Июнь-июль 2014
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JUNE/JULY 2014 | WWW.PMQ.COM ECO-FRIENDLY STRATEGY TURNS "GREEN" INTO GOLD AT EARTH BREAD + BREWERY Page 26 Cashing In on the Flatbread Phenomenon Page 36 Craft Sodas Make Pizza Sales Go "Pop" Page 46
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Номер за июнь-июль 2014 года журнала PMQ Pizza Magazine
Transcript of Июнь-июль 2014
JUNE/JULY 2014 | WWW.PMQ.COM
PMQ PIZZA M
AGAZINE | June/July 2014 | Volume 18, Issue 5
The Pizza Industry’s B
usiness Monthly | P
MQ
.com
ECO-FRIENDLY STRATEGYTURNS "GREEN"INTO GOLD AT EARTH BREAD + BREWERY
Page 26
Cashing In on the Flatbread PhenomenonPage 36
Craft Sodas Make Pizza Sales Go "Pop"Page 46
June/July2014 Cover_Final.indd 1 5/15/14 12:55 PM
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DEPARTMENT ONLINE AT PMQ.COM
ThePizzaInsider.PMQ.com
Liz Barrett, PMQ’s editor at large, brings you the inside scoop on the industry’s latest trends, marketing and technology.
Recently at The Pizza Insider: Liz shows how writing a book could boost your business; easy ways to be charitable; and seven ways you may be sabotaging your own business.
PizzaWithoutBorders.PMQ.comReporting from Paris, Missy Green, PMQ’s international correspondent, reports on pizza events, trends and curiosities from around the world.
Recently at Pizza Without Borders: Missy discusses Italian craft beers; attends a Brazilian pizza congress with PMQ publisher Steve Green; and takes you on a behind-the-scenes tour with the U.S. Pizza Team in Italy.
Pizza TV: The SEC Pizza Championship
Representing Southeastern Conference schools such as Alabama, Florida, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, six pizzerias helped kick off the first SEC Pizza Championship in Oxford, Mississippi, in April.
PMQ Blogs Recent Videos (pmq.com/video)
This Week in Pizza (pmq.com/thisweekinpizza)
PMQ’s weekly e-newsletter brings breaking industry news to your inbox every Wednesday. Receive it free by visiting pmq.com/subscribe.
Pizza 360: Good Pizza vs. Great Pizza
Peter Reinhart, chef, bread maker and author of American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza, offers dough making tips and discusses the differences between pretty good pizza and great pizza. (Hint: It’s all in the crust.)
SliceofLife.PMQ.comPMQ’s social media director, Melanie Addington, brings you weekly posts on the latest trends and tips in social media.
Recently at Slice of Life: Melanie talks with international pizza champion Giuseppe Conte and the Dubai-based marketing manager of 800Pizza.
Top Social Media Posts
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@PMQpizzamag
thinktank.pmq.com
pmqpizzamag
Follow Us!
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Join the discussion!
Highlights of some of the best social media posts we’ve seen recently:
Pi Pizzeria: [With photo of a checkered napkin alongside a child’s handwritten apology for taking it from the pizzeria] We received this in the mail the other day. He’s from Memphis, and he’s five. Even our napkins are irresistible! All is forgiven, Ricky! (235 likes, 10 comments)
Christianos Pizza: Since 1996, our founder has been making dough from SCRATCH at 5 a.m. to make YOUR MEAL as delicious as possible. Like for a chance to win a FREE LARGE PIZZA. (764 likes, 36 comments, 11 shares)
@SergiosPizzaa: As the weather turns to spring, and pizza for lunch your thing, remember to give us a ring, a fresh hot pie we will bring
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Join the discussion!
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CONTENTS JUNE/JULY 2014
26 ON THE COVER
26 The Good EarthPizzerias don’t get much greener than Philadelphia’s Earth Bread + Brewery, but it’s the gourmet flatbreads, craft brews and fun vibe that keep guests coming back.By Rick Hynum
FEATURES
36 The Flatbread PhenomenonPizzerias are perfectly positioned to capitalize on the popularity of artisan flatbreads, which are spurring growth in pizza sales around the country.By Tracy Morin
46 Top of the PopsMade with all-natural ingredients and in a wide range of flavors, craft sodas will add fizz to your beverage menu—and discerning, health-conscious customers will pay more for them.By Tracy Morin
54 Catering to the CrowdsTo boost catering sales, pizzerias need to move beyond standard pizza fare and use existing ingredients to broaden their menus with new group-friendly dishes.By Liz Barrett
60 Slaying the Neighborhood Goliath— Part 1
In the first of a four-part series, Tom Feltenstein shares 15 outside-the-box strategies for taking on—and defeating—big national chains that try to muscle in to your market.By Tom Feltenstein
66 The Brain TrustTake a tour of Philadelphia’s Pizza Brain, the world’s first museum/pizzeria hybrid that marries delicious pies with 50-plus years of American pizza pop culture.By Liz Barrett
JUNE/JULY 2014 | WWW.PMQ.COM
PMQ PIZZA M
AGAZINE | June/July 2014 | Volume 18, Issue 5
The Pizza Industry’s B
usiness Monthly | P
MQ
.com
ECO-FRIENDLY STRATEGYTURNS "GREEN"INTO GOLD AT EARTH BREAD + BREWERY
Page 26
Cashing In on the Flatbread PhenomenonPage 36
Craft Sodas Make Pizza Sales Go "Pop"Page 46
ALIX PASSAGE
THE GOOD EARTH
8 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
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CONTENTS JUNE/JULY 2014
DEPARTMENTS
18 In Lehmann’s Terms: Tips for Using a Hot Press
Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann discusses how to determine the right heat settings for your top and bottom press plates.
20 New York’s Finest: Zucchini With Sundried Tomatoes
This refreshing and healthy dish from Chef Santo Bruno makes a perfect side item for your summertime menu.
22 Marketing Maven: 7 Tips for Better Beverage Sales
Help your guests cool off this summer with beverage promotions—from VIP tastings to happy hour combos—designed to boost your bottom line.
24 Accounting for Your Money: Tax Law Changes Could Help Pizzerias
Now under consideration in the Senate, the EXPIRE bill would extend tax breaks for restaurant improvements, new construction and charitable deductions.
44 Recipe of the Month: Mozza-Prov Chicken & Pesto
This specialty pizza features a blend of real Wisconsin cheeses, chicken, pesto, and sautéed peppers and onions.
72 Meet the Tank: Tom Lehmann
The Dough Doctor himself discusses why the Think Tank is the online place to be for pizza makers and pizzeria owners.
98 Time Capsule: Savo’s Pizza & Family Restaurant
Celebrating 50 years in 2014, this “little pizzeria that could” weathered ups and downs to sustain its intensely loyal following.
IN EVERY ISSUE
6 Online at PMQ.com
12 Editor’s Note
14 Letters to the Editor
16 Pizza Press
74 Product Spotlight
76 Idea Zone
85 Advertiser Index
86 Pizza Industry Resource Guide
36 54
Coming Next Month
Flour: Leading pizzaioli explain how different types of flour can influence the taste and texture of your pizza crusts.
Boosting Delivery Sales: From using custom pizza boxes to hiring brand ambassadors as drivers, experts discuss how to improve your delivery service and keep the phones ringing.
Deep Fryers: Learn how to choose the perfect deep fryer for your kitchen and use it to expand your menu and maximize your sales.
46
THE FLATBREAD PHENOMENON CATERING TO THE CROWDS
TOP OF THE POPSGUSTO PIZZA COMPANY
WO
OD
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’S P
IZZ
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LIFE
FLA
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66THE BRAIN
TRUST
THESE FLATBREADS AREN’T JUST ON TREND
THEY STARTED THE TRENDAnswer the demand for authentic New York–style pizzas and premium fl atbreads. Available in a variety of shapes and sizes, these delicious pre-formed, par-baked crusts can be grilled
or baked in minutes, making it easier than ever to create your next great signature dish.
THINPIZZA SHELLS &
FLATBREADS
EST. 1996
ULTRA
ULTRApizza shells & flatbreads
THIN
pizza shells
flatbreadsEST. 1996
Cut Right to the Taste
New York City AuthenticNew York City Authentic
I
IV
II
III
Crusts, Done Right.
A s k y o u r d i s t r i b u t o r s a l e s r e p f o r d e ta i l s .u lt r at h i n p i z z a . c o m | 5 1 6 - 2 7 9 - 6 6 5 5
© 2014 UltraThin Pizza Shells & Flatbreads
Click here to view the Pizza TV video profile of Pizza Brain, the world’s first pizzeria/pizza museum in Philadelphia.
Click here to view PMQ Extra: Be a fly on the wall at a get-together of Think Tank members in Las Vegas.
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THESE FLATBREADS AREN’T JUST ON TREND
THEY STARTED THE TRENDAnswer the demand for authentic New York–style pizzas and premium fl atbreads. Available in a variety of shapes and sizes, these delicious pre-formed, par-baked crusts can be grilled
or baked in minutes, making it easier than ever to create your next great signature dish.
THINPIZZA SHELLS &
FLATBREADS
EST. 1996
ULTRA
ULTRApizza shells & flatbreads
THIN
pizza shells
flatbreadsEST. 1996
Cut Right to the Taste
New York City AuthenticNew York City Authentic
I
IV
II
III
Crusts, Done Right.
A s k y o u r d i s t r i b u t o r s a l e s r e p f o r d e ta i l s .u lt r at h i n p i z z a . c o m | 5 1 6 - 2 7 9 - 6 6 5 5
© 2014 UltraThin Pizza Shells & Flatbreads
JuneJuly14 Book.indb 11 5/15/14 11:53 AM
On the cover: With their unerring instinct for emerging trends and a knack for developing gourmet flatbreads from local ingredients, Tom Baker and Peggy Zwerver, co-owners of Earth Bread + Brewery, have created one of Philadelphia’s hippest hangouts.Photo by Alix Passage
Rick HynumEditor-in-chiefPMQ Pizza Magazine
EDITOR’S NOTE RICK HYNUM
JUNE/JULY 2014 | WWW.PMQ.COM
PMQ PIZZA M
AGAZINE | June/July 2014 | Volume 18, Issue 5
The Pizza Industry’s B
usiness Monthly | P
MQ
.com
ECO-FRIENDLY STRATEGYTURNS "GREEN"INTO GOLD AT EARTH BREAD + BREWERY
Page 26
Cashing In on the Flatbread PhenomenonPage 36
Craft Sodas Make Pizza Sales Go "Pop"Page 46
SCAN TO SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to PMQ now! Get your print, digital or mobile edition!
Bliss in a BottleWhat do you call a carbonated beverage? Soda? Wrong. Pop? Sorry, wrong again. Soda pop? No offense, but that’s just extremely wrong. As a Mississippian born and raised, I know what to call a carbonated beverage. By God, you call it a Coke. Even if it’s not actually a Coke, it’s a Coke. I don’t care if it’s a Pepsi or a 7-Up or a Grape Nehi—it’s still a Coke.
OK, maybe that’s strictly a Southern thing. As a kid growing up in the 1970s, I can remember going on road trips with the family and making the inevitable rest stop at a gas station or convenience store. “Anybody want a Coke?” my father would say. “I do,” I’d pipe up. “What kind?” he’d ask. Because, although there was—and is—only one soft drink brand named Coca-Cola, we all knew there were many types and flavors of “Coke,” and I’m not talking about the low-calorie kind. Only as I got a little older and met kids who hailed from north of the Mason-Dixon line did I realize there were other words for that bubbly, burpy bliss in a bottle. (Even so, to this day, I still have zero tolerance for “soda pop.” It just bugs me, like pronouncing “pecan” as “PEE-can”—I’m looking at you, New England!)
To this day, I love a good Coke, preferably in the form of a Dr. Pepper. But I’m even crazier about the new craft sodas that are springing up in pizzerias around the country. As described in Tracy Morin’s article, “Top of the Pops” (page 46), craft sodas have pig-gybacked the microbrew movement from the fizzy fringes into mainstream acceptance. Well, sort of. Actually, the trend has only just begun, but already it’s showing a lot of promise. Craft sodas are breathing new life into beverage menus industry-wide; they enhance the dining experience and differentiate your pizzeria from your competitors. In many cases, they leverage locally grown and seasonal ingredients—everything from pomegranate and strawberries to ginger and clove—to create dynamic flavor combina-tions with an organic edge. And they appeal to all ages: Younger customers see craft sodas as new, different and intriguing; older consumers fondly recall similar beverages from their long-ago youth and want to recapture that magic once more.
For pizzeria operators, summer is the perfect time to roll out a selection of these palate-pleasing pops. Fortunately, Tracy’s article, in-depth and thorough as always, tells you pretty much everything you could ever want to know about incorporating craft sodas into your beverage menu. So check it out, make a few phone calls and start revolutionizing your beverage menu today.
But do me one favor: Don’t call them “soda pops.” Just don’t. I can live with “soda,” and I can tolerate “pop,” but I have to draw the line at putting those two words together. I mean, that’s just nuttier than a PEE-can pie.
Correction:There was an error in the photo caption on page 28 of PMQ’s May 2014 issue. The image of a Neapolitan pizza was incorrectly attributed to Don Antonio by Starita. In fact, the photo was taken at A Mano in Ridgewood, New Jersey. We apologize for the error.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR RICK HYNUM
Share your passion! Have a complaint, compliment or suggestion about something you’ve read in the pages of PMQ? Send your letter via email to [email protected] with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject line, or mail to PMQ, ATTN: Letters to the Editor, 612 McLarty Rd., Oxford, MS 38655. We look forward to hearing from you! Friend us on Facebook! Visit facebook.com/pmqpizzamagazine.
Thank You to Our PMQ Think Tank Moderators
Daddio: Member since June 2006Tom Lehmann: Member since June 2006
Rockstar Pizza: Member since June 2006ADpizzaguy: Member since January 2007
PMQ, INC.Publisher Steve Green [email protected] ext. 123
Co-Publisher Linda Green [email protected] ext. 121
EDITORIALEditor-in-Chief Rick [email protected] ext. 130
Editor at Large Liz [email protected]
Senior Copy Editor Tracy [email protected]
International Correspondent Missy [email protected]
DESIGN/PRODUCTIONArt Director Kara [email protected] ext. 135
Designer Eric [email protected]
Media Producer Daniel Lee [email protected] ext.139
ADVERTISINGSales Director Linda [email protected] ext. 121
Account Executive Clifton Moody [email protected] ext. 138
Account Executive Tom [email protected] ext. 122
Account Executive Anna [email protected] ext 140
Sales Assistant Brandy [email protected] ext. 127
MARKETINGSocial Media Director Melanie [email protected] ext. 133
ADMINISTRATIONChief Financial Officer Shawn [email protected]
Circulation Manager Sherlyn [email protected] ext. 120
Director of Operations/Event Coordinator Brian [email protected] ext. 129
PMQ INTERNATIONAL PMQ China Yvonne [email protected]
PMQ Australia-NZ Tom [email protected]
France Pizza Julien [email protected]
Pizza e Pasta Italiana Massimo Puggina [email protected]
Spain—pizzanet.es Eduard Jiménez [email protected]
Brazil—Pizzas & Massas Michel [email protected]
EDITORIAL ADVISORSChef Santo Bruno Tom Feltenstein Tom Lehmann Joey Todaro Ed Zimmerman
CONTRIBUTORS Chef Santo Bruno Linda Duke Tom Feltenstein Tom Lehmann Michael J. Rasmussen
Volume 18, Issue 5PMQ Pizza Magazine 605 Edison St. • Oxford, MS 38655662.234.5481 • 662.234.0665 Fax [email protected]
PMQ Pizza Magazine (ISSN #1937-5263) is published 10 times per year. Cost of U.S. subscription is $25 per year. International $35. Periodical postage pricing paid at Oxford, MS. Additional mailing offices at Bolingbrook, IL. Postmaster: Send address changes to: PMQ Pizza Magazine, PO Box 2015, Langhorne, PA 19047. Opinions expressed by the editors and contributing writers are strictly their own, and are not necessarily those of the advertisers. All rights reserved. No portion of PMQ may be reproduced in whole or part without written consent.
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A P U B L I C AT I O N O F P M Q , I N C .A Heartfelt ThanksI’d like to offer a heartfelt thank-you to the staff at PMQ for caring enough to do a story on Smiling With Hope Bakery (“Walter’s Kids,” May 2014). You did a wonderful job, and my students and I want to thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. The kids all went home excited after seeing the story. It was a wonderful day.
Walter GloshinskiSmiling With Hope BakeryNewark High SchoolNewark, OH
We’re glad that you were able to share the story with your students before the end of the school year, Walter. We also hope our readers went away with a better understanding of the con-tributions that our special-needs population can make in the workplace, particularly in restaurants. We wish everyone at Smiling With Hope Bakery the best of luck. Stay in touch!
