, but the term Elevator Speech implies a sense of urgency; your audience is about to leave so you must grab their attention quickly.

Your Value Proposition is simply your Elevator Speech.

You and I get on an elevator. We push the buttons for our floors, and then stare straight forward until our floor comes up, then we depart. How long does this take? About a minute. Instead of staring straight ahead, what if you turned to me and before we arrived at my floor, you told me what your business does. What product or service do you offer to your customers? How is your product or service different from all the other businesses that also offer similar products or services? What is the value for the customer? Why should they choose you over these other businesses? Tell me all that before the ‘ding!’ and the doors open because I must go. Otherwise, you and I are holding up the elevator and that is bad form. You’ve got less than a minute to tell me all that. Choose your words wisely, it is your only chance.

That’s why it is called an Elevator Speech.

There are some masters in the pizza business who have reduced the Elevator Speech from one minute down to mere seconds. Nothing wrong with that. Consultants call this shortened version a ‘Unique Selling Proposition”. I call this the one-floor version of the Elevator Speech.

Three of the most impressive one-floor Elevator Speeches in the Pizza business are these:

‘Pizza, Pizza’

‘Better Ingredients, Better Pizza’

‘30 Minutes or Free’

These brilliant Elevator Speeches take less time than the doors of the elevator closing to begin your 30 second trip to your floor. They grab attention, and if you can’t immediately figure out what they mean, they can be explained during the ride. Little Caesar’s ‘Pizza, Pizza’ meant that you got two pizzas for the same price that other pizzerias charged for one pizza. Papa John’s ‘Better Ingredients, Better Pizza’ meant that they had a better-quality pizza than similarly priced pizzas. Domino’s ‘30 Minutes or Free’ meant that your pizza would be delivered to your door within
30 minutes of the time you ordered it, or your pizza would be free of charge.

An Elevator Speech should grab attention and be memorable. It is not supposed to close the sale, just be something the listener can understand and consider. There is an expression in the public speaking business, “Be short and be seated”, which applies here. The longest Elevator Speech should be two sentences.

Your turn. What is your Elevator Speech? The two vital elements of an Elevator Speech for your pizzeria are value and differentiation. Michael Skok’s article in Forbes magazine “Four Steps To Building A Compelling Value Proposition” perfectly describes the best way to start. Answer these five questions:

What product or service do you offer?
Who is your target customer?
What problem does your product or service solve for the customer?
How does your product or service benefit the customer?
What differentiates you from competitors?

Let’s test some answers:

Pizza
Anyone who is hungry
We deliver so you don’t have to leave your couch
You don’t have to cook
We have the best pizza in town

What do you think? Is this compelling? Does it grab your attention and is it memorable? Does it offer value? Does it differentiate you from your competitors? Of course not! Yet these answers are what many pizzerias use to try to sell their products and services. Let’s test some alternative answers:

Original Detroit-style pizza
If you haven’t experienced a true Detroit-style pizza, you haven’t lived life to the fullest
You can’t get a true Detroit-style anywhere else unless you travel to Detroit
We offer a large Detroit Special for $19.99 that is TWICE the weight of a regular pizza.
Instead of throwing away the pizza crust, you will enjoy eating the crust as much as the rest of the pizza. You’ll want to eat it backwards!

Is your mouth watering yet? Wasn’t that fun? Putting your work, your goals and your passion into words so that others can experience them is the most important part of building your dream. Now all we must do is reduce these five sentences to two sentences to create our Elevator Speech.

“Authentic Detroit-style pizza you’ll want to eat crust-first. Get a Large
Detroit Special for only $19.99.”

This is an example, not an actual pizzeria. But if Shawn Randazzo had ever moved to California, I bet he would have crushed it. RIP Shawn; we love you.

If your Elevator Speech includes price, then you are at risk of falling to our market’s greatest current threat: inflation. While price can certainly always demonstrate value for your customer, including it in your Elevator Speech can be dangerous. Our imaginary pizzeria (and your pizzeria) may fare better by demonstrating value in other ways. Let us test that by changing our Elevator Speech:

“Authentic Detroit-style pizza you’ll want to eat crust-first. 5 pounds of deliciousness.”

This provides the two vital elements of Value and Differentiation for the customer yet insulates the Elevator Speech from the threat of inflation.

Now it’s your turn. Next time we meet on the elevator at the International Pizza Expo, I want to hear YOUR Elevator Speech!

DAN COLLIER is the founder of Pizza Man Dan’s in California and a speaker at International Pizza Expo.

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Quik-Disks: The Superior Alternative to Mesh Screens

Denise Greer — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 17:58:05 +0000

C-stores rave over a best seller of the year

Quik-Disks, our second- and third-best sellers of the year (12-inch and 14-inch, respectively), ensure maximum crispness and are designed for various styles of ovens and baking styles. Quik-Disks are particularly beloved in the C-store category, which boomed in 2022.

LloydPans is a proud pizza pan provider for all top five U.S-based C-stores — 7-Eleven, Alimentation Couche-Tard, Speedway, Casey’s and EG America, amounting to over 24,400 locations. “Speed of service to time-starved consumers who want to get in and out of the store quickly” is a business model that fits perfectly with the “quickness” of the Quik-Disk, the Hex Quik-Disk and the Rectangle Quik-Disk.

Specifications of Quik-Disks:

Hard coat anodized 18-gauge (.040″) aluminum
No seasoning required and ready to go out of the box
Permanent finish will not chip, bake, flake, or peel off
Durable: outlasts and outperforms pizza screens
Folded flat rim for added strength and easier removal with peels
40% airflow to 60% surface ratio

LloydPans

800-748-6251

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doughXpress DMS Series Dough/Pizza Presses

Denise Greer — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 18:38:16 +0000

The DMS series dough presses are perfect for low to medium production volumes (75-100/hr.). Simple to operate, first press dough, then finish by stretching or tossing to achieve final size, place on peel, top, and put right on the hearth or stone surface. It is a fast, safe, simple, mess free (no flour needed) compared to the alternative of hand tossing or sheeting/rolling your dough. These dough presses are an easy, affordable way to improve your production time, as well as your finished product.

The manual swing away design is easy to load and unload dough from the press. The DMS-18 features a single heated upper platen. The DMS-2-18 is a dual-heat dough press. These versatile presses can be used for pressing either pizza or tortilla dough. For best results, we recommend initial grill off of tortillas on dual-heated press and finish on a doughXpress^® Tortilla Warmer.

The heated platens aid in dough flow, pressing sticky dough, and helps activate yeast for faster proofing if desired. The single heat on the DMS-18 helps keep the dough from shrinking and prevents it from sticking. The dual heat, DMS-2-18, speeds up production, enables pressing thinker products, and is capable of par-bake pizza crusts. Speeding up production and improving your finished product. Pressed dough keeps air in the crust vs. sheeted dough where the air is forced out of the crust.

doughXpress® is a leading manufacturer of Food Processing Equipment for the food service industry and restaurants. doughXpress® has earned a reputation as a high-quality, top-performing line of dough presses for pizza and tortilla dough production and continue to offer new solutions from dough sheeters, mixers, dough dividers & rounders, toasters, bread slicers, grills, ovens and more! Check out our full line of products on our website and download our product catalog.

*Interchangeable lower platens coming soon.

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Rich’s Bakes Two Hot Trends into One Solution: New Gluten-free Detroit Style Pizza Crust

Denise Greer — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 16:46:40 +0000

The industry leader in pizza doughs and crusts, Rich Products adds another trend-forward option to its expansive menu for restaurant operators: the Gluten-Free Parbaked Detroit Style Pizza Crust. This new 9”x7” premium personal-sized crust satisfies the growing consumer demands for gluten-free and Detroit style pizzas. Like other parbaked pizza crusts from Rich’s, the Gluten Free Detroit Style Crust offers operators the flexibility and ease of a freezer-to-oven format that bakes up reliably and consistently every time with minimal skill required.

Detroit style pizza, ranked the 4th most popular menu item on Grub Hub’s Dining Trends in 2021, turns the pizza eating experience upside down. The thick crust is first loaded with toppings, then a layer of cheese, with the sauce added last. The result is a unique pie that bakes up with perfectly crispy, caramelized cheese around the edges. Detroit pizza is designed to offer a crusty edge for convenient eating. Parbaked and ready to top, Rich’s Gluten Free Detroit Style Pizza Crust satisfies customers looking for a gluten-free, flavorful option with a crisp outside bite and airy center. Operators can top this versatile, personal-sized crust in a variety of custom ways.

“Rich’s truly has a pizza crust option for every consumer at the table,” says Alyssa Barrett, customer marketing manager, Rich Products. “The new Gluten Free Parbaked Detroit Style Pizza Crust is the ideal solution for Pizza Shops, QSRs, and fast casual restaurants. It’s a delicious crust that’s not only labor-friendly, but also uniquely meets the exploding demand for this regional pizza style and the growing requests for gluten-free alternatives.”

Three out of four consumers consider gluten-free products beneficial for everyone, not just those with a gluten allergy, intolerance, or sensitivity.¹ Certified Gluten Free, the great-tasting Rich’s Detroit Style Pizza Crust sets itself apart with its soft inside texture and crispy outside. It’s rated “Superior Clean Label,” with no artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners, no high fructose corn syrup, and no hydrogenated oils. It omits more than 70 sensitive ingredients such as bleached flour, MSG and added sulfites. The crusts are each 9 ounces, and come 20 per case, with a shelf life of 240 days frozen or 7 days refrigerated. Simply remove from the freezer, top, bake, and serve.

Through acquisitions and line expansions, Rich’s offers a wide, varied portfolio of high quality crusts in classic and trending formats that can meet every operator’s needs.

For over 40 years, Rich’s has developed innovative pizza solutions that deliciously balance the demands of consumers with the needs of operators. The company offers the most diverse and flexible portfolio, from frozen dough to crusts and fully topped pizzas. Operators can learn more about by visiting RichsUSA.com/pizza.

MEET RICH’S FOODSERVICE.

Rich’s is a family-owned food company built around the belief that inspiration can transform a business. We’re invested in your long-term success, helping you win today — and plan for tomorrow. Our commitment to developing foodservice solutions shines through in the quality, versatility, value, safety and convenience in our ever-evolving catalog of product offerings. Operating in over 100 countries, our customers trust us to supply the finest toppings and icings, pizza and flatbreads, cookies and cakes, breads and rolls, sweet goods, BBQ, meatballs, appetizers and snacks, as well as gluten-free and plant-based products. Beyond our innovative products, a partnership with Rich’s provides a solution-based approach — fueled by our industry-unique culinary team of CIA-trained chefs, and the insight and experience that comes with 75 years of success. Rich’s^®— Infinite Possibilities. One Family. Learn more at Richsfoodservice.com.

¹Mintel’s “Gluten Free Foods” Report

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The Best frozen gluten-free pizza in the world!

Denise Greer — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 19:15:25 +0000

Artisanal Neapolitan Style Gluten-Free Pizza

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Our award-winning plant-based Cauliflower Pizza Crust is high in fiber and gives you a serving of vegetables. This low-carb alternative crust will allow you to enjoy the Neapolitan-style pizza everyone loves while getting the nutrients you need.

Oggi Foods revolutionized gourmet, gluten-free Italian products.

Our origins lie in Naples, Italy – the city that set the gold standard for pizza and pasta. Using our Neapolitan roots and recipes, we successfully created traditional Italian flavors using the finest gluten-free and GMO-free ingredients.

Each crust is hand stretched and stone baked, for a truly authentic experience. Using only the finest ingredients, Oggi Foods makes incomparable frozen products that are delicious, nutritious, and allergen-free. Our gluten-free crusts have won multiple awards thanks to their rising air pockets – a first of its kind in the industry. By combining Italian tradition and modern innovation, Oggi Foods has created the best gluten-free pizza on the market!

After watching many people struggle to find great-tasting gluten-free products, we made it our mission to provide delicious, non-GMO options. Our goal is not only to cater to people suffering from celiac disease but to anyone who simply wants a great-tasting pizza or pasta.

Best of all, our gluten-free products are easy to prepare, giving you more time with your family and friends at the dinner table!

ABOUT US

RECIPES

Oggi Foods

Toll-Free: 1-844-867-6444

info@oggifoods.com

www.oggifoods.com

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25 Pizzerias to Watch — Follow These Best Pizzerias in U.S.

Denise Greer — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 19:31:18 +0000

Pizza Today highlights 25 of the best pizzerias in the America.

When we conducted our most extensive industry survey in fall 2022, we also asked independent pizzeria operators to submit their pizzerias for consideration in our first Pizzerias to Watch feature. We received hundreds of submissions. We present to you 25 standout pizzerias that are making an impact in their communities. While our previous Hot 100 Independent Pizzerias List ranked pizzerias by highest sales volume, our Pizzerias to Watch feature looks at the total operation, from sales and employee programs to community outreach and marketing. We present to you 25 pizzerias to watch as they continue to thrive and grow.

We’re celebrating standout pizza shops serving up success in their communities:

Pizzeria Tascio

North Kansas City, Missouri
Concept: Quick-Serve — Established: 2021
Owner/President: Erik Borger
Website: Pizzatascio.com
Social: instagram.com/pizzatascio/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $750,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $250,000

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? In the last 12 months we have opened 4 locations. With a team of under 10 this has been extremely difficult and yet rewarding. We have opened 3 in the last 90 days. Our growth from here is just as aggressive! But maybe after a much needed couple of naps. Ha!

Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List? I do not know of many non corporate nobodies who have taken all profits and reinvested them immediately into expanding this aggressively. We are like a grass roots organization obsessed with pizza and bringing good pizza to an overall quality starved midwestern city. We use all grande 100% whole milk mozz, Bianco all organic Tom’s, and central milling organic flour. Long ferments and quick cooks with the pizza master oven. We love what we do and strive every day to be the best. We are also tracking to do $3,000,000 this year.

CRISP wine – beer – eatery

Houston, TX
Concept: Casual Dining
Established: 2012
Owner/President: Al Scavelli
Website: Crisphouston.com
Social: @crisphouston
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $2,500,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $2,500,000

Why is your pizzeria a great place to work? We provide a work environment that strives to ensure a fun & productive atmosphere. Hiring employees that are eager to give great customer service in turn creates a healthy and productive culture. Being a Ma & Pa gives us the owners the ability to get direct feedback from the ones on the front line. We provide fun staff incentives that rewards & recognizes our hardworking staff. After all, without our staff, we aren’t able to do what we love 7 days a week.

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? …New renovations have been made to the interior and exterior to our venue plus we recently acquired our liquor license to offer our guests a full bar with delicious specialty cocktails. We plan on introducing seasonal beer / wine dinners coming up at the start of 2023 as well. Focusing on local breweries and wineries in the great state of TX.

Lefty’s Place

Morgantown, WV
Concept: Casual Dining
Established: 2016
Owner/President: Tricia Kinnie
Website: Leftysplacewv.com
Social: Instagram.com/leftysplacewv
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $622,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $410,000

Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List? We’ve faced many adversities since starting our business in 2016, including opening in a town new to us and choosing a bad location, then that location was flooded and condemned. We moved to a new location that took almost a year for construction and it was finished in March of 2020 just as Covid hit. We’ve constantly adapted where we needed to. We’re now at a point where we’ve been open for dine in at our new location for just over a year and we’re in the groove now. There are a lot of mediocre restaurants (pizza in particular) in our town and we pride ourselves on caring about the quality of the food we’re sending out and also the quality of service our guests are receiving. We want everyone to feel like they belong at our restaurant.

Righteous Slice

Rexburg, Idaho
Concept: Casual Dining
Established: 2018
Owner/President: Cheryl Crawford
Website: righteousslice.com
Social: instagram.com/righteousslice/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $930,135
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $776,233

What community outreach initiatives do you organize? We love the community we are in! We donate coupons for free food to local summer reading programs. We donate gift cards for other fundraisers. We also host a day for the high school wrestling team to raise money for their programs. We actively look for ways to help those around us. Music is a big part of our community involvement. We have hosted a music festival since 2019. Most years, we invite local groups to participate in the free event. When the weather is too cold for an outdoor concert, we host bands on the second floor of the pizzeria. We love supporting the arts. We also love field trips. Educating future pizza makers about the wonders of cooking in an imported Neapolitan oven is one of our favorite things to do. Looking into the eyes of 30 wonder-filled 2nd graders makes all of the hard work worth it.

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? We are proud of our recent growth and excited to get to the next level with our new styles of pizza – 43% growth in 2021, 17% growth year-over-year to date in 2022, added New York style pizza, which is now 15% of sales, adding Detroit-style pizza in the next 12 months. We are now preparing to expand into new markets – Signed letters of intent for locations in Salt Lake City and Saint George, UT.

St. Angelo’s Pizza

Atlanta, GA
Concept: Casual Dining
Established: 2004
Owner/President: Sean Rowe
Website: stangelos.com
Social: facebook.com/stangelosvinings/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $3,200,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): 3,100,000

Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List? We became very focused in the last year even more so than the past. The changes we have made a dramatic effect on the sales. We continue to improve as an employer as well as the quality of our staff continues to grow. We are always evolving and there is a lesson there for folks who want to get involved in the pizza business.

State of Mind

Los Altos, California
Concept: Casual Dining
Established: 2018
Owner/President: Lars Smith
Website: Stateofmindpublichouse.com
Social: instagram.com/stateofmindpub/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $3,161,164
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $2,208,175

Why is your pizzeria a great place to work? We work really hard to provide a great work environment for our staff. It is really important for us to have a fun and positive work environment for our staff. We offer competitive pay, tip pooling, health/dental insurance, paid time off, shift meals, discounted meals when not working, and more. But those aren’t what we are most proud of, we make a point to make sure our staff knows that we are there for them even when they aren’t at work. We treat all of our staff like family. They know they can approach us with anything they may have going on in their lives.

What is your pizzeria’s brand and how do you market your pizzeria? We are a pizzeria and Public House inspired by the Golden State. We want both the food and environment in our restaurants to be a celebration of all things California. From the food to the beverage to the music we want to share our love of this state with everyone. While we are active on social media that is not the primary means by which we market our restaurants. From the conceptual stages of our brand we wanted to use our “marketing” to support schools, youth sports, and various non-profits. We believe that if we support our community they will support us.

Pizza City

New Brunswick, NJ
Concept: Fast-casual Build-to-Order
Established: 2015
Owner/President: Danielle Diaz
Website: pizzacitynj.com
Social: @pizzacitynj
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $3,800,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $3,200,000

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? Updating our building and equipment to be more efficient and plan to continue to get better.

Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List? Amazing business with huge output, run by a single mom and her amazing crew. We are constantly growing and looking for new ways to offer the best product possible

Regents Pizzeria

La Jolla, CA
Concept: Casual Dining Established: 2005
Owner/President: Bill Vivian
Website: regentspizza.com
Social: instagram.com/regentspizzeria/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $6,000,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $4,700,000

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? Our restaurant has grown dramatically as we have emerged from the pandemic, as you see from the sales numbers above. We suffered a 40% drop in sales during the pandemic and now our volume is well above 2019 level. We have achieved this by undertaking a large number of initiatives that radically changed our business. The most important effort resulted in expanding our trade area to a 5-mile radius. The growth in our pick-up business was so dramatic, that we had to remodel our restaurant. We started by retaining an Industrial Engineering firm by the name of The Productivity Advantage. They focus only on the restaurant industry and have worked with most of the big name restaurant companies in the industry. They were able to help us expand our production capacity and reduce our service times. Our marketing efforts have been a key driver in this effort. We currently work with Mari+Gold which is the hospitality division that was spun off from The Raindrop Agency, an Emmy Award winning local marketing firm. We intend to focus on our single restaurant for the next 18 months and believe we will be able to achieve $7,000,000 in sales annually in that time. We are located in the UTC district off San Diego which is experiencing tremendous growth. Our marketing effort is also focusing on establishing us as a regional destination restaurant.

Hella Pie Pizza Co.

Tracy, CA
Concept: Fast-casual Build-to-Order
Established: 2020
Owner/President: Marcus Medina
Website: Hellapiepizza.com
Social: @hellapiepizzaco
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $740,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $382,000

Why is your pizzeria a great place to work? Our pizzeria is understands that the employees are just as if not more important than our customers. We treat our staff like family. We take care of them and nurture them like we are family. We understand that we take care of each other. We also like to have team building days for our crew. Where get yo have an outside work environment that brings us all together even more. They all have a great time because we wine and dine them. We wish we could do it more. The Thursday before Thanksgiving we started a tradition where 100% of our sales go to our staff. The community shows up and really gives them full support and we are blessed to give them a little slice of the pie!

Sofia’s Pizzeria

San Antonio, TX
Concept: Fast-casual Build-to-Order — Established: 2019
Owner/President: Alan White
Website: SofiasPizzeriaTX.com
Social: https://instagram.com/sofiaspizzeriatx
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $1,300,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $1,250,000

What is your pizzeria’s brand and how do you market your pizzeria? Sofia’s Pizzeria is known for giving back to our community. We established the brand to be able to give back to the youth of our community and developed our Pies for Kids program. We select a different youth organization each month and 35 cents of every pizza sold that month goes to that organization at the end of the month. We have worked with PTA’s, childrens homes and shelters as well disabled childrens organizations. We are currently developing a Pizza and Paletas program for economically challenged schools. We use social media, door hangars, email, text and website for marketing.

What community outreach initiatives do you organize? Along with our Pies for Kids program we do several kids-oriented activities throughout the year. Our most popular seem to be our Arts program where kids come in and get an 8×10 canvas with a slice stenciled on it. We provide the paints and canvas and they get to paint their most imaginable slice of pizza. Once dry they get to take this home. We have also done other activities such as a dough stretching class, pizza making class, kids run, father/child pizza eating contest, and others.

Flying Heart Brewing & Pub

Bossier City, Louisiana
Concept: Casual Dining — Established: 2017
Owner/President: Jeffrey Judge
Website: flyingheartbrewing.com
Social: facebook.com/flyingheartbrewing
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $3,200,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $2,300,000

Why is your pizzeria a great place to work? We offer a shift beer and pizza to every employee. Our Culture is second to none, our owner and management team are highly involved at all points of the business. We offer 401k, Health insurance, dental insurance, PTO.

What is your pizzeria’s brand and how do you market your pizzeria? Flying Heart Brewing & Pub’s “brand” is definitely one of a kind to say the least. FHB&P started as a tasting room in 2015. Then introduced the pizza concept in late 2017. In 2018, FHB&P became the brew pub you see today. Our marketing is more of a grass roots, word of mouth style. We are continuously improving our customer experience and quality. FHB&P has consistently won local area “Best Pizza” “Best Wings” yearly. The process began by going to my first Pizza Expo in 2017. After my newfound love of pizza, I began practicing in my backyard every weekend with my friends and business partners. Which led us becoming the “Cool” place to be.

What community outreach initiatives do you organize? We are involved with ST Judes, Autism Society of North Louisiana, Gingerbread House. I also volunteer at our local votech school. This includes mentoring the young students, having pizza days at the school.

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? We just opened up our third location in June of 22 and is doing well on all aspects

Verde

Baltimore, MD
Concept: Casual Dining
Established: 2012
Owner/President: Ed Bosco
Website: www.verdepizza.com
Social: @verdepizza
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): 1875000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): 1650000

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? Verde has shown sustained growth during the pandemic and continues to add more community outreach and event coordination. We have hired an event planner and continue to reach out to conventions here in Baltimore city. Catering and on line ordering continue to improve and have added a more substantial revenue stream to our mix.

Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List? Verde has struggled over the years and our ability to adjust to changing environments has allowed us to remain relevant. The ability to pivot and move in other direction, delivery and on line ordering, has afforded us time to rethink our strategy, change menu items, menu prices and maintain profitability. Business is all about solving problems and at Verde we have managed to figure our what our community expects of us and collectively we have grown together and pizza to every employee. Our Culture is second to none, our owner and management team are highly involved at all points of the business. We offer 401k, Health insurance, dental insurance, PTO.

Woody’s Wood Fired Pizza

Golden, CO
Concept: Casual Dining
Established: 1993
Owner/President: Jonathan Bortles
Website: woodysgolden.com
Social: instagram.com/woodysgolden/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $6,381,431
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $4,626,902

Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List? After almost 30 years in business we have been quietly building one of the busiest single unit pizzerias in the country. It seems like a lot of attention is focused on multi-unit chains… and yet we still managed to make Yelp’s Top 100 Pizza Places in the US for 2022. This shows that not only are we busy, we are making a lot of folks happy – like over 1,000 people per day in our 100 year old building next to the Coors Brewery in little Golden, CO. We are also one of the last places to rock the all-you-can-eat soup, salad and pizza buffets… and maybe one of the only to do it with high quality wood-fired pizza and a scratch menu. All of this while doing right by the community and winning awards like the Sustainability and Innovation Award & the Living Legend/Hall-of-Fame honor (for our founder) from the Colorado Restaurant Association. We are small and funky, but we are mighty! This is what multi-generational pride looks like.

Spinelli’s Pizzeria

Tempe, AZ
Concept: Casual Dining
Established: 2004
Owner/President: Christopher Palma
Website: Spinellispizzeria.com
Social: @spinellisAz
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $7,100,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $6,800,000

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? We have become more efficient, and have grown sales. We are looking at other high margin items to offer our guests as inflation continues to spiral out of control.

Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List? We have been offering a consistent product in an evolving world for almost 20 years. We have been able to scale our business to multiple states in multiple regions while maintaining the core principles that made our first store so successful.

Creekside Pizza & Taproom

San Anselmo, CA
Concept: Casual Dining — Established: 2017
Owner/President: Pat Townsley
Website: CreeksideSA.com
Social: instagram.com/creeksidesa
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $2,500,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $2,200,000

Why is your pizzeria a great place to work? …Our entire staff is comprised of “word of mouth” recruiting, family, and local residents. Our employees, both front and back of house, understand and foster our commitment to quality products, labor intensive prep, outstanding presentation and friendly full-service dining. Everyone takes true pride in their work and their output. The result is a collaborative and very friendly team which has won us Best Pizza in Marin County for 5 consecutive years.

What is your pizzeria’s brand and how do you market your pizzeria? …Our mission statement begins “Creekside is a Marketing Company..” … I know that we are creating memories; it’s a multi-sensory experience beyond just food. It’s the lights, the sound, the welcoming, the decor, the cleanliness, the engagement.

Dempseys

Watertown, SD
Concept: Casual Dining
Established: 1999
Owner/President: Sean Dempsey
Website: dempseybrewpub.com
Social: facebook.com/Dempseybrewery
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $2,500,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $1,900,000

What is your pizzeria’s brand and how do you market your pizzeria? The main store is Dempsey’s Brewery, Pub & Restaurant, that’s are were we focus on brewing, ( 2nd oldest brewery in the state! ) and a more robust menu. – but 60 % of our sales Is pizza related. We have our brand were expanding on – Danger Von Dempsey’s Pizzeria and Brewhaus. Our pizzas boxes actually have a cool mix logo between the two stores the sword and the twin axes…

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? Yes, we have grown by leaps and bounds. In 1999 Dempsey’s Brewery Pub & RST was established, in 2018 we established our first Danger von Dempseys in Aberdeen SD, and in 2022 we expanded to the new regional airport location in Watertown. Our future growth is spring 2023 were expanding our brewery operations, fall is a store in Brookings SD ( home of SDSU ) – and were building for a massive footprint in DT Sioux Falls – which is the biggest city in SD.

Detroit Style Pizza Co

Roseville, MI
Concept: Carryout & Delivery Only
Established: 1958
Owner/President: Linda Michaels
Website: detroitstylepizza.com
Social: m.facebook.com/detroitstylepizza/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): 1833111
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): 1768923

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? We bought a new store for the distribution center that is more then twice the size because we grew out of the one we are in now. We are partnering with another company to sell our frozen pizza’s around the country. We partnered with the owner of 89 Buffalo Wild wings and the owner of 8 Black Rock restaurants to franchise our Detroit Style Pizza. The first one opened in Petoskey Mi on 9/20/22. With 2 more in the process of opening.

Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List? Because we are carrying on 2012 award winning world champion pizza maker Shawn Randazzo’s legacy. We are expanding and growing rapidly with the franchises, pizzeria, and distribution center. And we have a great story of struggles and overcoming obstacles to get were we are at.

Millstone Pizza and Taphouse

Rock Hill, SC
Concept: Casual Dining — Established: 2013
Owner/President: Brendan Kuhlkin
Website: Millstonepizzaandtap.com
Social: Millstone _pizzaandtap
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $1,300,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $1,150,000

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? We’ve just gotten back to full staff ! We’ve also hit new highs in sales . We are planning an expansion! Bringing in 2 new wood fired ovens as well as. Adding a glassed in dough room . And plan on hiring 10 more team members.

Why should you be among the Pizzerias To Watch List? We were a first in the charlotte NC / Rock Hill SC area . No one had a wood fired oven 10 years ago . We are pioneers in the Neapolitan pizza style . Our oven is wood only no gas assistance. We’ve weathered many storms from employee shortages to covid to initially gaveling to educate the community on what wood fired pizza is.

Old Town Pizza

Auburn, CA
Concept: Casual Dining
Established: 1999
Owner/President: Reese Browning
Website: otpizza.net
Social: facebook.com/oldtownpizza
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $11,263,850
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $8,799,180

Why is your pizzeria a great place to work? It is very popular in the communities we operate, and our team enjoys being busy. We are proud of our team, and they are proud of us. We offer very competitive pay and because of how busy we are they are also compensated very nicely by customers via tips. We offer medical, dental, vision, 401K, anniversary bonus, performance bonuses, company picnics, shift meals and employee/family discounts.

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? We opened a new full time outdoor venue at our local Fairgrounds and also moved from our original location of 3000 sq. ft. and 90 dine in seats to a brand-new location of 12,500 sq. ft. and about 350 dine in seats including rooftop dining.

Peels on Wheels

Rochester, NY
Concept: Fast-casual Build-to-Order
Established: 2019
Owner/President: Luis Perez
Website: peelsonwheelspizza.com/
Social: instagram.com/peelsonwheelspizza/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $350,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $61,000

What community outreach initiatives do you organize? My business is located in a lower income neighborhood. I also grew up in one of the poorest communities in the country, the South Bronx. Taking care of the community and adding to meaningful change is core to my business. I saw a community that lacked high quality pizza, but I understand that not everyone can afford such luxuries. I donate pizza and money to many of the local nonprofits that support youth. I have also hired some of the youth in the neighborhood and make it a point to get to know them. One time a group of young kids came in. One told me it was his birthday the following day, and wanted to know if he could have a free slice of pizza. I said, how about a whole pie for you and your friends? They came the next day and enjoyed a whole pizza. I have also provided pizza making kits to some of the local schools. I hope to continue to work with the schools and partner with them for pizza making classes. A fun fact, the high school near my pizzeria, East High has an INCREDIBLE culinary arts program.

Pizza Now!

Albany, OR
Concept: Carryout & Delivery Only
Established: 2012
Owner/President: Chris Salmon
Website: Pizza-now.com
Social: facebook.com/pizzanowalbany
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $1,270,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $1,030,000

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? We have reached that million-dollar mark in both of our pizzerias. The one that wen opened in 2012 reached that milestone in 2020. Our 2nd location reached it in 2021 after opening in 2018. Our future growth plans would be to open several more locations in Oregon. Currently we are almost as busy as we possibly can be in both stores while still providing excellent service. Despite being a DELCO, our next location will need a larger sized building so we can scale up with our sales, and not be at the point of bottlenecks with production and long waits because we are at our limit, thus jeopardizing our whole Pizza NOW! concept.

Southern Yankee Crafthouse

Houston, TX
Concept: Casual Dining — Established: 2021
Owner/President: Patrice Porter
Website: crafthousehtx.com/
Social: instagram.com/soyankcrafthouse
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $1,500,000
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $0

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? In early August 2021, our brick oven was getting installed at the Crafthouse. Our company consisted of the original brewery location team plus the Crafthouse general manager, executive chef, and bar manager who had been working with us for months – about ten employees. When we opened the Crafthouse in September 2021, we became a company with 40+ employees at two locations. As a result of our team’s success in delivering a quality experience, Southern Yankee Crafthouse was voted Best New Restaurant in the Houston Chronicle Best of the Best 2022 Community Awards and a Top 3 finalist for Best Bar, Date-Night Restaurant, Patio, and Pet-Friendly Restaurant! (And Southern Yankee Beer Company was a Top 3 finalist for Best Brewery!) Recently we were nominated in Outsmart Magazine’s Gayest and Greatest Reader’s Choice Awards 2022 in several categories including: Best Brunch, Best Lunch Spot, Best Pizza, Best New Restaurant, Best Restaurant for Outdoor Dining, Friendliest Restaurant Staff, Best Happy Hour, Best Cocktail, and Favorite Place for Drinks on a First Date. If things go well and the opportunity presents, we think the Southern Yankee Crafthouse could expand to other locations in the Houston area. Time will tell.

Thunderbird Pies

Dallas, TX
Concept: Fast-casual Build-to-Order
Established: 2021
Owner/President: Jeff Amador
Website: thunderbirdpies.com
Social: instagram.com/thunderbirdpies
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $1,006,929
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): 0

What is your pizzeria’s brand and how do you market your pizzeria? Thunderbird Pies brought Detroit-style pizza to Dallas. We started as a ghost kitchen during the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-2020, operating out of the kitchen of one our sister restaurants, Zoli’s Pizza (Addison/Fort Worth, TX). The third pizza brand from the PILF Restaurant Group (Cane Rosso, Zoli’s Pizza, Thunderbird Pies), and our third style of pizza to tackle in our pizza restaurants. Thunderbird’s popularity quickly grew larger than operating as a ghost kitchen could handle, and we opened our first brick and mortar location in East Dallas in August of 2021. We just celebrated our first anniversary at our casual, counter-service pizza joint, known for our twists on the “standard” pizza offerings. Choose from classics like plain cheese or pepperoni, or go for it with signature pies like the Honey Bastard (Wisconsin brick cheese, hot soppressata, bacon marmalade, and habanero honey). Also offering a beloved “Thunderburger,” appetizers, salads, and more.

Walters303 Pizzeria & Publik House

Denver, CO
Concept: Casual Dining
Established: 2010
Owner/President: Mike Kienast, Partner: Stacy Turk
Website: walters303.com
Social: instagram.com/walters303uptown/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $2,856,684
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $1,828,512

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? During Covid when most of the restaurants closed around us we stayed open. We wanted to maintain some kind of normal in a scary time in the world. We would sometimes see the same customers several times a day. It was comforting to see familiar faces. Fortunately we were able to maintain most all of our employees, and the ones we couldn’t keep we offered meals to those in need. (They have been hired back and are still here working). We started doing pizza breakfast burritos in the morning, selling plants and trying creative ways to keep the serving staff afloat.

Wooden Paddle

Lemont, IL
Concept: Casual Dining — Established: 2013
Owner/President: Brianna Cowan
Website: woodenpaddle.com
Social: instagram.com/woodenpaddle/
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022): $1,987,847
Gross Annual Sales (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021): $1,383,837

Why is your pizzeria a great place to work? We pay over industry average in our area. We go as far as paying every server the true minimum wage of $12 per hour instead of the tipped minimum wage. We offer PPO health insurance through Blue Cross, company retirement plan, vision insurance and dental insurance.

How has your company grown during the past 12 months and what are your future growth plans? In the past 12 months we have been building up the people side of our business. Angela Terrafino runs our restaurant operations and we have recently hired on Joelle Beranek to take over our off site event operations. We started running our business on the Entrepreneurial Operating System based off of Gino Wickman’s book Traction. We now have a solid leadership team in place and are figuring out all of the company issues at a rapid pace. We will be opening a new location in March or April of 2023.

The post 25 Pizzerias to Watch — Follow These Best Pizzerias in U.S. appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pizza Expo 2023: School’s in Session

Denise Greer — Sun, 01 Jan 2023 21:06:19 +0000

Make Plans Now To Attend!

Designed for pizzeria owners and operators, there’s something for everyone at International Pizza Expo, whether you’re an industry veteran or just thinking about opening your first unit. To succeed in today’s fiercely competitive marketplace you need access to all of the latest trends, strategies and product innovations.

Pizza Expo continues to be your one-stop shop for everything you need for your pizzeria, including the newest products, equipment and technology hitting the market. Throw in an education program and demonstration program second to none and you have a game-changing experience. Where else but Pizza Expo, could you find more than 550 pizzeria focused exhibitors on a show floor larger than eight football fields? The short answer is nowhere.

Bill Oakley
Group Show Director

On the show floor or in the classrooms, you’ll find real solutions and opportunities to bring home to your business. This is your once-a-year opportunity to meet face-to-face with industry suppliers and take advantage of discount pricing and show specials.

“Education is the key to success.” We feel so strongly about education that we’re offering more than 60 business-boosting seminars, demonstrations and workshops. You’ll have the opportunity to learn how to retain and grow your customer base, improve customer service, upsell and cross-promote to boost your bottom line and create marketing plans that will align with your sales goals. International Pizza Expo — the “Show of Shows” for the pizzeria industry — is truly THE place to learn, network, see shop and make deals. You’ll discover endless opportunities to take your pizzeria to the next level!

If you haven’t already registered to attend, visit PizzaExpo.com now to pre-register and book your hotel room. For those of you who have already made plans for Pizza Expo, it’s a good idea to start devising your show strategy by using Pizza Expo Connect, which can be accessed from our Web site by clicking on the Attendee tab. You can locate exhibitors on the floor plan, view product offerings, and show specials, as well as message exhibitors and schedule appointments.

I like to think that attending Pizza Expo will be one of, if not the best investments of time and money that you’ll make this year. The bottom line is there’s always something new at Pizza Expo that can improve your operation. As always, our commitment to you, our partners, is to produce the biggest and best show ever!

Remember, attending Pizza Expo is a tax-deductible working vacation.

It’s All Pizza and it’s all for YOU!

Sincerely,

Bill Oakley
Show Director

The post Pizza Expo 2023: School’s in Session appeared first on Pizza Today.

Extra Cheese , a Top Five Pizza Topping — What to Charge

Denise Greer — Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:01:20 +0000

Extra Cheese, how do you price it?

It’s no secret that mozzarella cheese is the essence of a great pizza and the bane of all our existence because of the fluctuation in price and how easily that money can go sideways when wasted and not utilized properly.

The Upsell

Selling extra cheese effectively results in better food cost and a better dining experience. It’s an easy upsell when presented like an invitation to a party. The key is to sell it in a light and upbeat tone at the end of a sentence, “Extra cheese on that?” When a customer is already in the buying side of their brain, the euphoric side where they’re open to purchasing, whether on the phone or in person, it’s a simple way to enhance the pizza and get more revenue per transaction.

How Much is Extra Cheese?

There are many modes of thought in the industry when putting extra cheese on a pizza. The most common is half the amount of a standard pizza. If your pizza has eight ounces of cheese, extra cheese would be four ounces. From what I’ve seen, this is the industry norm, but it is not a mandate. Many people put another little bit on with a scoop of their hand. For some pizzerias, extra cheese is just two ounces more no matter the pizza, and for others, it’s a whole separate bag, with tiered pricing based upon each size of pizza measured to a finite degree.

Price Fluctuations

Executing how to monetize it seamlessly is more crucial than ever; with the commodities price of cheese at insane fluctuation, you must price it and portion it correctly. We’ve seen the Chicago Mercantile cheese block price fluctuate into the low $1.20 range, all the way to the $3 range. Your price might fluctuate with the market, or perhaps you have a locked-in rate; either way, your price has climbed significantly. Utilizing the lessons of a challenging economy for any economy creates long-lasting success. That means portion control, menu price awareness and vendor negotiations.

Aggressively attack your cheese price with your vendor from a partnership standpoint. Your vendor needs to know that if your cheese price is out of whack, you can’t operate successfully, and they’re putting your store’s health in jeopardy and that your financial health is tied to their health. Get a new vendor if your vendor does not see your relationship as a partnership. If they’re trying to get as much money out of you as fast as possible, get a new vendor. Bear in mind that if the price of cheese on the mercantile is $2.50, it’s irrational for you to ask for the same or less, no matter what it was last year. If you pay less than that, the vendor has to make it up somewhere, i.e., overcharging you for the rest of your products.

How to Charge for it:

Assume you have a $3 per pound mozzarella price. By that logic, if you are giving four ounces of extra cheese, then that’s .75 cents in raw food cost you’re giving out. If you’re also charging extra cheese at a $1.50, or even $2, that is a horrible food cost percentage. $2.25 charger at .75 cents your cost would be 33-percent food cost. Not that great. To hit 25 percent for four ounces of cheese, you would need to be at $3 as an extra cheese charge. If that sounds exorbitantly high, you could give less; for two ounces you could sell for $1.50 to $2, but you would not be giving as much extra cheese.

With that said, I will give a little inside baseball knowledge. In 18 years of giving different amounts of extra cheese, I have never heard someone who ordered extra cheese say that this was not enough. I just haven’t. I’ve had it for every other topping because it’s much more apparent. For example when a pizza is light on mushrooms.

If you want the customer to have an overload of cheese, that’s awesome by me, charge for it, or else you jeopardize your restaurant’s financial health.

Portion Control

If you use a handful method, that only works if you’ve been doing it for a very long time and you are financially liable to your restaurant. This assumes you know that weight, like the back or, in this case, the front of your hand. Anyone who’s not you, not living off the bottom line, going off the handful method is costing you. None of your staff are Indiana Jones, able to measure a bag of sand on instinct like in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Even he got it wrong, which initiated a boulder chase. Your boulder is food cost, and you’ll get crushed every time when left to chance.

You need a system. NOT JUST ANY SYSTEM, but a dependably great system. The most basic system is to fill up a bowl, measure it on a scale, and dump it on pizza. The problem with this system the cheese can often drop from the bowl on the trek to the pizza and land on the floor, but it is better than nothing. A flat gram scale instead of a tall analog scale will do better in this scenario. It’s more specific, which takes more time, which might lead to this back-of-house employee not doing it at all. A camera directly on the cheese station can help you review film and see who’s doing it and who’s not. That assumes you check your cameras, and that the cameras are functional.

If you buy pre-cut, be aware that certain diced cheeses come measured to a finite degree, and yes, you could use a cup measurement to portion if you buy this exact type of pre-cut mozzarella. This process will not work on pre-shred; it will not work on other styles of random-cut cheese. If you have all the cheese cut and want to ensure nothing goes wrong, weight and pre-bag your cheese. Bag it in a separate section of your restaurant so staff separates it out in their mind where cheese is measured and where cheese is used. Whether in a cup like the Big Dave Ostrander method or a loosely packed sandwich bag, pre-portioning this way ensures for the 1 cent in bag cost, you don’t lose 30 to 40 cents a pie in misplaced cheese.

Prepping your Cheese

If you don’t buy pre-dice or pre-shred, you’re cutting it yourself. The classic top loader method of pressing with all your weight down to get the shred is a little old-fashioned but works with no new equipment. New methods of shredding cut the mozzarella like a woodchipper taking out a redwood. This fast-cut method is much more advantageous for use inside a high-functioning restaurant because you don’t have much time to waste cutting cheese.

Our restaurant uses a vertical chopping mixer, like a giant blender. A VCM dices it up for a minute, and then we dump it into a big container. I find this is the most affordable and fastest method to getting a dice-cut of cheese which is easy to spread out, in my experience. If you’re buying pre-cut, you are already paying a significant amount more money and, theoretically, aside from a few companies, also paying for cellulose in your mozzarella. For any pizzeria that’s looking to cut costs, which should be all of us, I am a big proponent of cutting your own cheese. The cost is just too inescapably high right now to do otherwise unless you have absolutely no space to prep it and cut it yourself. If that’s your situation, price it accordingly for the excess cost you incur.

Cheese is a numbers game. If you’re unaware of the numbers, the numbers control you. Keep your cheese game tight, and your profit will reflect that.

Mike Bausch owns Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The post Extra Cheese , a Top Five Pizza Topping — What to Charge appeared first on Pizza Today.

Phone Systems Remain Critical to the Pizza Business

Denise Greer — Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:01:04 +0000

On the Line

The pizza business is uniquely dependent on takeout and delivery orders, so it’s critical to have a phone system you can rely on. A good phone system should improve the customer’s experience as well as make the most efficient use of your staff’s time.

Even with online ordering, a robust and functional phone system is important because some customers aren’t internet-savvy or don’t have access to the Internet.

Your phone system is critical for optimizing your incoming-calls game. If you need to upgrade your phone system, here are some pointers on what to look for and how to choose the right vendor for this critical business relationship.

Phone systems have gotten increasingly sophisticated in recent years. Identify which features matter most to you and choose accordingly. If you spend more for advanced features, learn how to take full advantage of them. Many products and services are designed for the specific needs of the pizza industry.

Main Options and Terminology

The three main types of business phone systems are:

Analog (land-lined) based system, with in-house hardware providing an on-site phone system.
Answering service with humans who enter orders directly in POS.
Cloud-hosted VOIP.

Cloud-hosted VOIP falls into three categories:

Directly from large telecom companies such as Comcast, Spectrum, AT&T, etc., who provide the proprietary software for messaging, etc.
From a local reseller who partners with large telecom companies such as Comcast, Spectrum, AT&T, etc., relying on the software from the telecom company.
From proprietary vendors who design and maintain the cloud-based hardware and software that govern the phone system. All back-end functions are the proprietary systems of individual vendors.

To help you navigate these choices, here are some important terms:

Analog: This is plain old telephone service, also known as a landline.

Hosted VoIP / Cloud-Based PBX / hosted PBX: All hardware and software is located on the Internet, not on site.

In-house: A usually pre-configured, off-the-shelf PBX system that’s physically on-site.

PBX: Private branch exchange (PBX) systems are business-grade, private telephone systems.

Third party: PBX services are not provided by your telecom company, but by another vendor.

VoIP: Voice Over Internet Protocol, meaning that the phone call is actually transmitted over the internet.

Technological Innovations to Consider

“There are quite a few new innovations and the pandemic accelerated a lot of them,” says Greg Rowe, senior account executive in the pizza vertical at Clarity Voice and a former pizzeria owner. “The main one we’re seeing today is flexible incoming call routing. It’s really the foundation for emerging technologies like busy period overflow, call centers, AI (artificial intelligence) ordering and text ordering. What’s really changed in the past two years is finding ways to counter the labor shortages that a lot of owners are still managing today.”

AI ordering means that a bot, integrated with the phone system, will take phone orders. For example, the Domino’s bot will ask callers if they’d like to place their last order again, “so that builds some rapport,” says Rowe.

The critical advantage of cloud-based systems is they are cheaply and easily improved. Because they depend far more on software than hardware, these providers are much more agile at responding to changes in the marketplace or changing needs of their clientele. This versatility ensures that you won’t outgrow the system in a few years, and the system can generally be updated to the latest technology.

“The most successful operators are looking beyond what they need today” when they make important business decisions such as choosing a PBX, says Rowe.

Features to Consider

Your first consideration should be ensuring that your new PBX system integrates well with your existing POS (Point of Sale) system, unless you are ready to get a package deal including both PBX and POS.

Next, consider the reliability of landlines and Internet in your area. If you’re in a remote area where Internet tends to be spotty, you may be better off relying on a land line. For most users, Internet may be more reliable than landline service.

“With local PBX system, you could have an outage,” says Kubilay Sevinc, a partner at Pacific.tel. While the outage is a problem, “it’s really about how quickly will it be fixed and how much will it cost to fix it. We are converting a lot of customers from analog PBX systems because their PBX system misbehaves and then getting a technician out there takes a few days during which they can’t take any phone calls or customer orders. Once they get a technician out, it costs a small fortune because parts are expensive and technicians are even more expensive these days.”

Call quality is paramount. Pizzerias are notoriously loud work environments and the phones take a lot of abuse, so choose a system provider who prioritizes call quality, offers a warranty on the phones and includes phone service.

Find out what kind of customization is available for the on-hold audio experience. Sevinc points out that “with cloud-based systems, it’s all configurable.” Operators can include upsell messages (“add a salad today for only 99 cents”) during the hold interval, and an excessive wait can trigger an offer (“we’re sorry – mention this code for a discount”). Operators can change messages via a phone app, and the technology can track what an individual hears when calling in and change the messages to keep it fresh.

Some systems make it easy for phone customers to opt in to receive promotional text messages or to order by text.

Other features to consider include emergency ability to handle customer calls when connections are disrupted; response time when service or a technician is needed; routing, redirecting and call forwarding capability; voicemail and data reports.

If you want to route calls to different extensions (“press two for catering”), ask about an automated attendant feature.

Lastly, you’ll benefit from phone number portability. Make sure that you own your number so you can retain it should you change vendors.

Comparing Your Options

Let’s consider some basic pros and cons.

Analog systems have a limited number of lines, so customers may get a busy signal during peak call times. Service can be disrupted by weather or internal issues at your telecom company. They also lack the capacity for smart, high-tech features such as AI and custom, targeted hold messages. Generally, maintaining such a system requires having an IT expert on site, and these systems are hardly nimble.

Call centers should have unlimited line availability, so no busy signals. Some customers and operators respond better to the human touch. Since they tend to be priced based on volume, the cost can be unpredictable.

Cloud-based systems will never reject a caller with a busy signal, they can be customized with smart on-hold messages and other features, and they are generally fast and easy to set up, because it all happens remotely. Changes and improvements are performed remotely with software instead of hardware, so they are much more resilient to obsolescence. The redundancy of multiple cloud-based servers protects against system failure. Ask prospective vendors how the system ensures service in the case of an Internet outage. Make sure that your provider will be able to assist you beyond the standard nine-to-five hours.

Naturally, price will play a role in your decision. Ask about set-up charges, and how you’ll be charged for technical help or repairs. Hosted services are generally set up remotely, which is very cost-effective. Most solutions are priced per month, while human-powered call centers may be charged by the minute.

Your Phone Line Is Your Lifeline

Most folks in the pizza business depend on a phone line like a lifeline, and it can have big impact on your bottom line. Competing on the 21st-century playing field might require an upgrade to cutting-edge technology.