Going PaleoI am curious to know whether any pizzeria operators offer paleo pizza. Is there a market for it? I would love to get some information on those pizzerias that already have paleo options on their menus. Thank you.
steviemilanoVia the Think Tank
Good question, Stevie. As you know, the so-called paleo diet consists of anything you can hunt or forage for, such as meats, vegetables, nuts, seeds and greens. Paleo pizza refers to a pie made with a grain-free crust derived from alternatives such as cauliflower, zucchini or coconut flour. PMQ’s international correspondent, Missy Green, says she has seen “quite a few restaurants that have paleo options” in Denmark, but they seem to be scarce in the United States so far. Bergami’s (bergamispizza.com), opening soon in Washington, D.C., promises to offer a cauliflower crust option. Fia’s Ristorante & Pizzeria (fiasfl.com) in Melbourne, Florida, caters specifically to paleo dieters with nonpizza dishes such as mahi piccata with broccoli and mojo pork with roasted sweet potatoes. Many home cooks are posting recipes for grain-free pizza crusts on the Internet, but, all in all, we don’t see any signs of a serious paleo pizza trend developing in the pizzeria business at this time. To readers who are exploring this option, please drop us a line at [email protected].
Smiling With Hope Bakery, a small yet bustling operation in Newark, Ohio, isn’t exactly famous for its speedy service or customer convenience. The piz-za menu is limited—18” cheese or pepperoni pies only. It doesn’t deliver, and good luck calling in a carryout order—the shop doesn’t even have a phone line.But, despite the lack of amenities, you won’t regret plac-ing an order with this one-of-a-kind bakery/pizzeria. By all accounts, the food is good, and the cause is even better. Located at Newark High School, Smiling With Hope Bakery teaches real-world job skills—from dishwashing and food prep to bread baking and pizza making—to special needs students, qualifying them for entry-level restaurant and bakery jobs and helping them achieve self-sufficiency.
The bakery is the brainchild of special education teacher Walter Gloshinski, a Newark, New Jersey, native with Ital-ian roots on his mother’s side. It’s the culmination of nearly two decades’ work that started on a smaller scale in Austin, Texas, and later moved to Sonoma County, California. The goal, Gloshinski explains, is to “train students with cognitive
delays, learning disabilities and emotional disturbances to learn entry-level job skills and find some success in their lives.”Doing It His WayLike many artists, Gloshinki has always followed a solitary—some might say eccentric—path. As a songwriter, he created his own musical genre, called “sponto-beat,” making up and playing his blues-based songs strictly on the spot and in the moment, without set chord progressions or lyrics. “Ever since I was a child, I had these visions,” he says. “I just see it all done. It’s like I walk into the movie screen and become the movie. Everything I do is spontaneously created.”His music took him to Austin and earned him some high-profile fans, he says. “A lot of famous musicians liked what I did. Bob Dylan, Joey Ramone and members of the Rolling Stones were fans of my music and played in my band some-times. They enjoyed the spontaneity of it all.” But record labels prefer a more structured and polished approach to the craft, and Gloshinski refused to compromise. Instead, he switched gears, went to college and became a special education teacher.
By Rick Hynum Photography by Seth Roy
A school-run bakery in Newark, Ohio, uses pizza, bagels and breads to showcase the abilities of an untapped labor force—youths with special needs.
FEATURE STORY SMILING WITH HOPE BAKERY
(Clockwise from top) Paige Mossman (front )has made a name for herself as a pizza making prodigy at Smiling With Hope Bakery, with help from
fellow students Brandon Kruger and Jordan Gaiters as well as instruction from special education teacher Walter Gloshinski; a thank-you note from
one of Gloshinski’s students makes all the hard work worthwhile; Jordan and Paige collaborate on a cheese pizza.
May 2014 pmq.com 73
72 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
Walter’s Kids
Foothill Farms® makes it easy to create an endless variety of great-tasting dishes across the menu. Stunningly delicious dressings, sauces, bases and more. We provide the tasty ingredients. You add the love and creativity (and a few back-of-house items). Just mix ‘em together to create a wide range of bold and unique flavors. Now you have a versatile partner in your kitchen that will make your life easier while delighting your customers and your bottom line.
Creamy Chicken Alfredo
Simply mix Foothill Farms® Alfredo Sauce with water and combine with cooked pasta,
chicken and mozzarella cheese for a classic favorite, or try
it as a white pizza sauce.
So many dishes. So few ingredients.
14 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
JuneJuly14 Book.indb 14 5/15/14 11:53 AM
Foothill Farms® makes it easy to create an endless variety of great-tasting dishes across the menu. Stunningly delicious dressings, sauces, bases and more. We provide the tasty ingredients. You add the love and creativity (and a few back-of-house items). Just mix ‘em together to create a wide range of bold and unique flavors. Now you have a versatile partner in your kitchen that will make your life easier while delighting your customers and your bottom line.
Creamy Chicken Alfredo
Simply mix Foothill Farms® Alfredo Sauce with water and combine with cooked pasta,
chicken and mozzarella cheese for a classic favorite, or try
it as a white pizza sauce.
So many dishes. So few ingredients.
JuneJuly14 Book.indb 15 5/15/14 11:53 AM
PIZZA PRESS NEWS & VIEWS
Captain American PieWe’ve long known that when you’re busy defeating the forces of evil, pizza can provide the perfect fuel. Chris Evans, star of the Captain America movies, proved this theory on Good Morning America on March 31, when the show’s producers surprised him with some of his favorite delicacies from Leone’s Sub & Pizza (leonessubandpizza.com) in Somerville, Massachusetts.
Owner Vic Leone often serves the actor, who hails from a nearby town, and staff at the New York-based morning show ordered both subs and pizzas, with Leone himself making the delivery on-air. “They asked me to come down and even paid for me to close that Monday if I’d attend,” Leone recalls. “I figured, ‘This is nationwide—it couldn’t hurt!’”
Evans’ surprise and thrill upon seeing the Leone’s logo (plus constant mentions on the show) helped bolster nationwide recognition of the pizzeria—not a bad deal for a little comped food. “Chris Evans was ecstatic. I must have received 40 texts when it aired, and people were coming into the shop a week later mentioning it,” Leone says. “Some even asked, ‘Is this the pizza Captain America eats?’ So far, the clip has gotten more than 27,000 hits on YouTube, so it was definitely cheap advertising for us!”
(Left to right) Chris Evans stars in the latest Captain America movie; appears on talk shows to promote; and poses with Sossio del Prete, Vic Leone's godson.
Charlotte’s Favorite PizzaSome of Charlotte, North Carolina’s best-known pizzerias took part in the city’s third annual CBS Radio Pizza Wars, but it was newcomer Bisonte Pizza Co. (bisontepizzaco.com) that claimed the top prize. Barely a year old, Bisonte special-izes in Buffalo-style pizza made from old family recipes. Owners Jim and Steve DaPolito have already made a name for themselves in the community by hosting fundraisers for schools, churches and other nonprofits. “It’s really a great honor to be recognized by the judges as Charlotte’s favorite pizza,” Steve DaPolito said. “We’ve had a lot of support from our community, our friends and family.”
Jim DaPolito, co-owner of Bisonte Pizza, and longtime employee Katie Rath show off the championship trophy the pizzeria earned at this year's CBS Radio Pizza Wars in Charlotte, North Carolina.
As Luck Wood Have It...Edgar Martirosyan, the now-famous pizzeria owner who delivered pies at this year’s Oscars and received a $1,000 tip on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, decided to strike while the pizza oven was hot following his national TV appearances. In April, he hosted a soft opening of his new piz-zeria, Wood (woodsilverlake.com), in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles. Touting “local, organic and in-season ingredients” and “a warm, pleasant and trendy atmosphere,” the venture may very well be the ticket to roping in his many new celebrity fans.
LEONE'S SUB & PIZZA
LEONE'S SUB & PIZZA
BISONTE PIZZA
BISONTE PIZZA
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An Underground MovementLast Dragon Pizza in Arverne, New York, isn’t your typical pizzeria: Owner Nicole Russell serves only two days each week, designed her menu around the kung fu cult classic The Last Dragon—and makes the pizzas from scratch in her house. Word of her skills spread through word-of-mouth and, of course, a Facebook page. “In the movie, they’re searching for the master, so I don’t really publicize myself—if you find the master, you get the pizza!” Russell laughs.
Her underground operation started accidentally. During recovery from Hurricane Sandy, she started making pizzas for neighbors and workers fixing local homes. Soon, they started paying for them—and raved that it was the best pizza they’d ever had. “That was my ‘aha’ moment,” Russell recalls. “Out here in the Rockaways, there isn’t much takeout, so people started flocking to me.”
Though Russell wants to eventually open a traditional storefront, she’s first developing a fol-lowing for her specialty pies, including the Kiss Mi Converse, with Jamaican jerk chicken, and the Sukiyaki Hot Suki Sue, an Asian barbecue pie. “For now, it’s something I do from home,” she says. “I’m a normal person like anyone else and make great pizza. I make only 20 pizzas a day, twice a week, so I’m just having fun with it!”
(Clockwise from top) Nicole Russell cooks up Last Dragon Pizza's pies in her kitchen; happy customers take pies to go; pizzas include The Laura Charles, a classic Margherita.
St. Louis StyleWould St. Louis be the same without long-loved institution Imo’s Pizza (imospizza.com)? We think not. Accordingly, it deserved special recognition last April when it celebrated 50 years of busi-ness. Mayor Francis G. Slay and county executive Charley Dooley officially proclaimed April 8 Imo’s Day at the company’s franchisee meeting, and founders Ed and Margie Imo were in attendance to thank the officials—and show love to the city that has supported them for 50 years and helped grow the chain to 92 locations (including 80 in the St. Louis area). Happy birthday to a Mound City original—here’s to many more!
Pizza and Poetry National Poetry Month may not often be celebrated in pizzerias, but in New Orleans this past April, pies and poems proved a perfect pairing. Literacy and tutoring center Big Class teamed with pizzerias, including Pizza Delicious (pizzadelicious.com), Mid-City Pizza and Reginelli’s Pizzeria (reginellis.com), to publish students’ poetry on pizza boxes. Dubbed the Pizza Poetry Project, the collaboration accepted submissions from students ages 6 to 18, who then saw their words spring to life on pizza boxes on April 18—with a portion of proceeds from the day supporting the center’s free writing programs. “It’s always a great feeling to give back, but if you can make it fun for kids to learn, then it’s a home run!” enthuses Darryl Reginelli, co-owner of Reginelli’s. “The excitement of watching these kids open a pizza with their poem on the box is priceless; their smiles come alive when it gets delivered.”
Reginelli's pizzas are delivered with kids' poetry attached; Greg Augarten and Michael Friedman, owners of Pizza Delicious bring a little bit of New York to New Orleans.
DANIEL PEREAREGINELLI'S PIZZERIA
LAST DRAGON PIZZA
LAST DRAGON PIZZALAST DRAGON PIZZA
IMO'S PIZZA
June/July 2014 pmq.com 17
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QUESTION: We use a hot press with a heated top and bottom to form our crusts/pizza skins. What are the best top and bottom temperatures for pressing our dough?
ANSWER:The heat from the top and bottom press plates helps to relax the dough for improved pressing characteristics with somewhat reduced snap-back. It also imparts a thin skin to both the top and bottom surface of the dough piece. In cases where the dough skin will be pressed for immediate use, the bottom plate is normally heated to about 165°F, or just enough to warm the dough during the limited press/dwell time. The top die, meanwhile, should simply be adjusted to a temperature that allows for proper dough release—any higher top-die tempera-ture serves little purpose. If the top die is too cold, the dough may stick to it when pressure is released, making it harder to remove the formed dough skin.
If the dough will be saved for later use, the top and bot-tom plate temperatures should be adjusted to provide enough skin development so the pressed dough pieces can be stacked
without sticking together. That means you’ll want to increase the bottom plate’s temperature to around 200°F or slightly higher, with a dwell time of around five to seven seconds.
Since all doughs do not press the same, some experimenting may be needed to find the temperature that works best with your specific dough and application. Just keep in mind that hot pressing in any form does not constitute par-baking of the dough/crust. The yeast in the dough is still very much alive, and the pressed dough skins need to be refrigerated if they won’t be used immediately. If you’re planning to hold the skins for later use, place them on pizza screens in a wire tree rack in the cooler to allow them to thoroughly cool before stacking.
QUESTION: How can I salvage blown or over-fermented dough?
ANSWER:As long as your blown or over-fermented dough hasn’t reached the consistency of maple syrup, you can salvage it by adding it back into fresh dough. I’m not sure how much blown or over-fermented dough we’re talking about here, but, to be safe, you probably shouldn’t add it at a level of more than 15% of the weight of the new dough to which it’s being added.
There is no one best way to add the scrap dough into the fresh dough, but I’ve had success by tossing in pieces of the old stuff as the fresh dough is mixing, being careful to get all of the old dough into the mix no less than four minutes before the completion of mixing. This allows for good dispersion of the old dough while letting you monitor your mixer’s operation as it handles the additional burden of mixing the extra dough. Be careful not to overload the mixer and trip out the thermal overload switch.
Tips for Using a Hot PressTom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann explains how to set the temperatures for the top and bottom plates in a hot press.By Tom Lehmann
IN LEHMANN’S TERMS TOM “THE DOUGH DOCTOR” LEHMANN
Tom Lehmann is the director of bakery assistance for the American Institute of Baking (AIB). Need more dough advice? Visit the Dough Information Center at PMQ.com/dough.
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Hello, my readers! I’d like to introduce you to a simple dish called Zucchini With Sundried Tomatoes. Recently, I was thinking back about
all of the different places to which I’ve traveled over the years. It seems that I found varieties of zucchini—in dif-ferent shapes and colors—everywhere I went. In particular, the red ones have such a striking color and can be found around the world. Zucchini is also very healthy for you and can be prepared in so many ways. With zucchini on my mind, I went home and created this special seasonal recipe just for my PMQ readers.
With summer in full bloom, you can even grill zucchini on the home barbecue for a truly flavorful treat. You can also add zucchini to your pasta salads when you’re entertaining guests and, of course, feature this dish on your pizzeria’s seasonal menu. Remember, zucchini is fabulous hot or cold!
Mangia!
Chef Bruno is PMQ’s culinary advisor, with more than 40 years of international pizza experience. He is the corporate chef for Marsal & Sons and the culinary coach of the U.S. Pizza Team.
Chef Bruno conjures up a flavor-packed and healthy side dish to serve as a summertime special.By Chef Santo Bruno
NEW YORK’S FINEST CHEF BRUNO
Zucchini With Sundried Tomatoes
You’ll Need:10 sundried tomatoes (preserved in olive oil)¾ c. warm water5 tbsp. olive oil1 lg. onion, chopped2 garlic cloves, chopped2 lb. zucchini, cut into stripsSalt and pepper to taste
Directions:Slice the tomatoes into thin strips and place in a bowl with the warm water. Let stand for 20 minutes. In a large frying pan, heat the oil and stir in the onion. Cook over low heat until the onion has softened without turning brown. Then stir in the garlic and zucchini and cook for about 5 minutes. Continue stirring and add the sundried tomatoes and water. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Raise the heat slightly and cook until the zucchini is ten-der. Serve hot or cold.
Chef Bruno shares his latest culinary creation with Renata Fontana of Marsal and Sons.
SLNY PRODUCTIONS
SLNY PRODUCTIONS
© 2013 Bellissimo Foods Company
C h e e s e s • M e a t s • t o p p i n g s • p a s t a • s a u C e s • a p p e t i z e r s • o l i v e o i l
To l o c a t e y o u r l o c a l B e l l i s s i m o d i s t r i b u t o r , v i s i t B e l l i s s i m o F o o d s . c o m o r c a l l 8 0 0 - 8 1 3 - 2 9 7 4 .
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20 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
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© 2013 Bellissimo Foods Company
C h e e s e s • M e a t s • t o p p i n g s • p a s t a • s a u C e s • a p p e t i z e r s • o l i v e o i l
To l o c a t e y o u r l o c a l B e l l i s s i m o d i s t r i b u t o r , v i s i t B e l l i s s i m o F o o d s . c o m o r c a l l 8 0 0 - 8 1 3 - 2 9 7 4 .
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JuneJuly14 Book.indb 21 5/15/14 11:54 AM
Man cannot live on pizza alone. At the very least, your customers need a tasty, refreshing beverage to go with it. But too many pizzeria operators
treat their beverage programs as afterthoughts—if they think about them at all. Fortunately, there are some easy things you can do to increase your drink sales, particularly alcoholic beverages. Consider these seven tips for selling more suds, wines and cocktails at your pizzeria:
1. Work with your vendors. Many beer, wine and liquor vendors provide excellent resources to help restaurant operators drive beverage sales. Ask them to provide you with table tents, posters, coasters and other materials to promote their brands in-house. Focus on trendy brands that customers are looking for and take advantage of every opportunity vendors can provide to help build your sales.
2. Host VIP tastings. Again, your vendor may be able to help you out by providing experts to host VIP tasting events. Red Boy Pizza (redboypizza.com), with eight units in the San Francisco Bay area, recently introduced new managers at their locations by inviting local movers and shakers to attend special VIP tastings. “By partnering with our wine vendor, we were able to secure someone to pour and educate our guests about the brands we serve,” says Joseph Radwan, president of Red Boy Pizza. “They also provided some additional bottles—without charging us—to help promote their brands.”
3. Make a suggestion. Your servers or cashiers should make beverage suggestions early in the ordering process and guide customers to popular (or high-margin) brands. This approach can even boost ticket averages for carryout orders. “We keep half-bottles of wine by the cash register so our to-go customers see them while they are paying,” Radwan notes.
4. Celebrate the season. Summer is a great time to promote your beverage program on social media. In last year’s CiCi’s Drink Up Summer promotion, CiCi’s Pizza (cicispizza.com), headquartered in Coppell, Texas, encouraged customers to shoot photos or videos of themselves holding CiCi’s logoed 32-ounce cups and upload them to Instagram using tags such as @CiCisPizza or #cicisdrinkupsummer. Each week, a random winner was chosen to receive a $25 gift card from CiCi’s.
7 Tips for Better Beverage SalesFrom VIP tastings to special summertime promos, Linda “The Marketing Maven” Duke explains how to boost your beverage profits.By Linda Duke
MARKETING MAVEN LINDA DUKE
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7 Tips for Better Beverage Sales
5. Encourage wine sales. With some guidance from experts, you can offer delicious wine-and-pizza pairings or wine dinners that highlight your specialty pizzas. Lala’s Wine Bar + Pizzeria (lalaswinebar.com) in Denver sends advance notice about its wine tastings to members of its Text Messaging Club and offers exclusive special deals to its VIP Email Club members.
6. Create seasonal themes. Make a summertime splash with a Strawberry Martini or a gin-based Cucumber-Honeydew Freeze. Source fresh ingredients whenever possible. The Lala’s weekly Girls Night Out promo, held every Wednesday from 5 p.m. to midnight, features refreshing drinks such as Limoncello-tinis and Spring-tinis as well as the classic Cosmopolitan.
7. Offer happy hour combos. You can kick off a successful happy hour promotion simply by offering a slice and a brew for a special price. L’Asso (lassopizza.com), located in New York’s Little Italy district, offers $4 specials on beers and house wines plus a $7 beer-and-pie combo with two slices of Margherita pizza and any draft beer. Happy hour at Pizzeria Paradiso (eatyourpizza.com) in Washington, D.C., features half-price specials on draft beers, $5 appetizers and discounts on all pizzas—$12 for an 8” pie and $18 for a 12” pie.
Linda Duke is the CEO of Duke Marketing and author of Recipes for Restaurateurs (marketing-cookbook.com), a “cookbook” of marketing ideas for restaurant owners, as well as The LSM Diet: Improve Your Bottom Line, Not Your Waistline (lsmdiet.com), a self-help guide to local store marketing. She publishes a quarterly industry resource, Restaurant Marketing Magazine, and an educational program, LSM-U, Local Store Marketing University. Find out more at dukemarketing.com.
June/July 2014 pmq.com 23
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Michael J. Rasmussen is the owner of Rasmussen Tax Group in Conway, Arkansas. Visit rasmussentaxgroup.com for additional insight into restaurant-specific tax strategies and technology programs.
Tax Law Changes Could Help PizzeriasSenate EXPIRE Act aims to extend tax breaks for restaurant improvements, charitable deductions and more.By Michael J. Rasmussen
ACCOUNTING FOR YOUR MONEY MICHAEL J. RASMUSSEN, CPA
Have a question for Mike? Send it to [email protected].
QUESTION: I hear some changes to tax laws may be in the works. What’s the latest?
ANSWER:The Senate Finance Committee recently approved the Expir-ing Provisions Improvement Reform and Efficiency Act (EX-PIRE), and it includes three key provisions for restaurant own-ers. First, the bill, which had bipartisan support, provides for a two-year, retroactive extension of the 15-year tax depreciation provision for retail improvements, leasehold improvements and restaurant improvements, including new construction. Without this extension, most restaurant improvements would have to be depreciated over a 39-year life.
EXPIRE also extends the enhanced charitable deduction for restaurants that donate food to nonprofit organizations. As you may recall, you can deduct twice the ingredients’ cost when you distribute food to a qualified charity. To capitalize on this opportunity, however, you should configure your POS system to accurately track your food costs, document the costs and hold on to letters or emails from the charity that acknowledge the donation.
Finally, the bill extends the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), which is offered to employers who hire employees from certain disadvantaged groups. All of these provisions expired at the end of 2013 and would be extended for 2014 and 2015 under the legislation.
QUESTION: What’s the latest on the government’s menu labeling law?
ANSWER:As many of you know, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been working to develop guidelines for nutritional labeling on restaurant menus as required by the Affordable Care Act, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama in 2010. According to the National Restaurant Association
(NRA), the agency recently sent its proposed regulations to the Office of Management and Budget for review. This is the last step in the review process before the regulations are finalized. However, you can expect a further delay of at least six months before full compliance is required.
Unfortunately, the FDA’s proposed final rules had not been publicly disclosed as of press time. But one thing’s for sure: Many pizzeria operators will be paying close attention to the outcome. The FDA’s rules have stirred controversy throughout the restaurant industry, and the potential effect on pizza restau-rants has been particularly worrisome. The law requires chain restaurants with at least 20 U.S. locations to provide nutritional information for every menu item. Pizzeria operators have pro-tested that this would be virtually impossible for them, since there are roughly 34 million possible combinations of toppings, cheeses and crusts! We’ll keep you posted about any new devel-opments or changes related to the menu labeling regulations in future issues of PMQ.
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©2014 Tyson Foods, Inc. Trademarks and registered trademarks are owned by Tyson Foods, Inc. or its subsidiaries.
MORE day parts. MORE price points. MORE quality.
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BONICI® Pepperoni
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TFAFSGP4208_FS_A_V2d.indd 1 3/6/14 4:55 PMJuneJuly14 Book.indb 25 5/15/14 11:54 AM
FEATURE STORY EARTH BREAD + BREWERY
26 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
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With its green business model and trendsetting flatbreads and beers, Earth Bread + Brewery is one of Philadelphia’s hippest hangouts.By Rick Hynum Photography by Alix Passage
If you like Ping-Pong, weird science experiments and soothing French dance music, Earth Bread + Brewery (earthbreadbrewery.com) may be the restaurant for
you. If you love flatbreads and craft brews, you’re really in luck. And if you also care passionately about the environ-ment, this sprawling, two-story pizzeria/brewpub, located in Philadelphia’s Mount Airy neighborhood, may be your idea of paradise.
Founded by the husband-and-wife team of Peggy Zwerver and Tom Baker in 2008, Earth Bread + Brewery defied the odds from the start. Its co-founders had zero experience in restaurant operations, and the Great Recession was underway, shutting down eateries across the country. “We paid no mind to that,” Zwerver recalls with a laugh. “Having never owned a restaurant or even worked as servers or bartenders in a restaurant, we opened a restaurant. We’re crazy.”
“Crazy” may not be the word for it. With unerring instincts
for emerging trends and a knack for developing gourmet fare using mostly local ingredients, Zwerver and Baker were more like visionaries. And the Philly media quickly took notice, with rave reviews running in The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadel-phia Magazine and local bloggers praising the breads and brews with equal fervor.
Not bad for a pair of computer geeks who met and fell in love when they both worked as programmer analysts in New Jersey. “We were just ready to change professions,” Zwerver says. “We both wanted a business of our own and had a lot of ideas. We wanted to open a place where we’d like to hang out if we weren’t the owners. Philadelphia is a great beer town, so we focused on finding a space there. It was just a really good fit.”
The Green ThingTo be fair, Zwerver and Baker weren’t complete novices. From 1999 to 2006, they owned and ran Heavyweight Brewing, a
The Good
Earth
June/July 2014 pmq.com 27
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small microbrewery in Ocean, New Jersey. Their product went out to retailers, bars and brewpubs in six states, but peddling microbrews at the wholesale level wasn’t all that lucrative. “We decided we really needed to be on the retail end,” Zwerver says.
Mount Airy seemed like the ideal spot for the brewpub con-cept they had in mind: tucked away in northwest Philadelphia, it’s known for its progressive ideals and diverse population. “The neighborhood needed a place like ours,” Zwerver says. “There are a lot of young families here. At the time, there weren’t any brewpubs. Our business model was all about be-ing environmentally minded and locally focused. Mount Airy is known for embracing people who have that philosophy. And prior to us, this space had been a nuisance bar, so the neighbor-hood was happy to have a family-friendly restaurant move in. We were pretty busy right away.”
Zwerver and Baker pride themselves on leaving a small car-bon footprint in their personal lives and aimed to do the same with Earth. “So many restaurants are known for being wasteful, so sustainability was really important to us,” Zwerver notes. The restaurant’s chairs were bought at auctions, while the tables were made with salvaged farmhouse wood. The two bars—one on each level of the restaurant—were reclaimed from out-of-business watering holes in the region. Furnishings and fixtures
were sourced in flea markets and antique shops. Sturdy plastic containers and ingredient bags are repurposed, while spent grain from the microbrewery gets donated to a horse farm to be reused as feed. They even use corn-based cups, lids and straws, which are composted along with paper napkins, coffee grounds and food scraps at a local composting site.
Earth’s kitchen has three waste bins—for recycling, compost and trash—with signage explaining what goes where. “We’re proud of how much we compost,” Zwerver says. “Once a week, we put out only four family-sized trash cans of garbage. We’re serving maybe 700 flatbreads a week, so that tells you that nearly everything is getting recycled or composted.”
Sustainability has a big marketing advantage as well, Zwerver believes. “I think a lot of people care about it, and not just in our area,” she says. “We advertise in local publications that focus on sustainability, like Grid Magazine, and our commit-ment to the environment is described throughout our menu and our website. We make a point of telling everybody.”
The Green GourmetsZwerver and Baker are just as conscientious about their menu. Whenever possible, the pizzeria features local or regional ingredients from nearby Weaver’s Way Co-Op and other area growers. “We’re exclusively using organic spelt from a family-run farm that’s a couple of hours away,” Zwerver says. “They grow it, mill it and sell it. There’s no blending—it’s all their spelt. We’re really happy with it. And for Earth Day this year, our special of the week used all ingredients from a local farm: arugula, baby carrots, radishes, baby leeks, chives and sorrel. Buying local can be more expensive, but people in this area really like to know where their food comes from.”
Despite having no experience as a professional chef, Baker developed most of Earth’s initial recipes, and executive chef Alexandra Fries arrived later to take over the kitchen while Bak-er mans the brewery. Zwerver says they showcased flatbreads from the start to differentiate Earth from the city’s many other
Earth's dome-shaped wood-burning oven, which co-owner Tom Baker built himself, takes center stage on the first floor of the popular Philly brewpub.
Located in a neighborhood known for its progressive ideals, Earth scores points with its emphasis on sustainability and warm, family-friendly vibe.
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pizza joints. Baked in a dome-shaped wood-fired oven that Baker built himself, the flatbreads were an instant hit. Writing for The Philadelphia Inquirer in early 2009, restaurant critic Craig LaBan said he was “particularly impressed” with Baker’s dough, “which has a perfectly delicate, crispy bottom, a lively, stretchy puff of a middle and a heat-blistered crust on top.”
A white pizza, called the White+Black, tops Earth’s bestseller list. Prepared with a roasted garlic sauce, it features bacon, figs, Asiago, Parmesan and arugula. A close second is the Seed, a sauce-free and appealingly crunchy number sprinkled with sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and pine nuts, plus mozzarella, red pepper flakes and a lot of roasted garlic. Red pies include the Winter Ratatouille, with roasted onions, eggplant, diced potatoes, kale, tomatoes, mozzarella, Grana Padano, fresh basil, thyme and parsley, and the Meatatarian, which comes load-ed with spicy turkey sausage, blackened chicken, pepperoni, bacon, Asiago and mozzarella.
Not surprisingly, the menu offers plenty for vegetarians and vegans, including the Pesto (purple basil pesto, sliced toma-toes, pine nuts, mozzarella, basil and balsamic reduction) and the Veggie Verde (green bell pepper sauce, peas, green beans, Brussels sprouts, kale, pepper Jack cheese and goat cheese). But don’t be fooled by the gourmet flair; offered in large and small sizes, Earth’s flatbreads don’t come with high-end prices. The large Meatatarian is the most expensive item on the menu at $22.
Meanwhile, Baker’s suds have developed a loyal following of their own. On the first floor, customers can stand at the railings and peer down at the brewery, where Baker brews unique, ever-changing recipes in 230-gallon batches about once a week. He seldom makes the same beer twice, Zwerver notes. “Every time he does a beer, he changes it up somehow,” Zwerver says. “He comes up with these creative ideas and will just do whatever he wants. Right now, we have a rye beer with coriander and
caraway seeds.”Interestingly, Earth features only four house brews on tap.
“The other seven draft lines are dedicated to other local brew-eries, which is unusual for a brewpub—most serve only their own beer,” Zwerver says. “Because our brewery is so small, the capacity just isn’t there for us. This approach gives my hus-band the flexibility to be creative and brew anything he wants. Most of our customers drink our beer, but should the styles not include one you really like, you can choose from all these other styles. You can order an IPA, a pale ale, a stout—the types that Tom maybe doesn’t feel like making,” she adds, laughing.
Creating Nights to RememberZwerver and Baker may be earnest about the environment, but that doesn’t mean you have to check your sense of fun at the door. They use a wide range of promotions and events to draw
Earth's owners make every effort to source local or regional ingredients for their flatbreads; meanwhile, the bar features four house brews plus seven draft lines dedicated to other local brewers. This approach allows co-owner Tom Baker to create the beers he likes to make rather than worry constantly about what will sell.
Earth's menu offers a wide assortment of vegetarian- and vegan-friendly flatbreads with ingredients sourced from area growers.
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crowds, with live bands performing on Thursdays and Sundays and Quizzo trivia nights on Wednesdays. The trivia contests often spotlight local organizations and businesses, building goodwill in the community. “We’ll have one round dedicated to a specific group, such as an artists’ group or the local theater troupe,” Zwerver says. “They’ll come in and give out extra priz-es or swag, such as two tickets to the next theater production.”
On Tuesday nights, Zwerver sets up a Ping-Pong table for guests, while wine dinners on Thursday nights bring in a dif-ferent crowd. “Every couple of months, our wine rep and our chef get together, taste the wines, decide on a theme—such as French or Italian—and come up with small plates that complement the wines,” Zwerver explains. “We offer four to five courses for $45 per person. It’s a lot of work to put them together, so I limit them to 25 people.”
Zwerver also displays the works of local artists on Earth’s walls and throws receptions for new show openings. That means art lovers in the area—as well as the artists’ friends and family members—know Earth well. “The artists can post the prices and sell their art right there, and I don’t take a commis-sion. You’ll often see guests walking around the restaurant, just looking at the walls.”
As if all of that doesn’t keep Zwerver and Baker busy enough, Earth’s brunch specials pack the shop on Saturdays and Sun-days. Menu items include the Breakfast Flatbread (a tomato cream cheese base, eggs, cheddar cheese and bacon) and the Salmon Flatbread (a cream cheese base, house-cured salmon, red onion, slices of watermelon radish, capers, sour cream, arugula and sesame seeds). “We bring in Cabriole, a quartet of musicians that play this beautiful style called French dance music,” Zwerver says. “Customers love to sit and eat and listen to the music—it’s just beautiful.”
And then there’s Tabletop Science Night, a kid-friendly pre-sentation held once a month by a local university science pro-fessor. “He brings in his students, and they do demonstrations showing the reactions of different chemicals,” Zwerver says.
The Craft Soda BubbleThe craft beer movement was already well under way when Earth Bread + Brewery launched in 2008, but craft sodas were a different story. About a year after opening their doors, co-owners Tom Baker and Peggy Zwerver unveiled their selection of house-made specialty sodas—Sarsaparilla, Cream-sicle, Ginger Ale and Lime Nojito (like a Mojito minus the alcohol)—and sent the mainstream soft drink brands packing. Now, thanks to the burgeon-ing natural foods movement, many restaurants are following suit.
“It’s actually pretty easy to do,” Zwerver notes. “My husband makes the syrups, and one of our draft lines contains seltzer. The staff just puts a couple of squirts of the syrup into the glass, adds seltzer and stirs it up. The drinks are very popular.”
The craft soda line further illustrates Zwerver and Baker’s commitment to minimizing their impact on the environment. “Homemade products are not only cost-effective, but they help reduce waste and yield a greener, healthier product,” Baker says.
Earth's flatbread menu features a selection of both red and white pies, all made with an artisan flair but sold at moderate prices.
Earth's beer tanks brew unique, ever-changing recipes in 230-gallon batches, and you will seldom see the same beer twice.
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“On Halloween, they put all these chemicals into a carved out pumpkin—called the puking pumpkin—and it spews out foam from the eyes and mouth. They’ll freeze a banana and use it as a hammer. The kids get to make gummy worms from scratch. They have so much fun, it’s hard to get the kids to go back to their tables and eat!”