Annelise Kelly is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer.

The post Phone Systems Remain Critical to the Pizza Business appeared first on Pizza Today.

GO MARGHERITA!

Denise Greer — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 21:07:58 +0000

Crafted with passion, using the highest standards and traditional techniques, Margherita Italian meats offer distinctive tastes your guests will savor at every meal. Our traditional and specialty Italian meats feature only the finest cuts, which we season, cure and package with pride, using only the most sustainable practices. From dried cured prosciutto and hard salamis to capicola and pepperonis in any format, you can take pizzas, sandwiches, appetizers, sides, and entrées to a whole new level to make even the simplest offering exceptional. Margherita is always ready to help turn the ordinary into extraordinary by adding delicious and unique flavors that your customers will be sure to savor.

GO PAZZO!

Something as simply authentic as Margherita meats brings excitement and fun to your menu, your operation and your daily routine. Just add some Margherita and, voila, you’ve got a whole new dish with the fun and flair of true Italian gusto and zest. These meats are crafted to your standards so you can confidently add them on a whim without any reservations. Celebrate authenticity and bring excitement to your every day.

GO STRAORDINARIA!

Margherita offers a comprehensive portfolio of extraordinary products unmatched in the industry. From meatballs and mortadella to prosciutto and pepperoni, our products represent the ultimate in quality and any-daypart versatility.

GO AUTENTICO!

From sandwiches to snacks to charcuterie boards, dried and cured meats are growing in on-trend popularity. Margherita offers a scrumptious selection of classic old-world styles, to satisfy your needs for authentic Italian-style dried and cured meats.

GO CREATIVO!

Toppings make the pizza, and from pepperoni to Italian sausage, Margherita offers a variety of toppings that are specifically formulated for foodservice. From crumble to bits and pieces, choose the format that best matches your needs.

GO DELIZIOSO!

You’ll turn more heads and fill more seats when you ramp up culinary creativity with help from our extensive database of recipes. Our easy search filters allow you to find what you need fast and easy. Find everything from the classics and unique twists on traditional recipes to ethnic-inspired temptations and on-trend guest pleasers.

Bring old-world style, tradition, and flavor to your pizza today!

Visit smithfieldculinary.com/margherita or contact a sales rep at 888-327-6526

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Bar Pizza Shovel Rings in Holiday Season

Denise Greer — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 19:34:09 +0000

Start on the pan, finish on the deck

Before hungry patrons shovel slices of mouthwatering and craveable pizza into their mouths, pizzeria owners need a shovel of their own kind. LloydPans’ Bar Pizza Shovel is designed to allow foodservice pizza makers to start their pizzas in the pan and then conveniently finish on an oven deck.

Bar Pizza Shovel specifications:

Countless pizzas can be prepped at the same time and baked as orders come in.
After baking in the Bar Pizza Shovel, pizzas can quickly be de-panned on the surface of the oven, giving the crust the perfect finish.
Made with heavy 14-gauge aluminum construction and our proprietary PRE SEASONED TUFF-KOTE, metal utensil safe finish.

Ready to serve your loyal patrons a little bit faster and with more convenience? Get your Bar Pizza Shovel orders in before the busy holiday season. Order $250 worth of LloydPans from Dec. 21 through Dec. 31, 2022, and receive 10% off.

LloydPans

800-748-6251

LloydPans Detroit-Style Pizza Pans:

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Peerless Ovens Innovation Continues with our Electric Ventless Ovens

Denise Greer — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 19:50:13 +0000

Peerless Electric CE61PE Deck Oven with Ventless Hood Option

No Hood? No Problem! Peerless Electric CE61PE pizza oven, with the Ventless Hood option, offers the best in quality, performance and value, eliminating the need for a costly traditional exhaust hood.

The Peerless Electric CE61PE Pizza Oven offers exclusive features including a space saving design, with electronic controls and a variable control system for better distribution of heat and better baking. The CE61PE has a total of 2 decks, each being 42″ wide x 32″ deep x 7″ high. 1″ baking stones are standard. The CE61PE holds eight (8) 16” pizzas. Now offered with an optional ventless hood and Ansul System, the CE61PE-VL50 has the flexibility of placement in your kitchen or anywhere in your facility.

With the optional ventless hood, the CE61PE-VL50 has a footprint 50″ wide x 42″ deep x 88″ high, saving valuable kitchen space without sacrificing output. The ventless hood is certified under UL710b. The Ansul R-102 wet chemical fire suppression system is available, where required.

The CE61PE is capable of cooking a variety of menu items. When you compare the affordability of the CE61PE, along with the quality of construction, its space saving design and productivity, the oven offers our customers a value that is hard to match. Peerless exceeds customer service before during and after the sale. Most parts are available for same day shipment. Peerless offers expert technical service at no charge.

Request a Quote

We believe Peerless electric ovens are best-in-class. You get quality construction for long life, a small, energy saving footprint, and the best baking ovens in the industry at the best price. Peerless electric deck pizza ovens are available in counter or floor models and can be set up at the factory for single or 3-phase. All electric ovens are factory tested for the highest satisfaction rates in the industry. Peerless Ovens has been serving the food industry for over 100 years. Our ovens are continuously improved for better function and design life. High temperature controls are standard and thermal protection is used to extend control shelf life.

Peerless ovens are used by pizza shops, Mexican restaurants, bakeries, mobile food trucks and Family Entertainment Centers. Whether powered by gas or electric, the flexibility of Peerless ovens makes them popular for all types of products and restaurants. Affordability, space saving, efficient, productive, and customer service provides our customers a value they are looking for. See what or customers are saying. https://www.facebook.com/Peerless-Ovens-108595744096/

Peerless Ovens

419-625-4514

www.peerlessovens.com

sales@peerlessovens.com

office@peerlessovens.com

The post Peerless Ovens Innovation Continues with our Electric Ventless Ovens appeared first on Pizza Today.

Detroit-Style Pans Enter December as Best-Seller

Denise Greer — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 14:11:18 +0000

LloydPans’ Detroit-Style Pizza Pans are the smart choice for commercial production

From the Motor City to across the country, Detroit-style pizza has been named one of the top trending and beloved pizza styles of recent years by Forbes and Yelp. The rectangular fare known for frico cheese edges, crispy, yet chewy crust, and sauce slathered on as a finishing touch has also become so popular that it has resulted in being LloydPans’ best-selling pan style of the year.

Will never rust! They’re made with heavy-duty 14-gauge anodized aluminum and PRE SEASONED TUFF-KOTE finish, which adds a release coating, eliminating the need for pre-seasoning
Are metal utensil safe and long lasting, with a durable double thick flat rim that adds strength
Have 76-degree angles, which allows nesting when empty, saving storage space

In addition to 8×10, and 10×14 inch Detroit-Style Pans, LloydPans also offers Pizza Pan Lids perfect for stacking while proofing, making your prep table more efficient.

LloydPans

800-748-6251

The post Detroit-Style Pans Enter December as Best-Seller appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pizza Delivery: To Fee or Not to Fee?

Denise Greer — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:01:41 +0000

To answer the question of whether to charge your customers a fee for delivery, let us begin by reviewing the history of pizza delivery from the 60s through today.

DO: Learn about the history of delivery fees

In 1965, a man by the name of Tom Monaghan not only put pizza delivery on the map but set the standard of pizza delivery for the next 35 years. As founder of Domino’s Pizza, Monaghan introduced FREE delivery. He did this by charging more per pizza ($1-$3 more) than was standard at the time. In other words, he called it FREE delivery, but incorporated the cost of delivery into the price of the pizza. This brilliant strategy gave Domino’s a powerful marketing strategy that forced many pizza operators to follow suit and provide FREE delivery.

DO: Know that FREE delivery is not truly free

FREE delivery took its first real setback due to the 9-11 attacks and the subsequent insurance restructuring. Prior to 9-11, a pizzeria owner’s business insurance covered the drivers using their own vehicles for delivery. After 9-11, insurance companies created a new type of insurance called ‘Non-Owned Auto Insurance’. The regular business insurance excluded coverage of non-company-owned vehicles. Pizzeria owners were required to purchase this additional insurance if their drivers used their own personal vehicles. Also, as part of this insurance restructuring, personal auto policies excluded coverage for work use. In other words, without non-owned auto insurance, if a driver gets in an accident on the job, you may lose your pizzeria.

DON’T: Deliver without non-owned auto insurance

This added expense for pizza delivery caused most national pizza chains to begin charging the customer for pizza delivery. FREE delivery, although never truly free, quickly became a thing of the past. The fees started as low as 50 cents and grew over the next 20 years to reflect increasing costs of delivery.

The next historical moment in pizza delivery fees came with the advent of third party delivery. Companies like GrubHub and Doordash added a whole new level to delivery charges. Delivery fees, handling fees and higher menu prices for delivered products are fees passed on to the customer. It became the new norm that if you purchased food through a third party delivery company, you may pay up to double the price of picking the food up at the pizzeria. The great news about third party delivery companies is that they ‘trained’ consumers to expect to pay more for delivery.

So, where does this leave you, the pizzeria owner/operator? To Fee or Not to Fee?

DO: Charge enough to make a profit

Consider the costs, which vary depending on the type of customer. Dine-in, Take-out, and Delivery.

Dine-in. Counter and table servers, rent on the seating space, dishes, maintenance, restrooms and parking
Take-out. Your most profitable customer
Delivery. The added expenses of third party companies, or if you DIY (Do-It-Yourself) delivery, you have the added expenses of delivery drivers, non-owned auto insurance, driver gas/mileage reimbursement, delivery packaging and heat/cold retention.

Given that the costs of delivery exceed the costs of your other types of customers, it stands to reason that you are forced to either charge a delivery fee or have a delivery menu that is priced higher. It is much more transparent (read: better for the customer) to have the same menu prices and charge a delivery fee.

DO: Have consistent menu prices

There is one alternative to explore, however. If you increase your menu prices across the board, and offer discounts for take-out or dine-in, you can duplicate what Tom Monaghan did last century. If you take this route, take advantage of what Monaghan did and market the heck out of FREE delivery.

DON’T: Offer FREE delivery unless you include the cost of delivery in your menu prices

Forgoing the FREE delivery alternative, how much should you charge as a delivery fee? Your POS system should allow you to select fees (and driver reimbursement) based on different areas. This allows you to charge more for deliveries that are farther away from the store. You should charge the customer a delivery fee that is more than you pay your driver in reimbursement. The extra amount collected will contribute to your other delivery expenses. For example, if you reimburse a driver $3.00 for a delivery, you may charge $5.00 as a delivery fee to that customer. Your delivery fee will change as your costs associated with that delivery go up or down.

DO: Have a separate, clearly identified charge for delivery

One of the costs to identify relating to DIY delivery is how much to reimburse your driver, referred to as ‘mileage’. Mileage must be enough to cover your driver’s actual expenses, or you may have legal problems with the Labor Board. Every year, the IRS posts the required compensation for persons using their own vehicles for work. Although they rarely change it mid-year, 2022 is the obvious exception due to gas prices. The mileage rate for the second half of 2022 is 62.5 cents per mile. If your driver averages four miles round-trip on deliveries, you must reimburse them a minimum of $2.50 per delivery. If you pay less, the Labor Board says that means you used part of their hourly wages to reimburse, which may put the employee below minimum wage, subjecting you to a class-action lawsuit. This would require you to pay every driver back-wages as well as penalties and interest. The only way to accurately calculate the mileage you pay your drivers is to take a month and document their actual miles driven and divide into the number of deliveries.

DON’T: Underpay mileage reimbursement

All prices are subject to market competition and delivery fees are no exception. Research the delivery fees charged by 3rd Party Delivery Companies in your area and the delivery fees charged by your competitors who DYI.

DO: make sure your delivery charge is competitive

Or, if you are too busy to read this, skip the entire article, and charge $4.99 per delivery.

DAN COLLIER is the founder of Pizza Man Dan’s in California and a speaker at International Pizza Expo.

The post Pizza Delivery: To Fee or Not to Fee? appeared first on Pizza Today.

What’s in Plant-Based Pepperoni and Mozzarella?

Denise Greer — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:01:04 +0000

Pizzeria operators can incorporate these innovative ingredients to answer consumer demand

Plant-based ingredients are gaining popularity, including on pizza. According to Datassential, plant-based items have been rapidly growing in menu prevalence, and are expected to be on 40 percent of menus by 2025. These menu items include not just veggie burgers and tofu scramble, but pizza toppings such as non-dairy cheeses and meatless proteins.

Pizzeria owners looking to add plant-based mozzarella and pepperoni to their menus want to know what is in these ingredients, and how to prep the items so that the finished product satisfies customers. Manufacturers say the items are comparable to the milk and meat versions, and generally should be handled the same way.

Plant-based mozzarella

Plant-based cheese can be made from various ingredients, but one thing it does not contain is casein, a protein in dairy milk that gives it structure and meltability. The challenge for plant-based cheese manufacturers is to make the cheese with the stretch and creaminess that people enjoy in mozzarella. Manufacturers say they have found ingredient combinations that work.

Saputo Dairy USA’s Vitalite brand of vegan-certified, dairy-free plant-based mozzarella has as its main ingredients potato and corn starch, coconut oil and water. “It’s the combination of ingredients that creates the right balance to deliver on the attributes consumers are looking for in a plant-based cheese – delicious taste, creamy texture and optimal melting performance,” says David Cherrie, vice president of marketing and innovation for Saputo Dairy USA. The cheese has a neutral flavor so that it can be added to any dishes that typically use cheese, including pizza.

Other manufacturers use similar components. At Daiya Foods, the main ingredients include tapioca flour, coconut oil, chickpea protein, yeast extract and fruit or vegetable juice for color. “Dairy parity is the goal that all plant-based cheeses are working and innovating towards, Daiya included,” says Greg Acken, director of foodservice for North America. “To best achieve this, there are a few key steps pizzeria owners should be aware of.”

The amount of cheese one uses is important for achieving the right melt factor with plant-based cheese. The brand recommends using from one and a quarter cup to two cups Daiya Cheeze Shreds, based on the size of pizza. “It is also important to check with your food manufacturer if the product has a recommended cooking condition and time that differs from its dairy counterparts, which can sometimes be the case,” Acken says. That time can range from eight to sixteen minutes based on the type of oven.

Also, plant-based cheese interacts with toppings in much the same way as dairy mozzarella does. “We have found that the more toppings, the better the melt,” Acken says. “Consider pairing your plant-based pizza with lots of veggies.”

Customers might ask about allergens, particularly if they are seeking a lactose-free meal. Operators should train staff on how to answer these questions, and also prep the food in an area separate from where the dairy cheese version is prepped, to avoid cross-contamination.

There are also nut allergies to consider. Miyoko’s Creamery makes Liquid Vegan Pizza Mozzarella that is nut free and allergen friendly. The pourable cheese is an alternative to a block of cheese that needs to be shredded, which the brand says can hinder meltability. “Miyoko’s stripped it down to the very minimum, creating a liquid with cultured plant milk as the hero, and using the heat of the oven to activate the starches and proteins,” says Jason Hull, brand manager. The cheese is delivered frozen, and the brand recommends slack (thaw in the refrigerator) for 48 hours, then apply a thin layer on top of the sauce using a ladle or precision squeeze bottle. The recommended amount is one-quarter cup per 10-inch pizza, and bake at 500+ degrees.

Pepperoni

Plant-based pepperoni is also gaining popularity. In 2021 Pizza Hut and Beyond Meat announced they were partnering to debut Beyond Pepperoni, a plant-based version of Pizza Hut’s top-selling pizza topping. The Beyond Pepperoni Pizza was available as a test in approximately 70 Pizza Hut locations across five U.S. markets for a limited time.

Other manufacturers are also entering the plant-based pepperoni category. At Happy Little Plants, a brand from Hormel Foods, the pepperoni-style topping contains water, soybean oil, soy protein concentrate, paprika, and other ingredients. It should be cooked from a refrigerated prep table, and used the same way as meat pepperoni. “Our team worked closely with pizzerias, chefs, foodservice operators and pizza experts to develop a plant-based pepperoni that cooks and tastes like traditional pepperoni and have put that same attention to all our plant-based pizza topping items,” said Colby Strilaeff, brand manager, Hormel Foodservice. “We wanted to offer a plant-based pepperoni that we felt confident in adding to our pizza topping portfolio of products to our customers.”

According to the brand’s website, Happy Little Plants Pepperoni-style topping is fully cooked and can be eaten out of the package, but the flavor and texture are best enjoyed warmed. It works in all style of pizza ovens, and all temperatures.

For plant-based versions of meat proteins, consumers sometimes want to know if the item has soy, as they might be allergic. A spokesperson for Greenleaf Foods, parent company of brands such as Field Roast and Lightlife, says Field Roast Plant-Based Pepperoni is made with whole pieces of fennel, cracked black pepper, anise, garlic and paprika, and uses pea protein rather than soy. The plant-based pepperoni also has less sodium than beef and pork pepperoni. The Field Roast products can be prepped the same way as the animal protein pepperoni on pizzas, calzones, salads, and other items.

There will likely be more demand for plant-based toppings such as pepperoni and mozzarella, and manufacturers say operators should be ready. “The pandemic changed consumers’ expectations for dining out and how they think about their health,” says the Greenleaf Foods spokesperson. “It’s critical that operators diversify their protein options beyond traditional meat to include things like plant-based pepperoni, plant-based chicken, etc.”

The post What’s in Plant-Based Pepperoni and Mozzarella? appeared first on Pizza Today.

state of the pizzeria industry full report 2022

s9800073 — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 18:50:59 +0000

Sponsored by:

A Deep Dive Look at Today’s Pizzerias and Pizza Industry Trends

By Denise Greer and Jeremy White

Giving today’s restaurant business climate, it has never been more important to embark upon a comprehensive, deep dive study of the pizzeria industry for the pizzeria industry. The goal of our analysis is to provide you, pizzeria operators and pizza professional, with a gauge of vital pizzeria insights, issues and trends. We surveyed 750 pizzeria owners from all 50 states to see what’s happening in America’s pizzerias. We combed through surveys, national reports and key industry indicators to bring you the State of the Pizzeria Industry.

A Pizza Industry Overview – What We’ve Learned

Some over-arching themes from the pizza industry report data

As we pored over the data coming in for our Industry Report, there were some intermittent chuckles. Sometimes because our reaction was, “Of course. We totally expected that.” Other times we had a pleasant surprise. This is why you acquire and crunch data!

Two of the overarching themes that emerged from the data is something we already anecdotally knew: sales and employees are the “big ticket items” on the minds of pizzeria operators today.

When asked their top three priorities for 2023, 65% answered “maintain current business.” 65% also answered “grow sales.” 38.7 percent included “add employees.”

Food costs are no doubt rising, but our respondents have done a fairly nice job of pricing accordingly to keep them in check. It’s a sign that folks began listening to our mantra, several months back, when we repeated over and over again — raise prices! Still, 34.2 percent have a food cost between 29-35 percent. Obviously, we’d like to see that number drop a bit. 30.4 percent have a food cost between 23-28 percent, and that’s more in line with what we want to hear for your business health!

We recognize it can be difficult to price when you’re playing Russian Roulette with menu items. Supply chain disruptions have made it difficult for many to keep consistent stock. A whopping 81 percent experienced supply chain disruptions in the past 12 months, according to our survey data. Meats, pizza boxes and other packaging/paper products were the hardest hit. Those unexpected (or at least ill-timed and sporadic) inconsistencies make pricing difficult.

As we look over the various numbers the survey generated, here are some interesting tidbits and short analysis.

Optimism exists. 44.3 percent of our 754 survey respondents say they anticipate a sales increase in 2023. That may seem optimistic considering a potential recession could be lurking around the corner. But there is reason for optimism. Show us a major foodservice segment that fares better than pizza in lean economic times. We’ll wait. This is likely why 36% said they are somewhat optimistic about their business outlook over the next 12 months, while 31% are “very” optimistic.
Pay is rising. 83.2 percent of pizzeria owners increased employee wages in 2022. One-fourth of them upped pay by 7-11%. Let’s face it: it needed to happen. The landscape got ultra-competitive as the labor pool tightened and employees left the industry in droves during the “Great Resignation.” In order to keep good talent moving forward, operators are going to have to be leaders in their communities when it comes to pay, benefits, flexible scheduling, etc. Quality of life is at the forefront of Americans’ minds post-pandemic. Work to live vs. live to work, you know.
The buffet is dead. Okay, that’s harsh. But, really, it’s not what it once was. Maybe COVID is to blame, or maybe consumer behaviors are just changing in the first place. But here’s the rub: only 7% of our respondents said they still offer a buffet at some point during the business day.
Fine dining pizza still exists. But it’s even more dead than the buffet. A total of 2% of pizzeria owners responding to the industry report survey say their business falls into the fine dining category. No surprise there — pizza is commoner street food. We all know that. Even those who seek to elevate it do so without wishing to completely obliterate its heritage as a food of the people.
Independents remain proud, strong, vibrant. 58.1 percent of our survey responses came from single-unit pizzeria owners. 22% own 2-9 units. It’s like we surveyed the Pizza Expo show floor or something. Independents remain the backbone of this industry!
The industry is more affluent. 19.8 percent of respondents report doing $2 million or more in gross sales. We can remember the day when $1 million was rare. It was the dream benchmark. 38.3 percent now report $1 million or more in sales. The single almighty dollar ain’t what it used to be. With inflation driving up prices across the board, we’ll continue to see higher ticket averages in the future. The trick for operators will be to maintain profit margins.
Butts in seats matter. But not like they used to since the pandemic. In fact, 21.3 percent on survey respondents say they don’t have any seating at all in their pizzerias. The most common seating capacity was 20 or fewer (21.3%). Second most was 21-50 (20.7%). It appears the days of large 100-seat showplaces are behind us. As consumer preference shifts to on-the-run options, pizzerias that offer dine-in can do so on a smaller scale moving forward, we think.
Merch madness! People like to rock out your brand, assuming you have a good one. 22.8 percent of pizzeria owners say merchandise provides ancillary income to their business. It’s the fourth-most popular driver of additional revenue behind catering (54.1 percent), third-party delivery (35.8 percent) and beer/liquor to-go (23.1 percent). T-shirts, hoodies, hats and more with your logo are a no-brainer, really. If you can get fans to buy the opportunity to market your brand in public for you, why wouldn’t you?
The industry remains slow to adapt to technology. 26.4 percent of pizzeria operators still do not offer online ordering. This, quite frankly, is alarming. Especially considering the higher check averages and fewer mistake orders that accompany online ordering.
Insuring employees on the rise. 28.7% of pizzeria owners say they provide medical insurance. 19.3 percent offer dental insurance. This helps ease financial strain and stress on restaurant workers.
Pizza remains king. Pizza as a percentage of food sales is 80% or higher in nearly half of pizzerias (48.6%), according to our survey data. Listen, yes, we already knew pizza was king. But it just feels nice to say it out loud, doesn’t it? The most-offered menu item next to pizza? 86.8% offer salads.
Dough masters. 89.5 percent of pizzerias are making dough in house. That speaks volumes to the industry’s dedication to the craft, doesn’t it?

Now let’s dive into the specific topics addressed in the State of the Pizzeria Industry survey.

Sound Off!

Be sure to listen in to some upcoming episodes of the Hot Slice podcast where Jeremy and Denise will offer analysis, opinions and more on what we learned from the industry report survey. Explore podcast episodes.

The Indie Pizzeria Market

Sales Forecasting

Employee Focus

Hot Menu Trends

Marketing Matters

Consumer Insights

Industry Outlook

About the Industry Survey

The Independent Pizzeria Market Breakdown

Sponsored by:

The Independent Pizzeria Market is made up of single unit operations and multiple unit operations, with the single-unit operation dominating the market. Of the 754 operators surveyed, 479 were independent pizzeria operators with nine or fewer locations. Amongst independent operation respondents surveyed, 73 percent of the pizzerias were single unit, while the remaining 27 percent operated two to nine units.

Today’s pizzeria operators are younger than they were 10 years ago when the average age of a pizzeria owner was 56. Over half of pizzeria operators are under the age of 55 (56%), and 26 percent are under the age of 45.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we surveyed the industry and found that the top three concept segments (in order of largest percentage) include Casual Dining, Fast Casual/Build-to-Order and Carryout and Delivery Only. The breakdown is holding strong in 2022 with those three market segments making up 89 percent of the independent pizzeria market. Casual Dining is the leading concept at 43 percent, followed by fast casual/build-to-order at 29.4 percent and Delivery & Carryout Only (DELCO) represents 16.5 percent.

Seating capacity varies by unit. Nearly 60 percent of pizzerias have 50 or fewer seats. In contrast, roughly 14 percent of pizzerias have 101 seats or more. Over 56 percent have outdoor seating.

Online Ordering has Become a Necessity

Nearly 75 percent of the pizzeria operators surveyed report sales from online ordering. Nearly half of the respondents say that at least 18 percent or more of total sales were driven from online ordering, while 16 percent reported online sales of more than 45 percent of total sales.

The Million-Dollar Operation in Reach for More Operators

The million-dollar pizzeria has been the goal for many operators and that bar is rising. Of the independent pizzerias we surveyed with nine or fewer locations, over 40 percent of our respondents have hit the million-dollar gross annual sales mark. A staggering 20 percent have surpassed $2 million.

Pizzerias are Diversifying their Revenue Streams

During the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic, pizzerias sought new revenue streams. In our COVID-19 Pizzeria Industry Report, we found that they opened drive-thru operations as well as sectioning off parking spaces and parking lots for dining and carryout operations. Some even set up either food trucks outside of the restaurants to aid during peak rushes or sent food trucks into surrounding neighborhoods. To add revenue, pizzerias even added alcohol delivery and bodega/grocery offerings. Common grocery items included flour, yeast, produce, meats and even sanitizing supplies.

That ingenuity has continued and will thrive in 2023 in an environment of continued rising costs and a stretched labor market. Operators will have to be even more creative as many municipalities have lifted or removed some of the COVID-19 waivers on expanded seating, packaged sales and off-premise alcohol sales. Catering proves to be the biggest driver of additional revenue for 52.8 percent of pizzerias.

Making the Right Investments to Capture Catering’s Promise

As the No. 1 additional revenue generator, we tapped one of our lead freelancers — Daniel P. Smith — to dive deep into catering programs to give you insights and advice on taking catering to the next level through advancements delivery, packaging and marketing. Go to the Catering Feature now.

Third-party delivery is driving revenue for 37.2 percent. To expand: of the third-party sales, 31.9 percent of respondents said one to five percent of their total sales came from third-party and another 31.9 reaped 6-10 percent of total sales from third-party delivery. Over 40 percent saw third-party sales of over 11 percent of total sales.

Merchandise (29%) and Beer/Liquor To Go (26.9%) has also helped pizzerias diversify their revenue streams. Other revenue streams that registered with at least 10 percent of operators included mobile units, retail house-made goods and room/facility rental.

While ghost kitchen operations have experienced a spike in recent years, only 3.8 percent of our survey respondents have incorporated the revenue generation method.

Delivery Fees are Here to Stay

Gone are the days of FREE delivery. It’s a service that operators can no longer gift to the costumer. Today’s operators are either building the delivery cost into their menus, offering special-priced delivery menus or charging delivery fees. Over half of the operators in our survey indicated they charge a fee for delivery. Average fees range from $3.75-$4.25.

Pizza Delivery: To Fee or Not to Fee?

PizzaMan Dan Collier tackles the subject of delivery fees and outlines how to approach delivery fees in your pizzeria. Dan has maintained a successful delivery program for more than 30 years and he is an instructor at the International School of Pizza at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. He offers do’s and don’ts to help guide you. Go to the Delivery Fees Feature now.

Sourcing Goods

Today’s independent pizzerias source their products from a variety of purveyors. We sought to find out where operators source goods. We found that many operations use multiple sources. The highest concentration of operators use regional distributors (62.8%) followed by national distributors (56.8%). Nearly 44 percent of pizzerias use a local wholesaler. Over 30 percent use a retail grocer or outlet and 25 percent source via a local grower or farm direct.

Food Costs Soar

With costs of goods rising, so are food costs. Maintaining a percent food cost under 22 percent in the current business climate is more challenging. Just over 25 percent of the operators we surveyed have been able to maintain food costs under 22 percent. Over 41 percent indicated a food cost of over 29 percent.

The Supply Chain Disruption Expected to Persist in 2023

Disruptions in the supply chain have reverberated across the restaurant industry. Over 80 percent of pizzerias have experienced a disruption in their supply chain since summer of 2021. Pizzerias have felt the pain in several key areas. Over 66 percent of pizzeria operators reported unavailable affected their business operation. Pizza boxes and paper products impacted more that 50 percent of the pizzerias surveyed. Other elevated supply concerns included other packaging (46.2%), cheese (39%) and flour (39.5%).

Pizza Industry Sales Forecasting and Pizza Industry Statistics

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What we learned about pizza sales from the industry survey we just completed

By Jeremy White

Sales are the name of the game. So, where are things headed? What did pizzeria owners from across the United States tell us in this survey on the topic?

When asked, “How do you anticipate your gross annual sales to perform in the next 12 months?”, the biggest answer was “flat”. 20.4% issued that response. 17.5% said they expect sales to increase 5-9%, however. Another 16.2% predict a 1-4% uptick in their shops. Meanwhile, 10.6% are eyeing a 10-15% boom.

That means the number of respondents that foresee a decrease in sales is in the vast minority — 22.2% think they’ll generate fewer sales in 2023 as compared to 2022. While gross sales may not lag once raising prices are taken into consideration (92.5% say they are increasing menu prices to offset higher costs of goods sold), that doesn’t mean profits will soar. In fact, there is less optimism on that front. In all, 41% of those surveyed said their profits will decrease in the next 12 months. Add to that number the 25.8% who project profits will be flat, and you have just one-third of respondents predicting an increase in profits unfortunately.

Here is some more sales-related data from the survey, which had 754 total respondents. These numbers tell us much about where we are today as an industry — and where we might be heading.

When we asked, “What was your approximate gross annual sales volume last year?”, here were the answers:

Under $200K — 19.6 percent
$200-300K — 7.9 percent
$301-400K — 5.2 percent
$401-500K — 6 percent
$501-700K — 8 percent
$701-850K — 5.2 percent
$851K-1 million — 9.7 percent
$1.01 million-1.25 million — 7.9 percent
$1.26 million – 1.5 million — 6.2 percent
$1.51 million-2 million — 4.4 percent
Over $2 million — 19.8 percent

We think the overwhelming majority of the “Under $200K” answers came from mobile pizza truck operators and seasonal businesses. The numbers tell us that 10 percent of our respondents have pizza businesses that focus on mobile units, catering or pop-ups. Most answering the survey (36 percent) label themselves as “casual dining.” 27 percent fall into the fast casual category, while 17 percent are delivery and carryout only units.

When asked about additional revenue streams, the No. 1 answer was catering (54.1 percent). That was followed by third-party delivery (35.8 percent), beer and liquor to go (23.1 percent) merchandise (22.8 percent), mobile units in addition to the brick-and-mortar (19.1 percent), room/facility rental (14.9 percent) and retail items such as sauces, dressings, etc. (13.4 percent).

Because we know the third-party delivery component remains and hot topic, this data is of particular interest. We asked survey respondents to tell us what percentage of their sales are derived from third-party delivery. Here are the answers:

None — 57.9 percent
1-5% — 12.5 percent
6-10% — 11.1 percent
11-15% — 7.2 percent
16-20% — 4.7 percent
21-25% — 2.8 percent
26% or more — 3.8 percent

While well over half the 754 respondents say they do not work with third-party delivery companies, 18.3 percent are seeing anywhere from 6-15 percent of their sales come via this avenue.

We asked the same question for the online ordering category. Here’s what we found:

65% or more — 5.1 percent
45-64% — 11.5 percent
28-44% — 16.1 percent
18-27% — 14.6 percent
10-17% — 12.3 percent
5-9% — 6.3 percent
Less than 5% — 7.8 percent
None — 26.4 percent

Aside from none (we were surprised the number was as high as it was; we had predicted 20% or less would give that response in 2022), the most prevalent answer was 28-44%. While that’s a wide range no doubt, it shows just how substantial online sales can be for a pizzeria.

Considering the labor issues pizzeria owners have dealt with since the pandemic (49 percent have had to reduce operating hours as a result), it stands to reason automating orders can help reduce labor costs in addition to driving higher check averages.

Labor costs aren’t the only ones rising, either. Inflation has made the cost of goods sold take an upward trajectory as well. We asked “which of the following steps have you taken to mitigate” this. Here were the answers:

Raise menu prices — 92.5 percent
Reduce menu offerings — 25 percent
Reduce portion sizes — 13.5 percent
Change ingredients — 11.7 percent
Replace vendor — 17.5 percent

The vendor hunt is on, and that did not surprise us as we anecdotally received that response time and time again while walking the Pizza Expo show floor.

In-Depth Analysis on the Podcast

Be sure to listen in to upcoming episodes of the Hot Slice podcast where our Editor-in-Chief, Jeremy White, will dive into these numbers with Executive Editor Denise Greer. They’ll offer insights and analysis you won’t want to miss. Go to The Hot Slice Podcast now.

Pizza Restaurant Labor Pains

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Outlook is improving, but employees still a key topic

By Jeremy White

When we asked our survey respondents to “describe your overall outlook of the pizzeria industry in the next 12-18 months,” we weren’t sure what to expect. In the end, 36% were somewhat optimistic and 31% were very optimistic. We think those who had positive thoughts on the matter felt that way because their situation with employees is beginning to improve. After all, it’s difficult to grow if you don’t have the help.

When we asked, “what are your top three business priorities over the next 12 months?”, adding employees was the most common answer (38.7 percent) behind sales. And another 10.6 percent cited adding employee benefits.

Before we dive into benefits, let’s take a look at some overall trends on the subject of employees. Consider the following data we uncovered with our survey:

37.9% have 10 or fewer employees. 22% have 11-12.
29.6 percent have an average labor cost in the 23-28% range. Another 26.1% carry a labor cost between 29-35%.
When asked if they had to adjust their operating hours due to a shortage of workers, 49% answered “yes.”
In an effort to keep help, 83.2% of pizzeria operators have increased wages. 24.8% upped pay by 4-6% to help offset inflation. Meanwhile, a nearly identical number (24.6%) said they raised salaries by 7-11%.

Employee Benefits Matter

Recognizing that increasing pay alone isn’t enough, we then asked about benefits. Here is where things in the industry stand at the moment:

85.2 percent give employees free or discounted food.
48.2 percent offer paid time off.
30.3 percent provide paid sick leave.
28.7 percent say medical insurance is part of their benefits package.
19.3 percent offer dental insurance.
17.2 percent help with retirement planning.
14 percent pay or assist with advancing professional development.
12.1 percent take part in profit-sharing with employees.
7.7 percent include life insurance in their lineup of benefits.
3.5 percent provide education assistance.

On top of that, the majority of operators (84 percent) increased pay by some degree. In 2022, it appears this is truly the cost of doing restaurant business as pizzerias have had to compete with retail outlets such as Target or Best Buy like never before.

This may contribute to elevated labor costs short-term (26.1 percent cite a labor cost in the 29-35 percent range) as operators learn to balance this expense with proper menu pricing as inflation dominates headlines. It may also lead to operators taking on more part-time employees as a way of curtailing the expense of providing costly benefits.

Explore the Latest Pizzeria Menu Trends

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To stay up to date on the latest pizzeria menu trends, we examined what’s hot on menus, what’s being added and what’s being removed. From pizza styles to other menu categories, operators shared what’s trending on menus across America.

As many restaurant brands have cut menus, pizzerias have maintained their menu options (66% made no cuts to menus. Of those, 38 percent even expanded menu offerings).

5 Things to Know about Pizza Menus:

Buffets are out with only seven percent reporting still offering them.
The slice game in American pizzerias is strong. Forty-seven percent sell slices.
Gluten-free (gluten-friendly) crust is strong with nearly 63 percent of pizzerias offering the option.
Cauliflower crust is on the rise. A rarity on menus just a few years ago, cauliflower crusts are on 35.5 percent of pizzeria menus.

Who’s Got Style

Pizzeria operators and pizza fans are adamant about their favorite pizza styles. Over the past several years, we’ve seen a movement towards offering multiple pizza styles. How has the trend resonated across the country? According to our Industry Survey, roughly 64 percent of respondents menu more than one pizza style. Just over 21 percent offer four or more styles.

New York Style is No. 1.

Burrata & Hot Honey Pizza, L’Industrie, Brooklyn, NYC

New York-style pizza reigns supreme as the most popular pizza on pizzeria menus across America. New York-style pizza has long been the most popular pizza in America. The first licensed pizzeria to open in the U.S. was Lombari’s, which opened in New York City in 1905. The versatile New York slice is crispy, a bit chewy, foldable and light on the toppings.

A surprise in the Top 5 pizzas offered in American pizzerias is the Chicago thin. Also called tavern-style pizza, these pies typically feature a crispy crust. They’re also quite often cut into squares. We rank America’s Top 10 Pizza Styles on pizzeria menus. The Top Five include:

New York
Traditional American
Sicilian
Chicago Thin
Deep Dish

Rounding out the Top 10 are…

Neapolitan
Detroit
Grandma
California/American Artisan
Chicago Thick

As operators look to update and modify their menus, we sought to find out what pizza styles they intend to add. Nearly 54 percent indicated they do not intend to add a pizza style. Of those who will add a pizza style, Detroit was the top choice. The style features a medium-thick crust that’s light and airy on the inside, yet crispy on the outside. The Top Five include:

Detroit
Deep Dish
Sicilian
Grandma
Roman

The Detroit Style

Learn more about this distinctive style that originated from the Motor City in A Guide to Detroit Pizza. This is a comprehensive look at the style including history, characteristics, recipes and dough expert advice.

Trending Pizza Toppings

We have seen almost every pizza topping imaginable listed on pizzeria menus. We sought to find out what’s hot in pizza toppings. The findings blend a mix of classic toppings and innovative and creative options.

The Top Five Pizza Toppings list has remained the same for the past several years. But this year, a new ingredient has entered the Top 5 — Bacon. The “everything is better with bacon” mantra has made its way to pizza.

The Top 5 Pizza Toppings list includes:

Pepperoni
Sausage
Mushroom
Extra Cheese
Bacon

BACON, Welcome to the Top 5 Pizza Toppings!

This fatty and salty delight can be used in many ways as a pizza topping. Don’t miss John Gutekanst’s bacon story, “Crispy Business”. He details bacon history and varieties with menu ideas and recipes. Go to the Bacon Feature now.

Rounding out the Top 10 includes:

6. Chicken
7. Onion
8. Green/Red Bell Peppers
9. Ham
10. Black Olives

It’s clear that meat is still king atop pizzas, making up five of the Top 10 Pizza Toppings. Chicken has risen as a popular pizza topping. Its ascent follows a global increase in poultry consumption, according to the USDA.

Yes, pineapple has found its way onto our Top 20 Pizza Toppings list. The controversial topping has won over consumers to become a permanent fixture on pizzeria offerings. Let’s dive even further into popular toppings:

11. Meatballs
12. Basil
13. Pineapple
14. Canadian Bacon
15. Jalapenos
16. Beef
17. Tomatoes
18. Banana Peppers
19. Fresh Garlic
20. Salami

The Plant-based Movement

While not yet on the Top 20, plant-based meats and cheeses are one of the biggest hot trends in pizza toppings. Plant-based ingredients are becoming mainstream on pizza menus. Plant-based meats and cheeses are the top new toppings pizzeria operators have introduced over the past year. According to our survey, plant-based options were also the most researched and tested new item over the past year.

Our findings track with national data. According to The Good Food Institute’s U.S. Retail Market Insights: Plant-based Foods, the plant-based foods market is worth $7.4 billion, up six percent from the previous year. Plant-based food sales grew three times faster than total food sales in 2021. The market is made up of not only vegan and vegetarians, as ominvores and flexitarians are also consuming plant-based foods. Amongst flexitarians, 98 percent of those consumers who buy plant-based meats also buy animal meat, according to the Plant Based Foods Association’s Consumer Insights.

What’s in Plant-based Pepperoni and Mozzarella?

Plant-based is the hottest trend in pizza. Many ask, ‘what’s in plant-based pepperoni and mozzarella?’ We put one of our top freelance writers on the topic. Check out what she found out in What’s in Plant-Based Pepperoni and Mozzarella? Pizzeria operators can incorporate these innovative ingredients to answer consumer demand. Go to the Plant-based Pepperoni & Cheese Feature.

Introducing….

As you look for the hottest new pizza toppings to add, seeing what’s trending on menus across the country can help you hone in on your selection. When we asked operators what pizza toppings they’ve added in the past year, we received everything from traditional to innovative and groundbreaking. We’re highlighting some of the standouts below:

Specialty & New Cheeses. From Burrata, Buffalo Mozzarella to herb-infused cheeses, pizzerias are introducing more than a standard mozzarella.

Pulled pork and brisket. Prepared various ways, pork and brisket have broken into many pizza topping lists.

Hot Honey. The spicy and sweet concoction has gone mainstream.

Pickles. Their salty and sour taste is proving to be a good pairing for other ingredients.

Chorizo. The Mexican spiced sausage is resonating with pizza lovers.

Mild and Hot Peppers. From mild banana and sweet picante to hot jalapenos, peppers are increasing their frequency on toppings lists.

Meatballs. This staple is still increasing in popularity as a pizza topping.

Cured Meats. From traditional salumi to the spreadable Njuda and pancetta, cured meats are being added to the pizza menu.

Arugula. The peppery green has become a favorite finishing pizza topping.

Other interesting additions to pizzeria toppings lists this year include hot chili oil, fried chicken, artichoke, caramelized onion, seafood (crab, lobster, shrimp, etc.) sweet mayonnaise chili sauce and berries.

What’s Off the List

While the majority of operators didn’t remove a pizza topping from their list over the past year, other removed items like anchovies, olives, potato, Canadian bacon, roasted peppers, spinach and ground beef.

Non-Pizza Menu Movements

Salads are the most popular non-pizza menu category. Nearly 88 percent of pizzerias surveyed menu salads, followed by appetizers (78.9%) and desserts (69.9%). Sandwiches are on the menu in 65.1 percent of pizzerias. Pastas appear on 50.1 percent of pizzeria menus. Soups and entrees are the least menued items at pizzerias.

Let’s drill down to individual non-pizza menu items. There is a clear top contender for the top-selling non-pizza item: wings. Chicken wings have had a rocky few years with supply shortages and price hikes but have remained the best-selling item aside from pizza. Garlic appetizers, whether bread, breadsticks or knots, also sell well. Pastas, such as lasagna and spaghetti, also remain hits. Subs and calzones were high-selling options as well.

Pizza Making Breakdown

Independent pizzerias overwhelmingly choose to make pizza dough in house (92%). But the way pizza makers form dough varies from shop to shop. With many pizzerias offering multiple pizza styles. Hand formed is the most popular, followed by hand tossed. Pressed/Sheeted and Rolled made up less than 20 percent, respectively.

While conveyors are the workhorse of the chains, independents favor deck ovens by more than 15 percent over conveyor and 13 percent over Stone/Brick Hearth. Rotary and Convection each represent five percent, while countertop has emerged for catering and off-site events.

Oven power has become a hot topic in 2023. With advances in oven technology, Electric has gained ground over the past few years. Gas remains the primary way to fuel American pizzeria ovens at 78.5 percent. While the first pizzeria ovens in the U.S. were coal-burning, coal and coal alternatives have plummeted to less than two percent.

Pizza Today Magazine 2023 Content Sneak Peek

Over the next several months, the pages of Pizza Today Magazine and PizzaToday.com will dive deeper into individual menu trends to give you ideas and recipes. Here are some of the topics already in production: chicken wings, meatballs, extra cheese, pulled pork, Detroit Pizza, Deep Dish Pizza, garlic knots and chicken.

Marketing Matters in the Pizza Industry

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Marketing is an area that is vastly different based on location demographics and market. This is a collective look at how marketing is represented, in general, across all pizzeria operators we surveyed.

Word of mouth has long reigned the prevailing marketing method in pizzerias. But times are changing. Today’s pizzerias are investing in marketing. Approximately 82 percent of pizzerias surveyed spend at least one percent of their annual sales on marketing — with 43 percent dedicating one to two percent, and 26 percent of our survey respondents budgeting three to four percent. Still, roughly 19 percent budget zero for marketing.

2023 Restaurant Marketing Trends to Watch

We’ve scoured dozens and dozens of 2023 marketing trend predictions to give you a look at what’s hot and what’s relevant to pizzerias. Check out 10 marketing trends to watch in 2023:

Social presence will continue to be paramount with the following three areas leading the emphasis on major platforms: short-form video, influencer campaigns and social commerce (buying directly from social accounts).
Marketing campaigns will be driven more than ever by analysis of market and demographic from first-party data with more precision.
Voice Search will require pizzerias to have tact-sharp search engine optimization (SEO) to be found when users prompt “Hey, Siri”, “Hey Alexa” or “Hey Google” with local pizza questions.
Customers seek more hyper-personalized marketing specific to their lives and interests that operators acquire from POS systems and loyalty programs.
Cause marketing never goes out of style. Hone in on the organizations that are important to you and fit your overall brand.
If you are in the digital ad game, interactive ads are where it’s at.
Harness your partnerships for mutual marketing gain.
Text campaigns continue to gain traction, but only if you are very strategic about how and when you contact customers.
There is more prominence of owners or chefs being the face of a brand, including being the authority on what you do best.
Reputation management is vital to your business growth. Expand your strategies to cover your online presence.

Don’t sleep on the short-form social video trend

The social powerhouse TikTok started a revolution that has reverberated to every major social channel. Instagram uses Reels, and later Facebook adopted the feature. YouTube has added Video Shorts to its repertoire. Twitter is the latest to add a full screen video option. The sweet spot of video length for TikToks and Reels (Instagram & Facebook) is often suggested at seven to 15 seconds. Go to the full article on video shorts. Go to the Video Short Feature now.

Social Influence

Social media remains the dominant marketing tool. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok are popular channels to promote pizza businesses. Roughly 88 percent of American pizzerias promote their businesses through Facebook, followed by Instagram (72.4%). Twitter (23%) and TikTok (14.8%). When asked which social channel provides the best ROI, Facebook led at 57 percent and Instagram followed at 23 percent.

Let’s look at some emerging social platforms that you should watch and test. Here are some of the social movers and shakers to watch in 2023:

TikTok takeover has commenced. With billions of users worldwide, TikTok is predicted to be the social platform of 2023.
YouTube has consumer influence. Get to know and understand how to grow your brand presence with this video social format.
It’s time to expand your business network with LinkedIn. The networking platform is all business and pros in every industry are flocking to it make business connections. We’re there and you should be too.
You’ve probably never heard of BeReal, but you will. If you are marketing to younger Gen Z and even Gen Alpha, its downloads reached over 50 million in October 2022. This photo-sharing app’s benchmark is authenticity and highlights its users in real-time.

Pizza Today Magazine Content Sneak Peek: May 2023

Getting social, America’s most successful pizzerias have been able to use Facebook, Instagram and other outlets to drive business. In the May 2023 issue, social media experts and successful pizzeria owners alike will weigh in with the current best practices for harnessing the power of social media.

Advertising Drive

When asked where pizzerias advertise, social media dominated at 76.8 percent of the pizzerias. In-store advertising remains the vital advertising tool at 52.4 percent of those surveyed. Nearly 17 percent do not advertise at all and just focus on word of mouth.

The Top 5 Marketing Channels operators are using to reach their audiences are:
1. Social Media
2. In Store
3. E-mail
4. Community/Sporting Events
5. Flyer

Advertising Channels to Watch

There is no shortage of avenues pizzeria operators can take to put their messages out to your markets. We’ve examined the advertising channels that are on the rise. They include:

Text & Push Notification. Text registered on our survey at nearly 18 percent. As personalization and targeted campaigns increase, that number is expected to grow.
Social Ads, specifically video ads. Be where your consumers are. Social ads drive high ROI and can be tailored to hyper-specific target markets.
Connected TV Ads. These ads would appear on targeted streaming devices. A great advantage to this form of advertising is that they can be interactive.
Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) Advertising. Think next-level billboard advertising out in the general public, even restrooms and transportation stops. This can be video, animation and even real-time social activity. This channel is being powered by advertising technology that allows companies to use real-time data, geofencing and retargeting tactics.
In-Game Advertising. While out of reach for many, this mode is continuing to gain steam, especially for those restaurants targeting Millennials, Gen Z and the emerging Generation Alpha.

Pizza Today Magazine Content Sneak Peek: June 2023

What new trends have emerged in the world of digital advertising? In the June 2023 issue, we look at ROIs and follow strategies on e-mail database management practices, mobile SMS and notification marketing, and more.

As you plan upcoming marketing strategies, keep our findings for reference. And remember the No. 1 marketing concept that should lead your strategy is authenticity.

Technomic Pizza Consumer Trends

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Our pizzeria industry survey is the most expansive and detailed research we’ve ever conducted. More than 750 respondents answered a series of questions designed to yield the most reliable data that paints the most accurate picture of exactly where the industry stands today and where it may be headed.

But what we did not do is poll the end user of your product — pizza consumers. That’s outside our wheelhouse and areas of expertise, so we turned to our friends from Technomic for help on that lift through the 2022 Technomic Pizza Consumer Trend Report, Technomic Inc. Here’s a buckshot smattering of some important insights from the customer perspective that we think will be of interest and use to you:

Consumers prefer the build your own pizza option 36% of the time.
33% prefer heavy cheese coverage.
The five most preferred cheeses are, in order: mozzarella, Parmesan, provolone, cheddar, Monterrey Jack.
Only 28% of consumers say they are likely to order dessert pizzas.
Even fewer, 24%, are likely to order breakfast pizzas.
42% find an online ordering system where they can track their pizza order to be appealing.
38% want curbside pickup availability.
23% of American consumers would like to order pizza from their smart TV. That’s a 20% increase from 2020.
Only 19% want to order pizza via QR codes.
28% of consumers say it’s important that the restaurants they order from have sustainable packaging.
21% are willing to pay more for pizza in eco-friendly sustainable packaging. That’s up 18% from 2020.
47% would like more restaurants to offer natural ingredients.
31% would like to see organic ingredients.
22% said they’d like restaurants to offer plant-based items.
Only 23% said they would eat more pizza if healthier options were available.
Meanwhile, 22% said they consider nutritional content when ordering pizza.