A Heartfelt CommitmentTheir previous lack of experience notwithstanding, Zwerver and Baker have done a lot of things right with Earth Bread + Brewery. Zwerver maintains a light and lively tone on the shop’s Facebook page, which has more than 3,800 likes and keeps growing, thanks to regularly posted photographs of
menu items and updates on the latest brews from Baker’s tanks. The company’s e-newsletter—which touts specials of the week, upcoming bands and new beers—goes out to 1,300 customers every Tuesday. “When people get their checks, there’s always a card in the billfold that lets you sign up for the newsletter,” Zwerver says. “That works pretty well.”
A vast, brightly colored mural on the building’s exterior—sponsored by the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program and paint-ed by local artist Brian Ames—helps to draw attention to the store. Once inside the building, guests are struck by the warm tones and hip but accessible vibe. The company’s website isn’t fancy, but it’s kept up-to-date, and its events page offers a calendar describing every promotion, from Monday night growler fills to wine tastings spotlighting an array of Italian Piedmont wines.
But Zwerver credits Earth’s success largely to its emphasis on sustainability, which has garnered positive media cover-age and word-of-mouth, and its heartfelt commitment to the community. Saving the planet from waste and self-destruction begins at the local level—and it can be great for business, too, as evidenced by the rising popularity of hybrid cars and or-ganic farming. As Zwerver says, “The truth is, with Americans becoming increasingly aware of how to live more economical and sustainable lifestyles, not only will changes within your business benefit the environment, but your customer base may grow, knowing that you care about where your pizza comes from: the earth.”
Rick Hynum is PMQ’s editor in chief.
Under the sponsorship of the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, local artist Brian Ames painted the eyecatching mural on the side of Earth's building.
The staff of Earth Bread + Brewery gather to pose for a photo on a chilly winter's day in the City of Brotherly Love.
The StatsName: Earth Bread + BreweryLocation: Philadelphia, PASeating capacity: 160Number of employees: 38Dine-in, carryout for flatbreads only
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FEATURE STORY FLATBREADS
FULL OF LIFE FLATBREADS
Full of Life Flatbreads in Los Alamos, California, has been attracting fans with its seasonal ingredients and creative combinations since 2003.
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Trendy and versatile, flatbreads give today’s customers what they demand—artisanal flair, a customizable format
and the perception of healthier eating.By Tracy Morin
There’s no denying it: Flatbreads have arrived. Of course, historians will say they’ve always been around, with ancient recipes circulating for thou-
sands of years—naan and roti in India, lavash and pita in the Middle East, injera in Ethiopia. But their popularity soars today, with mega-chains from Taco Bell and Subway to Pizza Hut (pizzahut.com) and Chili’s offering their own takes on the phenomenon.
Pizzeria operators are already in a great position to offer flatbreads, which fulfill so many modern customer require-ments: an artisan flair, a healthier perception and a custom-izable format. Using the same dough you make every day,
you can appeal to a wider range of consumers without adding anything in terms of inventory. We’d say the possibilities are flat-out endless.
Behind the TrendGeorge Schenk, founder/owner of American Flatbread Com-pany (americanflatbread.com), was a modern-day pioneer in the category, developing his operation in 1985 and growing to four current locations in Vermont and New York. “Flatbreads were originally developed as a solution to the problem of cook-ing grains and making their nutrition more available and more flavorful,” Schenk says. “Many cultures have mixed flour with a
June/July 2014 pmq.com 37
FLATBREADPHENOMENON
THE
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fluid—water, milk, broth or even diluted seawater—then knead-ed and rolled the dough and put it on a griddle to cook. Flat-breads are a union between nutrition and the joys of the palate.”
Thousands of years after their first iterations, flatbreads remain more popular than ever. According to data from research firm Technomic’s MenuMonitor database, the num-ber of flatbreads offered at full-service restaurants increased 2.6% from the first quarter of 2013 to the first quarter of 2014. “The popularity of flatbreads appears to be mainly in the full-service sector,” says Lauren Hallow, associate editor at Chicago-based Technomic, Inc. “In the last two years, flat-breads have increased 6.7%, and in the last five years, flatbreads have increased 98.5%.”
Flatbreads are also helping to grow the pizzeria business spe-cifically. According to GuestMetrics, based in Leesburg, Vir-ginia, recent strong sales performances of pizza in table-service restaurants was driven largely by expanded flatbread offerings. “Pizza sales were up 8.2% in 2012 and picked up further steam during the first quarter of 2013, growing 8.8%, resulting in pizza gaining about 20 basis points of share in the overall food category in table-service restaurants,” says GuestMetrics CEO Bill Pecoriello.
GuestMetrics looked across more than 400 different types of pizzas sold and saw that flatbread pizza’s share of the overall
pizza category grew from about 8% in 2011 to 14% in 2012, and for the first quarter of 2013 increased to around 17%, according to Peter Reidhead, vice president of strategy and insights at GuestMetrics. “To put the importance of this in perspective, while non-flatbread pizzas were 83% of total pizza sales in 2013’s first quarter, about 60% of the incremen-tal growth for pizza was due to strength in flatbread pizzas,” Reidhead says.
Why are flatbreads heating up so quickly? Hallow believes versatility is one key factor. “Flatbreads can be served like pizzas, topped with a variety of ingredients, then baked; as sandwiches, folded and filled with ingredients; and even as salad bases,” she explains. “Consumers also tend to perceive flatbreads as healthier and of higher quality than pizzas. Opera-tors commonly market flatbreads with terms like ‘artisan’ and ‘rustic’ and top them with upscale ingredients that you may not see often on pizzas, such as shrimp, prosciutto, and gourmet cheeses like Brie and Gouda.”
Schenk agrees that the word “flatbread” conjures images of an artisan touch. “The word has been used because of its poetry and to differentiate it from pizza, which in some cases is associated with mediocrity,” he notes. “A flatbread connotes something done with more thought and care. But another rea-son for flatbread’s success is simple: It’s an effective platform
“Most great pizzerias make a wonderful pie, but introducing a flat-bread can increase the reasons a customer will want to order from that pizzeria. It doesn't take away from pizza sales; it provides additional items to be sold.” —Cherise Kramer, Ultra-Thin Crusts
Full of versatility, flatbreads can be topped with a variety of ingredients and served as appetizers or main meals.
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on which to feed—relatively inexpensive and infinitely flexible for meat-eaters, vegetarians, vegans and those with a gluten-free diet.”
Unlimited CreativityTo offer flatbreads, start at the base—the flatbread itself—and then dream up the myriad ways in which to top it, stuff it or serve it. Schenk admits that flatbreads are highly influenced by pizza, since the latter is just a variant of the former. But for his own operation, he wanted to reach back in time, basing his recipes not in how much money he could make but in how well the flatbreads could be made—and he advises other operators to do the same. “Many master bread bakers still believe the best tastes are developed in earthen ovens, built with stone and clay and heated with fire,” notes Schenk. Of course, flatbreads can be cooked any way pizzas can—on a grill, over a wood or coal fire, or even on a simple deck or conveyor oven.
Regardless of your cooking method, think about how you’ll differentiate your flatbreads. Compared to pizza, they tend to be thinner (meaning less carbs for health-conscious customers), and flatbreads often boast high-quality, cleaner ingredients to offset the common perception that pizza is unhealthy. And
don’t be afraid to tweak as you go: Schenk started his business by focusing on more eclectic and artisanal recipes, but when he saw how many kids were coming in, he added traditional pizza-type options. “We provide the whole range, from simple sauce-and-cheese to nitrite-free pepperoni,” he says. “But we make our own sausage, sauce and dough in-house, and we maintain a natural, organic, local sensibility about our ingredients.”
Like pizzas, flatbreads can engender unlimited creativity. Hallow has witnessed a slew of interesting examples, like Bar Louie’s Pear, Pig-N-Fig flatbread, which debuted in April and features pulled pork, grilled pears, fig jam, caramelized onions
Rethinking the SandwichWhile flatbreads gain in popularity, another long-loved menu item—the trusty sandwich—remains a mainstay (with some notable upgrades, of course). Fast, filling, customizable and portable, sand-wiches can really let your pizzeria’s personality shine through, thanks to unique condiments, bread options or house-cured meats. “One of the most popular trends in the sandwich sector right now is nontraditional sandwiches, from waffle sandwiches to ethnic options to handhelds with eclectic ingre-dients,” explains Lauren Hallow, associate editor at Technomic, Inc., in Chicago. “Patrons are welcom-ing these new takes on sandwiches, as they offer a refreshing twist on one of Americans’ most popular food offerings.”
For your own inspiration, Hallow notes some of the following concepts from across the country that are specializing in nontraditional sandwiches:
• Bruxie, a growing California chain, specializes in sandwiches served on folded crispy waffles. Options range from savory (cheeseburger, prosciutto and Gruyère) to sweet (Nutella and banana with sweet cream).
• No. 7 Sub is a four-unit chain in New York offering a changing menu of chef-created subs featur-ing ingredient pairings typically not found at traditional sandwich shops, including the Broc-coli Classic, with lychee muchim, ricotta salata and peanuts, and The Frito Kid, featuring cold balsamic chicken, black bean hummus, lettuce, tomatoes and Fritos.
• 100 Montaditos is a Spanish chain with a growing U.S. presence that offers 100 varieties of bite-size sandwiches called montaditos. Options range from traditional Spanish varieties with chorizo and Serrano ham to American-influenced varieties like barbecue pulled pork and Philly steak.
• Banh Mi & Co. is a Chicago chain specializing in authentic Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches.
• Verts Kebap is an Austin-based chain offering doner kebab sandwiches (a street food commonly found in Turkey and Germany).
At Michael's Pizzeria in southern California, flatbreads are used to create puccias, sandwich-like options that are especially popular with lunchtime crowds.
MICHAEL'S PIZZERIA
Tel. 800-258-6358 Fax. 603-893-1249 www.univexcorp.com
QUALITY. SUPPORT. SERVICE.
We Raise the Bar. We Set the Standard.
From Mixing to Baking
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Tel. 800-258-6358 Fax. 603-893-1249 www.univexcorp.com
QUALITY. SUPPORT. SERVICE.
We Raise the Bar. We Set the Standard.
From Mixing to Baking
JuneJuly14 Book.indb 41 5/15/14 11:57 AM
and Brie; and Ruby Tuesday’s Black & Blue Steak Flatbread (which launched in February), with Cajun-seasoned barbecue steak, blue cheese, Parmesan sauce and a six-cheese blend.
Salads and PucciasBut flatbreads needn’t be limited to pizza-like versions topped with a smattering of ingredients. With 10 locations in Loui-siana and Texas, Reginelli’s Pizzeria (reginellis.com) uses flat-breads as bases for salads, such as the Ancona Caesar (with marinated chicken), the all-veggie Salad Number Three, and the ham-and-turkey-enhanced Deli Salad.
Meanwhile, Michael’s Pizzeria (michaelspizzeria.com), with
three locations in Southern California, uses flatbreads to make puccias, sandwich-like creations that are similar to Italian pia-dinas. Crafted with a different flour than regular pizzas (0 flour instead of 00, for less gluten and elasticity), the dough is flat-tened, grilled and baked in an 800° oven for a crispy finish. “For lunchtime in our downtown Long Beach location, our puccias are the most popular item,” says Massimo Aronne, general manager of the Michael’s Restaurant Group.
The pizzeria’s most popular combinations include confit artichoke, pesto and housemade mozzarella, as well as roasted and spiced pork belly with arugula, shaved Parmesan and garlic aioli. “We’re always inspired by the seasons—we work with
800-333-9133www.amnow.com
“Almost 1 in 3 flatbread dishes are menued as sandwiches, but don't let your imagination stop with basic sandwiches. In chicken sandwiches, flatbreads are being featured with creamy sauce additions such as cilantro lime mayo, Thousand Island dressings, red chili ranch and chipotle mayo.” —Bruce Engelmann, Tyson Foods
American Flatbread Company was a pioneer in flatbreads back in 1985 and has since grown to four locations.
AMERICAN FLATBREAD COMPANY
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what’s available and offer a rotating vegetable-based puccia,” Aronne says. “In each variation, we try to offer spicy or peppery ingredients, acidity—like the lemon juice in our garlic aioli—and fat, so there’s a balance of flavors and textures.”
Schenk has found that customers are seeking more fiber, plus lighter tastes in the form of vegetable toppings, so he advo-cates a balance between nutrient-dense ingredients and heavier components like dough and meats. “Flatbreads themselves are dense in nutrients, and vegetables add lightness; we’ve been adding microgreens or herbs after baking,” says Schenk. “Our chef also developed a basil honey for squirting on after baking.”
Adding a balsamic glaze, a housemade sauce or fresh greens just before serving your flatbread enhances the hand-crafted
impact and adds visual and textural depth to your product while setting you apart from competitors.
Marketing MagicOnce your flatbreads are on the menu, don’t forget to spread the word. When the Chili’s chain was promoting its new flat-breads, it offered giveaways for patrons who submitted e-mail addresses, dining preferences and other data—a great way to generate interest and capture customer info. Michael’s sent out e-blasts about its lunch menu, engaged in local advertising for its puccias, and trained staff to understand them and share that information with guests. And the flatbread sandwiches are still part of an ongoing lunch deal—a puccia with a choice of side salad (including seasonal options) for $10.
Schenk, in earlier years, attended local festivals to offer edu-cation and encourage trial of his creations; now they have a life of their own. But his menu still offers detailed descriptions of ingredients (and, in some cases, where they come from), which reinforces the artisanal angle. “Even through the art on our walls, we showcase our ingredients, and people get the mes-sage of our values through waitstaff,” Schenk explains. “I write a dedication every week—a story or poem—for our website, and I write in the local paper about issues in contemporary American food.” When customers come to rely on Schenk’s expertise, they become loyal—then offer priceless word-of-mouth. Accordingly, his advice is straightforward: Tell your story. “Build a constructive relationship with the community and local schools, and be a resource for good food and health,” he advises. “People attach ideas to the word ‘flatbread,’ but if you’re making pizza, you’re already making flatbread!”
Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.
Great IdeasLooking to offer flatbreads? Check out some standout examples from some of America’s most well-known flatbread purveyors:
• With four stores in Vermont and New York, Ameri-can Flatbread Company (americanflatbread.com) offers the New Vermont Sausage, with house-made nitrate-free maple-fennel sausage (featuring pork from a local farm) baked with sundried toma-toes, caramelized onions, mushrooms, cheeses and fresh herbs.
• At its 12 locations from Maine to Hawaii, The Flatbread Company (flatbreadcompany.com) celebrates the universal appeal of flatbreads with selections like the mostly organic Coevolution, topped with imported Kalamata olives, fresh rose-mary, red onions, local goat cheese, fire-roasted sweet red peppers and premium whole-milk moz-zarella, baked with homemade garlic oil and its own blend of herbs.
• Flatbread Neapolitan Pizzeria (flatbreadpizza.com) hand-presses and wood-fires its flatbreads, which combine unique ingredients like smoked porto-bello, sausage, arugula and a fig drizzle.
• The Flatbread Pizza Co. (theflatbreadpizzaco.com) in Breckenridge, Colorado, features hand-rolled flatbreads, including the Isis, with an olive oil-brushed crust, sliced pears, mozzarella, Gorgon-zola, red onions and toasted walnuts.
• The gluten-free options at Grey Block Pizza (greyblockpizza.com), with two locations in Cali-fornia, include the Sicilian Flatbread Pizza, a soy-free, rice-free, GMO-free and certified-organic blend made with amaranth, tapioca and millet.
In-season, upscale and gourmet ingredients are often featured atop flatbreads to evoke a hand-crafted, artisan feel.
STONEFIRE AUTHENTIC FLATBREADS
June/July 2014 pmq.com 43
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RECIPE OF THE MONTH MOZZ-PROV CHICKEN & PESTO
Directions:Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a skillet, heat the olive oil at medium-high. Add chicken and sauté until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the peppers and onions and continue to sauté until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the pesto. Place pizza crust on a pizza pan or large baking sheet. Spoon the chicken mixture onto the crust and top with the cheese blend. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
Recipe Month:
of the
Ingredients1 12” prebaked pizza crust2 tbsp. olive oil2 boneless, skinless split chicken breasts, cut into strips1 medium green bell pepper, diced1 medium red or orange bell pepper, diced1 medium onion, thinly sliced1/3 c. prepared pesto1½ c. mozzarella-provolone blend, shredded(Variation: Try using a shredded mozzarella/smoked provolone blend.)
Sponsored by
Mozz-Prov Chicken & Pesto
Pleased With CheeseCall it a happy accident—Wisconsin’s cheese industry was born in the mid-19th century after depleted soil and insect infestations ruined the state’s wheat crops. Farmers turned to raising cows instead, and immigrants from countries like Ger-many and Switzerland quickly put cheese making methods from the Old Country to work. Today, pizzerias around the country pride themselves on offering high-quality Wisconsin cheese from “America’s Dairyland.” Here are a few of them:
Buddy’s Restaurant & Pizzeria (buddyspizza.com), a Detroit mainstay, serves the Detroiter, made with Wisconsin brick cheese, pepperoni, and tomato-and-basil sauce, then finished off with shaved Parmesan and a Sicilian spice blend.
In last year’s “50 States, 50 Pizzas” list, Zagat.com singled out the Green and Gold Pizza at Wild Tomato Wood-Fired Pizza and Grille (wildtomatopizza.com) in Fish Creek, Wis-consin. It features roasted chicken, bacon, grilled broccoli, spinach and Wisconsin cheese curds.
At NYPD Pizza Delivery (nypdpizza.com), with three stores in Cincinnati, the Crimebuster is billed as “the mother of all pizzas.” It’s topped with pepperoni, Italian sausage, ground beef, ham, mushrooms, onions, green olives and green pep-pers, all smothered under a blanket of Wisconsin mozzarella and provolone.
The signature Polish Pizza at Mau’s Haus Pub & Grille (maushauspubandgrill.com), a single-unit operation located in Orangeville, Illinois, boasts Wisconsin cheese, cooked cabbage, sausage, onions and green peppers. According to the pizzeria’s website, the specialty pie is “worth the 60-minute wait!”
Recipe adapted from a Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board recipe Photo by Kara Hoffman
©2014 Foremost Farms USA Cooperative
Thanks to our customers for choosing Foremost Farms USA®. We take great pride in your loyalty.
Discover why customers trust our premium quality Wisconsin cheeses to deliver consistently exceptional pizza performance. Made to your exact specs, on time, every time.
Call 800-362-9196 www.foremostfarms.com
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©2014 Foremost Farms USA Cooperative
Thanks to our customers for choosing Foremost Farms USA®. We take great pride in your loyalty.
Discover why customers trust our premium quality Wisconsin cheeses to deliver consistently exceptional pizza performance. Made to your exact specs, on time, every time.
Call 800-362-9196 www.foremostfarms.com
JuneJuly14 Book.indb 45 5/15/14 11:57 AM
FEATURE STORY CRAFT SODAS
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Trendy and upscale, craft sodas are exploding right now—and they’re a great fit for pizzerias looking to stand out from the pack.By Tracy Morin
Between the foodie movement, the upscale-ization of everything from hot dogs to burgers, and the boom-ing craft beer industry, there’s no denying that today’s
customers are looking for new twists on national faves—and soda is no exception. International food and restaurant con-sultants Baum+Whiteman named craft sodas one of the big-gest beverage trends for 2014, noting that some restaurants are even creating their own sodas (both bottled and on tap) using house-made fruit syrups and infusions. “The craft beer movement spawns craft sodas,” the company reports, adopt-ing the “same mantra: local, natural, artisan.”
Experts agree that the explosion in craft sodas and craft beer are driven by many of the same forces. “Craft sodas are about authenticity, better quality, healthy ingredients and unique flavors—similar to the difference between mass-produced beer and craft beer,” says Jennifer A. Martin, chief soda officer at SIPsoda Co. in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. “These drinks appeal to discerning customers who care about quality, health and how the product is produced.”
Chris Taylor, senior vice president at New York-based Boylan Bottling Company, agrees. “Pizzeria owners are looking for the best possible products to offer customers, and if you can differentiate yourself by giving them high-quality beverages while increasing your margins, it’s a no-brainer. In pizza, there has been a real shift in the marketplace to incorporate different ingredients and toppings as well as fresher and more natural offerings. So why not do the same with sodas?”
Back to NatureIndeed, the health-conscious movement has led consumers to seek sodas with better, all-natural ingredients and no high-fructose corn syrup, says Ed Doyle, president and founder of RealFood Consulting in Boston. “People want something dif-ferent, with unique ingredient profiles—often sweetened with agave or cane sugar,” he explains. “There’s a move away from the long ingredient lists you see on many bigger soda brands.”
At Gusto Pizza Co. (gustopizzaco.com), with two loca-tions in Des Moines and West Des Moines, Iowa, owner Josh
Topof the
POPS
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Holderness has witnessed widespread rejection of synthetic ingredients. “Artificial sweeteners have received a lot of nega-tive press, so anything with natural sweeteners like cane sugar stands out,” he notes. “People are also growing discontented with the abundance of high-fructose corn syrup in drinks.”
Craft sodas are made in smaller batches, with unique flavor combos and more detailed manufacturing processes, Martin says. They can bring in new customers who would not nor-mally order a soda or convert water drinkers to drink buyers. “They especially appeal to health-conscious and foodie con-sumers; it’s a totally different demographic than the average soda drinker,” she says.
Like many craft brewers, Boylan Bottling rolls out seasonal varieties throughout the year. “Last year we did Shirley Temple, Sparkling Lemonade and Orange Cream,” Taylor says. “This fall, we’ll do a Sparkling Cider. We’ve looked at what works for craft beers and are adopting those practices for our sodas. Seasonal flavors get both retailers and customers excited.”
Steven Walker, co-founder of Minneapolis-based Bound-ary Waters Brands (creator of Joia All-Natural Soda), believes that the market for craft sodas has only begun to bloom. “I think we’ll see a lot more in the future, and a lot of them look toward the past, offering fresher colas, orange sodas, root beers
and cream sodas,” he says. “People are looking for a healthier beverage, and they want variety.”
At Gusto Pizza Co., Holderness has tapped into this craft craze by offering specialty sodas in bottles: citrus-based San Pel-legrino sodas; Chicago’s original Green River; cream soda, black cherry soda and root beer from the local Millstream Brewing Co.; and Dr. Brown’s Black Cherry. “People are looking for something different with their sodas,” he notes. “There’s a sen-timental value, too. When I was a kid, our local deli had Dr. Brown’s Black Cherry, so when I found it available, I jumped on it.” He believes that customers like the idea of drinking sodas brewed in a more traditional style. Doyle agrees, adding that many also increasingly seek “retro flavors,” such as birch and cream sodas, which offer an “old-timey,” nostalgic feel.
A Matter of MarginsSome pizzeria owners may worry that pricier craft sodas could hurt their profit margins. It is difficult to beat the margins you’ll find on behemoth fountain brands, but offering craft sodas is about looking at the bigger picture—and, when po-sitioned correctly, they can offer real benefits to your opera-tion. “In a crowded marketplace, it’s all about differentiating yourself, and in the pizza industry in particular, there’s a lot of
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"Craft sodas are made by artisans that care about the ingre-dients and know the farmers. The sodas taste better, and they're better for you and for the environment." —Mark Seiler, Maine Root Handcrafted Beverages
Josh Holderness, owner of Gusto Pizza Co., says his pizzeria offers a wide selection of craft sodas to accommodate customers who prefer natural sweeteners, such as cane sugar, in their soft drinks.
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replication,” Doyle notes. “But with artisan pizzerias or smaller operations, [offering craft soda] is one way to get the message across: ‘We’re not the other guys.’”
Doyle adds that few craft soda makers are offering fountain drinks; most package their beverages in a bottle or can. But a swap from a major brand to, say, Boylan’s (one of the few that offer fountain drinks), translates to about a 25% difference in cost. “When you consider that you’re paying 6 to 10 cents for a traditional cola, a 25% difference isn’t much,” he says. “You have to look at this as a bigger menu strategy; it’s really about branding, messaging and carving out who you are as a company and a brand.”
Restaurants can make up for the difference by charging more for craft sodas, Taylor points out. “In both glass bottles and on fountain, the profit margins for our sodas are right in line with—and in some cases higher than—major soda brands, especially in a pizzeria or fast-casual setting because the restaurateur has the ability to command a higher price for a premium product.”
Walker, meanwhile, believes it’s a volume game; selling a lot of craft sodas will help hedge against thinner margins, he says. “Our sodas are often priced from $2.25 to $3.50 in pizzerias, cafes and delis, so there’s a fair amount of room to mark up for convenience, originality and uniqueness. In areas where there are fewer craft soda options, you can mark up on the higher end of the scale.”
For his part, Holderness says he sacrifices a bit in profit mar-gins with his craft sodas, but he believes these options work to uphold the Gusto Pizza Co. brand’s values. “We find that customers will pay a little more for premium craft soda, just as with our food we offer a premium menu that people pay a little more for,” he says. “It’s also part of our brand to support local producers and products as much as we can. Even if you
Craft sodas, such as those offered by Boylan Bottling Co., are free of high-fructose corn syrup, an increasingly controversial ingredient believed by many to contribute to America's obesity problem.
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sacrifice a bit on margins, you have to look at the bigger picture in terms of what it relays about your brand. From offering all-natural food ingredients to craft beers and sodas, these choices convey a positive image to customers.”
“Selling craft beverages isn’t about matching margins,” Martin concludes. “It’s about differentiating yourself from your competitors by offering something special, something ‘homemade’ from a trusted producer. And, because they’re premium-priced, margins can still be reasonable.”
Proper PositioningCraft sodas, many agree, are a natural fit for pizzerias, particu-larly those who tout artisan or made-from-scratch menus that incorporate local or seasonal ingredients. Doyle notes that serv-ing craft sodas in glass bottles conveys an upscale image, differ-entiating the product and helping customers justify spending a few bucks on a bottle. “You have to make sure you’re getting the message across and letting customers know you’re doing something different, or you might even find yourself getting a
negative response,” Doyle notes. “Position the sodas not as an alternative choice, but as an extension of your menu—‘We use only artisan products’—so there’s a linear menu message and you get more bang for your buck.”
Once you have some unique sodas in place, don’t forget to advertise (through your website, e-blasts, newsletters and social
Serving craft sodas in glass bottles conveys an upscale image and helps customers justify spending a little extra on their beverage.
"Craft sodas aren't as price-sensitive as mass- produced products. The glass bottles and cane sugar sweetener move them into a perceived pre-mium package that consumers are willing to pay more for." —Mike Bourgeois, Orca Beverage Inc.
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50 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
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PIZZA TOPPINGS ITALIAN SAUSAGE ITALIAN BEEF PASTA & MEATBALLS
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• Colossal Garlic Italian Sausage Chunks with Sweet & Spicy Buffalo Sauce (Item SS18)
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media) the unique flavor combinations that your sodas offer. While kids and adults alike still love classic flavors like root beer, cola and lemon-lime, younger customers and adventurous types might be attracted to experimental flavors, such as those that incorporate herbs, florals or spices. Tell the story behind the brand, whether it’s a small local company or a manufac-turer that’s been bottling since the 1800s with old-fashioned recipes. And explain how the sodas are different—all-natural, organic, lower-calorie, or free of high-fructose corn syrup. To help spread the word, try sampling in the pizzeria or at local festivals or charity events. “Getting in front of people in a low-key, no-pressure atmosphere can be very effective,” Walker says.
Craft sodas are also a perfect way to offer a more upscale experience. If you have sit-down service, consider serving the soda in a special glass or even a champagne flute. “When a customer isn’t having wine or beer, these types of sodas are a way to offer something with a little more flavor,” Walker says.
Additionally, craft soda flavors pair well with a variety of foods, so offer pairing suggestions on the menu, as you would with wine or beer. Walker points out that because craft soda companies are smaller, they’re often willing to work with chefs and restaurants to generate pairing ideas.
Finally, don’t overlook the myriad opportunities to enrich your bar program. Martin notes that craft sodas are popular as mixers because their lower sugar content doesn’t mask the taste of spirits, and ingredients found in craft sodas (like botanicals) are already popular ingredients in mixed drinks. Walker adds that craft sodas often mimic craft cocktails, so instead of your bartenders whipping up fancy drinks from scratch (impossible in many pizzerias), they can use craft sodas to create complex flavor profiles without all of the prep.
“On the cocktail side, there can be a real profit,” says Doyle. “In bigger cities, there’s a huge craft cocktail movement, but that can be hard to tap into when you have a simple or smaller bar. With craft sodas, you can make unique drinks without requiring an amazing bartender. They’re a great way to extend your bar program.”
Making Your OwnSome operators have even taken the craft soda process in-house. Hot Lips Pizza (hotlipspizza.com), with five loca-tions in Portland, Oregon, details its from-scratch process on its website: Ripe fruit is picked and cooked in open kettles; seeds are filtered out (with the pulp left in); sparkling water, pure cane sugar and organic lemon juice are added; and the product is carbonated, put into bottles and pasteurized. The result, according to the website: “High percentages of real fruit. No shortcuts, supplements, artificial flavors or trickery. And no corn syrup. Even the bottles are local, manufactured from 80% recycled glass right here in Portland.” The sodas, driven and overseen by chefs, are brewed throughout the year and bottled using refurbished 1960s-era equipment.
Most pizzerias can’t bottle their own sodas, but Doyle says you can offer the same experience on a smaller scale. “The key
Five Marketing Takeaways For many customers, dining out isn’t a complete experience without a soft drink—and it’s usually the exact same soft drink every time. Craft sodas offer an opportunity to lure these diners away from the boringly familiar to something new and exciting. But, first, you’ve got to get their attention. Here are some suggestions:
1. Show them the difference. Tell the story behind your craft soda’s brand. Emphasize the qualities and ingredients that make it unique.
2. Give away some freebies. Get customers hooked with a sample of Black Cherry or Coriander Orange.
3. Offer pairing suggestions. Train your waitstaff to assist customers in pairing the right soda with the right pizza or entree. Ask the supplier to help you come up with perfect pairings.
4. Create signature cocktails. Solicit mixed-drink recipes from the craft soda’s maker (or, if you’ve got a good bartender, develop your own) and market them as signature cocktails. Their complex flavor profiles and high-end ingredients will help differentiate your restaurant.
5. Spread the word. Make sure to promote your new craft soda flavors on your website, social media, newsletters, emails and in-store signage. Use vividly descriptive terms such as “refresh-ing,” “ice-cold” and “all-natural.”
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is to provide a differentiated product that your competition can’t replicate, and in-house craft soda guarantees that,” he says. “Chef-driven drinks, like hand-crafted sodas with fresh ginger or herbs, give you a lot of freedom, but you can also simply make a syrup, mix with soda water from the tap and hand-shake, which keeps costs low,” he adds. “Try two to three sodas per season, using seasonal ingredients, and make them to order. A fresh sparkling lemonade is really easy, but it gets a lot of attention!”
In fact, says Doyle, the process is part of the show—when customers see your staff hand-shaking sodas, they’re likely to order one. Or you can set up a system with your vendors to put house-made sodas on soda guns in the pizzeria, mixing beforehand and storing in five-gallon kegs. “Making your own sodas is a great way to drive not only profit, but menu discus-sions,” he explains. “It shows why you’re different and is the key to unlocking those same conversations around your pizza.”
You can even partner with a local microbrewery to make beverages like naturally fermented root beer, says Doyle, or source ingredients from local farms to make your sodas. Your partners will also help promote you to their own customers. “It’s a matter of trial, so start testing to find out what works for you. Try one flavor and feature it. Once you go down that road, customers will respond—and drive social media. It’s just another way to make your business stand out.”
Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.
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Craft sodas appeal to health-conscious consumers and foodies who demand more natural ingredients in their food and drinks.
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FEATURE STORY CATERING
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With the right menu and marketing strategy,
catering offers revenue opportunities that could
carry you through slow periods and transform
your business. By Liz Barrett
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Catering can be a great way to bring in extra rev-enue, but it doesn’t come without its fair share of risk. When a catering order goes right, everyone is
happy. But when it goes wrong, a lot of people will know, potentially threatening your pizzeria’s reputation and future catering orders.
Pizza is made for sharing, which is why catering, a service defined as providing food for large groups of people, seems like a perfect fit for pizzerias. But to truly excel at catering, pizzeria operators need to go beyond pizza and offer a truly memorable experience for any event, whether it be an important business meeting, wedding, funeral, or other occasion where pizza isn’t always the most appropriate choice. “There needs to be a major paradigm shift between a takeout menu and a catering menu,” says Erle Dardick, CEO of Vancouver, British Columbia-based MonkeyMedia Software and author of Get Catering and Grow Sales! “Pizzeria operators have all of the ingredients to do some-thing dynamic with catering, but they need to focus on using the ingredients they have to create a new product specific to platter-based catering.”
Broaden Your MenuTry this exercise: Put your takeout/delivery menu next to your catering menu. How do they differ? If you were the customer, would you use your pizzeria for catering? Think back to the last catered party you attended. Was pizza on the menu?
“Our catering menu is broader than our regular menu,” says Lisa Towne, owner of MaMa Lisa’s Little Italy (mamaslittleitaly.com) in Castle Pines, Colorado. “We certainly offer our house favorites such as lasagna and pastas, but we can also provide burger bars, taco bars and breakfast. A broader menu allows you to gain more customers and be accommodating to budgets and dietary needs. We recently catered a group that wanted all gluten-free and vegan options. It was challenging, but they were impressed by our creativity.”