Pizza Industry Outlook

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The world pizza market is growing. The market is expected to increase by $42.2 million by 2025, according to a Technavio release. North America is expected to see 44% of that growth. While industry indicators give a broad scope, we sought to take the pulse of the independent pizzeria operator. As we talk to pizzeria operators across the country, there is an uncertainty as they look forward to the coming year. Driven by volatility in inflation and cost of goods, operators are cautiously optimistic. Nearly 69 percent of operators remain optimistic about the pizzeria industry this year. Of that, 33.6 percent are very optimistic. Another 22 percent are neutral on the subject.

Business Priorities

We asked operators to select their top three business priorities for the coming year. The top three include:

Grow sales
Maintain current business
Add employees

Other business priorities that also drew attention were:

Sustainability
Grow new unit(s)
Add new revenue stream(s)

Cost of Goods

With rising costs of goods and inflation, pizzerias need to be agile. When asked how pizzeria operators have mitigate the rise, 93 percent raised their menu prices. Nearly 26 percent re-evaluated their menus and reduced offerings. Over 17 percent replaced vendors. Another 15 percent reduced portion sizes and 11 percent changed ingredients.

Technology Investment

Investing technology has been a game changer for many operations, from streamlining operations, saving on labor costs and increasing bottom-line sales. We asked operators to select all of the technology purchases they’ve made since summer 2021.

While off-premise sales were projected to rise long before the COVID-19 Pandemic, the event sped up the process. Operators shifted and brought in new technology to help. The shift hasn’t stopped. POS systems and online orders are the most invested technology. Loyalty systems and phone systems were also added or upgraded. A fraction of operators also investing tablets for servers. One-third of operators did not make any technology investments.

A Pizzeria Renaissance

From the show floor and competitions at International Pizza Expo and Pizza & Pasta Northeast to in-store operation and kitchen innovations, the pizza industry is experiencing a renaissance similar to invigoration of pizza chains in the 1980s. Nearly 44 percent of operators surveyed agree, while another 36 percent remained neutral.

Selling the Business

On the ground level, Pizza Today noticed a trend of establish operators retiring or leaving the business. We asked operators if they’ve considered selling the business in the past year. Roughly 34 percent answered yes. Nearly 14 percent of operators intend to sell their pizzeria in the next year. Whether currently considering selling, it’s important for an operator to plan their long-term exit strategy. We also asked operators what their exit strategy is. Over 42 percent plan to pass the business onto children or other family members. Another 27 percent will sell to an employee(s) or manager(s) followed by selling to a broker at 26.7 percent.

About the Survey

From July 2022 through August 2022, Pizza Today conducted an extensive survey of its readership with 60 questions, taking participants between eight to 10 minutes to completed. The survey included pizzeria profile questions and was divided into various topics impacting American pizzerias. More than 750 operators participated in the survey. Of those respondents, 479 were independent pizzeria operators with nine or fewer locations. Respondents represented all 50 states.

The post state of the pizzeria industry full report 2022 appeared first on Pizza Today.

10 Ways to be a More Environmentally Sustainable Pizzeria

Denise Greer — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 13:29:02 +0000

Back when Michael Oshman founded The Green Restaurant Association (GRA) in 1990, environmental sustainability hovered as a fringe issue. The popular press rarely reported on climate change and plastic waste was only beginning to find a spot on consumer radars.

Fast forward 32 years, however, and sustainability is now baked into the American lexicon and engrained in daily habits. Recycling, for instance, has been institutionalized while the use of smart devices to reduce energy consumption is commonplace in U.S. homes and businesses. The typical consumer is not only aware of sustainability, but often factors it into their everyday decision making, including where they dine.

In a 2021 poll of U.S. consumers conducted by C.O.nxt and Menu Matters, more than 80 percent of consumers identified sustainability as an important factor in their food and beverage purchasing decisions. That hefty figure lines up with a global study of more than 10,000 people by Simon-Kucher & Partners in which 85 percent of consumers reported shifting their purchasing behavior over the past five years toward more sustainable options.

Consumers, it’s worth noting, also double as potential employees, and they, too, appreciate businesses embracing an environmental bent. More than two-thirds of workers said they would be more willing to apply for and accept a position with an environmentally sustainable business, according to IBM’s Institute for Business Value study released earlier this year.

With consumers and employees increasingly prioritizing sustainability, pizzerias and their restaurant brethren have plenty of compelling reasons to pursue more sustainable and environmentally conscious operations.

But there’s a dollars-and-cents argument worth considering here as well. Sustainability-minded practices can – and often do – spark monthly savings on energy, water, waste and food costs.

“And when you’re operating on a five percent profit margin, those savings are real,” Oshman says.

So, how does one create a more environmentally sustainable pizzeria?

1. Audit the restaurant.

Energy and food waste audits from credible agencies can help a restaurant identify its existing strengths and pinpoint opportunities for improvement, such as incorporating new equipment, spotting inefficiencies or instituting a recycling and composting program.

2. Take a proactive approach.

In municipalities across the country, eco-conscious legislation is forcing foodservice establishments to eliminate plastic bags and straws as well as Styrofoam containers. By acting proactively and shifting purchasing to these more environmentally friendly options before legislation kicks in, Oshman says restaurants get “ahead of the game” with customers and employees as well as suppliers.

“Do you want to do it when it’s advantageous for you or when the law dictates you must do it?” he asks.

3. Recycle.

A proper recycling and composting program not only diverts waste from landfills and gives products a second life, but it can also lower a restaurant’s waste-hauling charges by hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars each year. Greg Christian of Beyond Green Sustainable Food Partners, a Chicago-based consulting company that helps foodservice clients create more sustainable and health-conscious operations, suggests restaurants separate their waste streams into categories like compost, cardboard and metal.

“It’s not sexy, but it works,” Christian says.

4. Check your pizza box.

The pizza box is central to any pizzeria, serving as a vessel for the restaurant’s flagship product and, in many cases, as a marketing and branding tool for the pizzeria as well. To be eco-friendly, use a 100 percent post-consumer recycled pizza box rather than a pizza box crafted from virgin trees. (The same goes for napkins, too, Oshman adds.)

Also, inform customers their pizza box can, in fact, be recycled. Though long a source of confusion, pizza boxes are now almost universally accepted among companies manufacturing from recycled cardboard.

5. Buy local goods.

The current food system is overwhelmingly global. Food is shipped around the world, driving pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. When restaurants buy local, however, food travels a shorter distance to the plate, which reduces one’s carbon footprint and impact on the environment.

6. Address food waste.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, more food reaches landfills and combustion facilities than any other material in everyday trash. In landfills, food rots and produces methane, a harmful greenhouse gas. Reduce waste by executing proper portion sizes, weighing plates and shrinking the menu.

“If you don’t think you’re producing waste, you’re kidding yourself, and food waste is a real burden on the environment,” Christian says.

7. Reduce water use.

Water is a precious resource in our world – and frequently wasted. While pizzerias might already have a high-efficiency pre-rinse spray valve in their kitchen, Oshman urges operators to install the “most”
efficient spray valve they can find. Often less than $100, a high-efficiency spray valve can spark energy and water savings that easily pays for the investment in year one. Similarly, make sure bathroom and kitchen sinks for handwashing have the appropriate aerators. These handy gadgets reduce the amount of water coming out of faucets, which saves water and energy.

8. Switch the lighting.

Installing LED lights is the low-hanging fruit in the move toward a more sustainable restaurant. Compared to conventional incandescent or company fluorescent lights, LEDs last up to six times longer and greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

9. Ask consumers.

When customers order carryout or delivery online, which continues to become more commonplace at pizzerias, ask them to “opt in” to the disposables they need, such as plates, cutlery or the tiny plastic containers holding condiments, spices or grated cheese. With an opt-in process, fewer of these plastics will hit landfills. Notably, a GRA study found restaurants could save about $5,000 a year with an opt-in process.

10. Highlight sustainability with staff.

Sustainability is a team effort. It takes training and mindful action from everyone. After all, what good is a composting and recycling plan if workers toss everything into the trash? Oshman urges operators to talk with staff about the different sustainability practices the restaurant has in place, defining what they are and why they exist.

“This way, staff are attuned to these issues and there’s purpose behind their work,” Oshman says.

Daniel P. Smith Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

The post 10 Ways to be a More Environmentally Sustainable Pizzeria appeared first on Pizza Today.

Recycling benefits the earth and your bottom line

Denise Greer — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 00:01:38 +0000

RECYCLE

When we think sustainability, we immediately think recycling.

Waste is a huge issue that must be addressed appropriately, whether viewed at the level of a single pizzeria or the nation as a whole.

According to the Green Restaurant Association, an average restaurant produces about 100,000 pounds of garbage per year. However, the GRA also offers this optimistic figure: restaurants that implement comprehensive recycling and composting programs can divert about 90 percent of their waste out of landfills.

Many regions and municipalities take an active role to reduce the waste stream by requiring recycling or commercial composting, and by restricting the types of disposables that restaurants may use. Examples include local bans of Styrofoam and plastic straws.

If you haven’t yet implemented a recycling program in your pizzeria, you can look forward to significantly reducing your waste stream. For operators that are already recycling, it’s important to stay abreast of the latest recycling news. This dynamic field changes often. Cities and haulers change policies, recycling markets change, and product availability varies. For these reasons, reevaluate your program regularly and update it according to the latest developments.

What Can You Recycle?

The restaurant materials that are easiest to commercially recycle include plastic, glass, steel, aluminum, paper, cardboard and cooking oil. Additionally, many plastics can be recycled, but note that a recycling symbol on any item does not indicate that it can be recycled locally or at all. As Michael Oshman, founder and CEO of GRA, states, “You need to find out from your waste hauler what they’ll take. That’s it. Nothing else matters.”

You also need to know the sorting regimen required by your hauler. Some places welcome mixed recycling, some expect very specific sorting, and others are in between.

The Compost Question

While organic matter such as food can be composted, this category can be challenging. “We do it because it’s the right thing to do,” says Jay Gust, chef and owner of Pizzeria Rustica, a GRA-certified table service restaurant in Colorado Springs, Colorado. “It does cost us a little bit more. It’s a bit of an inconvenience and a bit of an eyesore due to the size of our restaurant. Our compost scrape bin is not right in guest sight, but not that far off.”

Not all haulers take compost, and some municipalities such as the Metro regional government in Portland, Oregon require restaurants to participate in compost programs.

Perform a Waste Audit

Launch your recycling reboot by performing a waste audit. You can’t manage what you haven’t measured, so examine your waste stream and evaluate the types and quantities of materials you must address.

You can perform this independently or hire a consultant, and definitely check with your municipality and your hauler. Both entities might have helpful resources. There are also lots of resources online. Reviewing previous waste quantities and expenses is part of the process, so gather past invoices.

The audit will reveal how much recyclable material, food waste and landfill waste you generate on a daily basis. At the end of your audit, you’ll have a list of your waste items sorted into where they’re destined: recycling, compost or landfill.

Reevaluate Purchasing Habits

Now that you know which items can’t be recycled locally and which items make the bulk of your landfill, reevaluate your purchasing decisions with two things in mind: reducing landfill waste and streamlining your recycling. For example, if you’re buying ingredients or supplies in packaging that cannot be recycled locally, can you buy them in different packaging? Can you buy in larger containers, or more concentrated products, to reduce the volume of packaging? Can you choose packaging that has re-use demand, like five-gallon buckets and one-gallon glass jars?

To streamline your recycling, make purchasing choices that simplify the recycling process for your employees and your customers. For example, if you have a case of grab-and-go beverages, simplify the packaging options so your front-of-house recycling is crystal clear. If this category is dominated by glass and cans, you could eliminate plastic bottles. Apply this strategy back-of-house, too.

Refining your procurement habits can have a big impact on reducing your waste stream.

Set Up Your System

Back-of-house systems will be similar in all types of restaurants. Front-of-house systems depend on your type of restaurant: fast food, fast casual or table service.

Table service restaurants have it easy: they only need to train their employees, not their customers. If your operation is table service, your front-of-house and back-of-house recycling can be very similar, although certain items may dominate each location. For example, front-of-house may generate lots of wine bottles, while back-of-house generates #10 steel cans in large volumes.

If your customers bus their own tables, your system must be extremely user-friendly to succeed. Some such establishments use signage to direct customers to “put everything in the bus tub, and we’ll sort it out.”

Both systems must rely on clear, abundant and simple signage to explain what goes where. Oshman urges operators to use both pictures and words, in multiple languages if appropriate.

For best compliance, don’t use abstract images of bottles, cans or paper. Instead, show images of the exact items destined for that bin, to the extent possible. “Then, it’s less about what’s recycled, it’s just a preschool game of what goes where. As long as you understand pictures and match them, you don’t need to know anything about the environment. That’s how to make a simple program even simpler.” Oshman notes that some operators post the actual, real-life objects above corresponding bins to make it even clearer.

Recognize that, like any system, it won’t be perfect at the beginning. Incorporate employee and customer feedback and tweak it as you go to solve friction points.

Employee Training

Include your recycling system in your manuals and onboarding, and train employees to comply. Establish it as a routine part of your business culture and a non-negotiable expectation, like washing hands.

“Arm the staff with knowledge and share that knowledge,” advises Gust of Pizzeria Rustica. “There can’t be a hidden secret of how to recycle — it has to be on the tips of employees’ tongues. It’s nothing more than saying ‘I’m glad you enjoyed your pizza and you couldn’t finish it. Please remember that once the box is grease laden we can’t recycle it.’ We actually have some of our guests trained to bring in their old boxes and we’ll just reload them with their next to-go pizza.”

Annelise Kelly is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer.

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Sustainably Sourcing Ingredients

Denise Greer — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 00:01:34 +0000

Operators say buying flour, tomatoes and cheese from environmentally friendly providers can be time consuming but rewarding

When it comes to sourcing ingredients, the term “sustainable” refers to whether the food was grown or produced in a way that does not deplete natural resources. Pizzeria operators that want to sustainably source ingredients look for certain attributes or labels. For example, they might buy produce that is certified organic, which means the farmer did not use pesticides and followed guidelines related to soil management. Others buy from farmers that use regenerative agriculture, which focuses on the health of the ecosystem.

Then there is the movement to buy local, which the Green Restaurant Association defines as food that is transported 100 miles or less from a farm or orchard, or regional, transported 300 miles or less. Humane Farm Animal Care offers a certification and labeling program for Humanely Raised and Handled for meat, eggs, dairy and poultry. Monterey Bay Aquarium has its Sustainable Seafood list.

Sourcing sustainable ingredients takes research. Take pepperoni for example. “There is more to it than beef and pork and spices,” says Brad Kent, founder and head chef of Blaze Pizza. “How is the factory run? Are they exercising water conservation? Are they using the right packaging?”

Also, the manufacturer should be limiting food waste, but not by extending the shelf life of the food by adding artificial ingredients. “It’s a delicate balancing act,” Kent says. “It requires deep knowledge of your partners.”

While visiting manufacturing plants might be difficult for most restaurant operators, an easier tactic is to source from a local company. When the Pasadena, California-based Blaze Pizza opened its first location in California, the restaurant began buying flour from a company that sourced the wheat in Washington and milled it in Los Angeles. As Blaze Pizza opened more locations throughout the U.S., the flour partner was able to continue to supply the proprietary flour blend, sourcing the wheat from regions close to the other restaurant locations.

“We are reducing our carbon impact by reducing the supply chain distance,” Kent says. That’s true for dairy too, as most of the cheese Blaze Pizza uses comes from two plants that are within 300 miles of the dairy farms. The restaurants also buy pre-cut produce, which saves labor and reduces food waste, as the cores and other trims are used for animal feed instead of going into a landfill.

Another way to source locally is to skip the large distributor and instead shop at farmer’s markets. “These products are either delivered on an 18-wheeler from a broadline distributor or maybe from Mexico or Chile,” says Matthew Lyons, owner of Tribute Pizza in San Diego. “Or maybe they come from a guy who just that morning was loading a van and driving 20 miles to your neighborhood.”

Lyons buys produce from two nearby farmers markets where consumers also shop. The difference is he brings a dolly and buys 100 pounds of tomatoes at a time. Some farmers let him pre-order. “They text us and ask, ‘What do you want tomorrow?’” he says. “They will make sure they are bringing it in and putting it aside for us.” For a fee, some farmers set aside an amount of acreage of, for example, kale or peppers, and Tribute Pizza buys the entire crop.

One drawback to this method of sustainable sourcing is that it’s time consuming to go to a farmer’s market once or twice a week. Also, while some of the farmers have card readers at their booths, others require cash payments. “It’s a different kind of accounting,” Lyons says. “They are not doing invoices.”

Still, he is building relationships with the farmers, which has its advantages. Some farmers offer Lyons a bulk discount. “It’s more cost effective,” he says. “We are cutting out the middleman.” He gets alerts about the week’s crop and makes changes to the menu, such as adding prosciutto and melon when melons come in. There is also a rotating Farmer’s Market Pizza on the menu.

For some, buying from farmers is less convenient but still worthwhile. When Talula’s Pizza opened in Asbury Park, N.J. eight years ago, husband and wife owners Steve and Shanti Mignogna cold-called local farmers and asked if they would deliver. “We did a lot of research,” Shanti Mignogna says. “We were starting from scratch.”

For a few years they sourced ingredients from several farms. Eventually they began working with Harvest Drop, which delivers food from local farms. “That allows us to have access to so many more small family farms that don’t sell direct, and don’t have transportation,” Mignogna says.

Another way to source sustainable ingredients is to prepare items onsite. Instead of buying packages of mozzarella, Talula’s Pizza buys large bricks of curd and makes the cheese in-house. The restaurant also buys large packs of meat and slices it in-house instead of buying packaged sliced meat. While that takes more labor, the quality and flavor are better,
Mignogna says, and it cuts down on packaging. Also there are savings on food costs. “I prefer to put our money in people than buying things pre-made,” she says.

Some operators buy products from long distances but say the sourcing is sustainable because the ingredient is organic. Ambrogio15, part of Milano Five Group, with locations in California and Scottsdale, Arizona, uses Petra Flour from the Molino Quaglia grain mill in Verona, Italy. Fabio Rauscher Bascon, chief marketing officer at Milano Five Group, explains that Molino Quaglia is an agronomic system that limits its environmental impact. The Italian wheat is grown with the minimum usage of fertilizers, pesticides and synthetic substances, and the stone milling technique crushes the grain of wheat while conserving its natural qualities.

“Using stone ground flours made in a sustainable way is critical to our mission and product,” Rauscher Bascon says. “There is a special process to it, but it gives it a better taste, gives it more nutrition, and a nice aroma.”

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post Sustainably Sourcing Ingredients appeared first on Pizza Today.

Grandma Pizzas Make End-of-Year Rise

Denise Greer — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 14:42:24 +0000

LloydPans worked with countless grandmas to develop this unique pan

Heading into the holiday season, family togetherness takes center stage, and some of the most nostalgic (and delicious) memories of childhood come straight from grandma’s kitchen. Today’s need for a quick, delicious meal has resulted in grandma-style pizzas coming full circle into commercial kitchens.

We’ve duplicated our love for grandma’s pizza with Grandma-Style Pizza Pans that can be purchased on the LloydPans website.

Specifications:

One-inch deep pans with 76° angled sides
Constructed with 14-gauge aluminum that is hard coat anodized and bakes faster than steel
Permanent, metal utensil safe, stick-resistant PRE SEASONED TUFF-KOTE finish for easy de-panning and cleanup
Pans nest inside each other when empty, maximizing storage space
Made in the USA

Purchase LloydPans Grandma Pizza Pans and get started on the unmistakable taste grandma would be proud of.

LloydPans

800-748-6251

www.lloydpans.com

sales@lloydpans.com

The post Grandma Pizzas Make End-of-Year Rise appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pizza and Pasta Northeast 2022 Competition Winners are…

Denise Greer — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 14:03:47 +0000

Pizza & pasta makers take home top prizes in Atlantic City

Talented pizza, pasta and calzone makers converge onto the Atlantic City Convention Center to find out who makes the best pizza, pasta and calzones. Pizza and Pasta Northeast hosted four competitions including Best of the Northeast, Young Pizza Maker of the Year, Northeast Pasta Showdown and the first-ever World Calzone Championship.

Best of the Northeast

In packed days, competitors battle for the title of Best of the Northeast in three categories: Traditional, Non-Traditional and Neapolitan.

Traditional

The Traditional Division took center stage in the competition area Sunday. The category represents to staples of pizzeria menus. Competitors were instructed to make a red sauce pizza with cheese/cheese blend and no more than two of the following toppings may be added: Pepperoni, Sausage, Bacon, Ham, Mushrooms, Peppers, Tomatoes, Onions and Olives.

The sold-out field brought their A game with their unique takes on classic pies.

First-time competitor Jimmy Casapizziolo from Casa Pizzeria in Ludlow, Massachusetts, took first place in the Traditional Division.

Anthony Berghela of Romo’s Pizza in Slingerlands, New York placed second.

Bill Cornell of Carmine’s Wood Fired Pizza in Joplin, Missouri placed third.

Non-Traditional

The Non-Traditional Division is the anything goes category with no restrictions on styles, dough, sauce or topping and features creativity and innovation. In addition to the division prizes, the highest scoring Roman Style Pizza was named.

Cristina Smith of State of Mind Pizzeria and Public House in Los Altos, California was named Roman Style Best of the Northeast.

Cristina Smith went on to receive first place in the Non-Traditional Division.

Brandon Bryant of Hudson and Packard in Hyde Park, New York, placed second.

Jeff Smokevitch of Blue Pan Pizza in Denver took third place.

Neapolitan

The Pizza Napoletana Division may have the strictest restrictions for competitors to replicate the classic Italian pizza. The products that provide the base for “Pizza Napoletana” include wheat-flour type “00” with the addition of flour type “0” natural yeast, water, peeled San Marzano DOP tomatoes and/or fresh cherry tomatoes, marine salt, and extra-virgin olive oil. The dough must be kneaded by hand or with a low-speed mixer. After the rising process, the dough must be formed by hand without the help of a rolling pin or other machine and may be no more than 3 mm (1/8 in) thick. The pizza must be baked for 60-90 seconds in a 485o C (905o F) pizza oven. There are three official variants: Pizza Napoletana Marinara which is made with San Marzano DOP tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, oregano, sea salt, and extra-virgin olive oil; Pizza Napoletana Margherita Extra made with pressed, peeled tomatoes or chopped fresh cherry tomatoes, sliced mozzarella di bufala DOP, fresh basil, sea salt, and extra-virgin olive oil; and Pizza Napoletana Margherita made with San Marzano DOP tomatoes, sliced mozzarella STG, or Fior di Latte Appennino, basil, sea salt and extra-virgin olive oil.

Jay Jadeja of The Onion Tree Gastropub in Sea Cliff, New York took first place.

Daniele Gagliotta placed second.

Daniele Caridi of Chicago, Illinois, placed third.

Young Pizza Maker of the Year

For the first time, Pizza and Pasta Northeast names the Young Pizza Maker of the Year from a field of 16- to 18-year-old pizza makers. The competition was Non-Traditional and had no restrictions on dough, sauce, toppings and/or styles.

Michael Testa of Jersey Boys Pizza has won Young Pizza Maker of the Year.

Northeast Pasta Showdown

Competitors presented their pasta dishes that could include any combination of ingredients, sauces and toppings. Pastas were judged on trueness to Italian cuisine’s basic tenets: technique; presentation; flavor balance and taste.

Daniel Saccone of Saccone’s Pizza & Subs in Leander, Texas took first place.

Gerry Buontempo, Frank’s Pizza & Pasta, Baltimore, Maryland, placed second.

Carlos Camargo Martinez, Fusaro Pizza, Manahawkin, New Jersey, placed third.

World Calzone Championship

The first-ever World Calzone Championship featured baked calzone using any combination of ingredients, cheeses and sauces. Calzones were scored on a 1 to 10 scale on the basis of taste, creativity, execution, visual appearance and ease of preparation.

John Vigliotti of Peppino’s Restaurant & Catering, Syracuse, New York took first place.

Will Grant of Sourdough Willy’s Pizzeria in Kingston, Washington, placed second.

Genmaro Buontempo of Franks Pizza & Pasta in Baltimore, Maryland placed third.

The post Pizza and Pasta Northeast 2022 Competition Winners are… appeared first on Pizza Today.

New Website from Lesaffre Simplifies Solution-Finding for Bakers

Denise Greer — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 19:41:07 +0000

LesaffreBaking.com features product filtering tool, enhanced baking solutions, and more

MILKWAUKEE (October 5, 2022) – Lesaffre, long known in the industry as a supplier of high-quality yeast, is making it easier for customers to navigate its growing portfolio of ingredient solutions with the launch of its new website, LesaffreBaking.com.

In addition to yeast, Lesaffre supplies clean label dough improvers, enzymes, bases, fortification, sourdoughs, toppings, malts, and more. To help customers find the best solutions to their baking challenges, Lesaffre’s new website features a robust product filtering tool that allows users to sort products by type, solution, application, process, and brand.

“From the artisan bakery down the street to the in-store bakery of the local grocery chain to the international wholesale manufacturer, all our customers need ingredient solutions that allow them to tap into today’s trends and solve their baking challenges,” said Bill Hanes, Vice President of Marketing and Strategy. “We have been working to develop a complete portfolio of baking ingredients. Now, with the launch of the new website, we’re making it easier for our customers to find the right solutions for their specific applications.”

The website also includes information about Baking with Lesaffre, a baking solutions platform that supports Lesaffre’s global mission to nourish and protect the planet. Drawing on Lesaffre’s international baking network, Baking with Lesaffre offers solutions in the form of six commitments to the industry: Bake for Care, Bake for Smile, Bake for Good, Bake it Safe, Bake it Smart, and Bake it Easy. Website users can learn more about each commitment and filter Lesaffre’s ingredients by commitment category.

“Today, Lesaffre is so much more than yeast,” Hanes said. “We are your global baking ingredient supplier, your expert technical support, and your solutions-oriented partner in baking. We’re excited to have a website that showcases all the ways we support our baking customers.”

To explore Lesaffre ingredients, learn more about Baking with Lesaffre, and find the latest information and resources, visit LesaffreBaking.com.

About Lesaffre

Lesaffre Yeast Corporation and Red Star Yeast company are part of the Lesaffre group. As a key global player in fermentation for more than a century, Lesaffre, with a 2,2 billion euro turnover, and established on all continents, counts 10,700 employees and more than 85 nationalities. On the strength of this experience and diversity, we work with customers, partners and researchers to find ever more relevant answers to the needs of food, health, naturalness and respect for our environment. Thus, every day, we explore and reveal the infinite potential of microorganisms.

More information: LesaffreBaking.com

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Add Party Packages and Family Style Menu Options During the Holidays

Denise Greer — Sat, 01 Oct 2022 00:01:57 +0000

Bundle Up This Holiday Season with Party Packages

Let’s face it, the holiday season is busy. With all the things that we have on our to-do lists, sometimes it’s all too easy to lose sight of what’s most important about the holidays: our friends and family.

Packages and family-style options can be a great way to help your customers spend more time enjoying their friends and family and less time in the kitchen.

The key to a putting together a successful holiday package is to remember that your customers want to create a memorable experience for their guests, and that is where you come in. Food is often the focus of family gatherings, so this is a great opportunity for your restaurant to make a great impression and potentially gain new, loyal customers.

Think of your holiday packages as a marketing opportunity. It is vital to ensure that the food leaving your restaurant is hot, fresh and travels well. Consider options that can be reheated on site as well as items that are ready to serve. Ask yourself what will present best at an offsite event? You may even consider modifying some dishes so that sauces or garnishes can be added at the time the dish is ready to be served for maximum freshness. Branded bags, boxes, foil pan lids, serving utensils and chafer heating instructions are a great marketing opportunity as well as give a polished, professional look to your restaurant.

Your customers may need to pick up their food the day before their event. Ensuring that you provide reheating instructions for each menu items is not only helpful, but that attention to detail shows that you care about their experience with your restaurant even when it is outside of your four walls.

Holiday hours can be tricky, especially if you are going to be closed the day before the actual holiday. Using Christmas as an example, you can prepare your holiday pre-orders in advance and schedule a window of time on Christmas Eve for pick-ups. This is a way to fill your orders on the day closest to the event with minimal staffing.

Pastas, salads and desserts are easy to serve in bulk. Pastas reheat easily and are a great option for family-style meals. However, this is a pizza magazine, so let’s talk take and bake! There are many different types of take and bake trays, pans and options for baking the perfect pie in a residential oven. Pizzas and Strombolis are equally as easy to par-bake and finish off in a 550 F oven on a baking sheet.

Here are some rules of thumb that I use when putting together packages. I like party packages that serve 12, (anything less than that can easily be accommodated with a large take-out order). In my experience, 12 is the sweet spot. I can provide more value, better options and variety for a party of 12. On average, each adult in the group will eat 4 ounces of cooked pasta (2 ounces uncooked), three 1-ounce meatballs, or 2.5 ounces of grilled chicken breast, 4 ounces of lettuce (plus salad toppings), 1 piece of garlic bread or 1.5 garlic knots.

For dough products, you can usually plan, on average, that each guest will eat 2 slices of pizza, or two 2-inch slices of a “family-sized” stromboli.

With these tips in mind, I would put together some packages that would include the following:

Option 1

House salad (48 ounces of lettuce, 16 ounces of salad dressing)
1 half pan of baked ziti marinara with broiled mozzarella on the top (48 ounces of pasta, 24 ounces of sauce, 14 ounces of cheese)
Add protein — 36 one-ounce meatballs (assume 3 per person)
One family-sized stromboli cut into 12 equal slices.
18 garlic knots

Option 2

Antipasto salad (48 ounces of lettuce, 16 ounces of salad dressing)
1 half pan of Fettuccine Alfredo (48 ounces of pasta, 24 ounces sauce)
Add sliced grilled chicken (30 ounces)
18 garlic knots or 12 slices of garlic bread

Option 3

House or antipasto salad (48 ounces of lettuce,16 ounces of salad dressing)
2 family-sized stromboli, cut into 12 equal slices or two pizzas
Meatballs or sausage with marinara (36 meatballs or 1.5-inch sausage links)
18 garlic knots

Dessert Options

1 12-slice tray of Tiramisu
18 Cinnaknots with cream cheese icing
1 tray of 12 cannoli or 24 mini cannoli

The holidays are a great time to have fun with your menu and be creative. But don’t stray so far from your niche or specialty, otherwise party guests will be confused about what your restaurant is all about. For example, Wholly Stromboli features a Rueben ‘boli on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s still a stromboli, but it’s a special occasion offering and still on-brand.

Also, the logistics of executing holiday packages can be tricky when you have a small kitchen. For that reason, I try not to stray too far from the menu items that I feature in my restaurant. I don’t need to special order ingredients that I don’t already have in stock, thus minimizing the space and special preparation required for these special items.

In terms of pricing, I like to keep my cost of goods at 18 percent or less. While that may not always be possible with holiday packages, you can make up for a slightly lower margin with dollars to the bank. Consider that your paper goods, labor and overhead is less than if your team were to prepare 12 separate take-out orders or serve those guests in house. Additionally, one foil pan with a lid is more economical than 12 individual containers. We should always strive to provide value to our guests without devaluing our product. The sweet spot is where convenience and value intersect. Make the emphasis on providing those two things and you won’t have to give away the farm to build a strong holiday business.

MELISSA RICKMAN is co-founder of Wholly Stromboli in Fort Lupton, Colorado, and member of the World Pizza Champions.

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Man on the Street: The Bagel Trend

Denise Greer — Sat, 01 Oct 2022 00:01:10 +0000

A ‘Hole’ New Future for Pizzerias

I don’t know if pizza makers are getting inspired or bored, but I’ve noticed a trend in pizzaioli getting serious about bagel baking. Maybe you’ve seen bagel experiments on the social media accounts of Tony Gemignani, John Arena, and some of the country’s other prominent pizza makers. Are bagels the next big trend in pizzerias or is this just a fad?

We first have to acknowledge the cosmic connection between pizza and bagels. Introduced to the U.S. as immigrant foods, both have undergone transformations resulting in versions that are more popular than their ancestors. Their doughs are made from the same basic ingredients (flour, salt, water and yeast) and even share the same high protein flour. Both products are the subject of a common (yet inaccurate) myth that the best versions are made with sacred New York tap water. And lest we forget that when pizza and bagel are combined, they create a dish that can be eaten in the morning, in the evening and even at suppertime.

The first pizza maven I saw crossing the tracks was Jeff Krupman. Back in 2018, he added the Bagel Macher brand to his Bay Area pizzeria, Pizza Hacker. It was a tasty way to honor his Eastern European Jewish roots within the context of his playful pizza restaurant. By doing so, he was able to utilize a daypart during which he was previously closed.

Next came Phil Korshak, former head pizza maker at Home Slice Pizza in Austin, Texas. He dove head-first into bagels, starting with a project in Minneapolis. Phil ended up in South Philadelphia to open his eponymous bagel shop in 2021. Based on the rave reviews and daily sell-outs, I’d say he made the right move.

Tony Gemignani caught the bug and lit up San Francisco with his launch of Dago Bagel, a brand available at his North Beach Toscano Brothers Bakery and Italian grocery, Giovanni’s Italian Specialties.

Even though pizza and bagels share common ingredients, the two doughs aren’t necessarily interchangeable. While pizza dough has been trending towards higher hydration these past few years, bagels are relatively low in water content. That’s because the classic New York bagel isn’t just a roll with a hole in the center; it’s a dense bread with a chewy exterior. To get that chewy crust, a proper bagel is boiled before the bake. That quick gelatinization of the bagel’s exterior is what prevents the bread from expanding into a light and fluffy loaf.

If you’re thinking about adding bagels to your repertoire, keep in mind the additional space and equipment you’ll need to boil, bake and store your bagels. Boiling means you’ll need a large pot or boiling tub. Classic bagel shops bake on burlap-lined wooden baking boards before flipping their rounds onto the oven hearth. Then there are the proofing trays and speed racks you’ll need to stage your bagels overnight (plus the walk-in space to fit them). Nothing a pizzeria can’t manage on a small scale, but definitely a major project for a large-scale operation.

I love seeing pizza makers stepping out of their comfort zones to experiment with other bread products, especially one as close to my heart as bagels. The few examples I’ve mentioned have proven that great bagels, much like great pizza, are possible far beyond the confines of New York City’s five boroughs.

SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org Instagram: @scottspizzatours

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31 Days of Pizza — Get Social with National Pizza Month

Denise Greer — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 18:32:41 +0000

Get National Pizza Month Social Media Ideas

October is National Pizza Month. It’s 31 days of pizza celebration. Why not schedule 31 days of interactive posting on your social accounts? We can make it easy on you with engaging social marketing ideas.

Let’s first talk ROI, the biggest bang for your buck and time. We scoured through #nationalpizzamonth social campaigns and found some common patterns. There are a few styles of posts that drive views and engagement. Let’s examine a few strategies:

The Giveaway

Hands down, doing a giveaway on social reaps high exposure and engagement. And you don’t have to give away the farm (or, in a pizzeria’s case, something like free pizza for a year). Yes, that does get a huge amount of traction. People love free stuff, whether it’s a pizza, appetizers, dessert or restaurant swag. They will like, share and tag to get free stuff.

Get the details right. Avoid confusion and even legal issues by spelling out everything in your contents. Some items that should be included are specific contest opening and closing dates and times, eligibility requirements, methods of entry and selection of winner, judging criteria, publicity rights of winner’s information and any exclusions, among others.

There are guidelines that you must adhere to run a giveaway on social. Be sure to read through the rules carefully for each platform on which you plan to post a contest. Some of the information that should be included is that participating in the contest requires no purchase necessary.

The Collaboration

Social platforms make it easier than ever to team up with another account to post to followers. Increase your National Pizza Month reach by collaborating. Make the most of your collaborations. Are any of your pizza fans social influencers in your community? What local and regional food and events bloggers can you align yourself with?

Be strategic who you select as social collaborators. Local celebrities may not be the right fit. Make sure that they fit within your brand identity and values.

The Mention and the Tag

Mentions and tags can also expand the reach of your National Pizza Month campaign. Let’s break them down into four key tags:

Mention. Maximize the power of your post by mentioning accounts that are important to your specific campaign with @ symbol. Good mentions include key products you use, campaign partners and creators of graphics and content that you roll out. For instance, @PizzaToday would be a great mention for National Pizza Month. Don’t forget to invite your customers to mention your account in their National Pizza Month celebration.
Tag. Add tags on your images and videos. Think of this as putting your social campaign on their radar. Local or regional media and blogger are great accounts to tag. Events, tourism and review accounts may also be good tags. Don’t overdo it. Tag who’s important.
Hashtag. First and foremost, use #NationalPizzaMonth. Sure, you can use broad hashtags like #pizza and #pizzatime. With millions of mentions, try to drill down to your area and niche. What are common foodie hashtags in your market. Are their media hashtags for story pitches? Check out other local businesses. Have they found the hashtag sweet spot? Don’t forget to create your own hashtag for customers to join in on your National Pizza Month fun.
Geo-tag. Wherever possible, geo-tag your pizzeria’s location. Guess what? Your customers are already geo-tagging themselves at your spot. Make sure your content is there, too. Geo-tagging also helps you connect to local customers and lets them see precisely where your physical location is. That’s the point, right, to get them through the door?

Drool-worthy Images and Video

Stop a scroller dead in their tracks with a mouth-watering cheese pull or charred pep cup. Your best National Pizza Month social content is your jaw-dropping product. Showcase it with good, we mean GOOD, photographs and video EVERYDAY.

Hire a professional. No time or budget for that? Google it and learn. Put a pizza by the window (not in the direct sun) and point your camera phone at the pizza and fire. Get creative with angles. Don’t know what you are doing? You have an entire team of social media aficionados that can point you in the right direction.

User-generated Content

Now that you have your customers mentioning your pizzeria and using your custom National Pizza Month tag, it’s time to include them in your social campaign. It is always best practice to ask for permission to share that content. It’s as easy as commenting on their tagged post: “Great shot! We’d love to use it in our marketing (specify usage — i.e. social, print, web, etc). Please reply with #yesYOURPIZZERIANAMEorSOCIALHANDLE to give us the go ahead.”

Now that you have the mechanics of creating an engaging social campaign, it’s time to blast your National Pizza Month content across your social platforms.

But you might still be asking: posting on social for 31 days … isn’t that a lot of work? It is work, but it can also be a fun way to engage and celebrate your product and your customer’s favorite food. Have fun with it.

We’ve put together a National Pizza Month social calendar template. Follow it, use a few ideas or fill in your own. The key is plan, execute and celebrate.

Go to pizzatoday.com/national-pizza-month-october-pizzeria-tool-kit/ and download the social calendar.

Happy National Pizza Month!

The post 31 Days of Pizza — Get Social with National Pizza Month appeared first on Pizza Today.

Add the RediHEAT Heated 5-Pie Delivery Bag to your line-up!

Denise Greer — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 14:16:29 +0000

The RediHEAT Heated 5-Pie Delivery Bag offers a safe, cost-effective way to satisfy hot food delivery needs. This customer favorite consists of a high-quality thermal bag made of premium materials for superior temperature retention, a patented heating element secured in a special pocket, an internal wire rack for stability, and cord that plugs into a wall outlet prior to delivery, taking only 4-5 minutes to reach the optimal heating temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit. This product is available in red or black and comes in two sizes:

16-inch bag holds five 16” pizzas (17.25” x 17.25” x 5”)
18-inch bag holds five 18” pizzas (19.25″ x 19.25″ x 12″)

Easy to Use
After the pizza is out of the oven and boxed, insert the boxes into the delivery bag, close the bag, and disconnect the bag from the cord for delivery. The combination of the heating element, and thermal qualities of the bag will ensure your pizza stays hot and fresh for 45 minutes, like it’s right out of the oven! Our products are all made in the USA and come with a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty.

The post Add the RediHEAT Heated 5-Pie Delivery Bag to your line-up! appeared first on Pizza Today.

Lighten Your Load with Light Weight Dough Boxes

Denise Greer — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 13:34:14 +0000

Whether you’re churning out products for a large-scale operation or catering for a small crowd, the weight of your processing equipment needs to be a determining factor when readying your team with the right tools for the job. Lighten your workload by using MFG Tray’s new lightweight dough boxes.

At MFG Tray, we understand how hard you are working, so we worked just as hard to help improve your process. In response to customer feedback about the weight of most dough boxes, we developed a special line of our light weight molded fiberglass boxes to help your days run smoother. Keep reading to learn more about our innovative light weight material and how it can improve your production process.

Light Weight Food Handling Solutions

Food safety is essential, and so is keeping your employees happy and healthy in the workplace. Providing equipment that can be easily lifted, moved, and stacked is a vital component of a productive working environment.

With foods such as bread and pizza doughs, storing them in lightweight containers can help ensure your goods are protected through all stages; proofing, storage, and transportation. But unlike plastic and wood which are susceptible to bending and warping under heavy loads, fiberglass handling equipment maintains its integrity in the long run. The model food service handling solution will not only protect your goods and increase your efficiency, but will also reduce bad batch concerns and give you the return on investment you deserve.

Lightweight doesn’t have to mean less strength. MFG Tray’s line of light weight dough boxes have the same durability as our standard containers but at only 40 percent of the weight. Moreover, they can safely handle temperature changes between -60 and 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, they can be easily cleaned in conventional, chemical, or steam-cleaning dishwashers.

If you’re producing any kind of bread dough, you know that moisture and humidity play a huge part in how your product turns out. That’s why MFG created a line of fiberglass dough boxes with securely attached lids that are resistant to moisture and humidity. You’ll get the physical benefits of light weight storage without worrying about quality control.

Use Quality Equipment

Whether you’re moving food products around a factory floor or preparing them in your restaurant for distribution, it’s essential to use the best equipment available. Fiberglass trays, boxes, and containers are easily cleaned with conventional methods, reducing the risk of cross-contamination.

For particularly dense or heavy foods, a lightweight storage container can drastically improve your productivity and safety. Your team will be less likely to cut corners when moving heavy products, and all operations will be more accessible for every employee.

MFG Tray Has Your Back

Producing doughs to feed the masses is backbreaking work. From bending and lifting heavy loads to keeping food safety at the top of mind, there’s a lot to consider regarding proper material handling in food service.

At MFG Tray, we’re proud to work with some of the best brands in the business, helping them churn out quality products to keep consumers coming back. Head to our product page to learn more about our light weight dough boxes and other commercial kitchen products. If you do not see what you need, contact us today and let us know how we can help.

Visit MFG Tray at Pizza & Pasta NE in Atlantic City, NJ October 16-17, 2022 @ Booth # 827

Molded Fiber Glass Tray Company | TF: 800 458.6050 | www.mfgtray.com | info@mfgtray.com

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Long Pizza Pans Score Touchdown with Commercial Pizzerias

Denise Greer — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 17:17:43 +0000

LloydPans’ demonstrates revolutionary rectangular pizza pan solution

At LloydPans, we have an extensive pizza pan solutions team dedicated to improving the quality of our existing pans, developing new pans and finding ways to troubleshoot pizza makers’ pain points. One of our newest pans, the Long Pizza Pan, is a long rectangular-shaped pizza pan that can measure up to 108 square inches. This is a great solution for pizzerias and foodservice operations producing pan pizza. From birthday pizza parties to football season gatherings, this pan makes a pizza great for sharing.

Long Pizza Pan specifications:

12 inches long: serves 1-2 people with 4, 4×3-inch slices
18 inches long: serves 2-4 people with 4, 4×4 ⅕-inch slices
27 inches long: serves 4-8 with 8, 4×3 ⅜-inch slices

Each pan is 4 inches wide and 1.5 inches deep
Folded rim for added strength and safety in handling
Durable 14-gauge hard coat anodized aluminum
Permanent and metal utensil safe PRE SEASONED TUFF-KOTE finish for easy de-panning and cleanup
Made in the USA

Present your customers with this impressive style of pizza served on a longboard, taking the next pizza party to new dimensions!

LloydPans

800-748-6251

The post Long Pizza Pans Score Touchdown with Commercial Pizzerias appeared first on Pizza Today.

Lighten Your Load with Light Weight Dough Boxes

Denise Greer — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 17:02:47 +0000

Light Weight Food Handling Solutions

Use Quality Equipment

MFG Tray Has Your Back

Visit MFG Tray at Pizza & Pasta NE in Atlantic City, NJ October 16-17, 2022 @ Booth # 827

Molded Fiber Glass Tray Company | TF: 800 458.6050 | www.mfgtray.com | info@mfgtray.com

The post Lighten Your Load with Light Weight Dough Boxes appeared first on Pizza Today.

The RediHEAT Heated 2-Pie Delivery Bag is the Perfect Fit

Denise Greer — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 15:15:38 +0000

This complete, ready-to-use heated delivery system offers a safe, cost-effective way to satisfy hot food delivery needs. The RediHEAT Heated 2-Pie Delivery Bag consists of a high-quality thermal bag made of premium materials for superior temperature retention, a patented heating element, and cord that plugs into a wall outlet prior to delivery, taking only 4-5 minutes to reach the optimal heating temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit. This product comes in a variety of sizes:

16-inch bag holds two 16″ pizzas or 3 to 4 smaller pizzas (17.25″ x 17.25″ x 5″)
18-inch bag holds two 18″ pizzas or 3 to 4 smaller pizzas (19.25″ x 19.25″ x 5″)
20-inch can hold two 20″ pizzas or 4 to 5 smaller pizzas (21.25″ x 21.25″ x 5″)

Easy to Use
After the pizza is out of the oven and boxed, insert the boxes in the delivery bag, close the bag, and disconnect from the cord for delivery. The combination of the heating element, and the thermal qualities of the bag will ensure your pizza stays hot and fresh for 45 minutes, like it’s right out of the oven! Our products are all made in the USA and come with a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty.

The post The RediHEAT Heated 2-Pie Delivery Bag is the Perfect Fit appeared first on Pizza Today.

Sicilian-Style Pizza Pans Brings Taste of Italy to the States

Denise Greer — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 18:00:58 +0000

LloydPans’ popular line of Sicilian-Style Pizza Pans recreate thick, soft crust.

Regional-style pizzas are booming in popularity as U.S.-based pizzerias have started serving everything from New York- to Detroit-style. And one region in particular started one of our favorites: Palermo, Sicily. Sicilian-style pizza has a thick, spongy, fluffy base that only LloydPans Sicilian Pizza Pans can mimic Stateside. Our pans’ deep depth allows Sicilian pizza makers to easily recreate the original, and each Sicilian-Style Pizza Pan features our stick-resistant PRE SEASONED Tuff-Kote finish that eliminates the need for pre-seasoning and makes pan cleanup a breeze — even with those tight Sicilian-style corners!

LloydPans Sicilian-Style Pizza Pans also come with:

Nesting 76-degree angles that allow for nesting when empty, saving storage space
A double thick flat rim that adds strength and long-lasting durability
Heavy duty 14-gauge aluminum that transfers heat in an effective and timely manner

And, don’t forget Sicilian Pizza Pan Lids. Our lids make your prep table more efficient with easy stacking.

LloydPans

800-748-6251

The post Sicilian-Style Pizza Pans Brings Taste of Italy to the States appeared first on Pizza Today.

2022 Pizzeria of the Year: Tony’s Pizzeria Napoletana, San Francisco, CA

Denise Greer — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 00:01:47 +0000

Famed pizzeria surpasses $1 million a month in sales

Approaching 1570 Stockton Street in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco at lunchtime, a line of eager diners stretches for a half block. At the corner resides a thriving legend in pizza history, Tony’s Pizza Napoletana. Everyone on that block knew they were partaking in something special.

Tony’s Pizza Napoletana is a melting pot of pizza styles. The pizzeria excels at an array of them, including Classic American, Classic Italian, Pizza Napoletana, California, Pizza Romano, New York, Grandma, Sicilian, Detroit, Coal-fired, St. Louis and gluten-free. With a full menu, Tony’s applies the same “respect the craft” approach to everything served, from the giant meatball app to house-made pastas, desserts and a comprehensive beverage program.

“I always said I want to make it an institution,” says owner Tony Gemignani. “There is only one. I always felt like Tony’s could be the best pizza in the U.S. It could be the best pizzeria in the world. Tony’s is like what’s your favorite spot in Detroit and New Haven and New York and St. Louis and let’s all have it in one place.”

Tony’s has experienced a renaissance that has catapulted the famed pizzeria into uncharted territory: one-million-dollar net sales a month. It’s an unfathomable number for even the highest volume of pizzeria.

Pizzeria of Year Proud Sponsors

The blockbuster sales and Tony’s unwavering reputation as one of the world’s best pizzerias have earned Tony’s Pizza Napoletana the coveted Pizzeria of the Year 2022 honor by Pizza Today.

To grasp the steps Tony took to reach unprecedented sales, especially amidst a volatile business environment, let’s look at Tony’s in its infancy.

Today, Tony Gemignani is at the pinnacle of his 31-year pizza career. He is the chef and owner of more than 30 restaurants and a school. The 13-time World Pizza Champion’s name has become synonymous with pizza making. He has taught some of the industry’s brightest operators and pizza makers. Today’s pizzeria community looks to him as an industry thought leader. It’s easy to forget that Tony’s ascension was gradual and filled with obstacles and those who doubted his vision. But he never did. “Tony’s is the first concept that had multiple ovens and styles,” Gemignani says. “Everybody said ‘why’? Everything has always been ‘what are you doing that for’? Nobody got it other than my wife.”