5 Pillars of Catering SuccessProvided by Erle Dardick, author of Get Catering and Grow Sales!
If your catering orders are not at the level you’d like them to be, review this list of essential catering suc-cess guidelines:
1. Choose a leader. Someone must be in charge of the catering side of your business, such as a catering manager. This is the person who will handle sales and marketing, write contracts and deal with callers (some of whom may be in a deli-cate emotional state) looking to make catering arrangements for weddings, funerals, etc.
2. Canvass the neighborhood. Build sales by canvassing the neighborhood and developing re-lationships with fellow business operators, knock-ing on doors, giving out samples and converting customers. For catering, you are tapping into a different audience, which is more business-to-business than business-to-consumer. You’ll have a lot more options.
3. Centralize your services. Organize your phone systems to route catering calls directly to the catering manager, not the store. The catering manager should be trained to work directly with those placing large orders for special events.
4. Get organized. Execution of catering is com-pletely different than advance notice on orders. Ensure that your operations are in order to handle catering. Your execution needs to be flawless.
5. Offer world-class delivery. Pizzerias already know how to ace this, but now you’ll be deliver-ing more than pizza. Make sure your crew always arrives on time with everything needed for that event—the right food, the right equipment and the right attitude!
Find out if your customer’s event will be a sit-down one or require standing. This will help you customize a menu that ensures food doesn’t end up on shirts and shoes.
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Dardick notes that pizzerias are positioned to win big at catering, but the greatest challenge comes in defining the pro-gram. “Pizzeria operators need to focus on a subset of products utilizing ingredients already on hand,” says Dardick. “If you are catering a business luncheon, pizza is at the bottom of the list, so tap into other opportunities.”
MaMa Lisa’s Italian-themed catering menu covers a lot of bases. In addition to a variety of pastas, it includes Lemon Chicken, Chicken Parmesan, Chicken Piccata, Pork Milanese, Pork With Balsamic Glaze, Chicken Enchiladas in Cream Sauce, and Eggplant Parmesan. The pasta entrees sell for $38 for a small pan (eight 7.5-ounce portions) and $75 for a large pan (20 7.5-ounce portions). Other entrees cost $50 for small pans (eight 4-ounce portions) and $100 for large pans (20 4-ounce portions).
Revenue On the SideIt’s no secret that catering can bring in revenue on the side, with many restaurants aiming for about 20% of system sales, according to Dardick. “Catering is so profitable because you already have everything else [in terms of ingredients],” he adds. “There are higher incremental sales because there are fewer
transactions from fewer people, and the cost of production and distribution is much lower.”
Additionally, catering generates revenue during off-season months, slow days of the week, and even when the pizzeria is bustling—if you have enough staff on hand. “We can have a normal lunch crowd and deliver a catering order at the same
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time,” says Santo Sardo, owner of Largo, Florida-based Sardo’s Pizza (sardospizza.com).
“Catering in Colorado can be a bit seasonal,” Towne notes. “Typically, most catering occurs around summer events and holidays, which is a great time to get college help. Catering events can really boost sales in the off hours and off seasons.”
Catering offers additional marketing benefits, notes Kris Moriarty, director of business development for San Diego, California-based Woodstock’s Pizza (woodstocksca.com), with seven locations in California. “Catering introduces your product to people who would not otherwise know about you,” Moriarty points out.
Running the Risk In addition to putting your pizzeria’s reputation on the line, there are other difficulties and risks that go into starting a
catering component. “I worry about how to keep food hot and fresh for customers,” says Sardo. “It’s difficult getting it there, keeping it hot, and keeping it looking nice.” To meet this challenge, your operation may require special equipment, depending on your menu—think chafing dishes and insulated pan carriers for hot foods, plus beverage carriers, ice caddies, induction cookers, hot plates, and serving trays and platters. You’ll also have to figure out portion sizes and pricing and create a policy for handling cancellations.
“A deposit as well as a written confirmation or short contract from your customer is essential,” Towne says. “Understand that the event could be weather-dependent. Know the plan for bad weather and clarify all of these details in advance. Timing is essential. Create a timeline and product list two days ahead. You need to know when to prep, what can sit for a day, when everything needs to be in the oven, what time you need to load the car, etc. The last hour is always mayhem, regardless, but it gets better with experience.”
Logistical challenges abound for newbies, Moriarty agrees, but the process gets easier over time. “The difficult thing about starting catering is working out zoning for deliveries and get-ting the staff used to ordering enough food to cover any pop-up orders. In the beginning, you’re not sure how many orders you will get in a week, so it’s a lot of guesswork. Once you
Tips From an ExpertLooking for additional advice? Here are a few more tips for catering success, courtesy of Lisa Towne, owner of MaMa Lisa’s Little Italy (mamaslittleitaly.com) in Castle Pines, Colorado:
1. Leave a lasting impression. Towne has a suggestion for wowing your clients. “On your first dozen jobs, throw in an extra item on the house, something amazing that you want people to try, such as your housemade mini meatballs with homemade marinara as an appetizer, an antipasti tray, mini desserts—something that looks as amaz-ing as it tastes. Make sure you put a business card or menu by that item. They’ll remember you!”
2. Connect with movers and shakers. “Offer a special price to local women’s fundraising organizations,” Towne suggests. “These are the decision makers in your town. Treat them special, and they will remember you when it’s time for a private event with a nicer budget. Also, contact the Chamber of Commerce, leads groups, Rotary clubs, athletic booster clubs and city councils.”
3. Use existing staff. Adding catering doesn’t necessarily require adding staff, Towne notes. “Don’t take on extra payroll until you need to. Explain to the existing staff and new hires that this is an opportunity to make extra money. Post a sign-up list—you may be surprised who volunteers for the extra shifts.”
“A broader menu [for catering] allows you to gain more customers and be accommodating to budgets and dietary needs. We recently catered a group that wanted all gluten-free and vegan options. It was challenging, but they were impressed by our creativity.”
—Lisa Towne, MaMa Lisa’s Little Italy
Not all occasions are pizza-appropriate. Offer a diverse catering menu that fits any type of event.
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establish regular clientele, it’s easier to order and schedule more accurately.”
Reaping the Rewards For those who take on the risks and succeed, there can be great rewards in the form of increased revenue and posi-tive word-of-mouth advertis-ing for your pizzeria. “During December, we could almost just rely on catering, putting more money in all of the employees’ pockets at the right time of year,” Towne observes. “It can be a fun and cohesive experi-ence for employees and customers. It’s an opportunity to have more of a personal relationship with our customers as we help them plan family events.”
“The greatest rewards are the additional revenue stream, the marketing opportunities and being able to provide more
jobs for people,” Moriarty says. “Catering helps con-trol both food and labor costs because you’re able to preplan and preorder. Catering also helps bring in additional revenue without negatively impacting the store operations, and it’s a great way to market and introduce your brand to people who may not know your product.”
“Being a first-generation Italian, I enjoy feeding many people at once,” Sardo says. “Most rewarding to me is staying to watch the reaction. To me, it’s like when you watch your kids’ faces as they open presents on Christmas.”
Liz Barrett is PMQ’s editor at large.
MaMa Lisa’s
To build your catering business, create dishes and displays that leave a lasting impression on future customers.
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In part one of a four-part series, marketing genius Tom Feltenstein offers 15 tips for outmaneuvering the national chains.By Tom Feltenstein
FEATURE STORY TIPS FOR OUTMANEUVERING THE NATIONAL CHAINS
NEIGHBORHOOD
GOLIATHSLAYING the
PART 1
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It’s the nightmare shared by thousands of pizzeria operators everywhere: What will I do if a huge restau-rant from a national chain opens nearby? In cities across
the nation, restaurateurs have had to close their doors sim-ply because they could not compete with the neighborhood Goliath. But, like David with his ordinary slingshot and immense courage, you can fight back and win.
In this month’s article—the first of a four-part series of features—I would like to share with you a number of outside-the-box promotional tactics designed to allay the fears of any pizzeria operator who ever wondered, “How can I possibly compete with the major chains?” Smaller businesses like yours can succeed by continually outmaneuvering their larger com-petitors. Here’s how:
Diamonds Are a Guest’s Best Friend. With this promotion, your pizzeria can forge a powerful partner-ship with a nearby jewelry store that benefits both busi-nesses. Ask the jewelry store to supply you with, say, five high-quality diamonds and 2,500 synthetic diamonds. Place all of the diamonds in a big barrel in your pizzeria. Every time a customer makes a purchase, allow him to reach into the barrel and take a stone. Regardless of the diamond’s value, it’s the customer’s to keep. However, to find out if it’s genuine, he will have to take it to the jewelry store partner to be validated. (To ensure that the customer chooses your partner over a competitor, the jewelry store should offer something like a 10% dis-count on any purchase.) You won’t believe how much excitement this promotion will generate. It will create invaluable word-of-mouth throughout the community and boost traffic to your pizzeria and the jewelry store.
Employee Challenge. Create three gift certificates with special values and print them at the bottom of an 8”-by-11” copy of your pizzeria’s menu. Give 200 menus to each member of your staff and instruct them to write their names on the back of every gift certificate. Then send your employees out into the community to hand out the gift-certificate menus to local businesses. Depending on the value of the gift certificate, pay the employee a set finder’s fee for every customer who comes into the restaurant bearing a gift certificate with that staff member’s name on it. This promotion gets your em-ployees heavily involved—and personally invested—as your marketing ambassadors. Instead of spending mon-ey on direct marketing or local print advertising, your staff will be your messengers, and they’ll be rewarded financially for their hard work.
Destroy Your Competitor’s Grand Opening. Here’s a dynamite idea for overstressing your new competitor while positioning yourself as a beacon of generosity. Let’s say your new neighbor plans a Wednesday grand opening a block away from your pizzeria. Using a full-page ad in the local newspaper, plus social media, direct mail and in-house signage, announce that you’ll be closing your doors that day out of respect for the new kid on the block. Invite all of your customers to attend that competitor’s grand opening instead. Sound crazy? Maybe not. With all the unexpected additional business, your competi-tor will be overstressed by the mad rush of custom-ers and will be unable to serve them efficiently. Most likely, the chain restaurant will run out of product long before the end of the day. What a wonderful way to deflate Goliath’s oversized ego just when he’s all psyched up for the grand opening! I know of a restaurant that used this incredibly powerful tactic and ran its competitor right out of business shortly after its grand opening!
The Platter Program. This is a can’t-miss promo-tion. Make it a job requirement for your general man-ager to call on a different local business every weekday and offer a free lunch to that company’s employees. The manager should take their orders and deliver the lunch to the office free of charge. One of my clients launched this program and reported a 30% increase in business in just a few weeks! Many of the company’s employees will become hooked on your pizzas and will seek you out for lunch or dinner in the future. This is an astonishingly effective way to introduce the people who work in your neighborhood to your prod-uct and establish customer loyalty for years to come.
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NEIGHBORHOOD
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3.By offering a free lunch to companies in the area and getting them hooked on your pizza, you can boost your business by 30% in just a few weeks.
4.
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The MVP Reward. Using direct mail, send $20 gift certificates to 300 households in your immediate neigh-borhood. The customers who redeem the certificates can apply $10 to purchases from your menu and $10 to the employee of their choice who provides the best service. Your employees will bend over backwards to cater to these customers’ every whim, and you will generate in-credible customer interest—not to mention additional sales and profits.
Half-Price to Repeat Customers. In this promo-tion, any customer who makes a purchase at your res-taurant today and returns within 24 hours receives 50% off any item he or she orders on the second visit. Be-cause this promotion is so powerful, I recommend that you only use it every six months for a two-week period. Clients who have implemented this promotion have registered sales increases of up to 13%.
Mystery Night. Set aside one specific hour on one day per week to offer free pizza. The catch is, no one but you and your staff will know which night and which hour it is. (You will have to swear your employees to absolute secrecy, of course.) Promote it on Facebook, Twitter and other social media to build up anticipation. You will be amazed at the long lines that will gather in anticipation of a possible free meal.
Roll the Dice Discount. This is a sure bet for attracting lines of customers that will rival the queues to purchase Powerball tickets. Put out the word that your customers will get to roll dice to determine how much of a discount they’ll receive on your food. The only gamble involved is how much the customer will save! Designate a specific night for this promotion and tout it on Facebook, Twitter and other social media as well as on your website and in emails or newsletters.
The Tijuana Toss. Once a customer places an order from the menu, the server flips a coin and the guest calls heads or tails. The loser—either the cus-tomer or the restaurant—pays for the order. Every customer who walks through the door has a 50-50 shot at getting a free meal. Obviously, this promotion can get expensive for you, so you probably shouldn’t make this a weekly event, but it will definitely gener-ate customer interest, especially if you hype it on your website and through social media.
The Worst Table in the Joint. Many pizzerias have a table that customers avoid like the plague. Perhaps it’s too close to the kitchen, the bathroom or the front door. With this creative promotion, you’ll have cus-tomers lined up around the block for the privilege of sitting there. Simply offer half-priced meals at the worst table in your restaurant. Customers who arrive too late to get that table will still want to eat at your pizzeria—they’re already there! As an ancillary sales spinoff, you can create T-shirts that read, “I sat at the worst table in the joint at [your restaurant’s name], and it was the best meal I ever had!”6.
7.
Offer half-priced meals for dining at the worst table in the house, and customers will line up around the block for the privilege of sitting there.
The MVP Reward promotion allows customers to enjoy a substantial discount and reward their favorite servers at the same time.
5.
9.
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8.
Consider setting aside one hour on one day per week to offer free food, but don’t tell anyone except your staff when the discount will be offered. Spread the word and watch as customers show up in hopes of getting lucky.
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11. 12.New Resident Mailing Program. This is one of the simplest and least expensive—yet most effective—ways to attract new residents to your pizzeria. Using a well-crafted direct mail piece, send out targeted mailings to welcome newcomers to the neighborhood and offer them a free meal or pizza. Make them feel at home, and your pizzeria will become their go-to choice in the future.
Benefit Minithons. Work with local charities or student groups to help them raise money for their causes. Offer them 20% of your overall sales on a particular evening, and these groups will work over-time to make the night a smashing success. Ask them to pass out fliers for the event, with your pizzeria name and logo prominently featured, and to pro-mote the event to their members, family and friends via social media, email and snail mail. It’s also a great way to get coverage from the local press!
Chicago-based Connie’s Pizza delivers pizzas in mass quantities to community events in its custom-designed trucks.
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Find out more atwww.maineroot.comBingo Cards. Even in this age of smartphones and social media, don’t
underestimate the power of fun, old-school promotions. After all, ev-eryone knows how to play Bingo. Create Bingo game cards that list dif-ferent menu items in rows and columns of five, with a few “free” spaces sprinkled among them. Each time a customer buys an item on the bingo card, the corresponding space on the card is stamped or punched. When guests fill in a line across, up and down or diagonally, they qualify for a free item of their choice. (Put a time limit on this promotion—for example, you may want to require that a line be filled within 60 days to create a sense of urgency.)
Parking Tickets. You can’t be subtle if you want your coupons to get noticed—and everyone notices a parking ticket! Send employees out on “customer patrol” and have them place “tickets”—actually coupons for your pizzeria—on every car windshield in a given area. Instead of order-ing customers to pay a fine, the tickets will tell the vehicle owners that they are “summoned to appear” at your restaurant to receive a half-price pizza or other lunch special.
Horoscope Ads. One of the best-read features in a daily newspaper is the horoscope. So it should come as no surprise that ads designed to look like horoscopes will attract readers’ attention. You can employ this little trick in newspaper display ads or even on your website or social media. Simply craft a message for your brand’s fans in the guise of a horoscope prediction, such as:
Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 22): A charismatic leader will ask for your help organizing the group. Take the whole bunch for lunch at Luigi’s Pizzeria, where there’s something for everyone!
Sagittarius (Nov. 23–Dec. 22): What seemed like a flickering romance will become a passionate love affair with Luigi’s Pizzeria. Falling in love never tasted so good!
Tom Feltenstein is a restaurant marketing consultant and the CEO/founder of Tom Feltenstein’s Power Marketing Academy. Learn more at PowerMarketingAcademy.com.
13.
14.
15.
In one tried-and-true promotion, pizzeria operators can take the classic Bingo concept and turn it into a promotion highlighting key items on their menus.
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FEATURE STORY PIZZA BRAIN
The brains behind Pizza Brain: (left to right) Ryan Anderson, Joe Hunter, Michael Carter and Brian Dwyer.
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Philadelphia-based Pizza Brain, the world’s first neighborhood pizzeria/pizza museum, celebrates the slice and its influence on American pop culture.
By Liz Barrett Photography by Liz Barrett
For many, the words “pizza museum” conjure up visions of long, echoing hallways that open to a grand atrium filled with freeze-dried versions of the first
Margherita pizza. But at Pizza Brain (pizzabrain.org), the world’s first pizza museum, patrons find a museum/pizzeria hybrid that marries delicious pies with more than 50 years of American pizza pop culture in a casual neighborhood pizza joint.