He spent several years traveling and researching the pizza styles, processes and ingredients that put Tony’s on the map globally. In the mid-90s, he couldn’t simply Google how to create so many styles. Traveling to pizza cities, he immersed himself into every facet of a given style. He also went city to city to experience Italian festivals and soak up every pizza industry-related event. “Before it was Google, before you could just YouTube it, you had to be out there and I always say, it’s the experience of going to Detroit and going to Buddy’s and going to Naples and trying Enzo’s. There is that feel or understanding of it.”

The industry was very different then. Operators held their secrets closer than they do today. Learning a new style was time-consuming. He spent a decade bringing the concept vision to fruition. “There was a lot of sourcing, not only importing ingredients, it was sourcing ingredients that were regional ingredients from America that nobody could get,” he says. “So, there was a lot into Tony’s that took a lot of research, time and being on the road all those years at the conventions and pizza and Italian festivals.”

Tony gained experience and acclaim at his brother’s pizzeria, Pyzano’s Pizzeria in Castro Valley. But Tony wanted to chart a course of his own making. He found partners and just after the economic recession of 2008, Tony found a quiet Bay Area neighborhood that had yet to be revitalized. Vacant storefronts were plentiful in North Beach. Honing in on the Little Italy neighborhood, Tony had his pick of buildings. But as he eyed the corner of Stockton and Union, even his broker warned him that it was a cursed corner. Tony instead followed his due diligence on the block’s history. “For 90 years it was like three places,” Tony says. “After that, it was three to four places in two and a half years.”

Tony’s Pizza Napoletana opened as a full-service pizzeria in 2009 with raving success. Right away Tony saw a void in convenience, pick-up and delivery in his fine-dining pizzeria and wanted to take over the neighboring storefront. Within eight months Tony’s Coal-Fired Pizza & Slice House opened under the same business license.

With the combination of fine dining and a counter-service slice house, Tony’s was designed to hit high sales figures and its rise began gradually.

“Celebrating the first $1 million, it took a lot and then to get to $1.2 and to do a $5,000 night, those were exciting times,” Gemignani says. “Before she was my wife, my girlfriend sitting on the counter and me writing out checks. I don’t want people to think that I was never there. Or you could be there, and it could be gone one day. You never know what could happen.

“Then you say ‘wow, how can you do a million-dollar month?’ he says. “A million dollars a year you’re always trying to achieve that and then the $2 million restaurant. But with Tony’s the goal was $10 million a year honestly. As we started to go, I would always dream about ‘wow, I could do $10 million’ and now it’s like ‘can you actually do $12 million’ and during a really unstable and interesting time?”

Fast forward, it’s the end of 2019 and Tony’s Pizza Napoletana capped the year with $9.1 million in sales and he anticipated reaching that $10 million mark in 2020 for the first time in its history.

Tony was also eager to be a sole proprietor of his namesake business. He had already bought out one partner and in February 2020 Tony bought out the second partner. “I got the biggest SBA loan I’ve ever gotten, the biggest loan I’ve ever gotten,” he says. “I had never gotten an SBA loan. I had only gotten a home loan. I’ve been able to get private equity. Maybe two weeks after the documents were done and we signed everything, COVID hit.”

The bottom fell out. The COVID-19 Pandemic obliterated San Francisco’s once thriving restaurant industry. The initial blow to Tony’s was devastating, a 56-percent decline in business during that second quarter.

Tony stepped into the forefront on Pizza Today’s The Hot Slice Podcast and Checking In With series offering other operators the realities of COVID-19 in one of the country’s largest metropolitan cities and the actions he was taking to rebound. Some of those steps triggered the immense growth Tony’s experienced in 2021 and 2022.

But survival was paramount at Tony’s in 2020. The team got creative and innovative to maintain during the grim time, instituting such initiatives as Wine for a Dime, frozen pizzas, take and bake pizza, family specials pizza kits, pizza valet, Easter egg coloring packages, cocktails to-go, and 10 percent customer loyalty pens.

They also took a hard look at the operations, making decisions to decrease menu options and offer better online ordering. They restructured the Slice House kitchen and streamlined to-go and the third-party/pick-up window directly on the sidewalk.

Tony’s had used parklet prior to COVID-19, so as soon as the city approved the outdoor seating, Tony went all in. “I invested in the parklets on both sides of the restaurant with lighting and heaters,” he says. “It was a big investment.” The parklets were completed in phases with roofing added for colder months. The parklets created an additional 100 seats for the busy restaurant. While indoor dining was closed, the parklets, carryout and delivery flourished.

The initiatives helped stem the damage and triggered a comeback. The efficiencies and parklets sparked Tony and his team to think forward. “What happens when it comes back? During COVID, you didn’t have both open at the same time. So, I’m going to my GM Natale, ‘how are we going to handle it? We could barely handle it at $9.1 and we’re hoping we can get to $10. I remember when we hit $9 and I was like what happens when we hit $11? We don’t have enough refrigeration. We don’t have enough room.”

As Tony staged a comeback, he was experiencing one of his toughest times personally with the loss of his mother, who always pushed him to do what makes him happy. He also faced his own mortality after serious illness and surgery, giving him new perspective on his living legacy.

Tony took the gamble and reinvested in his concept and created a concrete strategy to handle the sheer volume that he anticipated for Tony’s.

In 2019, Tony had started the process of opening a bakery that would also act as a commissary for dough production for Tony’s, as well as other brands. Delayed by COVID-19, Toscano Brothers opened around the corner from Tony’s in May 2021, moving all dough production (mixers and equipment) from Tony’s to the bakery. It doubled walk-in refrigeration and freezer capacity for dough and frozen pizzas — approximately 70 percent more dough for pizza. It also shifted 25 percent of the inventory from Tony’s to the bakery, which now housed flour, semolina, yeast, oil, malt and other dough-making supplies for Tony’s seven dough recipes.

The bakery also provided revenue generation through breads such as sourdough baguettes, artisan batards and boulé then cross utilized them for menu items at Tony’s like garlic bread, bruschetta, crostini and sour cherry and chocolate caramel bread pudding. Bagels and pastries added extra income.

Using the bakery as a commissary helped free up much needed space at Tony’s. The sauté and fryer lines were expanded to double the space and new equipment was purchased. A double stack gas brick oven was replaced by a triple stack electric deck oven.

With dough being made at the bakery, the prep, refrigeration and storage areas at Tony’s were poised to tackle more products.

The kitchen areas in Tony’s and the Slice House are compact, something you wouldn’t expect for a million-dollar-a-month business. However, “It’s tiny, right?” Tony says. “Everyone knows their stations. They are good at what they do. They’re great pizza makers.”

Approximately 100 employees staff Tony’s and the Slice House. A seasoned and tested team has been vital to Tony’s success. “Robvell, JP, Stephanie, Mario, Juan, there are a lot that have been with us since the beginning.”

Retaining his team has been key in a tough labor market. “A big part of it is I try to lead by example,” Tony says. “So, I am in the kitchen still. I think that’s pretty important that employees see you working. I’m able to do that. Pay is important. Treat them right is important.”

Tony takes a sports team dynamic approach with his crew and hiring. “It’s a game every night. You have to be better at something. I’ve been pretty fortunate enough to keep some really great core employees. I think the core is important. The infrastructure is important. You can always get people to leave and come but it’s that GM, that chef, wine director, lead bartenders, lead servers.”

Another key factor in the concept is creative marketing, often unorthodox campaigns. While Tony’s currently does not use a marketing or PR agency, the pizzeria is able to drive traffic with fresh stories that keep Tony’s top of mind in the community and beyond. During Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Tony put a special pizza on its menu for a month to help raise funds for two badminton players to advance in the sport. A teen badminton champ himself, Tony even challenged the rising stars to a friendly match and taught them how to make pizza. It garnered media attention and generated funds for the athletes.

Cause marketing is close to Tony’s heart with three major charities: George Mark Children’s House, Family House, and SF Marin Food Bank, as well as regular pizza donations to St Vincent de Paul.

To grab attention, Tony has collaborated with artists to create custom, limited-edition pizzas and boxes with Ed Hardy and renowned artist and North Beach neighbor Jeremy Fish.

Tony is all about creating buzzworthy marketing. He is currently collaborating with Fish on a creative project with a local cannabis dispensary. Tony has created an out-of-the-box slice/cannabis pairing. “We do millionaire’s bacon, it has basil and tomatoes,” Tony says. “I do it in the wood-fired oven.” The pizza goes into Fish’s custom-designed box. “You bring that box up to the dispensary, you have a Tony’s preroll called the ‘Pizza Joint,’” he says. “It has notes of the basil and the tomato and that earthiness and smokiness of course of that pizza. So, it’s kind of cannabis world, pizza world and artist.”

Tony says when you’re up against pizza companies with million-dollar ad and marketing budgets you must find ways to stand out from the crowd.

At the end of the day, it’s the personal connection. “When you have a personal connection with your restaurant and a personal connection to your customers and the food and what it’s like…those moments of purity are important to share,” he says. “Tony’s has always been about that. I have a story about every single pizza that lands on that table or the flour or the oven it came out of.”

DENISE GREER is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

The post 2022 Pizzeria of the Year: Tony’s Pizzeria Napoletana, San Francisco, CA appeared first on Pizza Today.

Employee Ownership Promotes Resilient Restaurants and Loyal Workers

Denise Greer — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 00:01:44 +0000

Power to the People

Most pizzeria ownership reflects three standard models: a single proprietor with one or more shops; a corporate chain; or a franchise.

However, there’s another model that’s gaining traction around the U.S.: employee ownership.

While the concept may recall shopping for granola at burlap-draped co-ops, employee ownership is increasing in today’s hospitality arena, perhaps responding to dramatic changes provoked by the COVID-19 pandemic.

One industry old-timer is The Cheese Board Collective Pizzeria in Berkeley, California, which became a worker-owned cooperative in 1971 and has thrived for five decades in the birthplace of hippiedom. It’s a role model to multiple pizzerias in the San Francisco Bay area including Zachary’s Chicago Pizza, A Slice of New York, and Arizmendi Bakery.

Other big names in the food world embracing this framework include Publix Super Markets, the largest worker-owned company in the U.S. with over 200,000 members, along with WinCo Foods and Bob’s Red Mill.

We talked to a few experts to learn what employee ownership means, how it’s structured and the implications of launching as or converting to an employee-owned model.

Power (and Profits) to the People

It’s not just about helping workers; it can also improve the bottom line. “Employee ownership has the power to motivate employees, increase productivity, improve worker retention, keep jobs local, contribute to business longevity, and so much more,” says R. Paul Pflieger, director of communications at The ESOP Association. “Employee ownership also tends to reduce wage and wealth gaps. Most of all, it’s a great retirement option that most often requires zero contribution from the employee-owner.”

COVID-19 has forced a reckoning about what it means to survive in the hospitality industry as an individual and as a business. The workforce is shrinking due to a variety of factors including low unemployment, lack of benefits, unlivable wages and poor opportunities for advancement. Owners are struggling with staffing challenges, rising prices and uncertainty. Employee ownership can address all of these concerns, making such workplaces highly competitive and more resilient.

The Employee Ownership Foundation lists these goals of worker ownership:

Reward employees financially
Encourage employee retention
Encourage employees to be loyal to the business and to pursue the company’s interests.

Worker-owned restaurants can be structured several ways. Regardless of type, success is defined differently when employees own a business. Rather than enriching one person, the company exists to provide a secure living for multiple people who have invested their time and talent into it. The Democracy at Work Institute describes it as a “values-driven business that puts worker and community benefit at the core of its purpose.”

Types of Employee Ownership

The employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) is unique among these options in that it requires no financial investment from members, making it very accessible. Under this structure, the company purchases all shares and holds them on behalf of workers. However, its relative complexity comes with high set-up costs, making it a poor match for companies with teams smaller than 15 to 20.

Another popular option is the worker cooperative, which suits smaller companies committed to democratic corporate governance. Usually worker-owners must pay a membership fee to join and receive dividends. Built-in profit-sharing is based on hours worked.

Both of these structures offer long-term incentives, because employees can only cash out their shares when they leave the company. As a result, these two types of ownership are best at retaining and rewarding staff, incentivizing them to perform their best and stick around for the long haul. The better the pizzeria performs the more valuable their ownership stakes become.

There are other options. Equity grants typically offer rewards and incentives only to selected workers, who typically have no role in company governance. With an employee ownership trust (EOT), the EOT owns all shares and disperses money via profit-sharing. With both employee stock options (ESOs) and employee stock purchase plans (ESPPs), team members need to have the financial resources to buy in, and should they sell their shares for immediate gains, they no longer have skin in the game in terms of company success.

Complex Structures Demand Due Diligence

Crafting a worker-owned pizzeria is a complex process that requires careful investigation and analysis, along with experienced legal and financial advice. Because these types of businesses are outside the norm, seek out banks and other institutions that are experienced with these legal entities.

“It’s a great decision and completely worth the time to explore because employee ownership brings so many things to a business beyond retirement security,” says Pflieger. He recommends speaking with a local specialist on the topic and attending a chapter meeting of The ESOP Association or a similar organization, where you can meet people at all stages of the transition, as well as professional advisers.

The many aspects to consider include:

Set-up costs
Long-term incentives
Governance implications
Employee benefits
Tax implications
Valuation
Financing implications
Number of workers
How to allot equity, if applicable
Vesting timelines, if applicable

Benefits of Employee Ownership

According to a study funded by the Employee Ownership Foundation and conducted by Rutgers University during the COVID pandemic, worker-owned firms were:

Three to four times more likely to retain non-manager and manager employees.
3.2 times more likely to retain staff—even when other businesses received funding through the Paycheck Protection Program and the employee-owned firms did not.
Significantly less likely to reduce employees’ hours or pay.

“Communities retain a company — including its jobs, products, services and economic contributions, because employee-owned companies tend to be very rooted in their communities,” according to Pflieger. In short, these companies outperform the competition while also keeping more money in the area.

Employees feel more valued and more invested when they’re owners. “You’re empowered and your opinions carry much more weight than within a typical hierarchical structure,” says Radcliffe Eccleston, community liaison for The Cheese Board. “You have the capacity to basically implement any changes you want, if you can convince the group that it’s the right decision. It’s a lot more responsibility but it’s reflected in the pay.” The company’s profit-sharing model distributes profits annually in proportion to the amount of hours each person worked.

Eccleston emphasizes that “employee retention is so much stronger here and we have fantastic benefits, but we have also cultivated this strong sense of community which makes it a really, really enjoyable place to work.”

Employee Ownership Resources

There are a number of local and national organizations that are dedicated to providing resources about employee ownership, including:

The Employee Ownership Foundation – employeeownershipfoundation.org/
The ESOP Association – esopassociation.org/
The Democracy at Work Institute, representing the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives – institute.coop/
The US Federation of Worker Cooperatives – usworker.coop/home/
Worker Ownership Resources & Cooperative Services – workercooperatives.org/
Sustainable Economies Law Center – theselc.org/
Becoming Employee Owned – becomingemployeeowned.org/
Project Equity – project-equity.org/
National Center for Employee Ownership – nceo.org/

Annelise Kelly is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer.

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Conversation: Niko Frangos, Rascal House, Cleveland, OH

Denise Greer — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 00:01:20 +0000

Rascal House

Cleveland, Ohio

Concept:

Rascal House is an elevated quick service restaurant featuring all of America’s favorite foods. At Rascal House you can get pizzas featuring pizza by the slice, a burger, chicken sandwich, wings, fries and milkshakes.

Pizza Style:

Our pizza is a traditional pan pizza. Not thin and not deep with a soft body and crisp crust. Dough is made fresh daily with our own recipes of dough and pizza sauce. We use 100 percent provolone cheese instead of the more commonly used mozzarella, which is cheaper and not as rich tasting.

With six locations, how have you been able to keep staff?

Short answer is engaged leadership and vision for the future. It’s important for us to share where the brand is going and how each of our team members can be a part of an exciting future with Rascal House. We’ve had our challenges with identifying the right hires but we’re fortunate to also have very committed and tenured team members.

Your growth plan includes franchising. Why franchise?

Franchising done right allows new owners and entrepreneurs to individually grow an exciting business of their own while also benefiting when the overall brand expands and is successful. There are economies of scale which make franchising very powerful as a model. Also, the opportunity to bring other owners into the brand who share their passion, expertise and a common vision to see their brand grow is a very powerful part of franchising.

What was the process like to prepare the pizza company to be available as a franchise?

It does require a lot of work — mostly in planning, support infrastructure and learning about how successful franchising works. Partnering with subject matter experts and good franchise consultants who’ve helped build other successful brands is very important. There are a lot of moving parts that if done well, require deliberate planning and decision making around what type of franchise company model you want to follow. There are many great ones and many not so good ones. We are striving to be a world class brand with a world class system.

With a full menu, how have your offerings shifted in the wake of supply price increases? How have you approached current operational increases?

While we do have a diverse menu, it is also a simple menu. For example, we have pizza but we don’t have multiple crusts. We offer a burger. It’s oversized, but we don’t have mushroom burgers, lots of cheese options, etc. Our simplicity has helped us with supply chain issues. However, we’ve not been immune to supply shortages and having to pivot to find similar products which are acceptable to our standards. With regards to price increases, we’ve had to increase price in the product categories that have seen the most inflation. Wings have been an example where the costs were so high that we had to decide to either raise prices high enough to cover costs or remove them from the menu. We opted to raise prices knowing that some customers would not buy and some who truly wanted the product would buy. We also closely monitored what others in the industry were doing with pricing, which informed us as to what customers were experiencing with other brands.

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Man on the Street: The Many Faces of Plant Based

Denise Greer — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 00:01:04 +0000

We all know that plant-based pizza is one of the fastest growing segments in the pizza biz today. Anyone who attended Pizza Expo either this year or in 2021 remembers running into another plant-based meat or cheese company every
20 steps. People are turning to plant-based diets for health reasons, environmental reasons and animal cruelty avoidance. Even though I’m an omnivore myself, I’m well aware of how industrial meat and cheese operations are not good for our bodies or the planet. That’s why I love seeing so many pizzerias adopting plant-based options for their menus. My only fear is that restaurants making the leap from animal-full to animal-free might be soaring past the wide gap of consumers in between.

At the far end of the plant-based spectrum are people like my brother, who avoid any and all animal products. That includes meat, cheese, eggs, milk, honey and sometimes even refined sugar. Compared to five years ago, the market for vegan meats and cheeses has exploded to such an extent that vegans like my brother have less and less of an issue navigating through restaurants. All these new plant-based products are ending up on plant-based menus, which makes vegans extremely happy.

The big splash has been all the meat substitutes that boast the flavor and texture of the real thing. Some vegan meats even claim to “bleed!” The problem here is that some customers don’t want something that looks and tastes like the thing they’re trying to avoid. Products like these miss the point for some vegans, who would prefer straight talk over marketing gibberish. They want you to call it jackfruit, not “vegan pulled pork.” Instead of “vegan ricotta,” they want cashew cheese.

The even bigger missing market are those stuck between the animal-free and animal-full. My friend Amy is a vegetarian who feels left out when she sees a list of pizzas with all the meats and cheese followed by a secondary menu with only plant-based substitutes. She would love to try your meatless sausage or pepperoni on a pizza with real dairy cheese.

Pizzerias that offer a build-your-own program don’t have such a problem, but the pizzerias that are quickest to adopt
alternative ingredients tend to be those that serve 12-inch architectural artisan pizza. These are the pies with punny names that each have a pre-set ingredient list. There are pizzas with meats and cheeses, then pizzas with 100-percent plant-based ingredients. Nothing in the middle. It also goes the other way. Dairy-free customers who do eat meat might not want plant-based cheeses with their pepperoni pizza.

We run into situations like these all the time on pizza tours. Companies do team outings with us and there’s always someone who became gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free or any combination of the above on the morning of the tour. The pizzerias we work with are incredible at managing all the different combinations. If they can do it in their tiny New York City kitchens, so can you!

SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org Instagram: @scottspizzatours

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Knead to Know: Laura Meyer shares her key takeaways from experiencing pizza in Italy

Denise Greer — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 00:01:04 +0000

Italian Lessons

La bella Italia. Traveling can be one the best and biggest eye-opening experiences we as pizza makers can have. Growing up I thought I knew what pizza was. Going to Italy changed everything. It’s not that the pizza we make in the U.S. isn’t pizza, it’s that the pizza we make is an evolution. We have changed it over time to suit our needs and appetites. We’ve adapted it to our surroundings using the ingredients and equipment we have available and in turn, it has transformed into something unique to America. Because of pizza’s resounding success in America the products and techniques we use are completely different from the rest of the world. Pizza is one of those food items that can be found in almost every country worldwide and everyone defines it as something different. Italy is no exception. Since Italy claims pizza as their invention, there are some pretty strong opinions on what defines it — but no two regions or cities uses the same definition.

Starting from the beginning, dough techniques and flour range from north to south. Regions have their own specialties, and they stick to them. Naples has high temperature, wood-burning pizzas and Rome has more than one variety that can be thin or thick and baked on the stone or in a pan. But one feature that binds them is the light and airy nature along with a distinct crisp. In Genoa, Sicily, and in a few other areas, there’s focaccia or a thick pan pizza. Sometimes it can be soft and pillowy and in others it can be crispy on the bottom but soft in the middle.

Although not all of Italy agrees on how to define pizza, there are a few things that everyone is doing when it comes to their dough. Most pizza in Italy is made with lower protein flours. You can still find Manitoba and flours with a higher protein content, but a vast majority are using lower to mid-range protein contents, i.e. 12 to 13 percent. The type of yeast used is usually fresh or instant as opposed to dry active, and predominantly all pizzerias are using spiral or fork mixers. For those who specialize in Neapolitan pizza it is also common to find claw or diving arm mixers as they are gentler on the dough.

One major factor stands out in my mind when I think about how dough is made in Italy. History is very much alive in Italy and can be seen every day in the architecture and construction of their buildings. Yes, they have modernized to a certain extent, but there is pride in their history and a sense of preservation everywhere. If a piece of history in the form of a building can be saved, it is. For Americans as tourists this is a treat. We can walk down the street and experience a piece of the past that we can’t get when we’re at home.

The problem with this is that there are restrictions on changing anything. Older buildings normally mean smaller rooms and problems with electricity. This normally translates to limitations on refrigeration or little to none of it. In the U.S. our buildings are a lot larger, and we have ample refrigeration, which in turn translates to longer fermentation times. The lower protein content of flours plays into this. In Italy, with little refrigeration that means length of fermentation time decreases.

With high temperature cooking, like in Naples, all of this combined translates to what is Neapolitan-style pizza. Most pizza doughs are made and matured in room temperature conditions. Attention to detail is required as temperatures fluctuate, which means pizzas are made quicker from start to finish. You will see a lot of doughs made early in the morning or late at night the previous day and then used quickly. With no refrigeration and fluctuating temperatures yeast activates a lot quicker. When done correctly, pizzas are light and airy.

Italians are obsessed with digestibility. With the plethora of aperitifs and digestifs it is easy to see how the food they eat is not just supposed to taste good but be good for the body. The techniques they employ with using the right flour for the temperature they will be cooking at and coupled with room temperature fermentation, every shop’s dough technique is unique but classically Italian.

The other distinction I see when it comes to pizza in Italy is the toppings used. Each region is known for specific ingredients. Whether it is bufala mozzarella and San Marzano tomatoes from around Naples to pesto from Genoa and basil from Pra to prosciutto and Parmiggiano Reggiano from Parma and all of the many aged salumis. There seems to be a specific cheese native to every town (and don’t even get me started on the types of pasta), but there’s a pride in these ingredients because they were grown and made locally. It is a part of their living history. Most toppings on pizzas reflect these local ingredients and are normally very fresh. Usually, pizzas only have max maybe four to five ingredients on top. And if there are more they are added sparingly or fresh after the bake is done. Americans tend towards “more is better,” but in Italy simplicity and freshness reign supreme. Keep it simple, keep it fresh, keep it local.

All in all, pizza in Italy is simple. Yes, they have their complexities, but if I have learned anything from Italians it is to not over-complicate things. Tradition and history play a part in every pizza made.

Laura Meyer is owner of Pizzeria da Laura in Berkley, CA.

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Lighten Your Load with Light Weight Dough Boxes

Denise Greer — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 14:08:14 +0000

Light Weight Food Handling Solutions

Use Quality Equipment

MFG Tray Has Your Back

Molded Fiber Glass Tray Company | TF: 800 458.6050 | www.mfgtray.com | info@mfgtray.com

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Schools in Session at Pizza & Pasta Northeast

Denise Greer — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 12:59:50 +0000

Bill Oakley
Group Show Director

Developed specifically for owners and operators of pizzerias and Italian restaurants, there’s something for everyone at the upcoming Pizza & Pasta Northeast tradeshow. For two jam-packed days, you’ll have access to more than 200 booths of products and services as well as free top-shelf demonstrations, seminars and special events.

You’ll be able to see, touch, taste and explore thousands of products, as well as negotiate great deals right on the show floor. Better yet, get the most out of your show experience by signing up for one of our fee-based workshops specifically designed for operators who are looking to take their operation to the next level. Attendance is limited.

Mike Bausch, owner, Andolini’s Pizzeria

Maximizing Online Ordering

In this workshop, Mike Bausch, owner-operator, Andolini’s Pizzeria, will walk you through one of the hottest industry topics — how to maximize your online ordering. You are doing more online business than ever before. The pandemic escalated that quickly, and guess what? It’s not going to slow down. For you to maximize efficiency — and profits — you’ll need well-thought-out systems and a ton of resolve.

Nick Bogacz, founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh

Labor Shortage? So, What! Strategies to Hire & Retain Employees

Nick Bogacz went from working five jobs and over 90 hours a week to building a super successful chain of pizzerias in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. One of the principal reasons restaurants fail is they just can’t find and retain quality employees. What techniques for finding the right fit can you employ to make sure you bring the correct personalities and skillset into your pizzeria? What retention measures should you take to ensure you’re not constantly hiring, training and re-training and can instead focus on business development and growth? The labor market is tight. But you can still win.

Tony Gemignani, pizza master and restaurateur

Making Dough & Pizzas with Tony Gemignani

Sure, you could develop one dough recipe and offer only one style of pizza. But how adventurous is that? Tony Gemignani has won 12 world titles for his pizza making and acrobatic dough-spinning routines, authored or co-authored three books, appeared on several national TV shows and is owner in 16 pizzerias. His first, Tony’s Napoletana, has been named America’s best pizzeria by USA Today, the Travel Channel and Forbes. Tony also runs the International School of Pizza, where he certifies chefs from all over the world and teaches a variety of pizza-making styles, many of which simultaneously appear on the menus of his restaurants. In this workshop, pizza master Tony will help attendees navigate the ins and outs of offering multiple pizza styles to their customers. He’ll go over what you need, what you don’t and how to make a seamless transition without a hitch. Tony is ready to get his hands in the dough and help Pizza & Pasta Northeast attendees learn the ins and outs of various pizza styles and dough techniques. If you are ready to make your pizza a blue-ribbon winner, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to learn from the best!

Remember, when deciding on which tradeshow to attend, general foodservice shows are precisely that, even if they claim to have an Italian pavilion and a few pizza and pasta exhibitors. To succeed in today’s fiercely competitive restaurant marketplace you need access to all the latest strategies and product innovations. Pizza & Pasta Northeast is your one-stop solution.

For more information or to register please visit our website at PizzaAndPastaExpo.com or call
(502) 599-4650.

Best regards,

Bill Oakley
Show Director

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From Partanna Extra Virgin Olive Oil to A’Siciliana Soda, United Olive Oil Spreads the History of Sicily all Over the World!

Denise Greer — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 13:37:37 +0000

Since 1916, United Olive Oil Import Corp. is a leading importer of award-winning Extra Virgin Olive Oils, Castelvetrano Olives, Artisanal Pasta and A’Siciliana Soda.

Our selection includes Partanna Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Paesano Unfiltered Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Castelvetrano Olives, Asaro Farms line of Sicilian Specialty Products, Sicilian Ancient Grain Artisanal Pasta, and A’Siciliana Sodas.

We carry products of the highest quality and distribute them nationwide, but what makes us unique is that we are a family! The Asaro Family has been operating the farms on its estate for over a hundred years. Almost every brand/product United represents is family grown and fully farm to table. It is this authentic touch that we bring to all the olives we harvest, and this Italian care that we deliver directly to your home!

Antonino Asaro founded Oleificio Asaro in Partanna (TP), Sicily. The company started hand-pressing and processing olives from the family farms in order to start producing Extra Virgin Olive Oil for the local market. As the business grew, the family acquired more land and planted over 10,000 olive trees on their farms. In 1922, Tommaso and Nicola Asaro moved to the US and founded Asaro Brothers Company (ABC) – a small shop in Bushwick, NY. ABC became one of the ﬁrst Importers of Italian food products. They started selling the Partanna Brand for the growing Italian Community in NY Metro area. In 2005, fourth generation Tommaso Asaro converted the family farm to become organic and sustainable. Tommaso took 150 acres that had been in his family for over 100 years, and instituted modern methods and techniques that revolutionized Sicilian farming. His belief is to treat the land with love and respect. His mission is to create the finest olive oils from the highest quality olives for all of the world to enjoy.

The Asaro Farms are located in the small town of Partanna, in the Belice Valley. The Western part of Sicily between Palermo, Trapani and Agrigento is an area blessed with mild climate, abundance of water and fertile soil. It’s in this area – situated between two rivers: the Right Belice and the Left Belice – that the Greeks introduced the olive trees.. This is where Nocellara del Belice Olives, also known as “Castelvetrano” Olives are produced. Distinguished by their intense green color, Castelvetrano Olives are firm, crispy and crunchy on the outside. The inside texture is soft and meaty with a mild, smooth, and buttery taste. From salads to cheeseboards, for a healthy snack or for your Martini, Castelvetrano Olives are a staple in every kitchen.

It’s from these same olives that we make our Partanna Extra Virgin Olive Oil, named after the little town in Sicily where it originates from. With its rich flavor profile and very low acidity (0.3%), Partanna is a very versatile Extra Virgin Olive Oil, ideal for finishing, drizzling and cooking.

We have received many awards and gold medals across our entire product line. Our portfolio is dedicated to variety, authenticity, and most importantly quality and taste.

United Olive Oil Import Corp.

Phone: 212-346-0942

Unitedoliveoil.com

info@unitedoliveoil.com

The post From Partanna Extra Virgin Olive Oil to A’Siciliana Soda, United Olive Oil Spreads the History of Sicily all Over the World! appeared first on Pizza Today.

Rising Stars of the Pizzeria Industry 2022

Denise Greer — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 00:01:52 +0000

Seven Breakout Pizzeria Pros to keep an eye on in 2022

Tara Hattan (25)

Zasa’s Pizza & Wings — Tulsa, Oklahoma

@ zasaspizza

What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next level?

I will always keep improving my style, my knowledge and technique. But if I were to pick one thing that I need to focus the most on, it would be being an actual Pizzeria Owner. For the past nine years I have been on the front lines making pizza, and most times I forget how important it is to take a step back, SIT DOWN (weird) and focus on the logistics of making us grow more.

What is something you’ve learned at Pizza Expo that has helped guide your business?

There is always so many great things; it’s hard to say just one! One thing I realized this past year is that Pizza Expo is a ticket to unlimited amounts of knowledge and access to the BIGGEST support system in the Pizza Industry, and it only grows each year! Those connections established with people that were in my exact same shoes and had the same questions is what helps me the most. I can call those friends at any time of the day, and I know they’re going to walk me through the do’s and don’ts

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times?

I’m a firm believer in acting like the boss you would want to work for. The greatest advantage I have from working my way up is that I know exactly what it’s like to be in their shoes. The best way we keep people motivated would have to be simply giving back to them and showing how much you appreciate them. Whether it’s our treasure chest full of goodies and stickers for when they need a little boost, or when we profit, they profit! If it’s a much-needed raise, or those fresh new kicks they have been dreaming of. Growing staff into a pizza family motivates everyone at the end of the day. We all have the same goals and that’s to make pizza, make money and have fun!

What are you doing in your pizzeria to combat inflation and rising costs?

With costs rising everywhere we finally had to cave and do a three percent increase on some items, and charge for things we typically could get away with not charging for (ex: ranch). The most important thing in pulling this off is definitely educating your staff to be able to talk about the “why’s?” if the question arises.

David Lee (42)

Pizza Jawn — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

@pizza_jawn

What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next level?

While we have a great social media following, I need to get better about changing with the times and doing more videos/reels and live stories that will allow us to interact with our customers more.

What is something you’ve learned at Pizza Expo that has helped guide your business?

During a seminar with Tony G, he talked about consistency over quantity and that has always stayed with me.

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times?

Treat them as equals and value their opinions and input.

What are you doing in your pizzeria to combat inflation and rising costs?

On certain items we have had to increase prices as we would rather do that than cut quality, keeping our product consistent. We do special events and partner with other local business in the neighborhood that brings in added revenue.

Janet V. Duran (35)

550 Pizzeria — Laredo, Texas

@550pizzeria

What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next level?

I currently feel like I need to expand my dining area and finally get a beer and wine license. Oh and delivery! It’s hard to get delivery with insurance costs and also third-party companies and their rates just for a pizza to get delivered.

What is something you’ve learned at Pizza Expo that has helped guide your business?

Attending pizza Expo for the third time has taught me a lot! I was able to compete, something I never ever thought I could do! I was able to taste many kinds of pizzas, and then I started using some of those ingredients on mine.

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times?

My staff are my everything! I have meetings with them to talk about how they feel, what problems can we fix. I celebrate every birthday once a month, and I try to do free money Friday once a month!

What are you doing in your pizzeria to combat inflation and rising costs?

We understand the value and the hard work that goes into making our product. Even though most of our ingredients have gone up in price, we anticipated it before we opened. We aspire to keep our product of the same or better quality no matter what. And with this mentality we try to keep prices fair for the customer, and yet that also allows us to compensate our employees for the work they do.

Andy Brown (32)

Andy’s Pizza — Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland

@andyspizza

What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next level?

We focus on quality every day. It’s a never-ending battle to make the best product we can. But I’ll also say that digital ordering has become an enormous nightmare in the industry. Third party tablets, integrators, hidden fees, slow delivery drivers, it can’t go on like this forever. Someone will come in and shake it up again. That can’t come soon enough!

What is something you’ve learned at Pizza Expo that has helped guide your business?

Pizza Expo is invaluable to any growing pizzeria. We have our heads down all year long, working hard and doing our best to get better at what we do every day. The expo is a chance to pick your head up and take a look at what’s going on in the industry — innovations that help us scale, new equipment to make life easier for our team, and a chance to catch up with vendors we know and love to see what they have going on.

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times?

We start with fair compensation — minimum wage or a few dollars more just doesn’t cut it. It’s hard to work in a restaurant and by no means should it be considered “unskilled labor”. We also focus heavily on being proud of the work we do every day. Our entire team challenges each other to get better, with higher and higher standards set. If you do a job you are proud of, and are paid fairly for it, generally people are motivated to come in and do their best every day!

What are you doing in your pizzeria to combat inflation and rising costs?

We are constantly pitting our vendors against one another — costs are rising like crazy and you need to keep people on their toes. At the end of day, it doesn’t matter how much “shopping around” you do, we increase our menu prices. Our customers have been very understanding with us, because even the big fast-food chains are raising prices.

Rob Cervoni (34)

Taglio — Mineola Long Island, New York

@tagliopizza

What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next level?

Nobody is perfect and I certainly am not perfect. I strive every day to better my business and myself. Currently I am focused on consistency. Consistency is crucial to running a food business. The customers want the same food they know and love every single visit. Unfortunately, when dealing with dough there are so many factors that can affect consistency. I specialize in Roman-style pizza, which is notoriously one of the more difficult doughs to manage due to its high hydration and long fermentation times (sometimes over 96 hours). So I have been laser focused on getting a consistent product so I can expand Taglio all over New York.

What is something you’ve learned at Pizza Expo that has helped guide your business?

The best part about the Pizza Expo in my experience is meeting pizza enthusiasts from all over the world. It truly brings some of the best pizzaiolos together in one room. I take full advantage of these situations by becoming a sponge and absorbing all pizza information possible. Whether you are a home baker or a multi-unit operator, Pizza Expo is the best opportunity to ask questions, listen and learn. Don’t be scared to ask your fellow pizzaiolo questions about techniques, recipes and business practices. I can’t overstate how valuable this information is and how it will help your business in the long run.

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times?

The biggest issue I’m seeing with most businesses is staffing issues. The shortage of skilled labor is most definitely real! Retaining existing staff and keeping them motivated is always a challenge. The one thing I truly believe and practice is communication. We are all human, things come up and work is work. The pizza industry isn’t difficult, but it is a repetitive grind. It’s waking up and doing the same thing over and over day in and out. Treat your staff with respect, treat them as if they are family. If they need some personal time let them have it. Always keep that line of communication open and hopefully that daily grind won’t feel so bad.

What are you doing in your pizzeria to combat inflation and rising costs?

Prices keep going up, when will it stop? I don’t know! Nobody does! Unfortunately to combat inflation the simple answer is raise your prices. It is crucial to cost out every item on your menu and keep your food cost around 30 percent. Keep an eye on inventory and keep your distributors honest and competitive with their prices. The one thing you don’t want to do is switch to a lower quality, less expensive ingredient. Ingredients matter and the average customer is evolving and getting more and more educated on the quality of ingredients used in your pizza.

Ismaele Romano (46)

Via Focaccia — Inside at Ellis Island Casino — Las Vegas, Nevada

@ViaFocaccia

What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next level?

Given the moment in which we live and certain that managing a business is not easy, there are aspects to be fixed and straightened to introduce new products.

What is something you’ve learned at Pizza Expo that has helped guide your business?

That there is not only one way of seeing a product. If we take pizza as an example there is not only one way of making it or seeing it. Each of us sees it in our own way. The important thing is to respect the product. As an Italian, we often make these mistakes. We think that pizza is only one way, but it is not so. I had the opportunity to taste pizzas during Pizza Expo that I never would have imagined. Behind there is a huge work and respect for the product, for example Sicilian pizza or the Detroit pizza — pizza for which I have absolute respect and I like a lot.

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times?

I try to be as flexible as possible, while teaching them respect for work and what we produce every day. Remember we are artisans of taste, artists of flavor, sellers of happiness.

What are you doing in your pizzeria to combat inflation and rising costs?

Of course, we are in a moment where everything has become very expensive, so I try to use genuine ingredients, simple recipes and, if possible, local products.

Andrew Gregory (43)

Post Alley Pizza — Seattle, Washington

@postalleypizza

What area do you feel like you currently need to improve upon to continue taking your pizza business to the next level?

Most of our energy has been focused on improving our pizza to the detriment of all other aspects of the business. We need to be more consistent. Our small shop and corner of Seattle has been under construction since the day we took ownership four years ago. It has been confusing for everyone. But we’re making progress and that’s the fun part.

What is something you’ve learned at Pizza Expo that has helped guide your business?

We have yet to attend but look forward to next year. Our first visit was planned for the cancelled event in 2020

What do you do to motivate your staff during these challenging times?

We were forced to cross-train everyone on everything. That, in turn, has kept people excited and also made them more versatile and allows us to operate with a leaner staff. But we could still use some more help!

What are you doing in your pizzeria to combat inflation and rising costs?

Probably not enough. Our commitment to local food products and vendors has helped insulate our costs to some degree. We’ve explored offering breakfast sandwiches with some success. We did raise our prices. But we have also leaned into our “alley” location and focused on takeout. We installed a take-out window and reduced our dining room to only a few barstools.

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Four Ways U.S. Pizzerias are Combatting Rising Inflation

Denise Greer — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 00:01:44 +0000

Inflation Nation

Over the last two years, the Ohio-based Donatos Pizza chain has captured record sales, opened new restaurants, expanded its presence in Red Robin restaurants and welcomed a host of new franchise partners.

But it isn’t all rosy for Donatos and its president, Kevin King. Like pizzerias across the U.S., the 59-year-old, family-owned enterprise is battling runaway inflation as commodity prices soar alongside labor and rent.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), wholesale food costs in March were up 17 percent year over year. Meanwhile, the average hourly earnings for restaurant and bar employees have jumped about 15 percent over the last year. Tack on accelerating prices for paper goods, pizza boxes and gasoline and the nation’s pizzerias face a stifling, profit-draining reality.

“It’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced,” says King, whose lengthy career in the restaurant game includes stops at Domino’s and Papa Murphy’s.

Though inflation eased a pinch in April, it still remained near a 40-year high, the BLS reported in May, and economists predict high inflation will remain well into next year despite government officials’ attempts to tame steep prices. Macroeconomic factors such as the ongoing labor shortage, persistent supply chain dilemmas and rising geopolitical tensions spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – two nations that together export about one-quarter of the world’s wheat supply – are having a mighty impact on everyone from pizza industry heavyweights like Domino’s to mid-sized chains like the 173-restaurant Donatos to the ma-and-pa eateries
dotting the American landscape.

These inflation realities continue compelling – if not forcing – restaurant leaders to make calculated, prudent decisions to withstand the pressure, including:

Re-evaluating purchasing habits

When faced with rising food costs, Gill Stansfield, a faculty member at Johnson & Wales University’s College of Food Innovation & Technology who also oversees the College’s purchasing and procurement, says operators must be in regular, respectful dialogue with their vendors.

“Ask vendors about closeouts or bonus buys,” he says.

If vendors have products they need to move, a creative culinary pro can likely craft enticing specials around those items, such as a limited-time rainbow pizza using rainbow tomatoes.

In addition, Stansfield urges operators to consider local product. While marketing dishes filled with local items is itself valuable, there is also sound financial rationale for purchasing local goods, namely the ability to escape onerous transportation charges.

Stansfield also recommends independent restaurants consider joining a group purchasing organization. In such a collective, operators can capture buying power akin to a larger chain as well as access to rebates and marketing perks.

“Given what we’re seeing with inflation, it’s entirely worthwhile to investigate if a group purchasing organization is right for your business,” Stansfield says.

Reducing and revamping the menu

Doug Roth, a veteran restaurant consultant who heads Chicago-based Playground Hospitality, is currently working with various restaurants slicing their menus 25 to 30 percent to boost profitability and inform smarter purchasing.

To begin, Roth suggests pizzerias properly cost out each menu item. Thereafter, define which items are top sellers, have low food costs or possess high gross margin. Those are the keepers, he says. The rest, including items that rarely sell, carry inflated costs or require ingredients with volatile prices, are best eliminated.

Armed with popular dishes and low-cost, high-margin items, Roth says operators can then re-engineer their physical menu to encourage guests to order the most profitable items. The first or last items on the menu, for instance, regularly draw attention as do those placed in boxes or paired with photos.

“Create interest behind specific items and direct the eyes to items that will help you be more profitable,” he says.

Adjusting employee compensation and strengthening culture

King calls hourly labor the “first and most acute” inflationary pressure felt at Donatos. In the opening months of 2022, labor costs climbed nearly three points as a percentage of sales as the chain heightened its starting wage for hourly workers and drivers while also increasing the rate for those opening and closing stores.

“There’s enormous pressure in the industry on raising wages at a time when we are already short staffed,” says King, whose company also introduced tip pooling at its restaurants.

In response, Donatos has focused on enhancing its onboarding and training to create lively workplaces where employees feel valued and supported, which reduces turnover costs and boosts productivity.

“Our best managers have the least trouble staffing their stores,” says King, adding that Donatos also instituted an employee tracking system to respond faster to applicant interest.

Raising menu prices and reducing portion sizes

Though raising menu prices is not a popular option, such a move has been hard to ignore amid escalating costs. Pizzerias, after all, can only absorb inflation’s punishing hits so long.

Eateries across the country have increased menu prices to offset surging inflation. In fact, restaurant menu prices jumped 6.4 percent from January 2021 to January 2022, the highest one-year leap the BLS had recorded in four decades.

“As inflation looks permanent and not temporary, you have to adjust prices accordingly to compensate,” says King, whose chain raised its delivery fee from $3.85 to $4.49 in March to combat rising food and gas costs. “These are gut-wrenching decisions, but you have to layer in increases where there is opportunity.”

One alternative to raising prices on menu items is reducing portion size, a practice commonplace with consumer packaged goods. A sleeker portion size allows a restaurant to hold the line on price and quality while countering inflation through reduced ingredient use or higher yields.

“Now, you have to be careful here because people are still looking for a value orientation, but reducing the size of items while maintaining price and quality can be a viable option,” Roth says.

To date, King has resisted altering portion sizes at Donatos. Instead, he’s pulled other calculated, inflation-battling levers, such as testing an automatic saucer at stores to improve productivity, drive consistency and reduce waste.

“We’re not changing portion sizes because we don’t want to sacrifice what people have come to expect from us,” King says.

Daniel P. Smith Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

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Plan for Staff Turnover to Keep Your Food Quality Consistent

Denise Greer — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 00:01:02 +0000

A Good Offense

Kitchen turnover can be devastating to your food quality, but in many cases it’s inevitable. People move on — and in this labor market, they are doing it in record numbers. But your prized, carefully crafted menu items do not have to suffer when you get an influx of new team members in the back of the house.

The best defense to combat food quality issues with new staffers is a good offense.

Spell It Out

I’ve been in a lot of pizzerias over the years, and I love when an operator hands me their recipe binder or recipe cards. They are meticulous. Everyone approaches them differently. Some use directions in pictures or graphics. Others write it out emphasizing the most important factors in making the dish.

I’ve also seen laminated chart posters above the various makeline stations with the most popular menu items outlined. Quick references like these can provide a visual reminder when that new staffer gets hit with a rush on their first few days on the line.

Recipe binders are still the tried-and-true, go-to tool keeping the food quality consistent. “Every single item has a detailed recipe,” says Mike Androw, owner of E&D Pizza Company in Avon, Connecticut. “It’s an ‘old school’ method. I know. I don’t use it because I’m stubborn. I use it because it works. Laminated pages in a reinforced binder are within reach at any time. Consistency is huge with me. This tool ensures that every item is prepared to the exact same recipe every time. Nobody ever has to guess as to what a recipe was. If you’ve forgotten, no problem, the binder is right there with the answer.”

Think through how the recipe binder is organized and updated. Pete Tolman, chef/owner at Iron Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania keeps a keen eye on his recipe binders. “We place our most used recipes at the front of our binders and our out of season recipes to the back,” he says. “We try to not let cooks remove the recipes from the binder and place them in the exact same place every day so the whole kitchen has access and knows where to find them. If you have cooks that aren’t organized or lose items often, buy the most neon-colored binders you can find and a different color for each station.”

When’s the last time you reviewed your recipe binder? Get it out now and take a hard look at it with objectivity. And answer this question: “If I have never made this menu item, could I successfully make it using this recipe and make consistently the same every time? You can even gain perspective from someone who doesn’t know your kitchen ops. See what questions they have if presented with the recipe as their only guide.

Set Them Up for Success

A new employee’s failures on the line are your failures. The sink or swim method does not work in a fast-paced pizzeria kitchen. Training is paramount. If you skimp on training because of time constraints or being short-staffed, your end-product will pay the price and you’ve placed retention at risk with that new cook. Set them up for success with proper training.

Androw takes a stern stance on training the back of the house. “Training is imperative when it comes to maintaining food quality,” he says. “We utilize a hierarchy system of training for new employees. Regardless of what station someone is training in, they will work for two weeks with only the senior most employee on said station. This ensures that the person who knows that station better than anyone is training the new employee to prepare those items to our exact specifications.”

Lean on Your Team

In addition to training, lean on your seasoned team to help guide the new staffer. Empower and encourage your crew to coach new teammates, taking the time to answer questions, provide demonstrations or shadow a preparation technique. Not everyone has a “team sports” mentality. Don’t expect that to be an automatic instinct. Incentivize your team to take on the role of team captain.

“I depend on management and senior cooks to help train and teach new team members on how to set up, execute and flow through the kitchen,” Tolman says. “We try to cross-train everyone that is able on all stations so that in a tight situation, anyone of us can swap or help the other through the weeds. If every cook knew every station and could hold their own each night, it makes you so much more flexible as a company.”

Make Their Job Easier

Look at your makeline stations from eyes of the new cook. Do you make the processes easier or do you stack the deck with constant hurdles that a new team member has to think through while performing their various tasks?

One of the biggest hurdles is not having enough product on the makeline or not having it accessible during the rush. This is added stress for a new cook that is avoidable with proper preparation. Having the right amount of prepped ingredients in the right place is key. “We have pull/set-up diagrams inside our coolers laminated so that they can be cleaned and don’t move,” Tolman says. “The line cook knows exactly how many of each item they need every night. Example: three quarts banana peppers, one quart marinated olives, three cases cheese, half case pepperoni. That gives us the ability to follow up on our cooks to ensure the kitchen is set for every shift.”

Make the time to re-evaluate your systems and processes to ensure that new kitchen crew members can make your products the same every time. It’s easy to get complacent with ops procedures until it bites you. Don’t let the labor crunch kill the quality of your end product.

DENISE GREER is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

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LloydPans Flatbread Pans Create Shareable and Versatile Products

Denise Greer — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 15:27:01 +0000

Flatbread makers are choosing LloydPans for baking performance, efficiency

The summer pizza party continues at LloydPans, and what’s a better way to satisfy your consumers than by adding flatbreads to your menu? When developing our line of Flatbread Pans, we started by looking at the shape and size of most restaurant flatbreads. We knew that if we designed a pan perfect for an oval or rectangular flatbread, we would increase baking performance and efficiency. Next, we looked at the required perforations needed to impart the perfect, crispy crust. Our design research paid off, and our food solutions experts are proud to show off our exceptional line of Flatbread Pans.

Flatbread Pan

5×15 inch, 0.5-inch deep
14-gauge aluminum with PRE SEASONED TUFF-KOTE release finish
Folded, angled rim for strength
Made in the USA

Perforated Flatbread Pan

5×15 inch, 0.5-inch deep
14-gauge aluminum with PRE SEASONED TUFF-KOTE release finish
Folded, angled rim for strength
Perforated for increased airflow

Rounded Corner Hex Pan

7×18 inch
14-gauge aluminum with PRE SEASONED TUFF-KOTE release finish
Raised beaded edge for strength
Hex perforation for maximum airflow

Perforated QDF40

8×18 inch
18-gauge aluminum with PRE SEASONED TUFF-KOTE release finish
QDF40 perforations
Flat folded rim for strength and aid for peel access

Hearth Bake for Artisan Style Crust

8×16 inch and 12×24 inch
Designed to bake in a fast bake (calibrated) conveyor pizza oven and emerge with the special crispness associated with hearth oven baked pizzas
18-gauge aluminum with PRE SEASONED TUFF-KOTE release finish

LloydPans

800-748-6251

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Calling All Chicagoland Plant-Based Lovers: Rosati’s Pizza Brings New Vitalite™ Vegan-Certified Cheese to Its Menu

Denise Greer — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 17:35:24 +0000

Finally, a tasty and melty plant-based cheese

CHICAGO (June 2, 2022) – To meet growing consumer interest and demand for plant-based food options, Rosati’s Pizza is bringing Vitalite^™, a vegan-certified, dairy-free cheese alternative from Saputo Dairy USA (SDUSA), to the menu at its Buffalo Grove location, starting this month. Vitalite^™Shredded Mozzarella Style cheese will be available as an ingredient on all 12-inch and 14-inch pizzas.

For nearly a century, Rosati’s has lived by the words of founder Saverio “Sam” Rosati, “Give the people what they want” and has prided itself on creating authentic, Chicago-style pizza that uses only the best ingredients.

“We are excited to expand our Buffalo Grove menu with a limited trial run of Vitalite^™plant-based cheese,” said Jeff Rosati, chief financial officer at Rosati’s Pizza. “Customers with dietary restrictions can now enjoy the quality pizza Rosati’s is known for by substituting our classic whole milk mozzarella with Vitalite^™, a vegan-certified, dairy-free alternative.”

The popularity of plant-based cheese continues to grow among people who are increasingly following a flexible eating style that includes plant-based foods and beverages while also allowing some animal products.

“According to global market research firm Mintel, nearly half of all U.S. consumers say they follow a flexitarian approach to eating, so having quality plant-based options on the menu is a must,” said David Cherrie, SDUSA Vice President, Marketing and Innovation. “In what is predicted to be the biggest year yet for plant-based foods, Rosati’s is getting ahead of the game and offering Chicagoland pizza lovers a delicious plant-based pizza alternative featuring Vitalite^™that fits in with today’s consumer lifestyle needs.”

A social listening study conducted by Saputo shows that consumers feel current vegan cheese offerings do not deliver on key attributes such as taste, texture and performance. As one of the world’s top 10 dairies, Saputo saw an opportunity to create a better vegan cheese with its introduction of the Vitalite^™brand of products for both restaurant and at-home use.

Learn more about Vitalite^™at Vitalite.com and follow the brand on Facebook and Instagram @VitaliteUSA. For more information on Rosati’s Pizza, visit RosatisPizza.com. To order your favorite pizza topped with Vitalite^™, go to: https://www.rosatispizza.com/location/buffalo-grove-il/

About Saputo Dairy USA

Saputo Dairy USA is part of Saputo Inc., one of the top 10 dairy processors in the world. Through the Dairy Division (USA), Saputo produces, markets and distributes a vast assortment of cheeses. Furthermore, the company converts, markets and sells a broad range of specialty cheeses and holds an important portfolio of import licenses for specialty cheeses manufactured abroad. Saputo Dairy USA also produces a variety of dairy and non-dairy extended shelf-life products. Products are sold under a variety of the company’s brand names, as well as under customer brand names.

Saputo Dairy USA is among the top mozzarella, string cheese, and domestic blue and goat cheese producers and is one of the largest producers of extended shelf-life and cultured dairy products in this region.

About Rosati’s Pizza

Established in Chicago by the Rosati brothers in 1964, Rosati’s Pizza is a family pizzeria rooted in tradition and authentic Italian flavor. For five generations, Rosati’s has served up REAL Chicago pizza and Italian classics made from the freshest local ingredients, following original family recipes. Rosati’s Pizza is known for its four delicious styles of Chicago Pizza: Traditional Thin Crust, Unique Double Dough, World Famous Chicago Deep Dish and Authentic Stuffed. Rosati’s delivers generous portions of Italian favorites to neighborhoods and towns across the country. Customer favorites also include hearty pasta bowls, sandwiches and buttery breadsticks. Follow Rosati’s Pizza on Facebook and Instagram.

The post Calling All Chicagoland Plant-Based Lovers: Rosati’s Pizza Brings New Vitalite™ Vegan-Certified Cheese to Its Menu appeared first on Pizza Today.

Rosina Food Products Has an Italian Solution for All Your Ingredient Needs

Denise Greer — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 17:55:14 +0000

Rosina Food Products, Inc. is leading the way in the ingredients space with their offerings. From meatballs, to their IQF filled and unfilled pasta, and toppings, Rosina has been at the forefront of frozen specialty food products for over 55 years.

Rosina is known for creating innovative solutions based on their customer’s needs and offers trusted experience in culinary, food science, operations, packaging engineering, customer care, and logistics. Plus, the Rosina R&D team features four trained chefs with over 100 years combined experience. Their goal is to help ingredients clients develop new and innovative products and recipes. Led by Chef Herb Stockschlaeder, the R&D department works with customers own R&D and Culinary teams to create custom recipes or develop a unique culinary solution to meet their specific needs.

“At Rosina, we are dedicated to customized solutions,” says Chef Herb Stockschlaeder, Director of R&D and Strategic Channels for Rosina Food Products, Inc. “We not only have the bandwidth for it, but we also have the number and variety of ingredients to help some of the most reputable companies in the industry craft their own inspired culinary creations.”
Proud to be the leading national brand of frozen filled pasta and the second-leading meatball brand in the US, Rosina is known for offering ingredients that keep up with the current trends yet still stand the test of time. Their current portfolio includes:

Meatballs – Offering a diverse and delicious line-up, Rosina’s meatballs come in custom shapes, sizes, and flavors, including beef, pork, turkey, and chicken.
Pasta – Rosina offers an expansive array of pasta varieties available in a selection of custom shapes, sizes, and fillings.
Toppings – With a variety of delicious and versatile toppings, Rosina is your source for multiple shapes, sizes, and meat blends.

Rosina Food Products is committed to delivering Real Italian Goodness through their retail and foodservice partnerships in supermarkets, corporations, colleges, commissaries, restaurants and more.

About Rosina Food Products

Rosina Food Products is a leading innovative frozen specialty food products manufacturer centered around Italian fare. Since 1963 the Italian family-owned company has focused on creating premier products that bring to life real Italian flavors and tradition. Rosina ensures the success of every one of its customers while delivering Real Italian Goodness. Rosina Food Products can be found in supermarkets, supercenters, wholesale clubs, military commissaries, cafeterias, and restaurants throughout North America, Latin America and around the world. For more information, visit www.rosina.com

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Lighten Your Load with Light Weight Dough Boxes

Denise Greer — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 18:02:31 +0000

Light Weight Food Handling Solutions

Use Quality Equipment

MFG Tray Has Your Back

Molded Fiber Glass Tray Company | TF: 800 458.6050 | www.mfgtray.com | info@mfgtray.com

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RLS Logistics Offers Best in Class Cold Chain Solutions Nationwide

Denise Greer — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 14:41:21 +0000

Services Include Cold Storage Warehousing, Temp Controlled Transportation, and Frozen Food Order Fulfillment

For over 50 years, customers have trusted RLS Logistics to manage their complicated frozen and refrigerated cold chain solutions, naming us one of America’s top 3PL companies. We are known as The Cold Chain Experts for a reason.

As a family-owned 3PL company, we understand that your company’s logistics needs are as unique as your company itself. With our team of Cold Chain Experts as your partner, we take the time to learn every relevant variable of your food business. Customer experience is of the utmost importance to us.

We offer flexible and custom-tailored cold storage warehousing, transportation, and eCommerce fulfillment solutions, allowing us to be a top cold chain 3PL partner. Our nationwide network of cold storage warehouses provides over 55 million cubic feet of climate controlled storage across the U.S. We understand the importance of protecting our customers’ brands and products while in the cold chain, which is why all of our facilities are BRC-GS Certified.

Through RLS Logistics, customers will access one of the most robust cold chain transportation solutions. We provide managed transportation solutions, freight brokerage nationwide, temp-controlled LTL shipping, retail vendor consolidation programs, and cross-docking.

In addition to cold storage and transportation, RLS Logistics offers frozen direct to consumer fulfillment services. With our frozen fulfillment centers nationwide, RLS can reach 31% of U.S. consumers in one day ground shipping and 98% in two days. We understand that in today’s supply chain industry, technology is critical to our customers’ success. RLS is proud to have one of the most powerful data-driven platforms providing our customers with complete visibility into their cold chain.

Our dedicated team of cold chain experts is ready to meet your needs today, as your fully integrated 3PL partner or as a stand-alone solution. Contact the Cold Chain Experts for a no-obligation quote today at info@rlslogistics.com or 800-579-9900. We look forward to serving your frozen and refrigerated food business.

ABOUT RLS LOGISTICS: Headquartered in Newfield, NJ, RLS Logistics is a family-owned, third-party logistics provider specializing in value-added cold chain solutions, including LTL and FTL transportation, cold storage warehousing, and direct-to-consumer fulfillment. Founded in 1968, the company has been owned and managed by the Leo family for over 50 years and has grown into a leading integrated cold chain 3PL. For more information, visit www.rlslogistics.com.

Contact Us:

RLS Logistics

info@rlslogistics.com

800-579-9900

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The Neil Jones Food Company

Denise Greer — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 11:45:44 +0000

Family owned and operated, the Neil Jones Food Company packs only the freshest vine-ripened California tomatoes available. Whether you prefer classic #10 cans, shelf-stable pouches, drums, bins or totes, you will always get the best fresh packed tomato products from Neil Jones Food.

The Neil Jones Food Company

800-291-3862

sales@njfco.com

njfco.com

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Conversation: Gabriele Lamonaca, Unregular Pizza New York City

Denise Greer — Tue, 31 May 2022 16:44:37 +0000

A Q&A with Gabriele Lamonaca, Unregular Pizza New York City, New York

Concept:

Unregular Pizza is a fast casual Roman-style pizzeria by the slice located in the heart of NYC in Union Square. The pizzeria offers a wide range of creative and delicious pizzas, sandwiches and salads available in gluten free and vegan options.

Pizza Style:

Our Roman-style pizza dough is made with imported Italian flour and it’s fermented for 72 hours, making the dough airy, light and digestible.

What is the story behind your pizzeria’s name?

Our pizza project was born, in fact, in an Unregular way. I started making pizza at home during the pandemic in 2020, experimenting with different combinations of toppings in a creative and unusual way. After posting pictures and videos of my creations on Instagram, I grabbed the attention of my friends who wanted to purchase my pizza. However, instead of selling, I would give it out for free, so that I could get as MUCH feedback as possible. When I delivered a potato pie (a staple of the Roman pizza tradition) to my friend Federica, she gave me homemade cocktails in return.

This brought me back memories of my grandma, who back in the 1950’s used bake goods that she exchanged for other goods.

So I began bartering pizza from home — which immediately created a community of barters — while my pizza was being constantly fine tuned and shared over and over with future potential customers. We then decided with my business partner and master pizzaiolo, Salvatore Gagliardo, to open up a shop.

We found the perfect location in Union Square, in the heart of Manhattan.

“Unregular” is an intended grammatical mistake (should be “irregular”), and was chosen to distance ourselves from the low-quality $1 “regular” NY slice. This was done to convey the originality of our product.

What is this barter program and how does it work?

Since we opened our brick and mortar store, we have bartered pizza from it with anyone who has something to share that he/she is passionate about. People may go on our website, unregularpizza.com, and sign up to barter. Our team will get in touch to organize it.

Unregular Pizza has a unique design in the pizzeria and its branding elements. Tell us a little more about how the design was created?

Our pizza project was born out of the pandemic, which was a very sad moment for everyone, including the city and its restaurant scene. We wanted to create a pizzeria that was different from the traditional ones, and at the same time was colorful and happy. We chose a throwback 90s design for our store in order to convey that feeling. The final product is a combination of three main artists. Italian street artist Federico Massa (a.k.a. Lena Cruz) is known for his spray-painted stencils and precise brush work. Melding imagery of iguanas, landscapes, cultural artifacts, and local graffiti gathered from trips to Mexico and across the world, Massa has developed a unique visual style. Indian born, New York-based multidisciplinary designer Sourabh Gupta works at the intersection of art, design and architecture. And last, but not least, Italian store designer Federica Teso, founder of Lessthan3studio, which blends perspectives and fabrication techniques with European and American design sensibilities in order to provide unmatched elegance and quality at any scale.

ONLINE BONUS QUESTION: NYC has a very competitive pizza scene. How are you able to grab a piece of the NYC market?

In the radius of one street block from our store there are 4 other pizzerias! NYC is literally the most crowded pizza scene in the world. The only way to succeed is preserving quality, convenience and originality. Our bestseller is called the BURRAPIZZA CAFONATA which is a crazy creation which came up through deed bartering research, if so we may call it. Obviously this pizza a 72h leavened dough (like all our pizzas), rigorously Italian Mutti tomato sauce, a whole Lioni Latticini burrata on each slice (hence the name Burrapizza), spicy n’duja sauce and finally spicy hot honey. Each slice is a bite of sin which has captured the hearts and taste buds of thousands who travel all the way to us to grab a bite of it.

We also continuously produce new products with the aim of keeping creativity alive while respecting the high quality of Roman-style pizza. Worthy of note is the golden burrapizza (24K burrata on each slice) which we launched on National Pizza Day with the objective of raising money for charity, the Welcome to Times Square burrapizza which was made for our World’s Biggest barter event where bartered 162 times from a pizza truck in Times Square back in November, the best barters were displayed on a billboard in Times Square offered by our partners at Welcome to Times Square, our Trojan Horse pizza which featured gyro and souvlaki on a pizza with a maxi burrata on top filled with mini mozzarellas (hence the name Trojan Horse…), a sweet Bronte Pistachio and nutella multilayered burrapizza which we made customized for a birthday… everyday there’s a new idea. Something that spikes our creativity and that might make people say “I wanna try this” because it’s all about the quality and inventiveness of the pizza!

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Welbilt KitchenConnect Launches the Largest Smart Restaurant Ecosystem for the Foodservice Industry

Denise Greer — Fri, 20 May 2022 17:59:06 +0000

Welbilt, Inc. (NYSE:WBT), a leading provider of commercial equipment and cloud device management for the foodservice industry, is proud to announce today the launch of the Largest Smart Restaurant Ecosystem. The ecosystem is powered by the biggest digital companies in the Internet of Things (IoT) space that will empower its homegrown cloud platform for connected restaurant equipment, KitchenConnect®.

The foodservice equipment industry is in the midst of the largest digital transformation in history. The decisions made by Welbilt and its partners will have direct impact on ensuring the highest consistency on food quality, improving on sustainability, and securing all their telemetry. Until today, it has been very difficult to find the best suppliers who will be able to provide all the above as well as work together in order to bring the desired outcome into fruition.

The Largest Restaurant Smart Ecosystem consists of the following best-in-class technology companies that will be able to deliver each of the needed digital solutions to the customers at the highest standard:

KitchenConnect – Provides an award-winning device cloud management solution connecting any restaurant equipment to enable reduction of cost, increase of equipment uptime, and enhancement of food quality.

AT&T – Provides a global cellular service, professional service team for restaurant connectivity set up, and one SmartHub edge connecting all equipment in the restaurant to KitchenConnect.

Bruviti – Serves an AI-powered customer-service triage and parts-prediction platform for KitchenConnect that delivers superior aftermarket service.

HCL – Provides best-in-class Digital Transformation expertise in integrating end-to-end technologies including Cloud, IoT, AI, Analytics and Cybersecurity on KitchenConnect.

Microsoft – Provides secure edge infrastructure with Azure Sphere and hosts KitchenConnect on the Azure IoT platform for critical insights into kitchen operations.

Perfect Company – Provides the best-in-class Kitchen Crew Operating System integrated with KitchenConnect to eliminate food waste, decrease training time, and increase food quality and speed of service.

TeamViewer – Provides a cutting-edge solution for remote service and augmented reality for Welbilt and KitchenConnect products.

“Welbilt continues to accelerate our strategy to digitally transform the foodservice industry while answering the call of leading customers’ need for data to improve their businesses. We are on the path to being the one-stop shop for best-in-class smart ecosystem by partnering with companies that will assist in driving the results our customers want and need,” said Keri Llewellyn, Welbilt’s Chief Commercial Officer.

“At Welbilt, we believe in the power of ‘better together’. The Largest Smart Restaurant Ecosystem will provide the biggest combined expertise from the leading-edge digital companies to offer a complete

suite for transforming any restaurant into a smart one and empower our customers in their digital transformation,” said Omar Jacques Omran, Welbilt’s VP Digital Transformation and Managing Director of KitchenConnect.

KitchenConnect will be showcasing the result of the solution developed with the Largest Smart Restaurant Ecosystem companies at the National Restaurant Association show from May 21st to May 24th. To register for a demo, please contact Shawn McElyea, KitchenConnect’s Director of Marketing: Shawn.McElyea@Welbilt.com.

About Welbilt, Inc. Welbilt, Inc. provides the world’s top chefs, premier chain operators and growing independents with industry-leading equipment and solutions. Our innovative products and solutions are powered by our deep knowledge, operator insights, and culinary expertise. Our portfolio of award-winning product brands includes Cleveland™, Convotherm®, Crem®, Delfield®, Frymaster®, Garland®, Kolpak®, Lincoln®, Manitowoc® Ice, Merco®, Merrychef® and Multiplex®. These product brands are supported by three service brands: KitchenCare®, our aftermarket parts and service brand, FitKitchen®, our fully-integrated kitchen systems brand, and KitchenConnect®, our cloud-based digital platform brand. Headquartered in the Tampa Bay region of Florida and operating 19 manufacturing facilities throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, we sell through a global network of over 5,000 distributors, dealers, buying groups and manufacturers’ representatives in over 100 countries. We have approximately 4,700 employees and generated sales of $1.5 billion in 2021. For more information, visit www.welbilt.com.

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Sprizza 40 Pizza Spinner

Denise Greer — Mon, 16 May 2022 17:12:11 +0000

Bench model cold system for spinning pizza dough. This machine reproduces the manual dexterity of the pizza-maker as closely as possible by imitating this unequaled delicateness. The original patented micro-rolling system makes the pizza base without heating, simultaneously with the same kind of result as would be obtained by a skillful pizza-maker, without any alteration of the dough.

The UNIVEX STANDARD means you will receive the highest quality product and total customer satisfaction.

Since our founding in 1948, Univex Corporation has grown to become a leading U.S. manufacturer and distributor of superior quality mixers, slicers, dough processors, ovens and prep equipment for the restaurant, hotel, pizzeria, bakery, catering and institutional industries.

We Love To Explore New Worldwide Destinations.

Today, Univex products are well known for their rugged engineering that keeps them running for decades…competitive pricing, which makes them a remarkably good value…and solid innovation, including critical safety features that have become the industry standard.

Based in Salem, New Hampshire, Univex has sales offices throughout North America as well as a network of over 1,000 dealers who supply Univex equipment to tens of thousands of food service operators worldwide. Let us supply you with the ideal solution for working more efficiently.

Visit us at www.univexcorp.com

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No more screens! LloydPans Quik-Disks Produce Pizzas Pronto

Denise Greer — Thu, 12 May 2022 19:40:02 +0000

Pizza disks ensure maximum crispness, minimum headache

LloydPans offers its customers three separate styles of pizza disks. Replacing screens in large segments of the pizza industry, our three main styles of pizza disks are designed for various styles of ovens and baking styles.

Quik-Disks

Feature a 40% airflow to 60% surface ratio. The Quik-Disk is a superior alternative to thin mesh screens and is the standard for medium crust pizza in conveyor ovens.

Hex Quik-Disks

Designed with a unique hexagon shape perforation pattern with 50% airflow for the thinnest and crispiest pizza crust on the market.

Hearth Bake Disks

Made with an irregular-shaped hole pattern by design; makes it possible for pizzas that are baked in a conveyor oven to emerge with the same type of special golden crust appearance that was once only possible in a hearth bake oven.

Other features of our Disks include:

No pre-seasoning required due to PRE SEASONED TUFF-KOTE finish
Durable construction stops cyclical replacement issues
Holes are resistant to carbon build up and plugging
Integrated flat rim does not trap food debris
Easy cleanup saves time and labor
NSF approved (QDF40)

LloydPans

800-748-6251

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Save the Date for Pizza & Pasta Northeast 2022

Denise Greer — Tue, 03 May 2022 17:55:18 +0000

Pizza & Pasta Northeast to stage October 16-17, 2022 at the Atlantic City Convention Center

Pizza & Pasta Northeast continues to be your one-stop shop for everything you need for your pizzeria, including the newest products, equipment and technology hitting the market. Throw in an education program and demonstration program second to none and you have a game-changing experience. This year you will also have the opportunity to attend Artisan Bakery Expo East at no charge, which will be co-located with Pizza & Pasta Northeast.

Bill Oakley
Group Show Director

Both the pizzeria and retail bakery businesses are extremely similar. Both industries are striving to elevate the quality of their products to where they are considered “artisan.”

“Education is the key to success.” We feel so strongly about education that we’re offering more than 20 business-boosting seminars, demonstrations, and workshops dealing with today’s hot-button topics, including the current labor shortage, supply chain issues, inflation, and how to improve customer service. If you’re located east of the Mississippi, Pizza & Pasta Northeast 2022 is truly THE place for you to learn, network, see shop and make deals. You’ll discover endless opportunities to take your business to the next level!

As always, our commitment to you, our partners, is to produce the biggest and best show ever!

Remember, attending Pizza & Pasta Northeast is a tax-deductible working vacation.

It’s all pizza and it’s all for YOU!

Bill Oakley
Group Show Director

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98. Pizza Expo Mini Sessions: Brian Hall and Linda Ortega

Laura Brauer — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 15:29:40 +0000

We continue our mini sessions from above the Pizza Expo exhibit hall. Hear from Brian Hall, owner of Crafters Pizza & Drafthouse in Carmel, Indiana. We talk rebranding the concept, staffing, new products on the show floor and International Pizza Challenge. We chat with Linda Ortega, owner of Fired Up Fresh mobile catering company in Watsonville, California. Linda shares her startup story, catering and how vital sampling ingredients at Pizza Expo is for her business.

Thank you to our sponsor

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Kitchen Technology to Optimize Operations

Denise Greer — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 15:49:43 +0000

From kitchen display screens to AI, new tech can help pizzeria owners speed up orders

Everyone is in a hurry now. Customers have always wanted their favorite pizza to be ready quickly, but now people expect their orders, especially for delivery and takeout, to be completed almost instantly. Whether it’s due to the pandemic changing the way people order food, or a general increase in the use of technology, speed of service is more important than ever. Pizzeria owners are looking for technology that can help.

According to the National Restaurant Association’s 2022 State of the Restaurant Industry report, more than eight in 10 operators said the use of technology in a restaurant provides a competitive advantage. Operators are planning to invest in technology this year, most likely towards to-go options, as 54 percent of adults say purchasing takeout or delivery food is essential to the way they live, including 72 percent of millennials and 66 percent of Gen Z adults.

While much of these tech upgrades will be related to online ordering, some investments will go towards kitchen upgrades, from display screens and cloud-based solutions to faster ovens and smart prep tables.

Key Investments

Technology has made consumers impatient. According to the Oracle Food and Beverage Survey, conducted September 2021, 64 percent of survey respondents don’t want to wait more than five minutes to order at the counter or drive-thru window, and 71 percent of in-house diners get annoyed if they wait more than 10 minutes. Dining inside the restaurant, 54 percent were fed up if they waited more than 10 minutes for food.

One essential technology that operators can implement to improve speed of service is a Kitchen Display System (KDS), a digital customer order viewer that replaces the printed paper ticket system. “KDS has widely improved over the last couple of years,” says Jay Bandy, president of Goliath Consulting Group in Norcross, Georgia. “There are a lot more players.”

The basic components of a KDS include color monitors that show all the incoming orders, the time each order was received, and how long the tickets have been open. Each is designated green, yellow and red, to show whether the order was recently received (green) or has been aging for a long time (red). In addition to displaying the orders clearly so kitchen staff can prepare the food, the system collects data so the restaurant owner can decide how to schedule staff
appropriately.

These systems are available from POS system vendors, Bandy says, and some of the more innovative companies offer artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for ordering and preparing food. When a customer orders online, AI shows up as a chatbot, and on the phone it can be an interactive voice response (IVR) system. “What it does is it reduces the number of phone calls that you get on a Friday night,” Bandy says. AI can automate the kitchen flow, which saves labor. “AI has learned the whole process of pizza ordering or sandwich ordering. Pizza has a finite number of ways a customer can order.”

Connected pizza

One way to optimize kitchen operations is by collecting and using data. That involves connectivity through the cloud, which starts with setting up the right infrastructure and the right equipment. Infrastructure refers to WiFi, Ethernet and cellular connectivity as a backup, and the kitchen equipment must be able to be linked so they can be monitored remotely. “You are connecting fryers, pizza conveyors and smart make tables,” says Omar Jacques Omran, vice president of digital transformation and managing director of KitchenConnect, a brand of Welbilt, Inc. “Each one of those is a different equipment category.”

By applying digital technology to kitchen operations, the pizzeria owner can analyze the data coming from all the restaurant equipment. So while one piece of equipment can give the owner a glimpse of food cost issues – for example, the smart make table shows that the worker is weighing too much cheese for each pie – the cloud solution presents a bigger picture. “It offers an overview of the products cooked, peak demand hours, product utilization and cleaning cycles,” Omran says. “It allows cost savings through over-the-air recipe pushes and predictive maintenance, ensuring less downtime while maintaining food quality through online food safety report retrieval.”

A cloud solution can also warn the operator that the oven needs service, which can prevent downtime and lost sales. For even more connectivity, operators can integrate front and back of house technology. For example order pickup lockers can hold the food until the customer or delivery driver arrives with a code to open the locker and do contactless pickup. The system also collects information such as how long the order took to fill and how long it was in the locker, which can affect food safety.

Some assembly required

Robotics are emerging as a solution. In January a Pizza Hut franchisee in Israel announced the launch of an unstaffed unit in a parking lot, where customers order from the kiosk or their phones and the robotics inside the box assemble and bake the pizza. While not all pizza establishments have the resources to open a standalone pizza-making robot, some of the newest kitchen equipment has taken routine tasks out of human hands and into robotic arms, dispensing portion-controlled toppings and moving the pies into the oven automatically.

Restaurant owners should choose kitchen technology based not on novelty but on the measurable
improvements the equipment provides. “The ultimate goal is to reduce labor, increase menu offerings and improve speed of service,” says Richard H. Eisenbarth, president emeritus of the foodservice consultancy Cini-Little, based in Germantown, Maryland. “If you can reduce an FTE [full-time equivalent] of labor in back of house and put that person in front of house for service, you’re that much better off.”

Eisenbarth, who is one of the judges for the annual National Restaurant Association Show’s Kitchen Innovation Awards, says new developments include high-speed ovens that do not need extra exhaust, and small combi ovens that take up little space and enable the kitchen to add a different menu item. High-tech prep tables have software that integrates with the POS system, which streamlines the ordering process, regulates the refrigeration temperature and alerts the owner that inventory is low.

“The big issue is labor,” Eisenbarth says. “Anything you can do to reduce that labor or better utilize the people you do have is what’s really going to be important.”

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

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Pizza Expo 2022 Review: A Momentous Occasion

Denise Greer — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 20:12:21 +0000

Pizza Expo reinvigorates the pizzeria industry with a grand

After cancellations, postponements, and an out-of-season August show, Pizza Expo staged in its usual spring setting in a bustling Las Vegas in March. We anticipated a big year as pizzeria professionals and suppliers were eager to come together again.

Attendees arrived to the brand new West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Even before the show floor opened, pizzeria operators and their staff packed the New Operator Monday seminars and reception to get a jump on the extensive education program and networking.

As the show floor opened on Tuesday, thousands of exuberant attendees filed through the entrance, kicking off one of our best shows in history. It wasn’t just the size of Pizza Expo, either; the show brought back the feeling of a pre-pandemic Pizza Expo. More than anything, Pizza Expo 2022 was all about the people. The excitement and connections were electric.

There was a common theme amongst attendees: Pizza Expo was a reset, a way to recharge. With all the business shifts, labor shortages, supply chain issues, inflation and pricing spikes, operators were looking for and found a way forward. The show floor did not disappoint: providing solutions to pizzeria industry issues, from equipment and technology to ease labor to carryout and delivery products to address increasing off-premise sales. Innovation was key from new and trending ingredients and food items to a inside look at pizza-making robotics.

Not only were the seminar rooms filled, but operators were also intensely engaged in asking questions, taking notes and introducing themselves to colleagues. International Pizza Challenge and the World Pizza Games were abuzz with new energy.

The Competitions

Congratulations to our 2022 Pizza Maker of the Year, Carmine Candito of Pizzeria O’Munaciello in Miami, Florida. Carmine also placed first in the Pizza Napoletana Division. Returning after a 2019 Pizza Maker of the Year top honor, Federico De Silvestri is our 2022 Best of the Best Pizza Champion.

Marco Tavani of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, took first in the Non-Traditional Division. Joe Carlucci, owner of Valentina’s Pizzeria and Wine Bar in Madison, Alabama, placed first in the Traditional Division. Meanwhile, Kenneth MacFawn of White Rabbit Gastropub in Frederick, Maryland, took the top prize in the Pan Division.

Giancarlo Facciuto of Pizzillo in Miami, Florida, was crowned the 2022 World Sandwich Champion, a competition added in 2021.

Women dominated four of the top finishes at this year’s World Pizza Games with Tara Hattan, owner of Zasa’s Pizza & Wings in Tulsa, Oklahoma, taking home two first place finishes in Fastest Dough and Pizza Triathlon.

Allison Leroux of Amadio’s in Ontario, Canada, took first place in Largest Dough and McKenna Carney of The Nona Slice House in Safety Harbor, Florida, is the Freestyle Acrobatics Champion. David Whisker of B.C. Pizza finished first in Fastest Box Folding. Jamie Culliton of The Nona Slice House took home the top honor in the Master’s Division Freestyle Acrobatics.

The finals of the World Pizza Games took place at Wednesday night’s Block Party

As we closed the show floor on Thursday, pizzeria pros returned home with new ideas, products, equipment and even competition titles to carry their businesses forward. See you next year!

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Deep Dish Pizza Expands Beyond Windy City Roots

s9800073 — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 11:20:29 +0000

LloydPans digs deeper with Chicago Deep Dish Pan

Chicago-style deep dish pizzas are known for their deep, buttery crusts layered with ingredients to create the pizza’s uniquely thick look. LloydPans Deep Dish Pizza Pans come in 1.5” and 2.25” depths, and both come in a variety of diameters. The Chicago-inspired Deep Dish Pizza Pan is the perfect pan to help pizzerias and foodservice operations recreate the popular pizza that Chicago is known for.

However, deep dish’s popularity is spreading beyond the confines of Chicago, and the uniquely thick pizza needed a tried-and-true pan to help pizza makers add this fan favorite to their menus. Thus, LloydPans added the Deep Dish Pizza Pan to its lineup.

LloydPans Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Pans come with patented PRE SEASONED TUFF-KOTE (PSTK) finish. PRE SEASONED TUFF-KOTE (PSTK) eliminates the need for pre-seasoning, messy oiling of pans and offers an unparalleled durability built for commercial kitchens. The coating also makes the depanning/cleanup process a breeze. And, LloydPans Chicago Deep Dish Pans include additional features:

Can be stacked dozens high, stable for easier carrying
Ideal for proofing dough
Less expensive, since separators are not needed
1.2″ clearance between pans
Round rim for safe handling
Heavy 14-gauge aluminum
Available in PRE SEASONED TUFF-KOTE (PSTK) finish or bare aluminum

LloydPans

800-748-6251

Get the Gorgonzola Pear Pizza with Prosciutto di Parma recipe.

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SpeedLine Launches SpeedLine 8 with Cloud Reporting & Analytics

s9800073 — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 14:12:34 +0000

SpeedLine Solutions Inc. has launched SpeedLine 8 with Cloud Reporting & Analytics.

SpeedLine 8 brings new features and integrations to reporting, online ordering, and more. Some of the most notable features of this release are Cloud Reporting and Analytics, enabling users to see real-time reports of key metrics in their restaurant on any web-enabled device to help make more informed decisions. The integration with DoorDash Drive allows stores to request DoorDash Drive drivers at times of in-house delivery driver shortages.

“In the past two years, with the ongoing pandemic, we have seen much of our world advance digitally, and pizza is no different,” John deWolde, SpeedLine’s President & CEO, says. “Pizza continues to lead the evolution in the digital food ordering world. With SpeedLine 8, store owners can access their hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and annual sales, promotions, and delivery performance in simple, easy-to-read dashboards and drill into the underlying data with a single touch anytime, anywhere. Multi-unit owners or franchisors can compare their store’s performance in a single view.

SpeedLine 8 focuses on simplifying processes with new features and upgrades that will save time and create peace of mind for pizzeria staff, management, and owners. Users can look forward to added fields on tickets, additional tip management options, increased coupon functionality, and enhanced reporting features.

“We believe that our company must continue evolving and advancing our products as the industry evolves, providing our customers with the tools for success in their business. We are proud that SpeedLine 8 will save pizzeria owners’ time, helping them see deeper into their business metrics to support their decision making, and helping to increase their profitability,” says John deWolde, SpeedLine’s President & CEO.

Learn more at Cloud Reporting and Analytics.

About SpeedLine

The leading provider of innovative solutions for pizza point of sale, SpeedLine (www.speedlinesolutions.com), provides technology solutions for pizza and delivery, quick service, and multi-concept restaurant chains. SpeedLine POS solutions help restaurants and chains operate more efficiently and profitably.

Contact Information:

Lexie Wynne, Marketing Specialist, SpeedLine Solutions Inc.

lwynne@speedlinesolutions.com or 1-888-400-9185 ext. 3326

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Creativity Goes into Featured Pizzas and Slices

John Gutekanst — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 04:01:00 +0000

No Country For Old Pizzas

“The flow of the river is ceaseless; and its water is never the same.”

– Kamo no Chomei, 1212 AD

All of us in the independent restaurant world are in constant motion. We put our heads down day after day with hundreds of tasks of owning a restaurant. Sometimes, just getting through a day or week hunkered down as food and labor costs soar, is quite daunting. You’d think that the last thing on our minds would be to introduce a new pizza or slice. But to those of us surrounded by competitors, the opportunity to introduce a new pizza is what sets us aside from the bland corporate places and, is the most exciting part of this job. It’s what our loyal customers deserve and expect. Floating down this river of innovation starts with a spark — something that you know will bring new customers into your pizzeria and have loyal customers adding this pizza to their orders. It also takes a plan.

Meal Plan

“You gotta be careful if you don’t know where you are going, because you might not get there.”
-Yogi Berra

Several aspects of introducing a new pizza or slice can be broken down to some core questions.

What is the food cost? Using your existing products is better for food cost and alleviates internal confusion, (i.e., delivery/storage/refrigeration.) Manipulating the existing toppings with a sauce/powder/technique/cheese can create new and exciting food profiles. You also can negotiate a better price on a new product with your food salesperson. If you don’t try, you won’t save.

What is the labor cost? You know your prep staff better than anyone. If they are flexible and excited to fabricate a dough, food or topping, then you must think how long it will take them to do this extra work and what it will cost you. Pre-prepared sauces, spices, frozen foods or smoked meats may save you.

What do my customers expect from me? Have you marketed your pizzeria as a cutting-edge place that has funky toppings and innovative specialties or is your place more traditionalist? This may lead you to keep your new specialty pizza and slices more in line with either marketing lane you are in. Remember, even traditions evolve. The first pizzeria opened in 1830, and it wasn’t until 1889 that Raphael Esposito created the classic mozzarella, tomato and basil pizza.

What is the timeline for this pizza, or slice? This is important because it keeps YOU and your staff in a lane to get serious about this project. Making a written plan to introduce this is optimal, and scheduling certain specialty dates on a visual calendar is a great idea. This can be posted on social media and as box toppers.

What will be my communication and marketing: Posters around your pizzeria, including recipes at the makeline, prep area and ovens are as important as explanations of the new pie at the phones. A staff tasting is a great idea. They won’t sell it if they aren’t motivated. Most POS systems have front page marketing pictures that can intentionally lead a customer to your new creation. Social media is another must. Boosting a post on Facebook has a tremendous reach, and rewarding customers for following your page is also a great tool.

Menu Venue

To introduce a new creative pizza or slice, you will have to investigate what other independents are doing. Some of these are game changers like visiting the Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. From there the deep dive continues into the demonstrations from pros in the industry and competitions where you can hear, see and steal ideas and techniques from the best pizza makers in the world. You can also keep your eyes out for the new food trends that come out faster each year. Here are a few predictions for 2022.

Plant-based pizzas: Vegan cheese and cauliflower crust has turned into a “must have” in my pizzeria. Vegan chicken, shrimp, fish and sausage are predicted to be big this year as lifestyles are changing, as people get older.

Swice: Yes, this is the combination of sweet and spicy sauces. This may lean toward Asia like sweetened gochujang for Korean fried chicken, or spicy Latin flavors like chilies with agave or maple. Boneless chicken and swice-coated bacon are perfect pizza toppings with ricotta, mozzarella and even brie, but beware that some sweet sauces like teriyaki and even miso tends to burn in the oven.

Mushrooms: Wild mushrooms, portobello, cremini, shiitake and porcini are huge this year. In my pizzeria, we introduced a “Super Mushroom” pizza two years ago as a temporary special. It’s become so popular that we cannot take it off the menu or my customers will hunt me down.

Nostalgic pizzas: People are searching for comfort foods from their childhood like pimento cheese, sausages, cream cheese jalapeño poppers, cheddar cheese, crispy Parmigiana or Asiago chips, BBQ sauce, smoked pork and even stadium mustard.

Vegetables: Broccoli and cauliflower with cream, or vegan cream sauces, are big now. Spinach and artichokes paired with Parmigiano and ricotta, Kimchi and pickled cucumber with Hoisin sauces and pork belly are popular. These are paired with sharp cheeses like aged provolone or goat cheese. Fennel, either thin sliced and cured or roasted and paired with Parmigiano or Romano, sausage and cream is brilliant. Chickpea, Fava and mung beans will be popular in 2022 as well as sorghum and barley.

Fruit pizzas: Never underestimate the power of sweet, savory and salt with a textural crunch. Pears, apples, apricot, mango and plums paired with Stilton, feta, aged provolone or Gorgonzola with bacon, Prosciutto, spicy capicola, smoked pork or beef bacon are king. Other after-oven toppers like walnuts, almonds or pecans push these pizzas into the “must have” category on your menu.

Charcuterie: 2022 is predicted to be a real sliced meat year. Finishing off slices with Prosciutto di Parma, capicola, and mortadella. House cured and smoked meats like pork belly, duck breast and even smoked chicken are going to be big stars this year.

Oils: Finishing oils like chili, basil, cilantro and roasted sesame oils change a pizza from so-so to fabulous!

Gorgonzola Pear Pizza with Prosciutto di Parma

This is an all-time favorite in my pizzeria and exhibits what Italians call the “Agrodolce” or sweet-and-sour flavor profile. Some people cannot handle the strong flavor of gorgonzola, so I temper this with some shredded mozzarella. The Bosc pear is my favorite because it doesn’t get too soft and is baked without turning brown and mealy. The added touch of maple syrup and pecan creates a strong sweet foil for the sour cheese and a crunchy finish.

John Gutekanst owns Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio.

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The Strategy of Menu Design

Nora Caley — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 04:01:00 +0000

Online or digital, menus need to be visually pleasing and user friendly

From a basic list of pizza toppings to a well-engineered online ordering process, the right menu design can make the difference between a customer placing an order or going elsewhere. Pizzeria owners must consider certain design details when updating a menu or adding a digital menu, including how many items to list, whether to include photos, and how to make the process one that encourages people to order more food.

Get to the Point

Whether in print or digital, use concise descriptions of menu items. “People don’t want to read and read,” says Larry Fiel, vice president of marketing and communications for PDQ Signature Systems in Warminster, Pennsylvania. “They are hungry and they want to order.”

The need for brevity is necessary, especially if people are reading the menu on the small screen of a smartphone. That’s becoming more common, as during the COVID-19 crisis many restaurants switched from paper menus to QR codes to access an online menu. That coronavirus safety protocol turned out to be a good way to save paper, not to mention costs, so it will likely continue.

Consider Location

For years, the oft-repeated wisdom was that the top right of a printed menu was the sweet spot, and the bottom left was the dead zone. These days, many menus are posted online and people simply scroll through them. Fiel says some time-tested tactics are still relevant. For example, list prices without dollar signs, and not in a straight column, because that draws the customer’s attention to how much the meal will cost. He recommends featuring the most expensive item in the center of the menu. The customer will look at the item, decide it’s too expensive, and then read the item below it. “That’s where you put your high margin item,” he says.

Organize the menu into categories that make sense to the reader. “Customers are accustomed to navigating menus by food type or courses,” says Hoang Nguyen, director of client services and co-founder of Leewood, Kansas-based Menufy. “They will be less inclined to order more items if they struggle to navigate your menu. A restaurant’s online and printed menus should make it easy for customers to find the item they have in mind.” As for placement, Nguyen recommends listing the most profitable item first for each category.

Add Photos

Nguyen recommends including high-quality photos on online menus. “Menufy tested this and found that after a sample of client restaurants added professional photos to the restaurant’s website, order volume increased by an average of more than 75 percent,” he says. On printed menus, however, use fewer images, as too many can overwhelm customers.

Be selective about photos. “We choose photos based on how the cheese and crust looks to make sure it looks super appetizing,” says Amber Johnson, director of marketing for Medina, Ohio-based Romeo’s Pizza Franchise, LLC., based in Medina, Ohio. “Then we review the color composition of the photo to ensure it meets our brand standards.”

Romeo’s Pizza has photos on digital menus and on print menus in stores. While digital offers the opportunity to offer more information, avoid putting too much on the ordering site. “Make sure the user experience is easy to navigate,” Johnson says. “Don’t overcrowd the menu trying to list everything in significant detail.”

Make Ordering Easy

If there is too much detail, customers skim the information and miss something important. “We used to have crazy pies and combos, but people ordering online don’t read all the ingredients,” says Dave Kuban, who owns the Norwalk, Connecticut location of Planet Pizza. “The food would get there and people would say, I didn’t know it had bacon, I don’t eat bacon,’ or This has white sauce, where’s the red sauce?'”

While specialty pizzas with whimsical names are still available at the restaurant, the online menu doesn’t list those. Online orders are limited to build-your-own pizza, with a choice of toppings for small, medium or large pies. That way, people choose their toppings, and there is no risk of someone accidentally ordering a pie with an ingredient they didn’t want. “You don’t want to lose that future business,” Kuban says.

Don’t overwhelm customers at the store either, especially if they are ordering from a kiosk. “Keep it simple,” says Christina N. Stephens, project coordinator for Rochester, N.Y.-based Microworks POS Solutions. The customer is probably using the kiosk while others are waiting, so keep the menu clean and simple. “Don’t overload it with too many groups and items. Make the start to finish of each item simple. Don’t require too many clicks in order to add an item to your cart.”

Offering too many options can cause operational issues. Although it’s important to let customers order what they want, it’s better not to offer endless customization. That can lead to extended time at the kiosk station, and opens the possibility of errors. “Kitchens are busy and offering every item to be specifically cooked and every topping substituted leads to errors and inaccurate makes,” Stephens says. “That obviously leads to unhappy consumers and profit loss from either the loss of a customer or the re-make of the items.”

Give Customers What They Want

Others maintain that the ability to swap out the type of crust or add a specific type of cheese is an important consumer expectation. “Customizing products is a huge benefit to customers,” says Mac Malchow, director of national marketing and menu innovation for Toppers Pizza, based in Whitewater, Wisconsin. “Leaving this out can quickly lead to bounces from your menu and website.”

While online ordering grew during the pandemic, and is expected to continue, the process does have a limitation. “With an in-store menu, you get the benefit of an interaction with a team member,” Malchow says. “That doesn’t happen with a digital menu, so you need to treat it almost like it’s a marketing collateral that needs to sell products.”

For a pizzeria, good menu design can do more than simply letting your customers know what’s available. “If you can balance selling with a strong user experience, you’ve got something special,” Malchow says.

Nora Caley is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post The Strategy of Menu Design appeared first on Pizza Today.

Detroit-Style Pizza Pans Lead Regional Craze

s9800073 — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 16:20:33 +0000

Regional-style pizzas spreading like sauce across the country

Regional-style pizzas are booming in popularity, thanks to pizza makers across the country who are perfecting the stylistic approach to each while baking with new twists. Detroit-Style Pizza Pans are LloydPans’ best sellers, leading the way for a number of reasons.

Detroit-style pizza is rectangular, traditionally topped with sauce, then cheese, then toppings. The unique nature of Detroit-style comes in the crust, which is semi-thick (not as thick as deep dish), light and airy. The trademark crunch that shines through in the dough is a consumer fan favorite, no doubt a reason that Detroit-style pizza is a hit from coast to coast.

LloydPans’ Detroit-Style Pan is easy to maintain and the best choice for commercial production. Additionally, LloydPans Detroit-Style Pizza Pans:

Are made with a 76-degree angle, allowing for nesting when empty, saving storage space
Will Never Rust! Heavy-duty anodized aluminum with PRE SEASONED-TUFF KOTE finish
Provide stick-resistance, which is metal utensil safe and long lasting
Have lids available for stacking while proofing, making prep more efficient

L loydPans, a U.S. manufacturer of commercial pizza pans and tools, bakeware, cookware and foodservice equipment, is located in Spokane Valley, Washington. In addition to an extensive line of standard products, LloydPans also offers custom solutions for just about anything their customers need. LloydPans’ products are sold online at www.lloydpans.com and through distributors.

LloydPans

800-748-6251

www.lloydpans.com

sales@lloydpans.com

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Five habits of highly unprofitable pizzerias

s9800073 — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 09:34:35 +0000

Pizza Expo Exclusive by Michael Shepherd, owner of 600 Downtown in Bellafontaine, Ohio

Last year at the 2014 International Pizza Expo I gave a seminar on how to hit a 20 percent profit margin, which I will be doing again in 2015. I felt that it was important to discuss and share with others how to do so in light of the fact that I recently had found out that the industry average was a mere 7 percent. At the three pizzerias that I have owned over the last 18 years I have routinely generated 15 to 25 percent profit.

A 7 percent profit would mean for every thousand dollars in pizza sales you would only get to take home $70. Wow! I mean, who in the world puts their heart and soul into a business that can’t support itself? Sadly, more people than I ever expected. Over the course of the last year I have worked with many clients of my consulting business that have been struggling to be profitable and I believe I have determined the common factors that run through these unprofitable operations.

Last year I wrote a preview to my seminar highlighting the common practices of highly profitable pizzerias. This time let me tell you about the common threads I see running through pizzerias that are unprofitable or are generating low profits.

1: LACK OF BASIC ACCOUNTING KNOWLEDGE

If you’re planning on going into the pizza business you first have to remember that you’re running a business, not making pizza. You can’t pay your mortgage and taxes, and put your children through college, by making pizzas. But you can by running a business. Making pizza is a hobby, not a business.

Most unprofitable pizzerias have very little accounting knowledge, are unfamiliar with how to generate a profit and loss statement (P & L), or know how to read a balance sheet. It’s not OK to be ignorant of accounting. Get yourself educated.

2. LACK OF FOOD COSTING

The next common practice of unprofitable pizzerias is to arbitrarily set pricing. “How much does that 16-inch combo pizza cost? I don’t know, but I think we should sell it for $15. How much does bacon cost to put on a 14-inch pizza? I don’t know, but $1.50 sounds good.”

What? Are you crazy? What business in its right mind would ever set pricing based on what sounds good, or base it on what the guy down the street is charging? The pizza business, it appears—which is why we have a 7 percent average profit margin in our industry. Never mind that the 16-inch combo pizza you are selling for $15 cost you $10 to make and that 4 ounces of bacon cost you $1.65.

You need to know exactly how much your product costs you to make before you can set a selling price. Before you can determine your costs you have to have recipes set and portioning determined. You have to invest the time. Would Wal-Mart ever consider putting something on their shelves and pricing it without knowing the cost of it? No, and neither should you.

3. NO INVENTORY CONTROLS

Counting inventory is a pain in the rear. I get it. But you have to do it. How else are you going to know what products you are wasting and overusing? How else are you going to know what is getting stolen? How else are you going to know what your true food cost is? Operators who don’t count inventory don’t make 20 percent profit.

4. SHOTGUN MARKETING

Which of your marketing tactics is getting the best return? Are you measuring it? Are you tracking it?

“I dunno,” “nope” and “I don’t have time” are usually the answers I get to these questions. You might as well be throwing money out your front door and hope it attracts some hungry customers. Never rely on a marketing salesman to tell you how to market your business. They only have one goal—to separate you from your money. Try some marketing, track the results, do the math—your business depends on it.

5. NO LABOR CONTROLS

What are your target labor costs for daily, weekly and monthly periods? You don’t know? Well, most unprofitable operators don’t. Throw the schedule together and make sure all shifts are covered and we are good to go, right? No, no, no!

You have to know how many labor dollars you can spend to hit your targets. You have to set targets in order to have something to hit. Every percent you spend too much in labor is a percent you don’t get to take home.

Don’t feel badly if you are doing any of these common unprofitable practices, because you can turn it around! It is never (usually) too late to start down the right path today.