Located in a small neighborhood a couple of miles from the famous Rocky steps in Philadelphia, locals come to Pizza Brain for the award-winning pizza and stick around to peruse curated displays of an ever-changing collection featuring the zaniest pizza memorabilia this side of the Hudson River. “There are so many items that we’ve collected, we can’t display them all at once,” says co-owner Michael Carter. “We display only around 25% of the collection at any given time. And it’s not just collectibles. People really love pizza, and they make a lot
of digital images incorporating it, too, which we showcase on our website and display on our walls.”
An Art Show Turned PizzeriaPizza Brain’s story began with a bunch of friends putting together an art show celebrating America’s culture of pizza. A year later, co-founder Brian Dwyer had earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for collecting 561 pizza items. He also teamed with three like-minded friends to cre-ate a pizzeria, which, in addition to serving an assortment of
Brain TrustThe
“Virtually everything that you can think of that can be made has been made with pizza in mind or in front of pizza or with pizza as the subject. We’ve stumbled upon a wealth of collectibles.” —Michael Carter, Pizza Brain
Check out Pizza TV's video profile of Pizza Brain, the world’s first pizzeria/
pizza museum in Philadelphia.
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red and white specialty pies, would celebrate all things pizza-related. Now on the cusp of its two-year anniversary, Pizza Brain’s collection of memorabilia, and its customer base, con-tinues to grow.
The concept of a pizza museum was what initially brought partners Brian Dwyer, Michael Carter, Ryan Anderson and Joe Hunter together, according to Dwyer. “It was the fascination of trying to create what we understood to be the only pizza shrine—or pizza culture museum—that exists,” Dwyer says. “As far as we could tell, nothing brought all of these different items together and celebrated the American culture of pizza. It’s really a hybrid of the two now; it’s mainly a pizzeria that houses a pizza collection, but as we grow as a business, our vision will continue to grow.”
A Wealth of CollectiblesWhile some may wonder how it’s possible to find enough pizza memorabilia to start a museum, Carter and Dwyer say pizza is everywhere in American culture. The partners add to the collection through online purchases; flea markets, thrift stores and garage sales; and even by way of gifts from fans of the piz-zeria. “Virtually everything that you can think of that can be made has been made with pizza in mind, or in front of pizza or with pizza as the subject,” Carter says. “We’ve stumbled upon a wealth of collectibles.”
When you walk through the doors of Pizza Brain, it quickly becomes evident that pizza is, in fact, a major cultural touch-stone. From the walls and ceilings to cutouts in the floors and drawers that hide surprises, pizza memorabilia fills the space, reminding all who visit how pervasive pizza is in our everyday lives. Through vintage print ads, toys, movie posters, televi-sion show references, albums, old photographs or neon signs, there’s pizza to see around every corner—even in the restrooms. The covers of vinyl records adorn one wall, including the soundtrack to Mystic Pizza and a holiday music album from Domino’s. Flashing lights illuminate a large Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game called Pizza Drop, while toy Ghost-
busters—still in their original packaging—devour pies and an illustrated Smurf enjoys a slice. Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson, signed a script of The Simpsons for Pizza Brain, while John Kricfalusi, creator of Ren & Stimpy, contributed an original signed drawing. One of the more unusual items on display is a toilet seat bearing the image of a rather menacing-looking pizza with eyes and a mouthful of teeth.
“We didn’t set out to be the world’s first pizza museum,” says Dwyer. “We just wanted to open a pizza shop that celebrated this culture. But when we kept unearthing more and more [pizza-related] ephemera, it really started to open our eyes to a culture that the world hasn’t paid much attention to. People are so familiar with pizza that they don’t really view it in the way that we’ve started to put it under a microscope. It’s easy to overlook the fact that it’s been a huge part of American culture over the past 60 years.”
“We’re not the first people to celebrate pizza culture. We just want to be one of the main facilitators of it,” Dwyer adds. “We want to celebrate it with artists and the community that loves pizza as well as everyone else who may not think of pizza the
Pizza Brain's collection began with pizza-centric music; meanwhile, there's never a shortage of reading material, thanks to vintage pizza menus, ads and photos encased under the countertops.
So much pizza memorabilia can whet a person's appetite; thankfully, this museum strongly encourages eating in front of the artwork.
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The open kitchen at Pizza Brain invites customers to watch every step of the pizza making process.
way that we do. We didn’t grow up imag-ining we’d open a pizza shop, and yet here we are. We saw a need and said, ‘Well, if no one has done it, let’s fill that need.’”
Museum-Worthy PizzaOpening a pizza museum came with a fair share of pressure, mainly because those who visit expect pizza that blows other pizzas out of the water. “We knew right out of the gate that if we were going to be a pizza museum and serve pizza, it had better be damn good,” Dwyer says. “So a large part was figuring out how to make a pizza that was deserving of a pizza museum.”
“Our friends all told us, ‘You’ve gotta have great pizza with all the hype you have,’” Carter recalls. “We really worked hard to have great pizza, and there was a lot of pressure. After we opened and people tried the pizza, we received a lot of awards, and that also puts the pres-sure on, because you don’t want to slip. So there’s pressure to live up to initial expectations, and then there’s also the pressure to keep making great pizza.”
Head chef Joe Hunter created and exe-cutes the Pizza Brain menu, which offers standouts such as the Charlie Mayfer, a white pie with mozzarella, sweet potato, Honeycrisp apple, honey goat cheese, brown sugar, pecans and pie spice; the Lucy Waggle, another white pie topped with mozzarella, Grana Padano, pine nuts, fresh thyme, sweet date, crisped prosciutto and arugula; and the Kira Tierston, a red pie with mozzarella, smoked bacon, a hint of brown sugar, red onion and oven-roasted Brussels sprouts. “We asked a lot of questions and did a lot of research when putting the pizze-ria and museum together,” Carter says. “Running a business has its challenges, but my hat’s off to Joe for the pizza and the menu.”
see our full line of products at marsalsons.com
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Dwyer says Pizza Brain gets visitors from all over the coun-try, some claiming to hail from cities that have the “best pizza.” “To say there’s a best pizza, I think, is a weird idea,” he says. “It’s like saying there’s only one mountain to climb. I think that’s the beautiful thing about pizza. It can take so many shapes. It can be $2 on a paper plate at a curb or $50 with a bottle of wine, and all those things in between are also pizza. We cel-ebrate all of that. We’re not celebrating Pizza Brain here; we’re celebrating pizza.”
Customers and the media seem to appreciate their efforts. Famous fans include the rock band Neutral Milk Hotel and Wayne Coyne, frontman for the Flaming Lips. Philadelphia’s Thrillist named Pizza Brain one of the “Coolest Bars and Res-taurants in Town,” and a Philadelphia Magazine readers’ poll in 2013 declared Pizza Brain to have the best pizza in the city.
But, despite all of the media hype, Pizza Brain is still just the neighborhood pizza joint to local customers. “Community is a big part of why we love pizza,” says Dwyer, who lives above the pizza shop with the other three owners. “It’s a great way for us to express ourselves in this neighborhood and contribute with something as simple as pizza. It brings some positive gravity to a neighborhood that I think is really looking for it. We just want to be a neighborhood pizza shop for the neighborhood that we love and live in. We don’t try to think about it beyond that.”
Liz Barrett is PMQ’s editor at large.
Pizza Brain Stats
Opened: September 2012
Owners: Bryan Dwyer, marketing; Michael Carter, business strategist; Ryan Anderson, space designer; Joe Hunter, head chef
First Item Collected: Fat Boys Pizza Party hip-hop album
Most Desired Item: A piece of Pizza the Hut from the 1980s movie Spaceballs
Number of Pizza Items in Collection: Nearly 1,000
The patio behind Pizza Brain comes alive on warm weekend days and summer nights.
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Meet the Tank:Tom Lehmann
Think Tank username: Tom LehmannReal Name: Tom Lehmann (“The Dough Doctor”)Industry Affiliation: American Institute of BakingDate Joined: June 13, 2006Number of Posts: 2,143
PMQ: Even though you don’t own a pizza shop, you are one of the industry’s best-known experts on pizza dough, baking and pizzeria operations. How long have you been working in this industry?
Tom Lehmann: I began working with the pizza industry in 1967.
Do you remember why you joined the Think Tank?
It seemed to be the thing to do at the time. What a great way to share my knowledge while helping others!
Why have you continued to return to the Think Tank over the years?
The Think Tank is a great place for all of us to share knowledge and experiences. I have spent a lifetime studying all aspects of pizza production, encompassing everything from making pizza in the home kitchen to pizzerias, pizza chains, commissary operations and the largest wholesale manufacturers. These large entities were not created as such, but instead grew into what we see them as today, sometimes from a single pizzeria. While everyone does not have aspirations of becoming the next major pizza chain or manufacturer, they do want to be successful.
I feel fortunate to have the ability to assist individuals in opening their first store or to help existing operators address their everyday dough problems. Knowing that I can help others and watch them grow and become successful is the true driving force that keeps bringing me back to the Think Tank.
What do you use the Think Tank for most?
The Think Tank provides me with the ability to learn more about the current problems and issues facing pizzeria operators worldwide, which allows me to develop instructional presentations and write meaningful articles addressing what is important to the Think Tankers. An example of this was when, a few years ago, there was a lot of interest in take-and-bake pizza. Based on the number of questions being posted on the Think Tank on this subject, I was able to develop articles for my column as well as presentation materials and formulas for the PMQ Recipe Bank, all addressing the questions and concerns posed by fellow Think Tankers. I also direct new operators to the Think Tank for obtaining answers and dialogue on the vast number of issues they face in the everyday operation of their stores.
As a dough expert, have you ever picked up any tips from the Think Tank?
My favorite saying is, “Beware of the man who knows everything, for he knows not what he does not know!” —Tom Lehmann, 1970. There is always something to be learned by visiting and participating in the Think Tank.
What should a newbie know when first entering the Think Tank?
Don’t be afraid to ask a question, and don’t be afraid to start a dialogue or thread with someone trying to help you. The Think Tank is comprised of some of the best pizza folks in the industry. They are always respectful of others and helpful in answering just about any questions that might be posed.
MEET THE TANK LIZ BARRETT
Connect with fellow operators in the Think Tank. Visit thinktank.pmq.com today!
PMQ’s Think Tank (thinktank.pmq.com) is the only pizza industry forum on the Web, with 2,500 members who meet online regularly to discuss the pizza business. In this column, we’ll introduce you to some of the Tank’s seasoned members who can show you the ropes and lend insights into how the forum has benefited their businesses.
For more information on how to join the team contact Brian Hernandez at
662-234-5481 ext 129 or [email protected].
www.uspizzateam.com
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Connect with fellow operators in the Think Tank. Visit thinktank.pmq.com today!
For more information on how to join the team contact Brian Hernandez at
662-234-5481 ext 129 or [email protected].
www.uspizzateam.com
TEAM GOLD SPONSORS
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Competition - Camaraderie - Success - Italy 2014
JuneJuly14 Book.indb 73 5/15/14 12:13 PM
THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Staying On-TrendIf it’s time to add some variety to your pizzeria menu, look no further than Bonici flatbreads. Flatbreads offer a unique flavor and bite that adds another dimension to traditional menu items while allowing you to develop new and exciting menu concepts with on-trend products. Tyson provides excellent quality, price points and menu options—all from one trusted place. 800-248-9766, bonici.com
Planting Le TreeLe Tree is a unique, multi-purpose table that’s ideal for appetizer or buffet dining. Originally designed to present fondue, Le Tree gives your customers a friendly gathering point to enjoy appetizers or drinks. With its space-saving design, it’s a great tool for upselling and entertaining customers while they wait for their table. Available in a variety of colors, it’s limited only by your imagination! larbrea.com
Crafted to Perfection Bianco D’oro mozzarella was developed after a 16-month process of crafting and perfecting flavor, texture and color. After only six months on the market, Bianco D’oro mozzarella is already standing out from the crowd and solidifying itself as a top-quality mozzarella for the pizza industry. 908-272-4700, [email protected]
Keeping Box Ads Current New Method Packaging’s new digital pizza-box print program allows pizzeria operators to interact with customers by advertising monthly promotions and upcoming specials on their boxes. To stay current, operators can change their box advertising anytime simply by sending a new file to New Method—without purchasing new print plates. 937-324-3838, newmethodpackaging.com
Ready to Upgrade?Featuring WOW! 2 technology, Middleby Marshall’s new PS360G conveyor oven was designed for operators who want to replace their existing PS360/350 ovens with a similarly sized bake chamber and updated cooking technologies. The upgrade allows operators to cook 30% faster than standard conveyor ovens while saving 30% on energy costs. 847-741-3300, middleby.com
Brick by BrickThe Univex Stone Hearth Pizza Dome Oven is constructed of hand-laid refractory bricks, multiple layers of insulation and a hand-cut refractory brick cooking deck. The seven layers of insulation prevent heat loss and provide excellent heat retention. All of this adds up to a cost-effective, handmade oven that provides an incredibly good bake. 603-893-6191, univexcorp.com
If you’ve ever considered producing TRAINING PROGRAMS specific to your operations, the time is now!
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If you’ve ever considered producing TRAINING PROGRAMS specific to your operations, the time is now!
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The use of sticky note ads keeps growing as pizzerias realize there is an adhesive strong enough to be used as a repositionable box topper or door hanger. Not only can sticky notes affordably and conveniently replace taped or spot-glued box toppers, they can also serve as door hangers, direct mail “on-serts” and windshield leaflets. And unlike other direct marketing products, a sticky note can be repositioned on the refrigerator, cupboard or wall as a reminder. Compared to magnets, they save even more money and have more versatility. With the proper adhesive, sticky note ads are the most versatile and affordable direct marketing tool available to the savvy pizza marketer!
“Windshielding” cars in a parking lot is one effective way to use sticky notes. You can hit a lot more cars than houses in the same amount of time, and, if they’re shopping at the neigh-borhood grocery store, they’re probably potential customers. Of course, some people may get irritated with a note on their driver’s side window, but it’s far worse to get into your car and then discover a flyer tucked under the windshield wiper. To remain in good standing with the lot’s owners, we recommend having your canvassing crew stay around to pick up any notes dropped on the ground by unappreciative drivers. To avoid
interaction with drivers altogether, try canvassing parking lots during a big event like a concert or football game. There will be many cars without much traffic for an hour or two, and, with the right offer, the notes can bring many people into your pizzeria that same night!
Finally, keep distribution costs in mind. The collateral piece is relatively inexpensive and generally comes in easy-to-dispense 25-sheet pads; the key is getting the ad in front of the right people for a reasonable price. Distribution methods vary from application on the front page of newspapers (at an average cost of five to 10 cents per home) to paying employees an hourly rate to place the ads on your box tops, neighborhood front doors or car windshields.
You can also share the print cost with a co-sponsor, such as a landscaper, realtor or ice cream shop. Split the ad space with them by placing a coupon for each business on the note with perforations or dotted lines separating the offers. You can even distribute their coupons to your customers via your pizza boxes!
For more moneymaking ideas, contact NoteAds Advertis-ing at 800-309-7502 or visit noteads.com!
NoteAds Offers Promotions That Really Stick!
IDEA ZONE NOTEADS A D V E R T O R I A L
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Looking to reduce hangups, upsell your customers and make your employees more productive? That’s what Message on Hold is all about. “One thing we ask every customer is, ‘How much money do you lose on the phone every day?’” says Mike Wick from Message On Hold, a Houston, Texas company that offers cutting-edge on-hold messaging services. “The most important thing in the world is the message. What are we saying to the people when they are on hold? Are they hearing a professionally produced upsell message?”
Message On Hold specializes in serving the pizza industry, with more than 3,500 pizzeria customers. Wick says the com-pany’s goal is simple: to make it easier for customers to order from you. The average Message On Hold client sees its aver-age sales go up by 50 cents an order, Wick notes. The return on investment is so great that Message On Hold will install the equipment in your pizzeria, write the scripts and let you use the system for 60 days—all for free. If you don’t like it, just send it back, Wick notes. After 60 days, the service’s cost starts at only $75 per month.
Using state-of-the-art digital equipment connected to your telephone system, Message On Hold, one of the pioneers of the industry, creates the perfect audio mix of licensed music and customized messages about your business. “Forget about the money,” Wick suggests. “When people call your store,
do you want them to feel good? Won’t they feel better with a nice upsell message that entertains them versus dead silence while on hold?” With its engaging and entertaining messages, Message On Hold allows you to project a professional image and decrease hangups while promoting your products and services and creating good will with your customers. On-hold messages can also be used to offer helpful menu suggestions, emphasize special promotions, sales or high-profit items, and announce events, business hours and locations.
It’s also useful for introducing new menu items and advertising for new employees, Wick notes. “There are a lot of ways to use Message On Hold that just make people feel better about calling your restaurant. It’s all about improving customer satisfaction.”
Message On Hold provides a turnkey service that includes copywriting, professional voice talents, digital equipment, installation support, a lifetime replacement warranty, fax or call reminders to update your messages, and many other ser-vices. Their No. 1 objective is to become a valued business partner, creating custom messages designed to give you your desired ROI.