Please make plans to attend my seminar at Pizza Expo 2015 in Las Vegas to learn more about how I have successfully and consistently beat the 7 percent industry-average profit margin.

Michael Shepherd, owner of 600 Downtown in Bellafontaine, Ohio, and a consultant to the pizzeria industry, will give his 20 percent profit margin seminar on Tuesday, March 24, and Wednesday, March 25, at Pizza Expo 2015 in Las Vegas.

The post Five habits of highly unprofitable pizzerias appeared first on Pizza Today.

Ready. Set. Pizza Expo 2022

studio98 — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 08:03:45 +0000

We preview the pizzeria industry’s hottest ticketed event all year

As spring marches in, International Pizza Expo is back and this year, we’re pulling out all the stops to go big in 2022. Pizza professionals from across the country and around the world will convene in Las Vegas on March 22-24 for jam-packed days to do business, network, learn and have fun.

“As the world’s largest pizza show, we are committed to be the annual gathering place for the pizzeria and Italian restaurant communities to explore all the products and services available to the industry all under one roof,” says Show Director Bill Oakley. “We’re looking forward to bringing together the largest gathering of pizzeria professionals this year who will converge on the new West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center to collaborate with successful pizzeria owners and industry experts, forge new relationships and make once-a-year deals.”

That’s right. Pizza Expo will take place in the newly opened and state of the art West Hall of the convention center with a first of its kind transportation loop developed by Elon Musk.

While 2020 and 2021 brought uncertainty, 2022 is the year to forge new paths. Renew your focus, drive and passion at Pizza Expo. What better way to recharge, find new products and solutions and share the camaraderie with friends and colleagues than the industry’s longest running event that is in its 37th year.

Pizza Expo, a must attend event amidst industry challenges

The pizzeria industry has faced numerous unprecedented challenges in the past year. Arm yourself with the tools to face these issues with innovation and ingenuity at the show and conference. “As an attendee or buyer, one of your goals will be to maximize your return on investment, especially in light of the huge impact COVID has had on pizzerias, particularly labor and supply chain issues over the last couple of years,” Oakley says. “Exhibitors and attendees alike have made a substantial investment of time and money and we’re 100-percent committed to their success. We’re on track to deliver an exciting event experience filled with electricity that will reconnect the industry.”

Walking the show floor will lead you through some of the restaurant industry’s hottest trends and leading innovations. This is the marketplace where the next big industry idea will be born.

What’s new, what’s hot

Competition areas will be red hot. In case you missed it last year, we introduced a new competition that had the 2021 show floor buzzing, the International Italian Sandwich Competition. It joins our exciting slate of competitions. Competitors will face off in the International Pizza Challenge in Traditional, Non-traditional, Pan and Napoletana Divisions to win cash prizes and bragging rights. They will be judged based on crust, sauce, overall taste and visual presentation. In the non-traditional and pan divisions, creativity points will also be awarded. The popular World Pizza Games is also back to dazzle and amaze spectators and makers compete for world titles in dough acrobatics, dough stretch, box folding and a new team pizza-making challenge.

There is so much more to experience with Pizza Expo 2022. “This year during Food Week attendees will have the opportunity to attend three food-related trade shows in the same exhibit hall, as well as have a special discounted rate to attend the Bar & Restaurant Show,” Oakley says. “Your badge will allow you entry into International Pizza Expo, SIAL America and International Artisan Bakery Expo.” SIAL America will make its debut as the most comprehensive B2B food and beverage event in the U.S., while International Artisan Bakery Expo returns for its 3rd year.

Knowledge is Power

Donatella Arpaia

This year’s keynote speakers will inspire and motivate you to take your business to the next level. “We’re going to have three keynote speakers this year to jumpstart each tradeshow day with an exciting and energizing address that will be headlined by restaurateur and television personality Donatella Arpaia,” Oakley says. James Beard Award winning author and one of America’s most prolific minds in baking, Ken Forkish, will kick off day two. Restaurateur and Young Entrepreneur Award winner Rocky Shanower rounds out the keynote speaker lineup.”

Keynote addresses are a prelude to the immense learning opportunities available at Pizza Expo, from intensive School of Pizzeria Management courses and show floor demonstrations to how-to sessions and panels all taught by leading industry pros.

“The educational program at Pizza Expo is designed to give pizzeria owners topical, relevant information they can immediately use to help run their businesses more efficiently and more profitably,” Content Director Jeremy White says. “As we continue navigating a prolonged and seemingly never-ending pandemic, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the demands of running a restaurant. That was no easy task even in ‘normal’ times. It’s now more difficult than ever. The majority of speakers at Pizza Expo run pizzerias day to day themselves, and they’re hugely successful at it. There’s no better place to get the most up-to-date best practices from people who are actually in the trenches fighting the good fight with you.”

Pizzeria operators are dealing with several fronts at once right now. The education program addresses the biggest issues facing today’s operators. “We’ve really tried to hit the business from every angle here,” White says. “From in-depth, detailed financial workshops to hands-on food demonstrations, attendees will acquire far more than just a surface understanding on the issues pizzeria operators have to deal with on a daily basis. Then the seminar program, which is robust as ever, covers everything from marketing to hiring and employee relations … and everything in between. There’s truly something for everyone. Some attendees may be well versed in finance, but need help with their messaging to consumers. Others may be expert in menu development, but have struggled finding ways to offer a diverse and inclusive workplace. We offer sessions on all that and more at Pizza Expo 2022.”

Let’s Get you Ready for Pizza Expo 2022

Now is the time to make your plans to attend Pizza Expo 2022. “We feel attending Pizza Expo will be one of the best investments, if not the best, in time and money you’ll make this year that should pay dividends for years to come,” Oakley says.

Get the latest updates on the show. The show’s mobile app is available. Get the Pizza Expo App.

See you at the show!

The post Ready. Set. Pizza Expo 2022 appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pizza Expo is ready to put pizzeria operators on the offensive

studio98 — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 16:47:14 +0000

Read Nick Bogacz’s article and you’ll note he says that it is time for pizzeria owners to go on the offensive with regards to hiring practices. That sentiment is directly in line with an old adage: the best defense is a good offense.

In order to succeed in today’s marketplace, it’s time to stop being reactive and start being proactive. That doesn’t go just for staffing — it applies to all facets of your pizza business. You are taking the first step by attending International Pizza Expo 2022 in Las Vegas. So pat yourself on the back there. But, when you get there, we know there is going to be so much to see, do and experience. It can get overwhelming. We know you can’t be two places at once, which is why we advocate bringing a team with you so that you can divide and conquer.

In the event that you’re looking to spend a substantial portion of your time at Pizza Expo in the educational sessions, here’s a brief rundown of some of the many workshops, seminars and food demos at this year’s show, broken down by day (note: we do not have room to include them all in print. For a full lineup visit
PizzaExpo.com).

Sunday, March 20th

Restaurant Business Essentials, Part I: Critical Systems for Success

David Scott Peters

Great leaders are made by great systems. Proper systems force valuable communications among staff and ensure profitability. They enable a restaurant owner to control operations even when they are not in sight. In this first part of Restaurant Business Essentials, David Scott Peters of TheRestaurantExpert.com will help attendees identify who they are as restaurant owners or managers and how to communicate and lead their teams.

How to Open a Mobile Pizzeria

Siler Chapman

Food trucks and mobile food, in general, have exploded in recent years and it isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. Mobile operations have the allure of being more profitable with less overhead and more freedom. Veteran pizzeria operator, consultant, and now mobile pizzeria operator, Siler Chapman, will take you through the steps required to open and successfully operate a mobile pizzeria. Properly outfitting your truck/trailer, navigating complicated health and zoning codes, setting menu options/prices, essential technology, marketing, finding the right gigs, and building out financial projections are among the topics that will be covered.

Monday, March 21st

Lease Negotiations

Thomas Reinhard

You found your perfect location. You have a great pizza. You’re eager to get started. All you need to do is sign on the dotted line and then it’s go-time. But it’s not that simple. Let attorney and pizzeria owner, Thomas Reinhard, guide you through the process and discuss the common pitfalls and sticking points before you sign.

Standing Out in a Sea of Competition

Melissa Rickman

Today’s diners are discriminant. And they have more choices than ever before. From third-party delivery to a night out on the town, there’s no shortage of competition. While standing out may be more difficult than ever, it can be done. In fact, you must do just that in order to thrive! If you want to learn how to set yourself apart in the sea of competition, this seminar is for you.

Tuesday, March 22nd

Understanding Cheese Prices

Dan Collier

Cheese. What’s pizza without it? 33 percent less food cost, for one thing! A pizzeria has two primary costs that must be controlled every day: Labor Cost and Food Cost. Controlling Food Cost begins and ends with understanding cheese prices.

In this seminar you will learn about the Cheese Block Market, bulk vs. pre-shredded and how to purchase cheese for your pizzeria. You will learn how to manage cheese costs and what to do when the cheese market prices fluctuate. Cheese is one-third of your food cost, making it the single most important food item to manage. Gain that knowledge here and you will have a friend in cheeses!

Thriving in a Small Town

Rocky Shanower

You don’t have to be in a city of millions to excel. Take Rocky Shanower’s word for it. The winner of Pizza Today’s 2020 Young Entrepreneur of the Year award has set up shop in a small Ohio farming community, where his business does just fine, thank you very much.

Wednesday, March 23rd

A Pizzeria’s Guide to Social Media

Molly Mandell, Sammy Mandell, Phil Bossart

Social Media changed the world as we know it. And it changed how pizza businesses interact with and market to their customers. It can and should be a major component to your brand growth strategy. Our friends from Dallas-based Greenville Avenue Pizza Company will show Pizza Expo attendees how to make sure they do social media effectively.

Making Plant-Based Work Financially

Scott Sandler

Plant-based products are red-hot right now. If you want to capitalize on the growing demand, you need to first make sure you get your “restaurant math” correct to ensure profitability. Here’s how to make sure plant-based works for you financially.

But Wait, There’s More

Aside from the robust seminar and workshop schedule, a variety of hands-on food demonstrations will take place March 22-24. Topics range from Detroit-style Pizza (Jeff Smokevitch) to Dough Starters (Laura Meyer) and everything in between.

Between the bustling show floor, competitions, the World Pizza Games and the Block Party, the 2022 installment of Pizza Expo has a lot going on. To see the floor plan and exhibitor list, brush up on the latest show-related health and safety guidelines, view the competition schedule or register to attend, be sure to visit PizzaExpo.com.

The post Pizza Expo is ready to put pizzeria operators on the offensive appeared first on Pizza Today.

Expo Spotlight: Tips to Get the Most Out of Pizza Expo 2022

studio98 — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 08:31:23 +0000

Pizza Expo 2022 — The Countdown Has Begun!

Bill Oakley
Group Show Director

Don’t miss out on this once-a-year opportunity to come together with pizzeria operators from across the U.S. and the world. Now more than ever you need to understand the wants and needs of all your customers, whether they’re Millennials, seniors or somewhere in between. Pizza Expo is your best opportunity to discover what’s new, what’s working and what’s trending. You’ll be able to obtain new knowledge, insights and ideas that will help you position your pizzeria for improved profitability and future growth.

This year, our education program will include more than 70 business-building seminars, demonstrations, workshops and networking events. We’ve also added several new industry experts and successful pizzeria owners to our speaker lineup who are eager to share ideas and address the hot-button issues facing pizzeria owners and operators.

To get the most out of your Pizza Expo experience, it’s always a good idea to arrive with a plan of attack that includes the seminars and demonstrations you want to attend, the products and services you want to research and compare and a list of suppliers and industry experts you want to connect with.

Here are a few tips to ensure that you get the most out of your Pizza Expo experience:

Take charge! On your attendee dashboard you have access to A2Z Connect, which will allow you to reach out to suppliers prior to your arrival. Don’t delay, start making appointments with suppliers and experts well in advance.
Take time to map out the show floor thoroughly and completely. Pay particular attention to new exhibitors, new products and show specials.
Knowledge is king! Talk to as many industry experts and thought leaders as you can. Pick their brains to find out what they are thinking, doing and expecting to happen in the future. What are the emerging trends, and how might they help or hurt your operation? What are other operators doing to boost their business and how does your restaurant compare? Can you take advantage of supplier expertise? Is there an opportunity to expand your menu and/or profit margins? Find out what you can do differently to outshine and outperform your competition.
Take advantage of once-a-year show specials and deep discounts on equipment, ingredients and supplies. Our exhibitors don’t want to take the equipment and products back to their warehouse. This is your single best opportunity this year to negotiate great deals right on the show floor.
Finally, take notes on what you learn and experience at Pizza Expo and rethink or analyze your business and/or marketing plans. How can you differentiate and better position your restaurant in the marketplace? What new ideas and strategies can you implement to achieve your goals?

There will always be winners and losers, but only those who arm themselves with industry knowledge and are willing to take action toward positive change will have the ability to compete and win. The bottom line is this: In today’s fiercely competitive marketplace you need access to all of the latest trends, strategies and product innovations. Pizza Expo is your one-stop solution!

Save time and money by pre-registering now at PizzaExpo.com.

It’s all pizza and it’s all for YOU!

Kind regards,

Bill Oakley
Group Show Director

The post Expo Spotlight: Tips to Get the Most Out of Pizza Expo 2022 appeared first on Pizza Today.

Six Places in Your Restaurant to Look for Money Savers

studio98 — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 00:01:54 +0000

Managing rising food and labor costs

Inflation is at roughly seven percent, a rate not seen since 1982. This will hit you where it hurts, your prime costs. And then while you are down on the ground bleeding profits, inflation will kick you repeatedly through 2022, until you give up and close your pizzeria or adapt and thrive while your competitors shut their doors.

Food and labor costs are called prime costs because they are the two costs you must manage in your pizzeria business to survive. What weapons do you have to fight the inflation of your food and labor costs? Here are six of the most important for your arms cache.

Food Costs

• Ideal Food Cost

• Single Vendor Contract

• Vendor Allowances

Labor Costs

• Scheduling Techniques

• Technology

• Equipment

Food Cost: Ideal Food Cost

Do you know how many pounds of pepperoni you used last week? Second question: Do you know how many pounds of pepperoni you should have used last week? This is the essence of Ideal Food Cost. Your POS system has this ability. It requires setup work. You will need to put recipes into your POS system and then each week post purchases and input an ending inventory. Start with your meats and cheeses to keep it simple. For example, if your large pepperoni pizza has 10.5 ounces of mozzarella and 55 slices of pepperoni at 14-16 count (the number of slices of pepperoni per ounce) and you sold 100 large pepperoni pizzas, you would know how much you should have used, aka your ‘ideal usage’.

100 x 10.5 ounces / 16 ounces per pound = 65.63 pounds of mozzarella

55 x 100 / 15 slices per ounce / 16 ounces per pound = 22.92 pounds of pepperoni

When compared against your actual usage (beginning inventory + purchases – ending inventory) you will discover your over or short on pepperoni and mozzarella.

Food Cost: Single Vendor Contract

Help me help you. Jerry Maguire said it best. Simply put, get all your food and supplies from one vendor. Sign a contract with this vendor in return for cost-plus pricing. If your vendor makes a profit, they can help you to make a profit. Stop chasing the deal-of-the-week and manage one vendor. Monitor their pricing and audit them once per year. Stick with them for two to three years before asking for other vendors to bid for your business as a single vendor provider.

Food Cost: Vendor Allowances

There are two methods to receiving a discount on the food you purchase. A ‘rebate’ is money given back to you by the food manufacturer after you have purchased their food. This is no longer the preferred method. Better is a discount applied to the product as you purchase it. This is known as a ‘vendor allowance’. For example, the ‘street price’ for pepperoni may be over $5.00 per pound. You, or even better, your new partner the Single Vendor Provider, contact the manufacturer directly and ask for a discount. This may bring the price down by over $1.00 per pound! By having your Single Vendor Provider contact all the manufacturers of all the products you purchase, you will save thousands of dollars per year.

Labor Cost: Scheduling Techniques

Reduction of hours paid is the best way to control your labor cost. However, the challenge is to do this while still providing a level of customer service that is acceptable to your customers. This means you are constantly looking at your POS system to determine your sales for each half hour of each day and schedule the appropriate number of bodies to handle the expected business. Two weapons to add: schedule by the 15 minutes and schedule a maximum of 7.5 hours per shift with maximum 38 hour work weeks.

By scheduling by the 15 minutes (for example, 5:15 p.m.- 8:45 p.m.) you will accomplish two things. First, your employees will realize how important the timing of their shift is related to customer service. Second, you will more efficiently bring bodies to work at the time the work needs to be done.

We all know that slippage happens. An employee who should clock out at 8:00 stays until 8:15. If your state requires paying overtime after eight hours per day or over 40 hours per week, by scheduling maximum 7.5 hour shifts and 38 hour weeks, you will avoid overtime. Paying an employee time and a half is not an affordable way to do business.

Labor Cost: Technology

Let’s get the customer placing their own orders. This will reduce the labor cost needed to take their order. It costs $1 to $2 per order in labor cost to take a customer’s order. POS systems today offer kiosks, apps and online ordering to eliminate this cost. Your ROI (return on investment) of implementing these technologies could be less than one year. The benefits are astounding. Lower labor costs, higher average tickets, less mistakes and remakes and better customer service.

Labor Cost: Equipment

Every time minimum wage goes up, that is our government funding the purchase of more efficient equipment for our pizzerias. A $400 cheese grater attachment on a mixer has worked fine for 35 years. It takes one hour to grate 90 pounds of cheese. When minimum wage goes from $10/hour to $15/hour, the cost of grating cheese per week for an average pizzeria goes from $70/week to $105/week. A commercial cheese grater that can do the job in 30 minutes may cost $5,000. The ROI on the purchase of a $5,000 cheese grater is 22 months. That is a good investment.

Look at all your prep tasks and research equipment that will do it faster. Look at your production and do the same. More efficient equipment will reduce your labor costs and pay for itself.

You may have experienced seven percent inflation as a consumer if you are old enough. But not many of us have experienced that level of inflation as a business owner. It will not be over quickly, and you will not enjoy it. Sorry, sometimes movie quotes are so apropos that I can’t resist. Fight or perish. These are the weapons you will need for the fight.

DAN COLLIER is the founder of Pizza Man Dan’s in California and a speaker at International Pizza Expo.

The post Six Places in Your Restaurant to Look for Money Savers appeared first on Pizza Today.

Restaurant Sales Reports That Give You Money

studio98 — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 00:01:27 +0000

Work smarter to get to the next level

Sales reporting is fundamental to business. Reporting is essential to making informed decisions about your restaurant. Not having a Point of Sale producing real-time reports is akin to letting a ship float without a captain while still hoping to arrive at the intended destination. Let’s get into the basics of what you should be looking at, along with next-level tips on viewing reports smarter.

Z-Report / Daily Summary

The Z report is your most superficial and all-encompassing report. If you stop there, you’re doing yourself and your company of massive disservice. This report typically shows sales, labor and group sales summary for each menu category — also, info about your credit card tips versus cash sales and tips. Bear in mind, this report could be glaringly wrong if data is incorrect, and no one audits the source data. That means, if wages, menu prices or clocked hours aren’t attended to daily, it will be a phony report. For example, you’ll see a false total if no manager pay is factored into the labor percentage. This report has some standard operational awareness, but it should not determine everything you do. It’s just the wrapping paper.

P-mix Report

The product mix report is very important, especially when it comes time to determine what should be on your menu and what should not. I like to place items under five percent of revenue on the chopping block from the menu. They might return as a special, but this report lets me know what’s selling and what’s not. You might think you know, but if you have a soft spot in your heart for a menu item, it might blind you to keep it even when it’s not performing. If you choose to keep it, market it better, but the P-Mix lets you know you have an issue. A modified product mix by server report is a great way to see which servers are selling which products. Not all POS systems do this well, but it’s a great tool to understand who on staff is performing in suggestive selling.

Payroll Report

The payroll report is the easiest to screw up and end up costing you thousands. The payroll report should be done and evaluated daily, not weekly, not biweekly, not every payroll, but every day. Daily audits must be common practice to catch mistakes that are straight-up real cash. Miss a day, you miss a few hours of pay to an employee, and you are either losing money or denying someone money for their work.

If no one checks the daily payroll, you’ll see long periods without a break. Someone who worked a double with a three-hour break might not show a clock out time, or if they’re sneaky, they clock out and immediately clock back in to trick the system. Things like this will go unnoticed if not looked at daily. If one person looks at the report in a rush on payroll day every two weeks, it will rarely get caught. Also, to investigate each suspected clock in will require an interview with a manager, the employee and checking cameras. It’s way easier to just do it daily.

Abusing manager codes is also a massive issue. It starts with one server using the manager code to approve something small and grows into theft. Even with a biometric fingerprint sensor, there’s always a fallback code that lends itself to fraud. If you’re not checking daily, you’re tempting the staff to pull a fast one on you. And then, assuming you catch them, you’ll have to fire that employee. Daily checks limit temptation, which increases retention.

Schedule Variance Report

Ideally, your payroll report should sync with your scheduler to see a variance report of your payroll. That means comparing your projected budgeted scheduled vs what actually occurred. This necessitates your POS and Scheduler are compatible technologies. If you scheduled Joe to work from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., but he showed up at 8:30 a.m. and left at 3:37 p.m., your variance report would show that overage. At that point, you could investigate if the issue is an employee gaming the schedule, a manager that doesn’t pay attention or a genuine need to keep staff past projected and scheduled hours. Suppose there’s a legitimate reason, great. But if he’s gaming the clock, you’ll then understand why your theoretical labor does not match your actual labor and why your projections are off and you’re over on payroll. When time theft is done by multiple people across multiple days in a payroll period, it adds up to thousands.

Comps, Voids, Discounts Report

Comps and voids should have a reason for it, not just “angry customer,” but an exact reason like “ Customer Simpson pizza was burned.” These must be seen and evaluated every day. Every deviation from the set menu price must be traceable. Who voided the item and why? What was the reason for the comped meal? Where is the coupon, or what code was used to trace the discount source? Then staple the coupons to the report, note the codes, and have a pathway to seeing everything that came in.

Staff must be expected to prove just cause for every discount, or YOU WILL HAVE THEFT! Employees will learn a manager’s POS code and void food items of good tipping customers and give their friends free food. It will 100 percent happen without oversight of reports to ask questions. They’re not bad people; they’re just naive to business and think your restaurant is also theirs to give away.

No Sale

This is a straightforward report of every time someone opened the drawer without a sale. Opening the drawer should not happen that often in a restaurant for no reason. Five no-sale drawer opens in a day by the same manager is possibly normal. If you have 15 in a day done by multiple people, you have theft. You must look on camera and say, why does this server keep opening the drawer, and why do they have access?

Report Protocol

A report is only as valuable as the number of people who see and act on it. Genuine oversight means not just one manager but multiple managers, ownership and a bookkeeper. Anyone responsible for your company’s sales growth must view all these reports.

For protocol, take all the receipts and put them in with the reports so another person can quickly evaluate them. Whether wrapped in a rubber band, stapled or put in a folder, they should be printed out and sent somewhere for review. You should not stay purely digital, and no, you cannot throw credit card receipts in the trash. They must be accessible for three years. Not only for chargebacks, but legally that’s the expectation.

If you have different point of sale systems with multiple stores, this gets extraneously difficult to manage all the spinning plates. I suggest going all-in on one POS system, learning as much as you can about it. And choose a cloud-based POS to manage multiple stores easily. You need paper to write notes and approve coupons, but digital is much easier to trace in the long run. If you are just a single unit, I still suggest using cloud systems, so the POS grows with you rather than against you.

Having a superficial awareness of your reports is dangerous. The goal is to have a detailed, analytical situational awareness to spot an anomaly easily. By anomaly, I mean, if you were walking into your restaurant and without looking up, you could tell a light is out because it’s slightly dimmer than it usually is in one corner of the room because you’re so functionally aware of that room, that’s situational awareness. We all have that for our restaurant, we need to have it for our numbers.

If you see way more coupons for something than you did the last week, it’ll stick out to you. Suppose you see very, very low alcohol sales for one server, comparatively. In that case, you’ll either know that they’re horrible at selling, or they’re stealing alcohol by not charging it to the customer. This sixth sense happens when you expertly review reports daily on a professional level.

MIKE BAUSCH is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The post Restaurant Sales Reports That Give You Money appeared first on Pizza Today.

LloydPans’ Proprietary Finish Bakes Better, Saves Money Offers No Comparison

studio98 — Sun, 27 Feb 2022 20:32:51 +0000

LloydPans’ proprietary finish — Pre-Seasoned Tuff-Kote (PSTK) —is stick-resistant, eliminates the need for seasoning and is metal utensil safe. What more could a pizzeria want in a pizza pan? Just don’t call our unique pan finish a coating. Most pan coatings, as the name implies, are “painted” on the pan and eventually will wear off. LloydPans does things a little differently.

We anodize the aluminum pans that we manufacture and then apply a proprietary finish that actually seeps into their hardened surface and is later baked — not painted — on them. PSTK is a permanent finish that is inseparable from the pan … it won’t peel, bake, flake or scratch off.

LloydPans PSTK finish ensures a return on investment for every pan purchased. The pans do not need to be seasoned prior to first use — in fact, LloydPans recommends against it. And the result? Excellent release along with the elimination of hours of smoky and smelly work, not to mention other related costs including oiling pans and running ovens. LloydPans builds pans that can stand up to the everyday rigors of commercial kitchens, and their lifespan can be measured in years, not bakes.

LloydPans, a U.S. manufacturer of commercial pizza pans and tools, bakeware, cookware and foodservice equipment, is located in Spokane Valley, Washington. In addition to an extensive line of standard products, LloydPans also offers custom solutions for just about anything its customers need. LloydPans’ products are sold online at www.lloydpans.com and through distributors.

LloydPans

800-748-6251

The post LloydPans’ Proprietary Finish Bakes Better, Saves Money Offers No Comparison appeared first on Pizza Today.

Grandma Pizza Pan Popularity Spans Across Regions

studio98 — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 15:39:52 +0000

LloydPans’ produces an extensive line of Grandma-Style Pizza Pans that would make Grandma proud

Regional-style pizzas are booming across the United States, and the Grandma-style pizza, which got its start in Long Island-based kitchens, is gaining steam past the Empire State.

Just like Detroit-style pizzas and Sicilian-style pizzas, there’s more to this pizza style than just a name. Grandma pizza is a concept innovated from inside the Italian home, then evolved into a meal meant for staff to share together after a hard day of commercial kitchen work.

Grandma pizzas generally have these attributes:

A thin, soft, crisp crust
A square or rectangular shape
It’s cooked in an olive oil-coated pan and covered in a thin layer of mozzarella cheese and uncooked or canned tomatoes
Sauce may be slathered on first, but can also top the cheese
Dough is stretched and pressed quickly, topped and put directly into the oven

LloydPans has designed Grandma-Style Pizza Pans that would make any matriarch thrilled. Each of our Grandma-Style Pizza Pans features:

One-inch deep with 76 degree angled sides
Highly conductive 14-gauge aluminum
Stick-resistant Pre-Seasoned Tuff Kote (PSTK) finish that is permanent, non-toxic and eliminates the need for pre-seasoning
Nesting capability when empty, maximizing storage space

In addition to the Grandma-Style Pizza Pans, LloydPans also produces Pan Separators for stacking and proofing, making kitchen time more efficient. After all, Grandma doesn’t have time to waste, why should you?

LloydPans

800-748-6251

The post Grandma Pizza Pan Popularity Spans Across Regions appeared first on Pizza Today.

Thank you to our Preferred Suppliers 2022

studio98 — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 14:48:45 +0000

You Deserve a Standing Ovation.

Below is the list of Pizza Today’s Preferred Suppliers of 2022. These suppliers and all the pizzerias who have managed to keep their businesses open during these difficult times deserve a very long and loud standing ovation. Thanks for your service.

2022 PREFERRED SUPPLIERS LIST

List by Category

Advertising/Marketing

California Milk Advisory Board

Booth 1683

209-690-8239

Appetizers

BelGioioso Cheese, Inc

Booth 584

920-863-2123

Bellissimo Foods

Booth 2238

925-472-8700

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

804-484-7700

Association/Organizations

California Milk Advisory Board

Booth 1683

209-690-8239

Bacon/Canadian Bacon

Smithfield Foods

Booth 1305

513-218-0524

Baking Powder

Lesaffre Corporation & Red Star Yeast

Booth 2157

877-677-7000

Bar Equipment

FWE

Booth 1555

800-222-4393

Boxes, Pizza Delivery

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

804-484-7700

Cappuccino/Coffee/Espresso

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

804-484-7700

Carts, Equipment

FWE

Booth 1555

800-222-4393

Catering Supplies/Equipment

MFG Tray (Molded Fiberglass Tray Co.)

Booth 2641

814-683-4500

Somerset Industries

Booth 2045

978-667-3355

Cheese/Cheese Alternatives

Bacio Cheese

Booth 1431

855-222-4685

BelGioioso Cheese, Inc

Booth 584

920-863-2123

California Milk Advisory Board

Booth 1683

209-690-8239

Foremost Farms USA

Booth 2437

foremostfarms.com

320-492-3248

Galbani Professionale Cheese

Booth 2147

lactalisculinary.com

716-823-6262

Grande Cheese Company

Booth 1841

grandecheese.com

920-952-7469

Milano’s Cheese

Booth 1345

800-244-2433

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

savenciacheeseusa.com/foodservice

804-484-7700

Savencia Cheese USA

Booth 503

215-520-1352

Quantum Technical Services

Booth 2555

815-464-1540

Chicken

Bellissimo Foods

Booth 2238

925-472-8700

La Nova Wings

Booth 1247

716-881-3355

Chicken Wings

La Nova Wings

Booth 1247

716-881-3355

Condiments

La Nova Wings

Booth 1247

716-881-3355

Milano’s Cheese

Booth 1345

800-244-2433

Consulting Services

AM Manufacturing Company

Booth 1239

219-472-7272

Credit Card Equip/Processing

PizzaCloud

Booth 1703

614-362-6101

Crusts

Ardent Mills

Booth 1217

402-301-1527

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

804-484-7700

Delivery Systems/Services

PDQ Signature Systems

Booth 1603

877-968-6430

Desserts

California Milk Advisory Board

Booth 1683

209-690-8239

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

804-484-7700

Dishwashing Equipment/Washers

MFG Tray (Molded Fiberglass Tray Co.)

Booth 2641

814-683-4500

Dough

Ardent Mills

Booth 1217

402-301-1527

Bellissimo Foods

Booth 2238

925-472-8700

Dough Dividers

Somerset Industries

Booth 2045

978-667-3355

Dough Dockers

AM Manufacturing Company

Booth 1239

219-472-7272

Dough Processing

Univex Corporation

Booth 1321

603-893-6191

Somerset Industries

Booth 2045

978-667-3355

Dough Proofers

AM Manufacturing Company

Booth 1239

219-472-7272

FWE

Booth 1555

800-222-4393

MFG Tray (Molded Fiberglass Tray Co.)

Booth 2641

814-683-4500

Dough Rollers/Sheeters

Somerset Industries

Booth 2045

978-667-3355

Dough Rounders

AM Manufacturing Company

Booth 1239

219-472-7272

Somerset Industries

Booth 2045

978-667-3355

Dough Trays/Boxes

MFG Tray (Molded Fiberglass Tray Co.)

Booth 2641

814-683-4500

Enzymes

Lesaffre Corporation & Red Star Yeast

Booth 2157

877-677-7000

Flour

Ardent Mills

Booth 1217

402-301-1527

Frozen Pizza

Quantum Technical Services

Booth 2555

815-464-1540

Frozen Products

La Nova Wings

Booth 1247

716-881-3355

Gluten Free Products

Ardent Mills

Booth 1217

402-301-1527

BelGioioso Cheese, Inc

Booth 584

920-863-2123

Lesaffre Corporation & Red Star Yeast

Booth 2157

877-677-7000

Ham/Ham Toppings

Smithfield Foods

Booth 1305

513-218-0524

Heaters/Warmers

FWE

Booth 1555

800-222-4393

Internet/Web Services

PizzaCloud

Booth 1703

614-362-6101

Italian Ice/Gelato

California Milk Advisory Board

Booth 1683

209-690-8239

Maps, Delivery

PDQ Signature Systems

Booth 1603

877-968-6430

Menu Boards

PDQ Signature Systems

Booth 1603

877-968-6430

Mixers

Univex Corporation

Booth 1321

603-893-6191

Mixes – Dry

Ardent Mills

Booth 1217

402-301-1527

Oils

Corto Olive Oil

Booth 1509

corto-olive.com

209-548-3523

Stanislaus Food Products

Booth 1509

209-522-7201

Online Ordering

PDQ Signature Systems

Booth 1603

877-968-6430

PizzaCloud

Booth 1703

614-362-6101

Organic / Natural

Lesaffre Corporation & Red Star Yeast

Booth 2157

877-677-7000

Ovens, Convection

FWE

Booth 1555

800-222-4393

Ovens, Deck

Univex Corporation

Booth 1321

603-893-6191

Pans/Screens/Lids/Trays

MFG Tray (Molded Fiberglass Tray Co.)

Booth 2641

814-683-4500

Pasta

Bellissimo Foods

Booth 2238

925-472-8700

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

804-484-7700

Pasta Equipment

Univex Corporation

Booth 1321

603-893-6191

Pizza Presses

AM Manufacturing Company

Booth 1239

219-472-7272

Univex Corporation

Booth 1321

603-893-6191

Somerset Industries

Booth 2045

978-667-3355

Pizza Toppings

Bacio Cheese

Booth 1431

855-222-4685

BelGioioso Cheese, Inc

Booth 584

920-863-2123

Bellissimo Foods

Booth 2238

925-472-8700

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

804-484-7700

Smithfield Foods

Booth 1305

513-218-0524

Pork Products

Smithfield Foods

Booth 1305

513-218-0524

Portion Control

Quantum Technical Services

Booth 2555

815-464-1540

POS/POP Systems

PDQ Signature Systems

Booth 1603

877-968-6430

PizzaCloud

Booth 1703

614-362-6101

Sandwich Items

BelGioioso Cheese, Inc

Booth 584

920-863-2123

Sauce, Barbecue

Paradise

Booth 2223

502-637-1700

Sauce, Custom Pack

Paradise

Booth 2223

502-637-1700

Sauce, Hot

La Nova Wings

Booth 1247

716-881-3355

Paradise

Booth 2223

502-637-1700

Sauce, Pasta

Paradise

Booth 2223

502-637-1700

Stanislaus Food Products

Booth 1509

209-522-7201

Sauce, Pizza

Paradise

Booth 2223

502-637-1700

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

804-484-7700

Stanislaus Food Products

Booth 1509

209-522-7201

Sauce, Tomato

Stanislaus Food Products

Booth 1509

209-522-7201

Sausage

Smithfield Foods

Booth 1305

513-218-0524

Slicers/Dicers

Quantum Technical Services

Booth 2555

815-464-1540

Telephone Equipment

PizzaCloud

Booth 1703

614-362-6101

Tomatoes

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

804-484-7700

Stanislaus Food Products

Booth 1509

209-522-7201

Topping Equipment

Quantum Technical Services

Booth 2555

815-464-1540

Yeast

Lesaffre Corporation & Red Star Yeast

Booth 2157

877-677-7000

The post Thank you to our Preferred Suppliers 2022 appeared first on Pizza Today.

Thank you to our Preferred Suppliers 2022

studio98 — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 14:48:06 +0000

You Deserve a Standing Ovation.

2022 PREFERRED SUPPLIERS LIST

List by Category

Advertising/Marketing

California Milk Advisory Board

Booth 1683

209-690-8239

Appetizers

BelGioioso Cheese, Inc

Booth 584

920-863-2123

Bellissimo Foods

Booth 2238

925-472-8700

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

804-484-7700

Association/Organizations

California Milk Advisory Board

Booth 1683

209-690-8239

Bacon/Canadian Bacon

Smithfield Foods

Booth 1305

513-218-0524

Baking Powder

Lesaffre Corporation & Red Star Yeast

Booth 2157

877-677-7000

Bar Equipment

FWE

Booth 1555

800-222-4393

Boxes, Pizza Delivery

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

804-484-7700

Cappuccino/Coffee/Espresso

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

804-484-7700

Carts, Equipment

FWE

Booth 1555

800-222-4393

Catering Supplies/Equipment

MFG Tray (Molded Fiberglass Tray Co.)

Booth 2641

814-683-4500

Somerset Industries

Booth 2045

978-667-3355

Cheese/Cheese Alternatives

Bacio Cheese

Booth 1431

855-222-4685

BelGioioso Cheese, Inc

Booth 584

920-863-2123

California Milk Advisory Board

Booth 1683

209-690-8239

Foremost Farms USA

Booth 2437

foremostfarms.com

320-492-3248

Galbani Professionale Cheese

Booth 2147

lactalisculinary.com

716-823-6262

Grande Cheese Company

Booth 1841

grandecheese.com

920-952-7469

Milano’s Cheese

Booth 1345

800-244-2433

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

savenciacheeseusa.com/foodservice

804-484-7700

Savencia Cheese USA

Booth 503

215-520-1352

Quantum Technical Services

Booth 2555

815-464-1540

Chicken

Bellissimo Foods

Booth 2238

925-472-8700

La Nova Wings

Booth 1247

716-881-3355

Chicken Wings

La Nova Wings

Booth 1247

716-881-3355

Condiments

La Nova Wings

Booth 1247

716-881-3355

Milano’s Cheese

Booth 1345

800-244-2433

Consulting Services

AM Manufacturing Company

Booth 1239

219-472-7272

Credit Card Equip/Processing

PizzaCloud

Booth 1703

614-362-6101

Crusts

Ardent Mills

Booth 1217

402-301-1527

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

804-484-7700

Delivery Systems/Services

PDQ Signature Systems

Booth 1603

877-968-6430

Desserts

California Milk Advisory Board

Booth 1683

209-690-8239

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

804-484-7700

Dishwashing Equipment/Washers

MFG Tray (Molded Fiberglass Tray Co.)

Booth 2641

814-683-4500

Dough

Ardent Mills

Booth 1217

402-301-1527

Bellissimo Foods

Booth 2238

925-472-8700

Dough Dividers

Somerset Industries

Booth 2045

978-667-3355

Dough Dockers

AM Manufacturing Company

Booth 1239

219-472-7272

Dough Processing

Univex Corporation

Booth 1321

603-893-6191

Somerset Industries

Booth 2045

978-667-3355

Dough Proofers

AM Manufacturing Company

Booth 1239

219-472-7272

FWE

Booth 1555

800-222-4393

MFG Tray (Molded Fiberglass Tray Co.)

Booth 2641

814-683-4500

Dough Rollers/Sheeters

Somerset Industries

Booth 2045

978-667-3355

Dough Rounders

AM Manufacturing Company

Booth 1239

219-472-7272

Somerset Industries

Booth 2045

978-667-3355

Dough Trays/Boxes

MFG Tray (Molded Fiberglass Tray Co.)

Booth 2641

814-683-4500

Enzymes

Lesaffre Corporation & Red Star Yeast

Booth 2157

877-677-7000

Flour

Ardent Mills

Booth 1217

402-301-1527

Frozen Pizza

Quantum Technical Services

Booth 2555

815-464-1540

Frozen Products

La Nova Wings

Booth 1247

716-881-3355

Gluten Free Products

Ardent Mills

Booth 1217

402-301-1527

BelGioioso Cheese, Inc

Booth 584

920-863-2123

Lesaffre Corporation & Red Star Yeast

Booth 2157

877-677-7000

Ham/Ham Toppings

Smithfield Foods

Booth 1305

513-218-0524

Heaters/Warmers

FWE

Booth 1555

800-222-4393

Internet/Web Services

PizzaCloud

Booth 1703

614-362-6101

Italian Ice/Gelato

California Milk Advisory Board

Booth 1683

209-690-8239

Maps, Delivery

PDQ Signature Systems

Booth 1603

877-968-6430

Menu Boards

PDQ Signature Systems

Booth 1603

877-968-6430

Mixers

Univex Corporation

Booth 1321

603-893-6191

Mixes – Dry

Ardent Mills

Booth 1217

402-301-1527

Oils

Corto Olive Oil

Booth 1509

corto-olive.com

209-548-3523

Stanislaus Food Products

Booth 1509

209-522-7201

Online Ordering

PDQ Signature Systems

Booth 1603

877-968-6430

PizzaCloud

Booth 1703

614-362-6101

Organic / Natural

Lesaffre Corporation & Red Star Yeast

Booth 2157

877-677-7000

Ovens, Convection

FWE

Booth 1555

800-222-4393

Ovens, Deck

Univex Corporation

Booth 1321

603-893-6191

Pans/Screens/Lids/Trays

MFG Tray (Molded Fiberglass Tray Co.)

Booth 2641

814-683-4500

Pasta

Bellissimo Foods

Booth 2238

925-472-8700

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

804-484-7700

Pasta Equipment

Univex Corporation

Booth 1321

603-893-6191

Pizza Presses

AM Manufacturing Company

Booth 1239

219-472-7272

Univex Corporation

Booth 1321

603-893-6191

Somerset Industries

Booth 2045

978-667-3355

Pizza Toppings

Bacio Cheese

Booth 1431

855-222-4685

BelGioioso Cheese, Inc

Booth 584

920-863-2123

Bellissimo Foods

Booth 2238

925-472-8700

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

804-484-7700

Smithfield Foods

Booth 1305

513-218-0524

Pork Products

Smithfield Foods

Booth 1305

513-218-0524

Portion Control

Quantum Technical Services

Booth 2555

815-464-1540

POS/POP Systems

PDQ Signature Systems

Booth 1603

877-968-6430

PizzaCloud

Booth 1703

614-362-6101

Sandwich Items

BelGioioso Cheese, Inc

Booth 584

920-863-2123

Sauce, Barbecue

Paradise

Booth 2223

502-637-1700

Sauce, Custom Pack

Paradise

Booth 2223

502-637-1700

Sauce, Hot

La Nova Wings

Booth 1247

716-881-3355

Paradise

Booth 2223

502-637-1700

Sauce, Pasta

Paradise

Booth 2223

502-637-1700

Stanislaus Food Products

Booth 1509

209-522-7201

Sauce, Pizza

Paradise

Booth 2223

502-637-1700

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

804-484-7700

Stanislaus Food Products

Booth 1509

209-522-7201

Sauce, Tomato

Stanislaus Food Products

Booth 1509

209-522-7201

Sausage

Smithfield Foods

Booth 1305

513-218-0524

Slicers/Dicers

Quantum Technical Services

Booth 2555

815-464-1540

Telephone Equipment

PizzaCloud

Booth 1703

614-362-6101

Tomatoes

Roma, brought to you by Performance Foodservice

Booth 1225

804-484-7700

Stanislaus Food Products

Booth 1509

209-522-7201

Topping Equipment

Quantum Technical Services

Booth 2555

815-464-1540

Yeast

Lesaffre Corporation & Red Star Yeast

Booth 2157

877-677-7000

The post Thank you to our Preferred Suppliers 2022 appeared first on Pizza Today.

Hobart To Give Away Custom-Designed Mixer at the International Pizza Expo 2022

studio98 — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 14:14:25 +0000

TROY, Ohio (February 22, 2022) — Hobart, the premium commercial food equipment manufacturer known for designing and building some of the most reliable, must-have equipment, will once again host a mixer giveaway at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, March 22–24.

This year, the custom design of the Legacy+® HL662 pizza dough mixer (valued at $27,000) will celebrate the company’s 125^th anniversary — focusing on both a history and future of innovation along with the creation of great food. Hobart will unveil the mixer the first day of the expo at booth 1015.

The Legacy+ HL662 pizza mixer is a maximum heavy-duty 60-quart machine designed to provide as much as 30% more mixing capacity in the same size bowl, depending on the application. It features the Hobart-exclusive PLUS System, which combines three powerful technologies: VFDadvantage, maximum capacity overheat protection and a reinforced planetary shaft. VFDadvantage provides the power needed for the most demanding dough production and ensures consistent mixing to help kitchens gain high levels of productivity and quality. The maximum capacity overheat protection includes extreme-duty wiring and connections to manage the mixer’s power, while the reinforced planetary shaft drives more power into the bowl for greater output.

To enter the mixer giveaway, attendees can submit a completed sweepstakes entry card at the Hobart booth beginning at 10:00 a.m. PST on Tuesday, March 22. Hobart will make cards available at the booth and in the gift bags provided to attendees when entering the show. Only one entry per attendee is allowed and cards must be submitted by 11:00 a.m. PST on Thursday, March 24, to be valid to enter.

Hobart will randomly select a winner from entries on Thursday, March 24, at approximately 12:30 p.m. PST at the International Pizza Challenge Area. The selected attendee must be present to win.

About Hobart

The post Hobart To Give Away Custom-Designed Mixer at the International Pizza Expo 2022 appeared first on Pizza Today.

doughXpress NEW Full Color LCD Touch Screen Dough/Pizza Presses

studio98 — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 20:37:45 +0000

Our dough/pizza presses now feature new full color LCD touch screen controllers. Easily control the temperature and time with this new digital controller. Individually controlled temperature on dual heat machines. Cycle counter and up to 4 user presets are available. With the all-new LCD touchscreen, it is easier than ever to operate! Check out our website flyer for more information on which models feature this new controller.

Shown is the new DM-18, our manual clamshell dough press. It is an economic manual pizza dough press that is perfect for low to medium production volumes (75-100/hr). It is a fast, safe, simple, mess-free (no flour needed) alternative to hand tossing or sheeting/rolling your pizza dough. An all-new LCD touch screen makes the DM-18 easier than ever to use.

Also shown here is one of our redesigned D-TXE-2-18 commercial dual-heat dough press. We’ve made operation easier by moving all the controls to the front of this redesigned housing. The controller allows for the use of dual heat, upper heat only or no heat, making it the perfect choice for all types of products. This electric model lowers operator fatigue and is simple to use.

doughXpress® is a leading manufacturer of Food Processing Equipment for the food service industry and restaurants. doughXpress® has earned a reputation as a high-quality, top-performing line of dough presses for pizza and tortilla dough production and continue to offer new solutions from dough sheeters, mixers, dough dividers & rounders, toasters, bread slicers, grills, ovens and more! Check out our full line of products on our website and download our product catalog.

The post doughXpress NEW Full Color LCD Touch Screen Dough/Pizza Presses appeared first on Pizza Today.

Ready. Set. Pizza Expo 2022

studio98 — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 22:12:26 +0000

We preview the pizzeria industry’s hottest ticketed event all year

That’s right. Pizza Expo will take place in the newly opened and state of the art West Hall of the convention center with a first of its kind transportation loop developed by Elon Musk.

Pizza Expo, a must attend event amidst industry challenges

Walking the show floor will lead you through some of the restaurant industry’s hottest trends and leading innovations. This is the marketplace where the next big industry idea will be born.

What’s new, what’s hot

Knowledge is Power

Donatella Arpaia

Let’s Get you Ready for Pizza Expo 2022

Advance registration is still available at PizzaExpo.com. Save money by registering ahead. Discounts are also available for groups of more than 10.

Get the latest updates on the show. The show’s mobile app will be available in March. You can find it by searching “Pizza Expo App 2022″ on the Apple Store or Google Play.

See you at the show!

The post Ready. Set. Pizza Expo 2022 appeared first on Pizza Today.

Farm to Table from a Chef’s Perspective

studio98 — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 19:05:46 +0000

Farm to Table: Risky, expensive, unpredictable, humbling, but totally rewarding.

Farm to Table is not new. However, when I started my restaurant, Dante, 13 years ago, it was a daunting experience. If ever there were an ideal location to pull off a true ‘farm to table’ experience, it is here in the very center of the United States surrounded by hundreds of miles of the most fertile and productive farms. Here we have access to the best proteins, fruits vegetables, tuber, mushrooms and other natural products. However, getting to all that abundant food product is not simple, straightforward or inexpensive. In 2008, it meant blazing new ground and literally creating a whole new supply chain from scratch. This is my story on how we created a whole new culinary food option for my new restaurant. Perhaps, most satisfying, is that I learned this ancient concept from the true cultivators of this very basic and natural process when I studied in Tuscany. Whether you are cooking in Omaha in the middle of the United States or in Cortana in the middle of Tuscany the basic ‘Farm to Table’ rules are the same.

The first thing to think about if you want to cook locally and seasonally: do your research. Find out what plants thrive around you and when. Omaha is a four-season city in the Heartland, with a growing year that is fairly predictable for chefs.

What isn’t as predictable for me is when spring actually starts and how long the growing season will last for each particular product. Ramps are the first sign of spring, which grow wild for about two weeks until it gets too warm. Ramps are my very favorite ingredient because they can’t be cultivated, and they mark the beginning of spring for Omaha and our menu. The person that harvests them on her property, Leslie, is as obsessed with them as I am. They were the first settlers to own the land, and I like to think that Native Americans likely harvested the very same ramps on this land, their property, for 1,000 years before her and her people. These stories are powerful for your guests to hear, and they connect you and your restaurant to the land around you. People want to know where their food comes from!

After the ramps we have nettles (wild), asparagus, arugula and morels. Every year I know to expect these products around the same time. I can go on and on with more seasonal examples through the march of seasons. Then inevitably, everything freezes, and we wait to start all over.

I like to tell people that Dante is hyper-seasonal. I say this because naturally the spring and summer seasons in Nebraska produce most of the produce. but that doesn’t mean that all “summertime produce” is available the entire summer. In other words, if you cook with your seasons, use what is available to you in your area locally at that time.

How do you begin the process of sourcing local farmers and producers? The local farmers markets are a good place to start. Walk around and talk to the producers. Tell them what you are doing and ask them what they are good at and enjoy growing. I have also found success in talking to my restaurant peers. Go out to eat and talk the chef. Tell them, “I love your arugula, where do you get it?” It’s also great to cultivate restaurant friends to help with the many other challenges that we experience daily in this industry.

I prefer to work with experts in specific areas of farming and producing. Sometimes farmers come into the kitchen and ask, “what do you want me to grow?” I say, “what do you want to grow?!” I like experts in specific areas that know what vegetables grow best in our area and how to make them taste the best they can possibly be. It is very hard for me to do what we do at Dante without this kind of ‘subject matter expertise’, and frankly I don’t think that I would want to, nor would my guests.

For example, at Dante, I work with a farmer named Carl Glansman. His farm is called Nishnabotna Naturals in Oakland, Iowa. He provides me with beautiful produce for our green salads. Even though many produce varieties are climate dependent, including arugula, (more on that later), Carl is an expert in knowing how his plants need to grow successfully and when. I have been working with Carl for 11 years and he delivers his perfect greens almost every day and my guests expect this. They expect perfect salads that are sometimes very spicy in the summer, and sweet and mild in the fall and spring. They even taste different week to week! Carl can talk for hours about his natural growing practices, most of which I don’t understand. He guides me by delivering to me what I need to present as perfect a salad as possible to my guests. It is hard to describe the thrill that I have when I deliver a salad with his greens to a table and be able to tell my guests that “Carl picked these greens for you this morning. They were in the ground at six this morning destined to land on this table for you”. My guests come to Dante for this type of experience, and I opened my restaurant to provide exactly this experience. It is my passion.

I also work with a farmer, Mike Levine, whose farm is called Fruit of Levine. He grows fantastic fennel, amazing asparagus in the spring and provides us with honey and a variety of honey-based products, that’s it – nothing else. Mike has been a beekeeper for more than 35 years. He knows exactly what to do to produce the most incredible honey possible. But guess what, sometimes it is not available. When that happens, then honey is not on the menu at Dante today.

If you seek out these farmer technicians, you will be forced to cook in the season with what is provided to you by the people that are experts and are continuously learning more about what makes their particular, chosen specialty grow best. I have learned from them about their product that I buy and put on the Dante menu. My point is, learn from your producers and pass it on to your guests – they will appreciate it.

In Omaha, I tell people that you will never see tomatoes on the menu in January, as it’s usually freezing, and tomatoes require heat! Why would anyone want to eat a tasteless, mealy, appalling and poor representation of something that was harvested maybe weeks prior, stacked in boxes and thrown on a truck and driven 1,500 miles to me? Look, in Omaha there is no way to cook only local year-round (our key season is May, June, July, August, September and October notwithstanding). BUT you can mitigate the damage if you are in tune with what is available and when.

Perhaps ironically, I find it much easier to be creative with my menu when there are hard constraints. If it is February in Omaha and you want to cook locally, (which by default would make it seasonal), you understand what is available during that time. Warning: there won’t be a lot to choose from. But with tubers and mushrooms, at least you have a starting point to begin to build a menu or a pizza. After you cook with the seasons for a year, you will begin to understand what grows best and when, and where to source your product. Hopefully you will learn to avoid forcing items that don’t belong — i.e., that mushy tomato in winter.

The Farm to Table experience can be frustrating, risky, expensive, seasonally unpredictable, and sometimes humbling as you try to build a menu around items that are not ready for harvest. In the end, this has been a totally rewarding journey, not only for me as a chef, but for my discerning customers that have come to expect the best and enjoy it. I can’t overstate the thrill of being able to deliver a plate of summer greens to my guests, that literally were in the ground just hours before. Farm to table for me has become a passion — a passion that tracks back to my culinary experiences in Italy. In retrospect, my guests come to Dante for this type of experience, and I opened my restaurant to provide exactly this experience. Like I said, it is my passion.

Nick Strawhecker owns Dante in Omaha, Nebraska.

The post Farm to Table from a Chef’s Perspective appeared first on Pizza Today.

How to make vegan/plant-based options financially feasible

studio98 — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 17:49:04 +0000

The Dollars and Sense of Plant-based in Pizzerias

The plant-based revolution has arrived. We all know this by now. If it wasn’t clear before, look no further than how many plant-based vendors there were at the 2021 International Pizza Expo in August compared to even two or three years ago. So, what does that mean for your pizzeria? The number of all plant-based pizzerias in the world can probably be counted on one hand, maybe two. This means that virtually all the pizzerias in the world are not vegetarian or vegan with their primary market being carnivores. Will the whole planet eventually go vegan? Oh probably not, but many people while not going completely vegan are now demanding plant-based options either for themselves or a family member. They’re called “flexitarians”. I always say there is a vegan or vegetarian in every social circle whether that be friends and or family.

Carnivores make up most of the world’s population. Only five percent of the world’s population identify as vegan or vegetarian. That being said, according to Bloomberg, the plant-based market is expected to increase to $162 Billion by 2030 from $30 billion today. For the savvy restaurant owner, a healthy increase in sales is on the table for those who are willing to put plant-based options on their menu and properly market and price those options. Not to digress but while cycling in Denver I always pass the hot dog vendor at Confluence Park. I told him once to add a vegan hot dog and he would increase his sales by 15 to 20 percent, which is significant. I said to him that I, as well as many others, would buy a hot dog almost every time we come here if he had a vegan dog. That was about two years ago. He hasn’t added one. Sometimes stubbornness gets in the way of reason. I will tell his wife next time and I bet I would have more success. Maybe he can afford to ignore this ever-expanding market, but can you?

Let’s explore the financial feasibility of adding plant-based options to your menu. With supply chains cut or disrupted, a worker scarcity and inflationary pressure, it’s a challenging time to be a restaurant owner. So, the question begs, how does adding plant-based options affect the bottom line? At the end of the day as much as we want to be altruistic (and we are), making money doing something we love is why we are in the pizza business. Anyone who says otherwise is either lying or going out of business fast.

I want to first look at the two most popular toppings in the pizza world: cheese and pepperoni. Right now, for Pizza Head in Missouri, shredded whole milk dairy mozzarella is $3.19 per pound. Our vegan shredded mozzarella is around $7 per pound. The margin on pizza is large compared to other cuisines so there is plenty of room. Even though I don’t believe you have to put a premium on vegan products, customers are more than willing to pay a premium because the plant-based market is fiercely loyal and health conscious. They are willing to travel far and pay higher prices than regular consumers. The flexitarians might balk, but even they will pay a premium (although begrudgingly). For example, our 20-inch cheese pizza starts at $18 before toppings, but our vegan cheese pizza is $22. We also make cashew cheese.

Cashews are about $4 per pound and with labor, it comes to about $5 per pound. Portion size is important with expensive ingredients. You want the customer to feel satisfied, but you have to make sure you’re not putting too much product on. For example, the vegan shredded mozzarella goes a long way. A lot is not needed to get enough flavor for the customer to be satisfied and you haven’t broken the bank with a vegan pizza. I think there is a psychological aspect to pricing as well. Having higher prices for plant-based items gives the impression they are worth more and better. In this writer’s opinion that is true. However, perception is half the battle.

Pepperoni, an Italian American creation, is unquestionably the most popular pizza topping in the United States. Although pepperoni is an offspring of Italian salami, pepperoni doesn’t really exist in its American form anywhere else. (Except U.S. based fast food chain pizza where you can probably get a pepperoni pizza anywhere in the world). Vegan pepperoni can range from $6 per pound to $12.50 a pound. More and more manufactures are developing plant-based pepperoni. I do see the price going down in the future with more supply entering the market.

Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese

Vegan pepperoni is usually made from wheat gluten and soy with the same spices as regular pepperoni. It can be hard to tell the difference, but meat-based pepperoni will usually be much greasier and of course will have cholesterol. Plant-based pepperoni, on the other hand, will have amazing flavor — but the texture could vary depending on the manufacturer. Plant-based pepperoni has no animal fat or cholesterol, making it a much healthier choice. The one we use even curls but will be a bit drier. We always add olive oil to our vegan pizzas. Pork and beef-based pepperoni can vary with quality and price. One other thing to consider is that vegan pepperoni is made primarily with wheat and soy, two widely available crops so prices will not fluctuate as much as meat-based pepperoni. Pre-seasoned and pre-cooked pepperoni can be had at about $4 a pound. Top shelf pepperoni can run up to $7 per pound. As of now plant-based pepperoni is more expensive than regular pepperoni, but that could change over the next couple of years.

Adding plant-based options to your menu is an absolute no brainer unless you’re satisfied with your offerings and don’t need to or wish to cater to the plant-based audience. Over time I do believe that you could be hurting your growth and bottom line. Due to the increased revenue that you’ll be gaining and the fact that you can charge more, plant-based options will most certainly pencil in. There must be an effort to market the new offerings otherwise you could be throwing out expensive inventory that doesn’t get sold and then claim you tried it but it didn’t work. This is exciting new territory for the pizza world. Veganism and vegetarianism is no longer this radical philosophy that was looked at with skepticism in the food world.

Scott Sandler is a consultant, frequent speaker at Pizza Expo and Pizza and Pasta Northeast and Pizza Today contributor.

The post How to make vegan/plant-based options financially feasible appeared first on Pizza Today.

Ready. Set. Pizza Expo 2022

studio98 — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 08:03:11 +0000

We preview the pizzeria industry’s hottest ticketed event all year

That’s right. Pizza Expo will take place in the newly opened and state of the art West Hall of the convention center with a first of its kind transportation loop developed by Elon Musk.

Pizza Expo, a must attend event amidst industry challenges

Walking the show floor will lead you through some of the restaurant industry’s hottest trends and leading innovations. This is the marketplace where the next big industry idea will be born.

What’s new, what’s hot

Knowledge is Power

Donatella Arpaia

Let’s Get you Ready for Pizza Expo 2022

Advance registration is still available at PizzaExpo.com. Save money by registering ahead. Discounts are also available for groups of more than 10.

Get the latest updates on the show. The show’s mobile app will be available in March. You can find it by searching “Pizza Expo App 2022″ on the Apple Store or Google Play.

See you at the show!

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Saputo Dairy USA Launches Vitalite Dairy-Free Mozzarella Style Shreds, a New Vegan-Certified Plant-Based Cheese for Foodservice Operators

studio98 — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 09:45:52 +0000

Lincolnshire (Jan. 19, 2022) — Saputo Dairy USA (SDUSA), one of the largest manufacturers of cheese and dairy products in the United States, has introduced Vitalite™ dairy-free mozzarella-style shreds for foodservice operators across the United States. A new vegan-certified, dairy-free, cheese alternative, Vitalite™ products offer great taste, texture and melting performance, making them perfect for vegan pizza, pasta, tacos, salads and sandwiches. The launch of the Vitalite™ brand into the U.S. follows the success the brand has enjoyed in the dairy-free category in the United Kingdom since 2003.

“Demand for plant-based foods continues to grow, especially among Gen X, millennials and Gen Z consumers. With almost 50% of the U.S. population claiming to be following a Flexitarian approach to eating, incorporating plant-based offerings on menus is a must,” said David Cherrie, SDUSA Vice President, Marketing and Innovation. (Mintel, 2020)

A social listening study conducted by Saputo in October 2020 indicated that pizza is the most missed food application for consumers that cannot eat dairy cheese, and consumers felt that current vegan cheese offerings don’t deliver on the key attributes they are looking for on a pizza.

Plant-based cheese is becoming mainstream. According to Technomic, 22% of Italian and pizza restaurants in the U.S. now include a plant-based cheese offering on their menu, and research conducted by Grand View Research forecasts that the vegan cheese segment will continue to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12% through 2027.

“We’re excited to introduce Vitalite™ products to chefs and help make it easier for them to bring their creations to life while delivering the delicious taste, creamy texture and visual appeal customers have been looking for in a plant-based cheese,” says Chef Nikki Trzeciak, SDUSA Sr. Manager, Research and Development.

Product is available in a convenient 3 x 4.4-pound bag and delivers excellent performance on pizza and when topped with fresh veggies or plant-based meat substitutes, and it’s ideal for other vegan menu items.

Vitalite™ products can now be purchased through major foodservice distributors across the U.S. For more information on the Vitalite™ brand, visit www.saputousafoodservice.com.

About Saputo Dairy USA

Saputo Dairy USA is part of Saputo Inc., one of the top ten dairy processors in the world. Through the Dairy Division (USA), Saputo produces, markets and distributes a vast assortment of cheeses. Furthermore, the Company converts, markets and sells a broad range of specialty cheeses and holds an important portfolio of import licenses for specialty cheeses manufactured abroad. Saputo Dairy USA also produces a variety of dairy and non-dairy extended shelf-life products. Additionally, Saputo produces, markets and distributes in the USA, and on the international market, dairy ingredients. Products are sold under a variety of the Company’s brand names, as well as under customer brand names.

The post Saputo Dairy USA Launches Vitalite Dairy-Free Mozzarella Style Shreds, a New Vegan-Certified Plant-Based Cheese for Foodservice Operators appeared first on Pizza Today.

Expo Spotlight: Tips to Get the Most Out of Pizza Expo 2022

studio98 — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 08:13:07 +0000

Pizza Expo 2022 — The Countdown Has Begun!

Bill Oakley
Group Show Director

Here are a few tips to ensure that you get the most out of your Pizza Expo experience:

Take charge! On your attendee dashboard you have access to A2Z Connect, which will allow you to reach out to suppliers prior to your arrival. Don’t delay, start making appointments with suppliers and experts well in advance.
Take time to map out the show floor thoroughly and completely. Pay particular attention to new exhibitors, new products and show specials.
Knowledge is king! Talk to as many industry experts and thought leaders as you can. Pick their brains to find out what they are thinking, doing and expecting to happen in the future. What are the emerging trends, and how might they help or hurt your operation? What are other operators doing to boost their business and how does your restaurant compare? Can you take advantage of supplier expertise? Is there an opportunity to expand your menu and/or profit margins? Find out what you can do differently to outshine and outperform your competition.
Take advantage of once-a-year show specials and deep discounts on equipment, ingredients and supplies. Our exhibitors don’t want to take the equipment and products back to their warehouse. This is your single best opportunity this year to negotiate great deals right on the show floor.
Finally, take notes on what you learn and experience at Pizza Expo and rethink or analyze your business and/or marketing plans. How can you differentiate and better position your restaurant in the marketplace? What new ideas and strategies can you implement to achieve your goals?

Save time and money by pre-registering now at PizzaExpo.com.

It’s all pizza and it’s all for YOU!

Kind regards,

Bill Oakley
Group Show Director

The post Expo Spotlight: Tips to Get the Most Out of Pizza Expo 2022 appeared first on Pizza Today.

Conversation: Juan Perez, Posto, Boston MA

studio98 — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 22:04:16 +0000

Posto

Boston, Massachusetts

Concept

POSTO is a wine bar & pizzeria focusing on wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza, pasta and beautiful Italian inspired apps. POSTO always brings seasonal ingredients and local sea food.

Pizza & Dough:

We do Neapolitan-style inspired pizza, baked in our wood-fired pizza oven from Italy. This makes it crispy; but soft, too, which to me is what makes it unbelievably tasty and creates an unforgettable experience.

How long have you been making pizza? And why pizza?

I have been making pizza since 2009. I fell in love with the craft and the excitement to be in front of the oven. This industry has brought enormous joy to my life. I have gained so much experience throughout the years and that has allowed me to share my dream with others around the world. Social media has also opened the doors for me for opportunities like this! I currently have 260,000 followers on my social media account (@juangpizza) and I am able to hear their stories and dreams. This also leads me to sharing my dream of opening a small pizza place. It is something that I am working towards every day!

How did you learn your craft?

I started my career at California Pizza Kitchen back in 2009. Working for a global company has taught me a lot. Luckily, I found a small place called POSTO and I learned the basics of the Neapolitan-style pizza — hand stretching, wood-fired oven management and more. With the basics of this style, I have tried to put my own craft on it, but not getting too far from the basics.

What’s been your biggest challenge with pizza dough and how did you solve it?

First, not having control of the temperature in the room due to the unpredictable Boston weather. We all know that temperatures can change drastically from one day to another. We do have a pretty consistent dough. It just needs to get the right water temperature, which I like 65 F. I know that for some the rule should be around 55 to 56 F. But due to changes in the room temp I have found that this (65 F) water temperature has worked out perfectly for us.

What direction is pizza headed in your view?

In my view, back in 2009 when I started in this industry, pizza was just a regular business like any other. Big chains were ruling the business, and of course, there were small local places with high quality products too.

Now in 2022 the revolution of these new portable ovens has vastly impressed me! To be able to bake a pizza in your home at 700 to 800 F, and still have professional quality, has taken pizza to a new level.

Therefore, this industry continues to revolutionize and open the door to many new small pizza places all over the world.

The post Conversation: Juan Perez, Posto, Boston MA appeared first on Pizza Today.

Avpn Presents the “Real Pizza Day”, the Round the World in One Day to Tell the Story of the Most Loved Italian Product

studio98 — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 21:56:11 +0000

On Monday, January 17th, on the occasion of the feast of Sant’Antuono, AVPN organizes a 24-hour marathon live streaming Facebook and Instagram From Naples to Naples in a path of 22 masterclasses, in 15 countries and in 12 different languages.

During the day, a conference to take stock of the news of the Association.

From “Pizza on the road” to “Pizza Fritta”

The departure is scheduled for Monday 17 January,when the lighting of the fire of Sant’Antuono will take place, at the AVPN headquarters in Capodimonte di Napoli at 00:00 (Italian time) by the board councilor Paolo Surace.

The day, dedicated to the patron saint of pizzaiuoli, will see the start of a 24-hour marathon that will take place through a series of masterclasses. There will be 22 events distributed on all continents, a non-stop to tell one of the most widespread and well-known products in the world.

These are the premises for the second edition of the “Vera Pizza Day”, organized by AVPN, Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana,which offers a real “journey” on the planet with 15 countries involved in meetings, 12 different languages, including not least a special masterclass in sign language.

The first master class will take place in Australia at 00:30 (Italian time) and then away through Corea, East and West Coast of the United States, Japan, Russia, Egypt, Dubai, La R union,Turkey, Germany, France,Spain, Poland, United Kingdom, Brazil until returning at 15:30 in Italy, for the conference and the assignment of the”Sant’Antuono Awards”,an award sponsored by the Univerde Foundation of Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio,to those representatives of the world of journalism and media who, over the years, have particularly distinguished themselves in the promotion of the culture of Pizza.

AVPN’s projects and the latest news scheduled for 2022 will also be presented, such as the introduction of rules aimed at Pizza “On the road” and fried pizza, an increasingly iconic product of Made in Italy.

It will then continue with France and Spain and then again the United States, Brazil and Italy, where at 21:30 (Italian time) the pizzaiuolo Antonio Starita flanked by vice president Massimo Di Porzio will deepen the theme of fried pizza with a dedicated masterclass.

The live demonstrations will end in Australia,and then return to Naples for the final greetings.

For those who want to participate and try, following the great pizzaiuoli masters, it will be enough to have half a liter of water, 1 kg of 00 flour, fresh brewer’s yeast, salt, peeled tomato, fiordilatte or mozzarella, extra virgin olive oil, basil and follow the advice of the most important pizza interpreters in the world.

“After the success of the first edition- underlines AVPN President Antonio Pace – we decided to relaunch with an even richer edition than the previous one, with more masterclasses, more countries involved, in many languages, such as Arabic, Korean, Turkish. The “Vera Pizza Day” of 2022 will be a global event that will celebrate what many say is the most loved and most universal food product.”

It will be a special day, like the year that lies ahead, full of events, with the hope that the pandemic situation will soon find a solution. AVPN is ready to resume its journey around the world to promote and disseminate a product that involves millions and millions of fans all over the planet.

The live and masterclasses can be followed in real time by connecting both to the AVPN Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/verapizzanapoletana)but also to the Instagram page (https://www.instagram.com/pizzanapoletanaverace).

The conference and theVera Pizza Day initiative sees the participation of international partners such as Molino Dallagiovanna, Molino Denti, Le 5 Stagioni, La Fiammante, Latteria Sorrentina, Ooni, Gi.Metal, Manna Forni, ITS Transport, Forno Santo.

Technical partners of the initiative are the two young Neapolitan realities Jungle Juice ADV and Sokan Commuication.

The post Avpn Presents the “Real Pizza Day”, the Round the World in One Day to Tell the Story of the Most Loved Italian Product appeared first on Pizza Today.

Get A Slice of This, Gluten-Free Pizza Lovers

studio98 — Thu, 13 Jan 2022 20:51:54 +0000

Take your menu to new heights with Ardent Mills® Gluten-Free Pizza Flour

Great-tasting, gluten-free pizza is no longer just a pie in the sky. With our new Gluten-Free Pizza Flour, you can share delicious pies with the audience craving a gluten-free option.

Our pizza flour is non-GMO, certified gluten-free and kosher and available in resealable bags in sizes of 5-lbs. and 25-lbs. With its consistent performance, texture and taste, it’s perfect for a wide range of pizza styles, crusts and flatbreads.

At Ardent Mills, we’re the experts on pizza. To meet the continuously evolving challenges of foodservice, we provide you the resources you need.

We’re more than an industry-leading source of trusted flour brands and mixes — we’re an unparalleled, comprehensive supplier partner with devoted, technical expertise, R&D innovation and short- and long-term pricing options to meet your specific business needs. Whether you’re an independent or a chain restaurant, we can tailor solutions for your operation.

Service, it’s ingrained in us. Reach out today, and let’s talk about you.

Get in touch with us

(888) 680-0013

info@ardentmills.com

https://www.facebook.com/ArdentMills/

Follow us for what’s next

https://www.instagram.com/ardentmills/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ardent-mills/

About Ardent Mills

As the premier flour-milling and ingredient company, we cultivate the future of plant-based solutions to help our customers and communities thrive. We operate in more than 40 locations specializing in wheat flour, quinoa, pulses and organic and gluten-free products, as well as emerging nutrition in plant-based ingredients. Our holistic portfolio empowers us to meet the complex needs of customers today, while focusing on the growing needs of tomorrow’s consumer. Deeply rooted in communities throughout North America, we operate in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico with company headquarters in Denver, Colorado. We employ more than 100 certified millers and support thousands of local jobs—helping our people, our customers and families everywhere flourish.

The post Get A Slice of This, Gluten-Free Pizza Lovers appeared first on Pizza Today.

Trending Recipe: Plant Forward Baby

studio98 — Sat, 01 Jan 2022 21:20:34 +0000

Tony Gemignani, pizza master and restaurateur

It’s 2022 and we are all thinking about eating healthier, changing our lifestyle or trying something new. In the last 10 years there has been a lot of movement in the world of vegan/plant forward products in the pizza industry. Many cheeses and ingredients in this category have tremendously improved in flavor, texture and aroma. At Pizza Expo 2021 there were several booths that showcased vegan products. The renaissance is here and if you’re not on top of it you may be left behind. Vegan cheeses are 100-percent animal-free, and made using vegetable proteins. Usually they’re made from soy or nuts, such as cashews and macadamias. They are typically made with vegetable oils, such as coconut oil. You can also find cheeses that derive from tapioca, peas and arrowroot. Some of the plant forward ingredients are so good that you may not know they are not real meat or pork. Look for some of my favorites like pourable vegan cheese, plant based cup-n-char style pepperoni and feta. Here is one of my delicious plant forward pizza recipes:

Trending Recipe: Plant Forward Baby

Author: Pizza Today

Recipe type: pizzas

Ingredients

10-12-ounce dough ball
3.5 ounces pepperoni cup-n-char style (plant forward)
1.5 ounce chorizo (plant forward)
4 ounces tomato sauce
4½ - 5 ounces vegan cheese (preferably pourable)
2 ounces sliced banana peppers
0.7 ounce sliced Serrano or jalapeño peppers
Drizzle hot sauce or Sriracha
0.4 ounce sliced green onion
0.5 ounce chopped garlic
Sprinkle dry oregano
2 ounce plant forward feta (optional)

Instructions

Shape and stretch your pizza into a 12-inch circle. Sauce your pizza leaving a ¼ inch border.
Using a squeeze bottle pour the vegan cheese making it even and leveled.
Add the garlic, plant forward pepperoni and chorizo.
Place you pizza into the oven.
When your pizza is finished baking cut into desired slices.
Add both peppers, hot sauce, green onion, feta and oregano.
Serve and enjoy.

TONY GEMIGNANI is one of America’s most influential pizza makers. Instagram: @capopizza Photo: Tony Gemignani

The post Trending Recipe: Plant Forward Baby appeared first on Pizza Today.

Five Plant-based Items to Add to Your Restaurant Menu

studio98 — Sat, 01 Jan 2022 19:36:03 +0000

Homemade Vegetarian Vegan Buffalo Chicken Wings with Ranch

These days you can’t go anywhere or read anything about the food industry without hearing the phrase “plant-based”. For most in the restaurant business this may seem like a “trend” but for those that have chosen this path, it’s an ethical choice, or a whole new way of thinking about our place on the planet as well as our relationship to animals. Given climate change, an epidemic of diet related illnesses and issues relating to exploitation hitting the current social conversation, many consumers are re-thinking their approach to food. Plant-based dining will only grow in the future, as many consumers are now demanding these plant-based options. On November 2, New York City just elected its first “vegan” mayor. Restaurant and pizzeria owners should take note. Will it ever completely replace animal product-based diets? Probably not. But the positives of the plant-based movement are undeniable.

We are going to talk about the best five vegan side items for your pizzeria. Salads are an obvious given so we won’t talk too much about them as they are one of the five vegan sides you should have. There are so many salad combinations. The one thing about salads is you should replace any meat and dairy with their vegan substitutes, such as vegan ranch dressing, vegan Parmesan, vegan bacon and chicken, etc. In 2014, when I started in this business there were pretty much zero options for vegan cheese, meat, sauces and salad dressings. In 2021, it’s very easy to obtain plant-based products for your pizzerias. Contact your food distributor to see what they have with regards to plant-based products.

The first side item I recommend would be a hot vegan meatball sub sandwich. At the 2021 International Pizza Expo, I counted at least eight or nine plant-based booths offering vegan meats and cheeses. One particular both piqued my interest with their jackfruit based vegan meatballs. All that’s required of this side item is a good Italian roll or baguette, the meatballs, pizza sauce and vegan mozz shred and/or Parmesan. The meatballs come frozen and they just need to be heated. Keep the meatballs in a warmer with sauce. Place the meatballs and sauce in the sandwich, add your cheese and then toast the sandwich in your pizza oven on a screen until the bread is lightly toasted. Wrap and roll with foil and the customer now has a delicious sandwich to take with them on the go or to eat in. It’s that simple! I recommend making the hero about eight inches long. However, you could do six inches as well. The most important thing that I cannot stress enough is do not use day-old bread. Always make the sub with bread made that day. Otherwise the bread, even toasted, will be chewy. This is my number one pet peeve when I get a sandwich. Often, I can easily tell that the bread is at least a day old.

The second vegan side item I recommend is vegan hot wings with buffalo sauce and a vegan ranch dipping sauce. These just require defrosting and heating up to order. I don’t recommend trying to make them yourself. There are a few plant-based companies offering these wings. I do recommend making your own vegan buffalo sauce. You can find numerous vegan buffalo sauce recipes online by googling the keywords. Sometimes you can find buffalo sauce in the store or from your supplier that’s vegan as well. Again, just ask your distributor. With the wings offer a side of vegan ranch dipping sauce. This can be purchased or made yourself. I know there are a few companies making vegan ranch. To make your own just combine raw cashews, water, apple cider vinegar, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley, chives and dill. Then blend to desired taste and texture.

The third vegan side item is vegan garlic cheesy bread. Just use your existing dough for pizza. Make the disk a little smaller than your normal pizza (so the bread is a little thicker.) Spread olive oil and garlic heavily. Add a little good quality mineral salt. Then add a vegan shredded mozzarella cheese and vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast. You can use fresh garlic, chopped garlic or even garlic powder. Put lots of cheese on the pizza and then top it off with some chili flakes or chili oil. Bake like a normal pizza (It may take longer). Cut in long rectangular strips. Serve with a side of your red pizza sauce for dipping. Customers love to dip their bread in a marinara sauce.

The fourth vegan side item is roasted green olives. I recommend green castelvetrano olives, but any good quality olive can be used. Do not used canned! Toss olives in olive oil, garlic, salt and red pepper. Roast in your pizza oven in a portioned cast-iron skillet. Make them to order. Have a bigger cast iron pan for multiple orders at once.

Lastly, Salads are always a no brainer but I recommend a vegan kale Caesar. Kale holds up really well and doesn’t get soggy or go bad quickly. First rub the kale lightly with olive oil. Top with sunflower seeds (can be toasted) toss in vegan ranch dressing with added vegan Parmesan and vegan bacon bits. Croutons are optional. This is a simple, healthy, delicious salad that will be really popular.

On a side note. a vegan cookie is also a great option. The best thing to do is find a local vegan baker to buy your cookies. These days there are many vegan bakers with online ordering or with a storefront.

As you can see there are plenty of great plant-based side items you can add to your menu. These items serve a triple purpose. These options provide non-vegan diners with different takes on classics and new flavors and at the same time show your openness and sensitivity to the plant-based market. Lastly, they make you more money and of course we all like money!

Scott Sandler is owner of Pizza Head in St. Louis, Missouri and a frequent speaker at Pizza Expo and Pizza and Pasta Northeast.

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The Windy City’s signature dish, the Italian Beef Sandwich

studio98 — Sat, 01 Jan 2022 19:24:58 +0000

Found the Beef

Chicago is visited for many reasons: world renowned museums, innovative and jaw dropping architecture, some of the most popular blues clubs in the country, Michael Jordan, Wrigley Field… the list goes on. But like any other city in the world, if you really want to gauge the pulse of the city, if you really want to feel its soul and transcend its history, its making, the center of its core, you visit its restaurants. Chicago has one of the highest regarded restaurant scenes in the world, but nothing tells the story, steeps you into the tradition, makes you feel everything Chicago than visiting an Italian Beef Stand.

The Windy City’s signature dish, the one that was truly birthed here is the Italian Beef Sandwich. Deep Dish pizza (which most locals revert to only when hosting out of towners) was a modification in the 1940 of various styles of pizza from Italy. Chicago-style hot dogs, albeit extremely popular and fantastic in their own right, was an evolution from the Frankfurter in Germany. The Italian Beef would lead you to believe it has its roots in Italy, but that is not the case. The sandwich is our thing, created out of the industrious and creative spirit that our city was founded and built upon.

In one of his last visits to Chicago, the late Anthony Bourdain said “Chicago is a big, brash, muscular, broad-shouldered mother****in’ city. Forget Deep Dish, the Italian Beef sandwich is a big soggy load of awesomeness, dripping with magical greasy beef juice. It is a signature dish any great city should be proud to boast of.”

Chicago-based fast food chain, Portillo’s Inc., famous for its Italian beef sandwiches, does a staggering $7.9 million in yearly revenue per store, surpassing competitors like Chic- Fil – A (approx. $5 million) and McDonalds (approx. $3 million). Since going public they plan to open 600 additional stores across the United States. As Portillo’s takes Chicago’s favorite sandwich nationwide, let’s take a look at its origins, the recipe and how pizza operators can benefit from adding this classic staple to the menu.

History

The Italian Beef Sandwich dates back to the early 1900s, when many Italians immigrated to America. They found work at the Chicago Union Stock Yard and Transit Co., in the meatpacking district. More meat was processed in Chicago than anywhere in the world at the time. Workers would bring home cheaper, rougher cuts of meat. They would tenderize and simmer the meat in a broth of flavorful Italian spices. The dish became a very popular meal for Italians on holidays and special events, like famous “Peanut Weddings”. They would gather in church basements or homes to celebrate weddings, feasting on peanuts, sausage and Italian beef.

The Godfather of Italian Beef

The godfather of the beef sandwich is Pasquale “Pat” Scala. There were many who claim they originated the sandwich, but it was Pat who made them a cultural tradition during the Great Depression. He delivered meats and homemade sausages to people’s homes by horse drawn carriage. He prepared the beef, shaved the thinnest slices, soaked the meat in its flavorful juices and served it on thick bread rolls.

The Beef Stand

In 1938 Al Ferreri and Chris “Baba” Pacelli opened Al’s Beef. A front for their bookie operation, it was the first documented beef stand. Al and Baba would finish at their day jobs, then go open the restaurant, serving Charcoal Grilled Italian Sausages and Italian Beef sandwiches in the front and hosting card games and sports betting in the back. Eventually the restaurant became so successful they dropped the bookie operations. Others saw their success and beef stands started popping up across the city.

The composition of a Beef Sandwich Bread. The most important element is the bread. French bread is the best — it absorbs the beef juice and holds the ingredients together. If the bread falls apart, the sandwich is ruined! So a sturdy bread is a must!

Beef. Top sirloin or bottom round are great options. Slow cooked, then sliced paper thin (or shredded).

Peppers. Hot pickled giardiniera peppers are a must. The other option are “sweet peppers”, which are bell peppers sliced, oven roasted with olive oil, salt, pepper and a little oregano.

Ways to order a Beef

Dry. The beef is pulled from the juice, most of the juice drips off and is placed in the bread.

Wet. The beef is pulled from the juice and immediately placed in the bread, leaving the beef “wet”. Another spoonful is added to the top after this step.

Dipped. The beef is pulled from the juice, placed in the bread and the sandwich is then dipped into the beef juice, making it soggy and delicious.

While many top Italian beef restaurants in the city use recipes passed down for generations and even roast their own beef, most pizzerias use heat and serve products. The thin sliced vacuum sealed beef comes in cases of 10 pounds with one gallon of beef gravy and is available through most distributors. Jim Buonavolanto, of Chicago Authentic Brands, recommends heating the gravy to about 170 F. It can be held throughout the day in a steam table. When needed, drop in your sliced beef, and let it soak for a minimum of three minutes, maximum 30 minutes.

It’s easy to see why most pizzerias in Chicago have Italian beef on the menu. It’s a simple, delicious and fast item with a three-week shelf life. Chicago based national chains Rosati’s and Giordano’s carry the item on their menus all across the country.

All pizzerias should add Italian beef to their toppings list. Although chicken and pork toppings are very popular in the industry, beef toppings are scarce. Some places will have ground beef, hamburger (which may contain soy), or meatballs (some pizzeria’s fail to mention that majority of meatballs distributed contain pork as well). Italian beef is a great option to round off your topping menu and offer a great tasting protein that meets religious and cultural dietary requisites. This can be an easy upcharge, as most customers will understand it is premium meat.

There are two ways to incorporate Italian beef on pizza. One way is to cook the pizza completely, soak the beef in gravy and apply to the pizza. The other is to place the beef on the pizza prior to cooking, without dunking in gravy. Both ways are delicious, but I prefer cooking the beef on the pizza with a side of beef gravy. The full flavor of the meat bakes in the pizza, and the crispiness gives great crunch and texture.

One of our most popular pizzas at Bacci Pizzeria is the “Old School Chicago.” It has Italian Beef, bulk Italian sausage, hot giardiniera, sweet peppers and a sprinkle of Romano cheese, peppers, a sprinkle of oregano and Romano cheese, and is served with a side of beef gravy to dip or pour on the pizza.

Pasquale Di Diana is the owner of Bacci in Chicago, IL

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How Small Operators Can Tap into Benefits Programs

studio98 — Sat, 01 Jan 2022 19:01:33 +0000

The whirling world of employee benefits

John Pask says smart restaurants have long known the importance of offering employees compelling benefits. If employees feel supported and valued, then customer service and employee retention often follow in a positive direction and drive the restaurant’s overall performance, says Pask, the co-founder and managing partner at GoBenefits, a Dallas-based firm that provides insurance for restaurants across the U.S.

And this realization, he continues, has only accelerated of late.

Given the health and safety concerns COVID-19 ignited, the startling – and ever-rising – costs of medical care and the intense labor challenges blanketing the restaurant industry, employee benefits, led by health insurance, are drawing intense attention from both restaurant owners and employees alike.

“Operators come to us every day looking to offer benefits because they understand employees have a choice on where they can work and they see they need to offer benefits to recruit and retain employees,” Pask says.

Knowing the job hunters

While all large employers – defined as those with more than 50 full-time and full-time equivalent employees – must offer health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, smaller operators do not face the same mandate. Still, Clinton Wolf, senior vice president of health and insurance services with the National Restaurant Association (NRA), reminds smaller operators they are nevertheless competing in the talent pool with larger employers offering health coverage.

“You might be able to match on salary, but the large employer is offering benefits, too,” Wolf says, noting that management-level employees, in particular, frequently list competitive salary and benefits atop their priority list when job hunting.

Increasingly, though, part-timers are also seeking benefits, keenly aware of the leverage they wield in the current labor market. Pask reports an uptick in part-timers seeking health coverage as well as vision, dental and even supplemental life products.

“Offering a comprehensive package to every employee is taking on a lot more precedence these days,” Pask says. “The focus is no longer on the manager level and above.”

That reality leaves smaller employers in a notable quandary: risk losing out on talent to larger employers or investing in a health coverage program that boosts one’s profile amongst job candidates.

Understanding options

According to Wolf, many smaller restaurant operators misunderstand what’s involved in setting up a health insurance program. A good number, for example, assume they must pay 100 percent of every employee’s insurance when, in fact, the minimum is generally 50 percent per employee. Yet more, not every employee needs to enroll.

“I talk to operators all the time who say, ‘I’ve got 20 employees and can’t afford to give them all healthcare,’” Wolf says. “Once they learn that only seven of their employees would even want to enroll and that they share the costs, though, they realize health insurance is more affordable than they thought.”

Pask suggests operators survey their staff and discover how many people would be interested in enrolling in a health plan. If only a handful express interest, it’s unlikely the restaurant would meet participant requirements for a group plan.

“If you have a lot of 18 and 19-year-olds in your restaurant and a small management team, then health insurance might not be in high demand,” Pask says. “Those individuals might be looking for alternative perks or benefits beyond healthcare and competitive compensation.”

If, however, there’s greater appetite among staff members for health coverage, then investigating a group plan makes sense. Restaurants might investigate programs offered by a local chamber of commerce or professional association, such as the Restaurant & Hospitality Association (RHA) Benefit Trust managed by UnitedHealthcare. The RHA program is available to NRA member businesses with 2-99 employees in most, but not all, states.

“These programs allow employers to band together and look like a much large employer to get better rates and plan options,” Pask says.

The RHA Benefit Trust, for example, offers more than 40 different health plan designs. Pask calls such variety important given the different healthcare coverage needs and priorities employees will inevitably have.

“Much like ordering a pizza, some want anchovies and others want pepperoni,” he says. “You don’t want to offer just one plan because there’s no universal solution for everyone. Offer multiple plans and give employees a defined contribution alongside a digital platform that makes it easy for them to shop.”

Getting started

Wolf suggests operators find a broker who works with restaurants. Get a quote, he says, and make sure the required employer contribution is feasible before revealing potential options to staff.

“Find out what it’s really going to cost you and make sure that’s doable,” Wolf says, adding that purchasing employer health insurance is a business expense that will reduce one’s taxable income.

If deemed unaffordable, other potential options do exist. The NRA’s HealthiestYou virtual care program, for instance, can be purchased for $9 per month per employee. The telemedicine program enables employees to connect via phone or video with board-certified doctors to discuss symptoms, diagnoses and treatment plans with a $0 copay. The program also provides access to licensed mental health professionals and dermatologists as well as back care programs.

As a final note, Wolf reminds operators they can set up a health coverage program at any time.

“You don’t need to wait for the start of the year,” he says. “In fact, you’ll probably get more attention creating your program later in the year when fewer people are looking to get programs going.”

The perks beyond health benefits

As important as health insurance remains, other benefits can help restaurant owners attract and retain team members.

Employers can add dental and vision as well as a basic life insurance package to healthcare programs starting at about $30 a month, while some restaurants promote 401k retirement savings plans, retention bonuses and parental leave to woo talent.

Of late, financial wellness programs have become particularly en vogue, as employers provide access to financial coaching, student loan assistance, education reimbursement or emergency savings help to drive employee health, engagement and loyalty.

“People always like getting something extra,” says John Pask of GoBenefits.

Daniel P. Smith Chicago-based writer has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers, and magazines.

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Young Entrepreneur of the Year Rocky Shanower is Coming to Pizza Expo 2022!

studio98 — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 21:26:45 +0000

When the team at Pizza Today and Pizza Expo went through the lengthy process to determine the 2020 Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Rocky Shanower, co-owner of Park Street Pizza and a mobile wood-fired pizza truck concept named Bahler Street in Sugarcreek, Ohio, stood out from all the other submissions.

Rocky is a self-taught, first-generation restaurateur, visionary, trailblazer and college dropout who never attended a business class or culinary school. Rocky and his wife, Courtney, have set into motion not only a restaurant, but a “Philosophy of Pie” that lives by its creed and commitment to serving the “Best Pizza” to its small Ohio community. Since opening in 2003, Park Street Pizza has become a regional destination pizzeria that is known for having seasonal menus developed around locally sourced products and ingredients. His passions in business include collaborating and developing relationships with local farmers and producers, as well as team building with an emphasis on customer service. The core values for their business include service, quality and culture, which embody the following:

1. Have a servant mentality, show gratitude to every customer, be authentic, make a real connection, encourage staff members to be authentic and show your team members how much your customers mean to you, don’t just say it. Be on a first name basis with everyone who comes through the door.

2. Tell the story behind your pizza – not just quality but the why. Local partners can be your best allies. Mutual support, create one-of-a-kind menu items or products they can only get from your pizzeria.

3. Creating a positive culture. Live your mission, truly care about your team members, be vulnerable, admit fault, sacrifice for each other and care about the long-term impact of your business. Leave things better than you found them, not just the environment, but your team members, customers and community. Invest in your people. The restaurant is our home. We are a family, and we are serving our friends and family dinner every night. Treat people this way.

4. ‘Do the right thing.’ When you use this as your guidepost, it allows you to think about things in a selfless way and you almost always do the ‘right thing’.

Rocky feels service, quality product, and price are the three main focal points of building any business or restaurant. However, he also firmly believes that to build a business that feels magical and makes people want to be a part of it, you need to look closer. Beyond those initial criteria comes making an emotional connection with your guests through energy, atmosphere and purpose. These are the invisibles in a business that makes it go from average to exceptional. A restaurant can have the most amazing food, but if it lacks those other traits, customers will not be drawn back. He strongly believes that the emotional connection you build with your patrons and community far exceeds anything else you can do to become successful. He also believes that to be a successful entrepreneur you cannot undervalue any one of these things. You must create a harmonious balance and focus on all these characteristics of your business.

The pizza at Park Street doesn’t fall into a particular style, but if Rocky had to give it a name, he would affectionately call it a “Neighborhood” style pizza — because it is a style that exists only in his community.

Their dough incorporates a small amount of their signature sourdough starter, cold ferments for 24 hours, gets a second rise in the pan and is baked in a gas convection oven. It was developed in this way because those were the tools they originally had to work with. They shaped the process around achieving the desired result, so their recipe is quite non-traditional. The result is a soft, pillowy dough with a crispy edge that can stand up to heavy sauce and lots of toppings. It is dialed in to what our locals crave first and foremost, but we have found it has mass appeal to nearly everyone who comes from far and wide to try it.

I like to think that attending Pizza Expo will be one of, if not the best, investments of time and money that you’ll make. The bottom line is there’s always something new at Pizza Expo that can improve your restaurant. Remember, attending Pizza Expo is a tax-deductible working vacation. For more information on attending International Pizza Expo 2022, please visit PizzaExpo.com.

It’s all pizza and it’s all for YOU!

Kind regards,

Bill Oakley
Group Show Director

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New Ambient Cooling Conveyor for Cracker Systems Increases Efficiency, Reduces Footprint

studio98 — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 21:03:41 +0000

New conveyor design is more efficient to operate, easier to clean and maintain.

ROBESONIA, Pa., December 10, 2021 – Reading Bakery Systems (RBS), a leading global manufacturer of snack production systems, introduced a new ambient cooling conveyor that efficiently cools crackers before entering packaging in a more‐compact footprint.

Prior to entering packaging, crackers must be cooled down to a specific temperature. If the crackers are not cooled to the correct temperature, condensation can occur in the sealed package, which compromises snack product texture and shelf life. Final product moisture and temperature control is critical to success.

“The new Thomas L. Green Ambient Cooling Conveyor design is a win‐win for cracker manufacturers, as it is more efficient to operate and easier to clean and maintain. It also reduces energy consumption, energy waste and employee safety hazards.” said Cameron Johnston, director, engineering RBS.

The new cooling tunnel system is modular, allowing customers to add multiple sections to suit their plant or process needs. Each module is equipped with upper and lower fans, each with individual speed controls. Operators can control the amount of air blown across the top and bottom of the crackers via touchscreen control screens that makes changes quick and simple.

Additionally, maintenance has been streamlined and made safer. Air filtration cartridges can be handled without ladders and can be changed or cleaned without the use of tools. Air handling blowers can be accessed at ground levels, again not requiring ladders.

To learn more about the new ambient cooling conveyor for crackers, please visit www.readingbakery.com, call +01 610.678.5890 or connect with RBS via social media.

Reading Bakery Systems is a world‐leading manufacturer of innovative baking and process systems for the global snack food industry. Reading Bakery Systems provides processing solutions capable of producing a wide range of snack products, continuous mixing solutions for the food industry and oven profiling and consulting services. Company brands include Thomas L. Green, Reading Pretzel, Exact Mixing and Reading Thermal. Reading Bakery Systems is a Markel Food Group Company. For more information concerning equipment and services provided by Reading Bakery Systems, visit www.readingbakery.com.

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Building Blocks: Drafting Your First Job Description?

Scott Wiener — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 05:01:00 +0000

A Sample Pizzeria Manager Job Description

In the previous installment of Building Blocks, we explained which management positions are required to run a successful pizzeria — now we need to define them.

Before you identify the potential managers within your organization or make the proper hires — or at least before they begin serving in their new roles — ensure you have complete job descriptions. Each manager will have different duties, so take them one by one. Begin by summarizing the duties and characteristics of the position, then address daily activities in detail.

Below is a full example of a job description for an assistant manager position. Feel free to use this as a template for your own job descriptions:

Title: Assistant Manager

Reports to Owner/Regional Chef/General Manager

Summary of Position:

Oversee and coordinate planning, organizing and training and demonstrate the leadership necessary to achieve our stated objectives in sales, costs, employee retention, guest service and satisfaction, food quality, cleanliness and sanitation.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Understand completely all policies, procedures, standards, specifications, guidelines and training programs.
Ensure that all guests feel welcome and are given responsive, friendly and courteous service at all times.
Ensure that all food and products are consistently prepared and served according to the restaurant’s recipes, portioning, cooking and serving standards.
Achieve company objectives in sales, service, quality, appearance of facility and sanitation and cleanliness through training of employees and creating a positive, productive working environment.
Control cash and other receipts by adhering to cash handling and reconciliation procedures in accordance with restaurant policies and procedures.
Make employment and termination decisions consistent with General Manager Guidelines for approval or review.
Fill in where needed to ensure guest service standards and efficient operations.
Continually strive to develop your staff in all areas of managerial and professional development.
Prepare all required paperwork, including forms, reports and schedules in an organized and timely manner.
Ensure that all equipment is kept clean and kept in excellent working condition through personal inspection and by following the restaurant’s preventative maintenance programs.
Ensure that all products are received in correct unit count and condition and deliveries are performed in accordance with the restaurant’s receiving policies and procedures.
Schedule labor as required by anticipated business activity while ensuring that all positions are staffed when and as needed and labor cost objectives are met.
Be knowledgeable of restaurant policies regarding personnel and administer prompt, fair and consistent corrective action for any and all violations of company policies, rules and procedures.
Fully understand and comply with all federal, state, county and municipal regulations that pertain to health, safety and labor requirements of the restaurant, employees and guests.
Provide advice and suggestions to the General Manager as needed.

It is crucial that each manager has a clear job description. If you would like examples of job descriptions for other positions, please e-mail me at pizzadrafthouse@gmail.com, and I will send you more examples to help you create your own. And once your job descriptions are drafted, we can talk about how to hold managers accountable to their duties.

Nick Bogacz is the founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh. Instagram: @caliente_pizza

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Two Food Cost Myths Hamstringing Your Recovery

Scott Wiener — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 05:01:00 +0000

Bust These Two Food Cost Myths at your Pizzeria

There are two deep-seeded myths most pizzeria owners hold true that are holding them back from being as successful as they can be. I want to bust those two myths now so you can make the money you deserve and have freedom from your business, too.

Myth #1: Food Distributors Are the Reason Your Food Cost Is So High

Yes, the cost of the food you must buy to run your pizzeria has been rising. For every delivery that shows up at your door, it seems like the price keeps getting higher. When I look back at the industry and what we’ve dealt with as an industry, the sharpest increase in food cost came after the worst day in modern American history, 9/11. The next day prices went through the roof. And remember the fuel surcharges? None of that ever really went away. Plus, there are all the commodities you rely on, such as cheese for a pizzeria. It’s been just about two decades with prices consistently climbing. There certainly hasn’t been a decrease, right?

Why is it a myth to blame your high food cost percentage on the food distributors? It’s not your distributor that’s crushing you. Yes, their prices are going to have some effect, but it’s what you’re doing with your product that is the problem. It’s you, your management team and your cooks.

You see, a typical pizzeria runs seven to nine points above ideal food cost. That’s not your distributor. You must put systems in place to control your portions, reduce theft and control waste to ensure the guest gets the same product every single time.

Do not get me wrong. Twenty years ago, I would have backed you up because some of the big guys were screwing independent pizzerias. Chain restaurants changed the world and brought margins way down. You can’t blame the distributors anymore.

Myth #2: The Food Cost for Your Pizzeria Should Be 34 Percent

Where do any of us go for information? The Internet! When you’re trying to work out how to calculate your pricing and your costs, you’re searching the Internet. The National Restaurant Association – and other experts quoting the National Restaurant Association – says the average food cost for a full-service restaurant is 34 percent. (Or my other favorite, an across-the-board three-times markup.) The echo chamber of the Internet is feeding you bad information.

Here’s the deal: in the case of a 34 percent national average, are you average? Do you have the same similarities as every other pizzeria out there? Do you share the same street corner? Same price point? Same city? All the same menu items? What about your products? Do you use the same quality of products as every other pizzeria (hello fast-delivery-chain-pizzerias)? No! Tell me what an average is good for when it comes to your business. You’re not average.

Your food cost is based on what your customers order.

Busting the Myths in Your Pizzeria

Starting with the two most important systems every pizzeria business should be using, you can bust these myths in your pizzeria. You need a budget and recipe costing cards. Both systems require a lot of hours to create and it’s ongoing meaning it’s work that’s never done. Most independent pizzeria owners just fly by the seat of their pants and guess what their numbers should be instead of basing their operations off the real numbers. This is why it’s so easy to blame the distributor.

The first step is to create a budget. Then, using the numbers in your budget, determine what solutions/procedures/systems you are going to put in place, how quickly you will put them in place and how quickly you will see the results. A great place to start is with checklists, portion controls, Key Item Tracker, Waste Tracker and the Restaurant Checkbook Guardian, a purchase allotment system (I offer a complete breakdown of these systems on my YouTube channel or on my blog).

After a month or two of training and implementing your chosen systems, then you get to measure the plan. Every time you get that profit and loss statement, you get your budget and put them side by side. Look where you hit and where you missed. If you missed your number, the next step is to inspect the systems you have in place and see if your managers are using them or not. Hold them accountable if they’re not using them or put more systems in place if the systems you’re using aren’t doing enough.

Remember I told you the two most important systems are budgets and recipe costing cards? That’s the next step. Start working on recipe costing cards in month one of your new budget. But because you’re busy, and we know it takes 40, 60, 100-man hours to get done, you’re going to say it’s going to take you three months. In month one you start the process. Months two and three you’re working on them, and you finish in month four. Then you can do something called the Menu Profitability Monitor where you find out where your ideal food cost is. And then you’re going to menu engineer for profit and bring your food costs down.

You go through all this rigamarole such as raising prices on certain items, changing products, etc. until you can create a menu through menu engineering that produces your targeted food cost numbers. This means you have line checklists and portion controls, and you’re using the Key Item Tracker to reduce theft, the Waste Tracker to stop mistakes and the Restaurant Checkbook Guardian to order on budget. You’re doing lots and lots of things to make sure you can bring that gap from seven to nine points down to about two.

Then in month five, you put the new menu on the table and bring that food cost down closer to your target food cost. You can’t just snap your fingers and say, “We’ve got to lower our food costs,” and then it happens. You have to create a plan for success.

Your budget is your proactive plan for success. You decide what systems you’re going to put in place, how quickly you can put them in place and what your expected results are. And ultimately, you create your plan so that at the end of 12 months, you know how much money you’re going to make or lose. Stop believing the myths that are hamstringing your success and recovery. Your pizzeria is not average, and you should not be using averages to determine your pizzeria’s success. You are in control of your pizzeria’s present and future.

David Scott Peters is an author, restaurant coach and speaker who teaches restaurant operators how to take control of their businesses and finally realize their full potential. His first book, Restaurant Prosperity Formula: What Successful Restaurateurs Do, teaches the systems and traits to develop to run a profitable restaurant. Thousands of restaurants have worked with Peters to transform their businesses. Get his three principles to restaurant success at https://dsp.coach/three-key-principles.

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Rosina Acquires Mama Lucia Brand

Scott Wiener — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 20:34:00 +0000

Buffalo, NY November 16, 2021  Rosina Food Products, Inc., Buffalo, New York, has announced its acquisition of the Mama Lucia ® Brand of frozen retail Meatballs from Quaker Maid Meats, Inc. Mama Lucia Brand can be found predominately in the Northeast, Southeast and Midwest of the United States within the supermarket, military commissaries, and dollar store channels.

In announcing the acquisition, Mr. Russell Corigliano, President and CEO of Rosina Food Products, Inc. stated, “We are excited about this transaction. This acquisition is consistent with the Company’s strategic plan for growth and the products are consistent with our core capabilities.” Mr. Frank Corigliano, Executive Vice President of Rosina added that, “The Mama Lucia brand and its current distribution are an excellent fit into our family of brands, and we anticipate a very smooth transition for all of its customers many of whom already have a strong sales relationship with Rosina.”

The Mama Lucia Brand is an excellent complement to the already successful Rosina, Celentano and Italian Village Brands sold throughout the United States and Internationally by Rosina Food Products, Inc.

In addition to its current production facility located in Cheektowaga, New York, Rosina has a new, state of the art protein facility scheduled to open in December 2021 in nearby West Seneca, New York.

About Rosina Food Products

Rosina Food Products is a leading innovative frozen specialty food products manufacturer centered around Italian fare. Since 1963 the Italian family-owned company has focused on creating premier products that bring to life real Italian flavors and tradition. Rosina ensures the success of every one of its customers while delivering Real Italian Goodness. Rosina Food Products can be found in supermarkets, supercenters, wholesale clubs, military commissaries, cafeterias, and restaurants throughout North America and around the world. For more information, visit www.rosina.com.

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Restaurant Menus in 2022 will Focus on Healthier Planet and Healthier Consumers

Scott Wiener — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 14:17:00 +0000

National Restaurant Association releases annual What’s Hot Culinary Forecast survey revealing top menu trends for the year ahead

Washington, D.C. Restaurant customers can expect to see health taking center stage on restaurant menus in 2022. The National Restaurant Association today released its annual What’s Hot Culinary Forecast, which offers a detailed look at the topics, trends, and products expected to drive restaurant menus in the coming year across a variety of categories including daypart occasions, menu categories, beverages, flavors, global inspirations, packaging/off-premises trends and industry macro-trends.

After demand for comfort food surged during the height of the pandemic, consumers are refocusing on better-for-you options, with foods that are believed to have immunity-boosting qualities and plant-based sandwiches making up three of the Top 10 Trends for 2022. Plant-based proteins are growing increasingly popular on menus and less expensive cuts of protein, such as thighs instead of wings, will have a greater presence in the year to come.

Sustainability will continue to influence menus and how restaurants make decisions across the board. From reusable and recyclable packaging to zero-waste options, restaurants are continuing to prioritize sustainable initiatives. As consumers continue to utilize off-premises options in all dayparts, restaurants are looking to translate their dine-in experience outside the four walls of the restaurant with thoughtful packaging that maintains food quality, retains temperature, and is tamper-proof.

“In addition to a return to health-focused menu offerings and more eco-friendly, improved off-premises packaging, all of which rated high in the top trends, we’re expecting operators to look across their menus for transformative opportunities,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of Research for the Association. “Look for trends that fuse the traditional meal daypart items with other dayparts and an increasing popularity of snacking and its allied items. Also, with the popularity of cocktails-to-go during the pandemic, restaurants will look to expand both alcoholic and non-alcoholic craft beverage options.”

Menus will become more refined and streamlined going into the year ahead, while chefs anticipate alcohol-infused desserts, globally inspired items, and even upscale potato chips to find spots on the menu.

The What’s Hot survey was conducted in October 2021. More than 350 professional chefs of the American Culinary Federation rated 109 food items and culinary concepts compiled by Association experts and Technomic’s Menu Research & Insights Division. Download the full report here.

About the National Restaurant Association

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.6 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We sponsor the industry’s largest trade show (National Restaurant Association Show); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart). For more information, visit Restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

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Get Creative with Grilled Turkey this Thanksgiving

Scott Wiener — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 17:46:00 +0000

Backyard grill offers a variety of ways to cook your meal’s centerpiece

CRITTENDEN, KY — How many ways can you cook a turkey?

The traditional headliner for the Thanksgiving fest is typically tossed in the oven, basted every now and then, and finally pulled out to serve. It’s a fairly standard practice, but you have other options. Choosing to use your backyard grill to cook the quintessential bird adds new flavours to poultry — and frees up space in your kitchen for other dishes.

It also allows you to add some creativity to shake up that traditional Thanksgiving dinner, with a variety of ways to cook the turkey.

Andrea Alden, food stylist and writer with Napoleon, suggests trying one of these methods for this fall’s feast.

Roasted — If you are nervous about trying to cook your turkey on the grill, start here. This is essentially using your grill like your oven — no need for any fancy techniques or out-of-the-ordinary prep. Place a drip pan under the cooking grids and use indirect heat (turn on the burners where the drip pan isn’t) to preheat the grill to about 325°F. Place the seasoned and stuffed bird over the drip pan and cook, checking every 20 minutes or so to baste with melted butter. It should cook for about 20 minutes per pound, or until the thigh measures about 165°F. Then remove from heat, and let it rest under some foil for about 20 minutes before starting to carve it.
Rotisserie — Putting the turkey on a spit and slow roasting it makes for a beautifully juicy and evenly cooked bird with skin that is crisp and meat that is tender. For a homemade “butterball” turkey, Andrea suggests injecting the meat with a butter-honey mixture before cooking. Using a drip pan under the bird also gives you a great base for a wonderful gravy. For Andrea’s go-to rotisserie turkey recipe, check here.
Spatchcocked — A bit of an advanced technique, but spatchcocking your turkey will greatly cut down on the time it needs to cook, resulting in meat that is juicy and tender with perfectly seasoned skin that is crispy and delicious. To spatchcock your bird, you cut out the spine before cooking, and flatten, before placing it on your grill. Click here for a spatchcock turkey recipe with an incredible garlic cheddar sourdough stuffing.
Charcoal — Experiment with new flavours with a turkey cooked over charcoal. Cooking over charcoal gives you the opportunity to add a smokey flavour to the meal by adding wood chunks to the coals — try a sweet wood like apple, maple or cherry. Check here for a full recipe.

The barbecue is also a great spot to cook some of the sides and fixings that go with the turkey dinner. Experiment with plank-smoked mashed potatoes, grilled vegetables or get innovative with a grilled Caesar salad. For dessert, plank smoked apple crisp is very seasonal, or try a barbecued dessert pizza or homemade donuts.

For more information, please visit www.napoleon.com. Follow Napoleon on Twitter @NapoleonProduct and Like it Facebook.

About the Napoleon Group of Companies:

It all began in 1976 when a small steel fabrication business launched by Wolfgang Schroeter started manufacturing steel railings in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. At that time, no one could imagine the incredible future that lay ahead for Wolf Steel Ltd. and eventually Napoleon^®Fireplaces and Napoleon^® Gourmet Grills.

Since the first wood stove rolled off the production line more than 40 years ago, WolfSteel’s commitment was to be distinctive and successful in everything they do. Napoleon’s commitment to producing quality products combined with honest, reliable service has proven to be successful framework to ensuring the continued rapid growth of the company. Napoleon^® is an ISO 9001:2015 registered company and now operates with 1.4 million square feet of manufacturing space and employs more than 1,400 associates.

Napoleon^® is North America’s largest privately owned manufacturer of quality wood and gas fireplaces (inserts and stoves), gourmet gas and charcoal grills, outdoor living products and a complete line of Heating & Cooling equipment. Napoleon has been named one of Canada’s Top 50 Best Managed Companies, an annual distinction sponsored by CIBC World Markets, Deloitte, The National Post, Queen’s School of Business and CEO Forum.

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Chef Spencer Glenn Takes Two Categories and Grand Prize to Win $20,000 in Annual Search the Best Pizza Using Real California Cheeses

Scott Wiener — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 14:09:00 +0000

Chef Leah Scurto Wins $5,000 For REAL Californian Entry in 3^rd Annual Real California Pizza Contest

Napa, Calif. (October 29, 2021) After nine chefs spent a competitive day crafting and working pizza dough, developing unique toppings and sauces, and combining innovative blends of California cheeses, on Oct. 20 the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) recognized two champions in the 2021 Real California Pizza Contest a national search for the best pizza recipes using Real California Cheese.

The Grand Prize winner, Spencer Glenn, from Pizza My Heart in Pacific Grove, Calif. took home the top prize for his Life is Gourd pie, representing the Plant-Forward category. Inspired by a recipe shared with his late grandfather, the pizza featured a California Asiago/Romano blend, Toma and Mozzarella along with fried baby sage leaves, pomegranate arils, and pistachios.

Glenn also had the winning pizza in the Cal-Mex category. His Elote con Chorizo was a tasteful homage to traditional Mexican street corn, pairing California Oaxaca, crema, and cotija with fresh chorizo and tangy Tajin. Glenn received $5,000 for winning each category and an additional $10,000 for the grand prize distinction, for a total of $20,000.

The REAL California category winner was Chef Leah Scurto, the owner of PizzaLeah in Windsor, Calif for her innovative Nico Pie, which used multiple cheese from California to complement two quintessential Golden State produce items: artichokes and garlic. The CMAB awarded Scurto $5,000 for her winning pizza.

The seven other finalists received $500 each for reaching the bake-off finals

“This year’s contest highlighted several top trends in foodservice,” said Mike Gallagher, Business and Market Development Consultant for the CMAB. “The finalists impressed the judges with unique recipes, bold interpretations within our innovative categories, and an overarching commitment to the creative use of California dairy throughout each pizza.”

The 3^rd annual Real California Pizza Contest, which was held at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Copia in Napa, Calif., was open to professional chefs and culinary students across the U.S.

A renowned panel of judges Tony Gemignani, 13-time World Pizza Champion; Glenn Cybulski, certified pizzaiolo and award-winning executive chef; and Ricky Webster, founder of Rind & Wheat Bakery in Spokane, Wash. and 2020 RCPC Grand Prize Winner presided over the contest. The judges based their scores on a variety of factors including taste, texture and the inventive use of cheeses made with Real California Milk.

“When the pizza industry is healthy, the California dairy industry is healthy,” stated John Talbot, CEO of the CMAB. “As the number one producer of milk and mozzarella, so much of our business goes into pizza, it’s important for California to advance and innovate in the pizza category.”

The full list of finalists for the 2021 Real California Pizza Contest is as follows:

Plant-Forward

GRAND PRIZE AND CATEGORY WINNER: Spencer Glenn, a professional chef from Pacific Grove, Calif., works at Pizza My Heart.
Michael Bacon, a professional chef from Aberdeen, SD, is the General Manager at Danger von Dempsey’s Pizzeria & Brewhaus.
Patrick Costa, a professional chef from Los Angeles, Calif., is owner of De La Nonna.
Lauren Katz, a professional chef from Ashburn, Va., is the executive pastry chef and recipe developer at The Difference Baker.

The REAL Californian

CATEGORY WINNER: Leah Scurto, a professional chef from Windsor, Calif., is the owner of PizzaLeah.
Cliff Buchanan, a professional chef from Bodega, Calif., is the owner of Pizza Bodega
Lauren Katz, a professional chef from Ashburn, Va., is the executive pastry chef and recipe developer at The Difference Baker.
Dean Nole, a professional chef from New Hartford, Y., is the co-owner, with his brother Jason, of Café CaNole.

Cal-Mex

CATEGORY WINNER: Spencer Glenn, a professional chef from Pacific Grove, Calif., works at Pizza My Heart.
Steven Barrantes, a professional chef from San Jose, Calif., is the owner of Slice of Homage.
Cliff Buchanan, a professional chef from Bodega, Calif., is the owner of Pizza Bodega.
Lars Smith, a professional chef from Palo Alto, Calif., is the owner of State of Mind Public House and Pizzeria.

The complete video of the bake-off finals and the awards presentation is available at: 2021 RCPC Award Presentation. Additional details on the bake-off, the pizza chef finalists and the CMAB are available at Real California Pizza Contest.

About Real California Milk/the California Milk Advisory Board
The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s dairy farm families who lead the nation in sustainable dairy farming practices. With a vision to nourish the world with the wholesome goodness of Real California Milk, the CMAB’s programs focus on increasing demand for California’s sustainable dairy products in the state, across the U.S. and around the world through advertising, public relations, research, and retail and foodservice promotional programs.

The Foodservice Division of the CMAB supports foodservice operators and distributors that use Real California dairy products. The CMAB offers marketing and promotional support for foodservice operators that purchase dairy products with the Real California Milk seal, which means they are made with 100 percent milk from California’s more than 1,100 family dairy farms, using some of the most sustainable dairy practices in the nation.

For more information on sourcing cheese from California, contact the foodservice team at 209.883.6455 (MILK), businessdevelopment@cmab.net or RealCaliforniaMilk.com/Foodservice, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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Centerline by Hobart Edge Series Slicer Offering Features New Models

Scott Wiener — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 20:51:00 +0000

Medium duty Centerline by Hobart slicer with 10in cutting knife.

TROY, Ohio (November 2, 2021) — Hobart, the premium commercial food equipment manufacturer known for designing and building some of the most reliable, must-have equipment in the industry, has announced the availability of two new slicers: Centerline by Hobart Edge10 (10-inch knife) and Edge14 (14-inch knife). The two slicers add to the company’s current offering of Edge slicers featuring 12- and 13-inch knives.

The Centerline by Hobart Edge slicers are part of a line of simple food prep equipment for kitchens seeking quality and reliability at an affordable price. They are ideal for operations that don’t need advanced technology features or those without high-volume production and continuous-run time requirements.

“This slicer offering builds on our commitment of providing kitchens with quality, reliable slicing solutions,” said Carolyn Bilger, marketing director, Hobart Food Equipment Group. “They include features that make them easy to use and that provide operator assurance.”

Both the Edge10 and 14 slicers feature a chrome-plated carbon steel knife that stays sharp to support dependable slicing performance and extend knife life. A top-mounted ceramic stone sharpener allows the operator to hone in 15 seconds for a consistently sharp knife edge, and it is removable and submersible for simple cleaning and sanitation.

A removable carriage, meat grip and product deflector allow operators to take the parts to a sink for easier cleaning and sanitation. The Edge10 and 14 slicers both feature a one-piece anodized aluminum base with fewer crevices where bacteria could grow. The carriage and knife cover are also anodized aluminum for maximum sanitation and minimal cleanup time.

To provide operator assurance, the Centerline by Hobart Edge10 and 14 slicers have a permanently mounted ring guard that protects the knife during operation and cleaning. The Edge14 slicer also has a no-volt release — in the event of power loss, the operator must restart the slicer before being able to operate it again.

Both slicers feature a 45-degree product table that requires less mechanical pressure from the operator during use, plus a Poly-V belt drive system that extends the belt life and produces optimal slicing results. This belt system also features fewer parts, making it more economical and faster to service and repair.

The Edge10 slicer has a 1/3 hp motor and the Edge14 slicer features a 1/2 hp motor.

For more information, visit the Centerline by Hobart Edge Series Slicer product page.

About Hobart

At Hobart, an ITW Food Equipment Group LLC brand, it is our mission to provide premium food preparation equipment that foodservice and food retail professionals can trust to work hard and deliver quality, consistent results day in and day out, empowering them to focus on what they love most — creating great food for great people. From one plate to one thousand, Hobart helps you satisfy every appetite. Whether you need to mix, chop, grind or peel, our legendary equipment is the perfect partner. Backed by our nationwide network of 1,500 factory-trained service technicians, we’re always nearby to install, maintain and service your equipment. Hobart is part of ITW Food Equipment Group LLC (a subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works Inc.) and is proud to be an ENERGYSTAR® Partner of the Year since 2008. Explore Hobart by visiting Hobartcorp.com, by connecting with us on Facebook at Facebook.com/hobartcorp or by contacting your local Hobart representative at 888-4HOBART.

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New Ideas for Onions in Your Pizzeria

John Gutekanst — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 04:01:00 +0000

Onion and Sausage Petal Pizza, photo by John Gutekanst

Onion Blings

Onions. Yes, you know, those giant mesh bags that sit in your walk-in like a second-string quarterback? With a little imagination, it could be time to play this transformative vegetable to make pizzas and pastas more exciting. For centuries, these little sulfurous flavor bombs have been manipulated to transfer flavor into sauces and paired with other ingredients to turn foods from boring to exciting. Their texture can range from liquid to crunchy and best of all, onions are one of the best value-for-taste products in your pizzeria.

The Big Sphinx Stink

Onions are a genus of flowering plants in the allium family. The Egyptian peasants would buy them from small market stalls, sliced and serve with ale and a common flatbread named ta before returning to work on the pyramids. It is thought that Alexander the Great found the onion in Egypt then brought it to Greece. Ironically, we see a trend as the dark-age peasants in the time of the Goths, Visigoths, Vandals and Franks ate onions with porridge or bread, ale, cabbage and sometimes a piece of salt pork.

The Allium Family

The Allium family and the taste of each type of bulb and scape is distinguished by pungency and concentration of the sulfur compounds. Here is a list of alliums minus the garlic and leek.

White Onion: This stronger, spicier and more pungent onion than the yellow onions. This onion has a more pronounced onion flavor but falls apart when cooked. The crisp texture is perfect for onion rings.

Red Onion: Sometimes referred to as the salad onion because of its sweetness and less punchy spice when raw. You can cook with this onion and the color fades to pink when heated. This onion caramelizes easily after roasting or atop a pizza which mellows the flavor.

Yellow Onion: Sometimes referred as the brown onion. This is the workhorse of many kitchens because it is cheaper and plentiful. The flavor is strong but not overpowering and caramelize easily and the flesh holds up well when cooking.

Sweet Onions: The mildest of all are usually odd shaped and thus hard to cut in a kitchen setting especially with new chefs. This may be called Vidalia Georgia, Texas or Walla Walla and are great for raw preparations. When heating, they lose that oniony flavor fastest so keep that in mind.

Shallot: This tastes like a cross between a yellow and red onion and is a favorite of chefs because the texture doesn’t break down easily. In a fine dining environment, the small flesh enables chefs to fabricate this into fine dice in sauces and entrees. These can be pickled very easily in small rings for a great pickled garnish.

Others: There are many other varieties of allium like the wild ramp, spring onion, leek, chive, Spanish calcot, pearl, grey shallot, wild lampascioni, and ramsons.

Onions can be paired with an enormous number of foods. Because they act as a building block for all things culinary like the flavor base “Holy Trinity” or Mirepoix using celery, onion, and carrot. Here are some other pairings that really bring out the flavor of the onion: bacon, liver, bay, butter, orange, parsley, thyme, brandy, vinegar, citrus, toasted nuts, apple, cocoa, honey, chili peppers, cream, milk, meats, mushrooms, sugar, stocks, salt sage, rosemary, pepper, nutmeg, oil, anchovies, apples, basil, wheat, carrot, cheddar, comte cheese, goat, fromage blanc, Gruyere, Parmigiano, Swiss, Emmental, potatoes, tomato, saffron, curry, peas, oregano, bitter greens, mangoes, cucumbers, cilantro, nutmeg, mint and blue cheese.

Onions in the pizzeria

To propel onions to the top of your best-selling pizza, you’ll need a plan, a few co-starring ingredients, and your finger on the pulse of popular flavors. Here are some ideas that I have had success with:

• Curried onions with raisons. Eight cups sliced red onions in a pan with a quarter cup of canola oil and a one or two cups curry powder and one cup of water. Toss well with gloves and place into an oven to cook. As soon as cooked, toss two handfuls of raisons in the hot mix to re-hydrate. You may add this directly on a pizza, grind up and mix with ricotta, add to a hydrated batch of dough for curry bread or curry pizza dough.

• Chipotle Onions. Same recipe as above but instead of curry, add one small can of chipotle in adobo sauce to the onions and squash with hands and mix well. Roast the same way and add blueberries for a great sauce. This can also be ground up and made into a righteous barbeque sauce or sauced on a pizza with pork and provolone or kneaded into a bread.

• Pickled Shallot Rings. Cut large shallots into rings, place into clean and sanitized jars or lexans with tight lids. Combine and heat up 3 cups vinegar, 1 cup water, ½ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons salt, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf, 5 whole cloves, 5 juniper berries and 7 whole peppercorns. When boiling, add the shallots and turn heat off. Pour the heated liquid into the jars and let cool. When cool close the lid and refrigerate.

• Onion Fettucine Alfredo. Cut the ends off two white onions and peel the outside skin. Turn the onion on end and make a vertical cut halfway down the onion. Using your slicer or sharp knife to cut ¼ inch cuts horizontally across the onion to form “fettuccine” like strips. Choose the longest strips and steam with lid on for 10 to 12 minutes until just translucent. Cool the onion then heat up your favorite cream sauce and add the onion fettuccine, Parmigiano and sauté’ for only 30 seconds. This is great with bacon or strips of crispy Prosciutto di Parma and, it’s gluten free.

Onion and Sausage Petal Pizza

This small pizza powerhouse packs a wonderful combination of onions, cream, spinach and sausage. This 10-inch pizza exhibits both the stronger raw onions baked on the pizza and the delicious sausage-ricotta stuffed onion petals.

Get the Onion and Sausage Petal Pizza recipe.

JOHN GUTEKANST owns Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio.

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Pizza Today on the Road: The Art of Pizza, Chicago, IL

Denise Greer — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 04:01:00 +0000

Arthur (Art) Shabez has quietly maintained one of the top-rated pizzerias in one of the biggest pizza cities in the U.S., Chicago, for over 30 years. There’s no magic formula or secret to The Art of Pizza in the Lakeview district. He puts in the dedication to the business and remains steadfast to the products he created in the beginning.

A career in pizzeria ownership started before The Art of Pizza. “This is my 41st year in the pizza business,” he says. First venturing into business with a partner, he opened Coluta’s Pizza in 1980. With a successful run under his belt, Shabez was ready to make his mark on the Chicago pizza map.

Arthur (Art) Shabez, owner, The Art of Pizza, Chicago

He started small and found a tiny carryout location in the yet to be revitalized Lakeview neighborhood. He took a chance on a developing area and the decision paid off as the neighborhood has become a sought-after residential and commercial district.

Fast forward to today. Pizza Today visited The Art of Pizza this fall to catch up with Shabez and find out where the pizzeria is today, especially given the current restaurant climate, and hear Shabez’s story.

While touring the building, we walked across the threshold into the counter service area. “(When we opened in) May 1989, this was a four-store mall,” Shabez says of original space before expanding into the entire building. “This was our spot,” he says of his unit. “I haven’t touched this spot. It’s all original.”

Behind the counter are heated display cases featuring stuffed, pan and thin pizzas by the slice. More on the pizza later. As we walked through the swinging doors, we enter a compact kitchen with two massive, double stacked deck ovens with three designated makeline and food prep areas. The output from this condensed space in impressive.

The restaurant doesn’t stop there. In 2008 during one of the largest economic busts, Shabez jumped at the opportunity to buy the building, a savvy business move for a pizzeria in it for the long haul. The space featured four storefronts all the size of the Shabez’s takeout and delivery restaurant and a sought-after parking lot, a prize in Chicago. “I overpaid but it was the best move I ever did.”

Purchasing the building was no easy feat but Shabez was confident in his product and the City of Chicago confirmed it years earlier and continued to validate the quality of the pizza. The Art of Pizza was rated the best deep-dish pizza in Chicago in a 2001 Chicago’s Choice Dining Poll with The Chicago Tribune. The shop went head-to-head against the biggest names in deep dish pizza.

“A lady comes in and she sat down, ‘I got to let you know we’re running a contest and you are Top 3 and we’re going to be announcing the winner for the best deep-dish pizza,’” he remembers. “I said, ‘wow I didn’t know anything.’ She said, ‘how would you feel if you are No. 1?” I said ‘Humbled.’ So, I’m in my basement at 11 pm and I’m on their thing with The Chicago Tribune and here they go. And I just started screaming when I saw No. 1. I got goosebumps. Business went crazy.”

The rating even had other Chicago deep-dish legends lining up to try The Art of Pizza. Shabez says, it was rough for several years trying to keep up with demand, but he leaned on his experienced team, and they continued to produce the consistent pizza.

With word-of-mouth momentum that money can’t buy and an expanded location, Shabez set his sights on a new location. At 3 a.m. he found the perfect spot, a shuttered pizzeria for sale in downtown on State Street with three neighboring colleges and nearby Michigan Avenue. He texted his realtor and was in the pizzeria the next morning. The State Street location opened in 2017.

To this day, he says, buying State Street was one of the best decisions he’s made in business. “Two years later, I sold it to two employees from here (Ashland location) who I took over there,” he says.

This isn’t the first time employees have taken ownership of his pizzeria. An ambitious young employee at the first pizzeria he co-owned eventually bought the owner out.

Shabez shares how to become an owner with his employees. “I show them,” he says. “‘Look what you are making. Look how you work for it. If you put that over here as an owner, you are the owner. So not only are you getting salary from working, you’re also getting the owner’s share.’” Shabez had hoped that at his Ashland Ave. location, he could pass down the reigns. But’s a bit more complex with Lakeview real estate.

The Art of Pizza’s loyal team is dedicated to its success. Shabez shared that some of his employees have been with him for 30 years. “Oscar’s off today 30 years, Jasper’s off today, 30 years,” he says “All these other guys have 16 years, 10 years. Everybody gets a good Christmas bonus, two weeks paid vacation after a year. They get $100 to come in on New Year’s and I give them $50 on their birthday. That’s how I keep them. I have a family at home. I have a family here. You see your family here more than you see your kids.”

Even with a track record for treating employees well, Shabez says that finding employees now is the toughest it’s ever been and he’s not sure how to recruit new employees. “I have an ad in the paper,” he says. “I have an ad on the Tribune website, ‘experienced pizza makers, 40 hours plus 10 hours overtime, $60,000,’ no one. It’s scary. We had 27 employees including drivers two years ago. We are down to 20. We are bare boned now.” But Shabez is committed to maintaining his open hours for The Art of Pizza customers. “My brother once told me, ‘If you give your customers an opportunity to try another pizza place, they just might like it better.’

Costs of goods is another current hurdle Shabez is facing. “No. 2 really is price fluctuation on food,” he says. “I don’t like raising my prices. People know that. I can’t stand it, but I had to.”

Like many operators, Shabez is analyzing what to do on both fronts. Unfortunately, he says, “Hiring and the food costs, I have no answer.”

The labor strain and cost of goods isn’t slowing down business as Shabez says 2021 is shaping up to be a record-breaking sales year. And that’s coming off of the restaurant industry crushing 2020.

But The Art of Pizza performed well during the COVID-19 pandemic. “When COVID hit last year, for four months, it was ‘buy two slices, get one free’ and I didn’t have to do that,” he says. “We were busy. We did very well but I give. And I didn’t advertise. There was a sign inside.” Even with the circumstances and discounting, Shabez says, sales were up three to five percent in 2020.

He believes the delivery and carryout emphasis will continue for some time. The Art of Pizza is 10 percent dine-in, 55 percent carryout, and delivery is the remainder. Carryout includes sales from one third-party delivery service. He used to partner with several others but as he had issues with the drivers or service, he cancelled them.

The menu is 99 percent the same as it was years ago, Shabez says. “We’ve added a few items over the years, but everything is the same,” he adds. “I keep asking my cooks ‘what’s not selling?’ Everything is selling so if it wasn’t, I’d take it off.” The pizza and dough formula? “Nothing’s changed — same sauce, same dough,” he says.

Slices are a much larger percentage than whole pies. Shabez keeps the pizza menu classic with cheese, meaty, spinach and mushrooms, vegetarian, southwestern and Hawaiian options. The Art of Pizza also features a menu of appetizers, salads and sandwiches. It highlights the Chicago staple Italian Beef, as well as chicken Parmesan sandwich and a ribeye steak sandwich. Shabez rotates daily lunch and dinner specials on a large, bright digital sign with high visibility to street and pedestrian traffic.

Currently, those are the only promotions. “Over the years, we did radio, direct mail, commercials,” he says. “I believe the best is door-to-door flyers because they get them right there and they can read them or throw them out. I do have a college kid who does Facebook and Instagram.”

“When I opened, I was doing 10 percent a year in advertising,” he says. “During COVID, I didn’t advertise at all.” Shabez says, sharing that his store’s output is maxed out so advertising now would cause longer wait times, especially with delivery.

Shabez is a hands-on operator, anywhere from two to eight hours a day. When he does get a chance to get away, he says, “I like to go just sit in a restaurant and clear my head. Seriously, I love it.”

Denise Greer is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.

The post Pizza Today on the Road: The Art of Pizza, Chicago, IL appeared first on Pizza Today.

Emerging Pizza Industry Trends from Pizza Expo 2021

Denise Greer — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 18:01:00 +0000

The long absence revealed new opportunities in the pizza business

International Pizza Expo 2021 staged after a staggering 29 months without the pizzeria industry’s No. 1 trade show. So much has happened in that time, from a worldwide pandemic to a devastating worker shortage. The uncertainty has weighed heavy on pizzeria operators across the country. Pizza professionals were eager to get back to find new ideas, research and purchase products and come together as a pizza family.

We looked at some emerging pizza industry trends from Pizza Expo 2021. There are a few overarching themes that resonated throughout the show floor and education halls at this year’s show that cannot be overlooked.

Community, not competition

The pizzeria industry is unlike any other in business. The camaraderie and collaboration between pizzeria professionals are the most valuable assets of the industry. Being together as a pizzeria community was among the top reasons attendees came to the show. After a long absence of gathering, the energy was electric. Attendees wanted to see their pizza friends and family.

The time is now to innovate

Pizza Expo is the ultimate motivator to kick new ideas into motion. Many operators on the show floor were coming off record sales and were eager to invest in their businesses. Others were looking for ways to bounce back from the COVID-19 shutdowns and its impact. Both were on site ready to instill change in their operations. Exhibitors answered their calls with the launch of several new products that debuted on the show floor.

Knowledge is power

Operators were eager to be in person to soak up as much knowledge as they could whether it was in the education seminars, demonstrations or exhibitor presentations. The seminar halls saw less people surfing between sessions. Instead operators were glued to their seats to hear fellow pizzeria profs share strategies and tips.

Hot Trends in the exhibit hall

Large international industry events like Pizza Expo give attendees the opportunity to see what’s trending and what’s on the horizon. The show floor is a great metric to see where the industry is going. Pizza Expo didn’t disappoint to give a glimpse into the hot trends happening in the restaurant and specifically the pizza market.

Based on experiencing the show floor and talking to pizzeria operators, we noticed common threads and rising products that made their mark on Pizza Expo 2021.

Plant-based

The biggest and most noticeable trend on the show floor was the abundance of plant-based products, everything from cheese to meat alternatives. There were companies that specifically specialize in plant-based. This year, we also saw major industry meat and cheese providers launch new plant-based products on the show floor.

The plant-based options available have come a long way. There were cheese and meat products like mozzarella, pepperoni and meatballs that mimicked the real thing impressively well. The texture, feel and taste were on point.

The trend mirrors national statistics. Plant-based sales have seen a huge jump recently. The Plant Based Food Association reports that plant-based retail sales have grown 27 percent to a $7 billion market.

Dietary restriction options

Gluten-free options have been a sustained trend on the show floor for the past several years and continues to be a noted trend. Keto-friendly was a new trend that seems to be gaining ground with Keto-friendly pizza dough alternatives.

Labor tech and automation

The worker shortage is impacting the way restaurants do business. Exhibitors were ready with innovative products to help ease labor struggles and facilitate the execution of repetitive tasks. Kitchen equipment that helps do the prep work for your staff were busy booths.

Automation opportunities were abundant on the show floor, from prep work, sauce application, sheeters and dough presses to full robotic automation. We witnessed a completely automated robotic topping of a pizza that could make 100 dressed pizzas per hour.

Exhibitors also addressed customer-facing labor shortages with self-use options like self-serve kiosks and self-pour beverage systems, including alcohol, beer and wine.

Even oven technology has been developed to aid the labor strain. The sophistication in today’s ovens is remarkable, from rotating ovens to multi-level programmable ovens. They are taking the guess work out of oven operation. These ovens are made to support cross-trained employees to easily operate with minimal training.

Carryout and delivery are top of mind

There was a concentrated emphasis on the execution and growth of carryout and delivery business, from new delivery bag technology to holding stations for carryout. We also noticed several POS integration potentials with third-party providers.

COVID-19 protocols are a part of daily operations. POS providers highlighted features like contactless payments and curbside functions.

Today’s restaurants are changing. As you plan for the growth of your business, how will you be able to capitalize on these emerging trends? If you missed watching or tasting these latest trends at Pizza Expo 2021, you’re in luck. Pizza Expo 2022 is just around the corner. Make notes and do your research on how plant-based options, kitchen automation or a number of the other products can help your business. Then come to Pizza Expo in Las Vegas on March 22-24 to see these trends live and person.

Denise Greer is Executive Editor of Pizza Today.

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Fuegorita Turns Up The Heat With Crushed Red Pepper Alternative

Scott Wiener — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 15:08:00 +0000

Fuegorita is turning the pizza world upside down with a proprietary blend of the world’s hottest dried crushed chile peppers. Give your customers the option to raise the heat level of the pizzas you create and add a unique flavor profile that will have them eating and drinking more and coming back time and again.

Carmen Zermeño created the recipe while experimenting with blends from the peppers grown by generations of her family in Mexico. When friends wanted to know her secret, she bottled small portions to send home with them and give as gifts. Demand soon grew so great that she co-founded Pepper Bandits, LLC and moved to a professional kitchen where she enlisted the help of family members to produce what many now refer to as “the hotter, better crushed red pepper.” Through word of mouth and gifts sent abroad, already people across the U.S. are enjoying this reinvention of the mundane crushed red pepper they’ve come to anticipate when they order pizza. Now they’re asking for it by name in local pizzerias and momentum is building to introduce it more broadly to the pizza industry.

If you serve pasta and sandwiches, even better. Try the fiery flakes on everything from calzones to lasagna, meatball sandwiches to manicotti. Fuegorita lovers say the products are good on everything they eat. One brews it into her morning coffee, another sprinkles it on his green beans. Cooks say Fuegorita Fine has become their favorite seasoning after salt and pepper. They enhance their soups, rubs and batters with its smoky red-pepper flavor and put it on the table so guests can decide for themselves which blend they prefer.

Fuegorita Fire Salt adds zest to a bag of buttered popcorn, makes fresh fruit a whole new experience and adds a layer of zing to the rim of a margarita or bloody Mary. Hard-core heat-seekers love Fuegorita Diablo.

And why not? Hot peppers are as healthy as they are tasty. The capsaicin that gives them their zip helps speed up metabolism, fend off high blood pressure and diabetes, and may even boost the fight against cancer.

Now you can turn up the heat for your customers and fire up your profits too. Pizza Today readers get 20% off your first order when you use promo code “pizzatoday” at www.fuegorita.com or contact info@fuegorita.com for special wholesale pricing.

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Hormel Foodservice, maker of the FONTANINI Brand, Introduce New Chicken and Beef Meatballs to Foodservice Operators.

Scott Wiener — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 12:57:00 +0000

The FONTANINI® Brand, a leading brand of authentic Italian meats, has launched its all-new Chicken and Beef Meatball. Customers know the FONTANINI® Brand means excellent Italian meatballs. Now, operators can attract more of them with this halal-certified meatball.

Authentically crafted with a signature blend of Italian spices and select cuts of chicken and beef, the Chicken and Beef Meatball is now available for foodservice operators looking to offer a new meatball variety on their menu without compromising on flavor and quality.

Available in a 2 oz. size, the FONTANINI® Chicken and Beef Meatball can be used wherever you currently menu meatballs Pasta, pizza or even garlic knot sliders.

If you are an industry professional interested in menuing FONTANINI® Chicken and Beef Meatballs, request a sample today: https://go.hormelfoodservice.com/fontanini-chicken-beef-meatball. Follow us on Instagram @fontaninibrand for more product updates.

Interested in more products from the FONTANINI® Brand? We offer a variety of meatballs, pizza toppings, including pepperoni and Italian sausage, breakfast sausage and more. Reach out today to learn more about our entire portfolio: https://www.hormelfoodservice.com/brand/fontanini/

ABOUT THE FONTANINI® BRAND The FONTANINI® Brand was acquired by Hormel Foods in 2017 with a product portfolio that specializes in offering authentic Italian flavor with recipes that have remained untouched for generations. FONTANINI® Products are made with the most premium ingredients including select cuts of meats and a blend of Italian seasonings that offer consistent flavor across the entire product portfolio. For more information about the FONTANINI® Brand, visit https://www.hormelfoodservice.com/brand/fontanini/.

ABOUT HORMEL FOODS — Inspired People. Inspired Food.

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include Planters®, SKIPPY®, SPAM®, Hormel® Natural Choice®, Applegate®, Justin’s®, Wholly®, Hormel® Black Label®, Columbus® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the “Global 2000 World’s Best Employers” list by Forbes magazine for three years, is one of Fortune magazine’s most admired companies, has appeared on Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s “The 100 Best Corporate Citizens” list for 12 years, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement — Inspired People. Inspired Food. — to bring some of the world’s most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://csr.hormelfoods.com/.

The post Hormel Foodservice, maker of the FONTANINI Brand, Introduce New Chicken and Beef Meatballs to Foodservice Operators. appeared first on Pizza Today.

Man on the Street: The Future is Plant Based

Scott Wiener — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 04:01:00 +0000

Back in May, one of the most lavish restaurants in the world announced its decision to switch to a plant-based menu. Eleven Madison Park has four stars from the New York Times and three stars from the Michelin guide, which they’ve earned by serving decadent meat, seafood and poultry dishes since opening in 1998. That’s all changing now and it’s a big deal. Other restaurants are going to follow their lead and new businesses will open with plant-based menus thanks to the gigantic splash initiated by the Eleven Madison Park announcement. If you haven’t noticed, it’s already happening in pizza.

Scott Wiener
Founder, Scott’s Pizza Tours and SliceOutHunger.org

Everyone I’ve spoken with who attended this year’s Pizza Expo agrees that the number one trend among exhibitors was the explosion of plant-based products. These companies showed up in force and confirmed that there’s strong demand in the pizza market for dairy-free and meat-free ingredients. The biggest clue that this trend is becoming mainstream is the fact that even companies focused on meat products have started launching brands focused on plant-based alternatives.

Pizzerias like Pizza Head in St. Louis is already meat-free and owner Scott Sandler’s Pizza Expo demonstrations about making cheese substitutes from nuts have become a hit. Sizzle Pie in Portland, Oregon, has built a concept around offering three meat, three vegetarian and three plant-based pizzas by the slice at all times. Even in the “traditional” pizza stronghold of NYC we have two locations of the popular Screamer’s Pizzeria, which stocks no animal products. That means no mozzarella and no pepperoni. None.

Part of me thinks this dietary change is happening because of subtle rebranding. What we now refer to as “plant-based” is essentially what we used to call “vegan.” When we use “plant-based,” we focus on what’s being featured rather than what’s been removed. Veganism is more than just a dietary decision, it’s a philosophy. A vegan lifestyle prohibits animal products in favor of environmentalism, animal welfare, and social responsibility. “Vegan” carries some heavy baggage, which is why I see “plant-based” as being more inclusive. The implication is that you can eat plant-based dishes without adopting the political identity that comes with veganism.

I’m excited about the growth of this segment because it means we’ll be seeing more high-quality products. It used to be the case that the few non-dairy cheeses left much to be desired in terms of melt, elasticity and reheatability, but those issues are finally being addressed. Plant-based meat substitutes have already made a big splash, showing up on menus at both independent and national chains.

Whether or not you adhere to the vegan philosophy, it’s undeniable that plant-based diets are more sustainable, more environmentally friendly and healthier than our current food supply industry. There’s some real momentum in these products and that means it’s likely you already have interested customers.

If you’re interested in dabbling in the plant-based world, look no further than the simplest pizza on the planet, the Pizza Marinara. Just top your dough with crushed tomato, oregano, garlic and olive oil and you have one of the tastiest pizzas imaginable. And it’s already vegan. Or plant-based. Whatever you want to call it, it’s delicious.

SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org Instagram: @scottspizzatours

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Smallwares, Big Results

Mike Bausch — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 04:01:00 +0000

These often overlooked smallware items can impact your kitchen efficiency

Smallwares are an annoying detail to any properly functioning restaurant. Having enough of them, the right ones, and having them all well maintained indicates a well-run restaurant. A pizzeria that can’t find a spoodle or has to resort to the wrong-sized plastic bin shows ownership is checked out. The only alternative is they value short-term dollars over long-term operational functionality. When that ownership style occurs, it shows the owner doesn’t value the dollar at all. Let’s get into all the stuff you’ll need to effectively manage it.

Measurement Items

These small and easy-to-lose items cost a lot over time. Thermometers, small scales, measurement cups and spoon measuring tools are vital to proper recipe building. They are the first to disappear when you need them most. Some of these items go fast, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a solid amount of wear out of them. To keep them from getting lost or broken, keep them in a set location, potentially on a chain or a hook of some sort. This action will ensure they’re always at the ready. When they get washed, they should go into a separate bin. These items must return to that set location each day consistently to minimize redundant replacement.

Bins, Lids and Tubs

Think of the busiest sales day you could ever have. Think of all the bins of product that you would need to get through that day, take that amount of containers and double it. That is the number of bins you should have on hand in your restaurant. If you do make items in bulk, then large tubs are great for storage. This assumes that you can go through it quick enough without product quality diminishing. Never use bulk bins to transfer to small containers in the middle of a rush. I hate transferring a big tub to a one-sixth bin when everything is crazy. What’s even worse is topping off a one-sixth bin rather than changing it out completely. Not having enough containers leads to a lack of FIFO (first in, first out) which breeds product loss. Lack of FIFO also shows a lack of respect for the customer experience.

Spoons, Ladles and Spoodles

Organize smallwares in labeled containers. Never leave a bucket of “stuff” to be where smaller items land. Spoons in the spoon bin. Knives in the knife bin or rack. A little investment in efficiency will reap the rewards quickly in a rush to reduce ticket times. Enough sauce spoons available in the height of a rush seems like pizzeria 101. Having enough tools to spread pizza sauce seems obvious, but I can’t tell you how many pizzerias I’ve been in where the staff is all sharing one sauce spoon. All the while the only other two spoons are at dish station and that’s all they own. A few $3.15 investments in spoons, or lack of investment, has now crippled a rush with staff bottlenecking their production line. They can’t put sauce on fast enough because ownership was too cheap or unaware to spend four bucks needed to succeed.

Screens, Discs and Pans

These things are very individual to each pizzeria. The maintenance of these items is hard. Pans are the easiest because most dish machines can clean them. Disks and screens typically can’t. Correct maintenance requires hand washing and care to avoid losing the exterior coating of properly broken-in bakeware. All the while still cleaning them, so they’re safe and sanitary. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t seen some restaurants avoid cleaning them altogether. I suggest keeping these items separate at the dish station, so they are cleaned with a different protocol. Again, make sure you invest in your tools on hand so your staff isn’t cleaning these screens or disks in a rush because you didn’t buy enough.

Peels and Palos

These can be very expensive and easily broken. I suggest having two backups offsite. You want them accessible but not so accessible that staff assumes breaking one isn’t that big of a deal. It should be hard to get another, but you should always have one ready because restaurant supply stores are never open when you need them the most.

Cleaning Items

Dish racks, sweepers, brooms and dustpans all need to get cleaned themselves. All these items require maintenance. It’s fascinating to me how the things we depend on to clean our restaurants tend to be the dirtiest items in the restaurant. The typical assumption is, “Well, it doesn’t need to be cleaned. It does the cleaning.” Descaling a dish rack, sending a dustpan to the dish station, or cleaning the dish sprayer are all necessary to maintain cleanliness in a restaurant. Clean it all and clean it often. If you don’t clean it, it becomes a broken window. When a restaurant has a broken window item, it makes it a lot easier for another window to be broken. Like when you’re in a part of town where grass can grow tall out of the sidewalk, building’s windows can go broken for a long time, and no one cares. That’s what happens when you don’t tend to the cleaning products and make sure they’re clean just like everything else. It gives staff a feeling of nonchalance to your store’s maintenance.

Cleaning schedule

Daily, weekly, monthly and yearly tasks all need to be done for your smallwares and equipment items to ensure they stay at the top of their functionality. Perform an inventory of smallwares once a month, preferably once a week, to keep on top of how fast you’re using these items. If you have multiple stores, this inventory will show which stores are losing or breaking items the most. If you do see a store that’s going through items at a super aggressive rate, you might want to put that store on a budget for specific items and say, “You only get ($X) this month. Make sure you don’t waste it.”

Ordering New Items

A local or online restaurant supply store should answer to someone who purchases based on the bottom line. Preferably that’s you. If you allow just anyone to order, other than you, it leads to overspending. Additionally, I’ve found that multiple people contacting the restaurant supply rep can overwhelm the reps. Smallwares ordering is more erratic than food ordering, so having numerous sites and people to answer for can go south quickly.

Other Items

I highly suggest casters for all equipment so that you can clean under it and maintain standards. Additionally, refrigeration seals need maintenance. Ensure that these aren’t cleaned with sanitizer, instead only water or soapy water at most because they will deteriorate with sanitizer, and these seals are not cheap. Regarding cleaners: sanitizer, floor cleaner and regular degreaser are as aggressive as you’ll want to get. Other items on the market will take carbon off pans quicker, but if you spray it on your skin and it burns, it means it’s corrosive. Now these acids are creating more nooks and crannies for more dirt to seep into your stainless steel or plastic item, to make them dirtier faster. I find these cleaners do more harm than good.

As with anything, respect your smallwares, and they’ll respect you by being ready when you need them. Simple and intentional maintenance will help them last longer and not affect your budget any more than they should.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @mikeybausch

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LloydPans Launches New Bar Pizza Shovel

Scott Wiener — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 12:32:00 +0000

New pizza pan perfect tool for making popular bar- or tavern-style pizzas

Is it a pizza pan or a peel board? It’s both! LloydPans new Bar Pizza Shovel is the perfect pan to make authentic bar-style pizza. The innovative new pan allows pizza makers to start a pizza in a pan and then finish it on an oven’s deck.

By starting a pizza in a pan, pizzerias and foodservice operations gain convenience and speed. Countless pizzas can be prepped at one time, and baked as orders come in. After a quick bake in the pan, the pizzas can be quickly depanned right on the surface of the oven to give the crust the perfect finish.

Each Bar Pizza Shovel is made in the USA and features the following:

Heavy 14-gauge aluminum construction
Our proprietary PSTK® finish that requires no seasoning
Metal-utensil safe coating

LloydPans

800-748-6251