To learn more, visit messageonholdservice.com or call Mike Wick at 800-392-4664 ext. 1.
How Much Money Do You Lose on the Phone Every Day?
IDEA ZONE MESSAGE ON HOLD A D V E R T O R I A L
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SLICE OF
WIN A TRIP TO ITALY WITH THE U.S. PIZZA TEAM!
An Official US Pizza Team Sanctioned National Competition In conjunction with the Lafayette-Oxford-University
Community Independence Day Celebration
July 4th | 10:30-3:30 Powerhouse Community Arts Center, 413 S. 14th St. Oxford, MS
Culinary competition grand prize winner receives a spot on the US Pizza Team and a trip to compete at the
World Pizza Championship in April 2015 in Parma, Italy!
To sign up or learn more about competition rules, contact Melanie Addington
at [email protected] by June 15.
Anyone affiliated with a pizzeria may enter the contest.
Visit www.uspizzateam.com
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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE BULLETIN BOARD
MARK IT DOWN... ATTEND NAPICS
THE BEST TRADESHOW IN THE MIDWEST
Greater Columbus Convention Center • Columbus, OhioFEBRUARY 15-16, 2015
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Takeout Menus • Boxtoppers • Magnets • Flyers • In House Menus Kid’s Menus • Custom Placemats • Business Cards • Post Cards
Rack Cards • Stickers • Thank You Cards • Doorhangers • Banners Gift Certifi cates • Table Tents • Posters • Signs & More
All of our products are proudly printed in the U.S.A.
$375.00
$375.00
$695.00
$39.99
10¢ each
10,000 8½ x 11 FlyersFull Color on both sides on 60 lb. Glossy Paper
Free Design not included with this offer.
5,000 11 x 17 MenusFull Color on both sides on 80 lb Glossy Paper- Folding included
Free Design not included with this offer.
20,000 8½ x 5½ BoxtoppersFull Color on both sides on 60 lb. Glossy Paper
Free Design not included with this offer.
1,000 Business CardsFull Color on both sides on heavy stock & UV Coated
1,000 3½ x 2 Magnets 25 mil - Photo Quality - FREE Custom Design*
Fast Turn Around ~ High Quality PrintingServing the Restaurant and Pizzeria Industry for over 28 Years
DON’T NEED PRINTING RIGHT NOW?with a small deposit - CALL NOW ! ! !
fi rst come - fi rst served ~ while supplies last
Print only
Print only
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Lock in any deal in this ad for 90 days
PMQ Printing SpecialsWE WILL BEAT ANY ADVERTISED MENU DEALS...GUARANTEED
10,000 $895 25,000 $1295 50,000 $2295100,000 $3795
845 - 564 - 2609 877 - 25 - PRINT (77468)
Visit Our Website for Our Free Reports, Photo Library & Restaurant Marketing Ideas
www.takeoutprinting.comNo shading/shadow
No shadow
Solid Shadow
Gray, no shading
One Color
Actual 3DNon-Vector
FULL COLOR GLOSSY TAKEOUT MENUS11 X 17 ~ PRINTED FULL COLOR ON BOTH SIDES ~ 80 LB GLOSSY PAPER
EVERY DOOR DIRECT SECRETS REVEALED !!!Read it now at www.takeoutprinting.com
*Lock in today.... While supplies lastWe Design & Print & You Mail Your
11 x 17 Takeout Menu LocallyPOSTAGE 17.5¢
per EDDM mailer
P FREE (EDDM) mailing permit P FREE restaurant & mailing consultation P No Tabbing & No Addressing needed P No More Mailing Lists P No Contracts P No Postage up front P Pay your postage as you go !!!
Shipping not included
We ship nationwide
FREE REPORT
We will show you how...
11 X 17 ~ PRINTED FULL COLOR ON BOTH SIDES ~ 80 LB GLOSSY PAPER11 X 17 ~ PRINTED FULL COLOR ON BOTH SIDES ~ 80 LB GLOSSY PAPER
Mama G’s Catering is a full line caterer that will come to your home, your business or you can come to us at the Greek Church ( Hellinic Hall ) in downtown Steubenville where we cater. All food is homemade, just like Mama used to make, and we are a full line caterer specializing in roast beef, all kinds of chicken, pork, pasta, delicious side dishes, superb salads, and fantastic desserts just to name a few of our more popular items. We can prepare anything you want.
Weddings? Graduations? Baptisms? Funerals? Business Meetings? Christmas Parties? No matter what the occasion, let Mama do the cooking for you. From 30 to over 300 people we will provide the best of the best in food service to you at a price that can’t be beat.
Full Service Catering Available
DESSERTS
Mama G’s Catering
FULL SERVICE CATERING
ON
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SUNDAYIS TRAY DAY AT
1 tray of Reg. Pizza (28 pieces) and1 - 2 liter of pop
ALL FOR ONLY $ 19.95 (pick up only)
SPECIAL # 1(everyday)
6 pcs. of Reg. pizza7 - Boneless Wings2 - Desserts and1 - 2 liter of pop
ALL FOR ONLY $ 16.00
SPECIAL #2(everyday)
14 pcs. of Reg. Pizza1 order of Cheesy Garlic Bread and1 - 2 liter of pop
ALL FOR ONLY $ 16.00
Our selection of delicious Sara Lee Bistro Collection Desserts vary, please ask your server for selections. $2.75 each or 3 for $7.50
PRSRT STD ECRWSS
U.S. PostagePAID
EDDM Retail
Local Postal Customer
ECRWSS
Mama G’sPIZZA
10/2012 © designed & printed by www.takeoutprinting.com
Mama G’sPIZZA
Home Delivery and Phone Orders areWELCOME
HOURS:Sun—Sat 4pm—Midnight
Mama G’s Catering is a full line caterer that will come to your home, your business or you can come to us at the Greek Church ( Hellinic Hall ) in downtown Steubenville where we cater.All food is homemade, just like Mama used to make, and we are a full line caterer specializing in roast beef, all kinds of chicken, pork, pasta, delicious side dishes, superb salads, and fantastic desserts just to name a few of our more popular items. We can prepare anything you want.
Weddings? Graduations? Baptisms? Funerals? Business Meetings? Christmas Parties? No matter what the occasion, let Mama do the cooking for you. From 30 to over 300 people we will provide the best of the best in food service to you at a price that can’t be beat.
Mama G’s Catering is a full line caterer that will come to your home, your business
FULL SERVICE CATERING
ON
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10/2012 © designed & printed by www.takeoutprinting.com
Home Delivery and Phone Orders areWELCOME
HOURS:
10/2012 © designed & printed by www.takeoutprinting.com
HOURS:Sun—Sat 4pm—Midnightother sizes
& paper available7-10 day
turnaround*
CALL NOW & SAVE UP TO $500...
Please Mention this ad When You Place Your 11 x 17 Menu Order of 10,000 or More. Some Restrictions may apply. While Supplies Last. Limited Time offer. Call for Details
Free Custom Design Free Folding ~Free Trimming
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for only No More Mailing Lists
No Postage up front
If you have multiple locations call for deep discounts ~ Gang runs available
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3.3x4.875_PMQ_Ad_QtPg_4.4.14.indd 1 4/4/14 8:23 AM
June/July 2014 pmq.com 81
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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE BULLETIN BOARD
PIZZA BUSINESS CARD PACKGet in on our Fall 2014 mailing!
Get your message into the hands of:• Every subscriber of PMQ Pizza Magazine
(a BPA audited circulation)• Top officers of the 500 largest U.S. pizza chains• Pizza industry vendors and promoters
View the pizza industry’s best deals online at www.pizzacardpack.com!
SPACE IS LIMITED! CALL TO RESERVE YOUR CARD NOW!
Tom Boyles [email protected]
662-234-5481 x122
Linda [email protected]
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Clifton [email protected]
662-234-5481 x138
Anna [email protected]
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Reach 50,000 Customers
Book by June 20th to get the
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82 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
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June/July 2014 pmq.com 83
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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE BULLETIN BOARD
Beauty TO THECORE
• MAINE WOOD HEAT Co. •
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HEaRT by Le Panyol BOdy by Maine Wood Heat
The only pizza app that goes everywhere.
PMQ. ALWAYS WITH YOU.
With PMQ Pizza Magazine’s mobile app, you’ll stay connected to fellow pizza
operators and have access to the latest, most valuable marketing resources for
the pizza industry. Available for iOS and Android devices, this revolutionary asset
gives you access to a host of tips, tools and advice from other owners
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PMQ Pizza MagazineDigital Edition
The Think Tank Pizza Forum
PMQ’s Online Newsroom
Recipe of the Week
84 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
JuneJuly14 Book.indb 84 5/15/14 12:14 PM
Advertiser Phone Website Page
American Metalcraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-333-9133 . . . . . . amnow .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42AM Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .708-841-0959 . . . . . . . ammfg .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Bacio Cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .855-222-4685 . . . . . . . baciocheese .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34, 35Bella Outdoor Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .831-998-8598 . . . . . . bellaoutdoorliving .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80Bellissimo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-813-2974 . . . . . . . bellissimofoods .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21Boylan Bottling Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-289-7978 . . . . . . . boylanbottling .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Burke Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-654-1152 . . . . . . burkecorp .com/pmq . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 3Delivery Bags USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .888-501-2247 . . . . . . deliverybagsusa .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83Doughmate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-501-2458 . . . . . . doughmate .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80EZ Dine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .877-853-1263 . . . . . . . ezdinepos .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79Foothill Farms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . foothillfarms .com/alfredo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Fontanini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-331-6370 . . . . . . . fontanini .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51Foremost Farms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-362-9196 . . . . . . . foremostfarms .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Forno Bravo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-407-5119 . . . . . . . fornobravo .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81Fruit Fly Bar Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .888-282-3079 . . . . . . . fruitflybarpro .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50Grande Cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-8-GRANDE . . . . . grandecheese .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Hoodmart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-715-1014 . . . . . . . hoodmart .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82HTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-321-1850 . . . . . . . hthsigns .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80Ital Crust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .617-484-8212 . . . . . . . italcrust .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65La Nova . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .716-881-3366 . . . . . . . lanova .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 4Liguria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-765-1452 . . . . . . . liguriafoods .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29MF&B Restaurant Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .888-480-EDGE . . . . . . edgeovens .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Message On Hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-392-4664 . . . . . . messageonholdservice .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77Maine Root Handcrafted Beverages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . maineroot .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64Maine Wood Heat Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207-474-7465 . . . . . . . . mainewoodheat .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84Marsal & Sons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .631-226-6688 . . . . . . . marsalsons .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69Microworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-787-2068 . . . . . . . microworks .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Middleby Marshall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .877-34-OVENS . . . . . . wowoven .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Moving Targets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-926-2451 . . . . . . . movingtargets .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 MPP Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .866-889-8745 . . . . . . . mppmarketinggroup .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83NAPICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . napics .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80NoteAds Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-309-7502 . . . . . . noteads .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76Orca Beverage Bottling Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .425-349-5655 . . . . . . orcabeverage .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Our Town America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-497-8360 . . . . . . . ourtownamerica .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Peerless Ovens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-548-4514 . . . . . . . peerlessovens .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82Perfect Crust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-783-5343 . . . . . . . perfectcrust .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81Pizza Skool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .517-395-4765 . . . . . . . traintogreatness .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75Restaurant Depot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . restaurantdepot .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53Somerset Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .978-667-3355 . . . . . . . smrset .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Stanislaus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-327-7201 . . . . . . . stanislaus .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5Staples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . staples .com/restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 2State Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . st8 .com/bizinsurance .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Sunray Printing Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .320-492-3017 . . . . . . . sunrayprinting .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63Takeout Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .845-564-2609 . . . . . . takeoutprinting .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81Todarini Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .855-279-6977 . . . . . . . todarinifoods .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Tyson Foods, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-248-9766 . . . . . . . tysonfoodservice .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Ultra Thin Pizza Shells & Flatbreads . . . . . . . .516-279-6655 . . . . . . . ultrathinpizza .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Univex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-258-6358 . . . . . . . univexcorp .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41XLT Ovens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .888-443-2751 . . . . . . . xltovens .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
ADVERTISER INDEX JUNE/JULY 2014
PMQ provides this information as a courtesy to our readers and will not be held responsible for errors or omissions. To report an error, call 662-234-5481 x127.
June/July 2014 pmq.com 85
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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE
Grab a direct weblink to every advertiser in this guide at PMQ .com
BAKING SCHOOLS
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF BAKING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Manhattan, KS785-537-4750 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fax: 785-537-1493 COMPUTER SYSTEMS: POINT OF SALE
ADVERTISING
All The Tech Your Pizzeria Needs• Tablet and Traditional
Point-of-Sale• Integrated online &
smartphone ordering
• Self Serve Kiosk ordering• Automated customer
loyalty marketing
CALL FOR A DEMO TODAY!800.750.3947www.granburyrs.com
www.redshiftcompany.com (720) 884-6853
Mobile Voice RecognitionFor Hands Free Ordering
Redshift Backpage Ad (Draft 1).pdf 1 8/2/13 2:59 PM
APPS
CHEESE CONT.
BAKING STONES
CALIFORNIA PIZZA STONES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.californiapizzastones.comVirtually indestructible and impervious to thermal shock. 100% Guarantee against cracking. (707) 545-6528 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]
FIBRAMENT-D BAKING STONE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.bakingstone.com708-478-6032 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .NSF approved baking stone for all ovens by AWMCO
CARD PROCESSING
86 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE
MOUNTAIN HARVEST PIZZA CRUST CO. ........................................................................ Billings, MTContact: Eric LeCaptain ..........................800-342-6205 .....................................Fax: 406-248-7336Sheeted Dough, Prebake Crusts, Dough Balls, Freezer to Oven, Self-Rising Crusts in Standard, Wheat and Nine Grain. ................................................................... [email protected]
CUTTING BOARDS - EQUAL SLICE
CRUSTS
CONSULTINGCOMPUTER SYSTEMS: POINT OF SALE
DeIorio Foods @DeIorios blog.DeIorios.com DeIorios.com
DOUGH
WE’RE IN TOUCH WITH YOUR POS NEEDS.
■ Integrated Inventory Management ■ Marketing Systems ■ Result Mapping ■ Online Ordering System ■ and much more!
pmq.com/Recipe-Bank/
June/July 2014 pmq.com 87
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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE
DOUGH TRAYS/PROOFING TRAYS
800.835.0606 ext. 205 | www.doughxpress.comdough presses, dough dividers/divider rounders, dough dockers, carts and accessories
•Dough Trays – extremely durable and airtight! Outlasts All Other Dough Trays •Dough Tray Covers – designed to fit! •Plastic Dough Knives – two ergonomic designs! •Dough Tray Dollies – heavy duty! Excellence in Customer service since 1955!The preferred dough tray of the largest pizza companies in the world.Buy direct from the manufacturer with over 25 years manufacturing in dough trays.Call 800-501-2458 ........... www.doughmate.com ......... fax: 908-276-9483
Eliminate racks, lids and tins with our stackable, airtight and
cost effective Dough Trays.
When Dough Matters!
C O S T E F F E C T I V E S T A C K A B L E A I R T I G H T D U R A B L E O R D E R D I R E C T
4601 COMMERCE CROSSINGS DR., STE 300, LOUISVILLE, KY 40229 | p: 502-969-2305 | f: 502-810-0907
WWW.DOUGHTRAYS.COM
1-502-969-2305www.DoughTrays.com
BAY STATE MILLING GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA MIX ........................................... baystatemilling.comGluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, Custom-blends and Co-PackingDedicated production area for exceptional purity ..........................................................800-55-FLOUR
DOUGH DIVIDERS/ROUNDERS
FLOUR
DOUGH PRESSES, ROLLERS
FLOUR, GLUTEN-FREE
DOUGH CONT.
88 PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE
FOOD DISTRIBUTORS
FRANCHISING
GELATO
GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCTS
INSURANCE
1051 Amboy Avenue, Perth Amboy NJ800-997-0887 or 732-346-0600
www.vesuviofoods.comServing NY, NJ, PA, DE, CT
Fax:732-346-0882
®
FRANCHISE CONSULTANTS
Should You Franchise Your Restaurant?Call today to receive your free DVD on “How to Franchise Your Business” and learn about one of the most dynamic methods of expanding your business in today’s marketplace.708-957-2300 • www.ifranchisegroup.com
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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE
MACHINERY/OVENS/EQUIPMENT
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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE
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BURKE CORPORATION ...................................................................................... www.BurkeCorp.comItalian, Mexican-Style and Specialty Fully Cooked MeatsContact: Liz Hertz ............................. [email protected] ............................800-654-1152
SUGAR CREEK PACKING CO., ..............................Private Label Precooked Meat Topping Specialistswww.sugarcreek.com ......................................800-848-8205 [email protected]
MIXERS
USED HOBART 60 QT. MIXER FOR SALE AT US $4980.00 PLUS SHIPPING. Call Lynn at 214-552-3218.............................................................................. or e-mail [email protected]
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TODARINI FOODS ................... ..Featuring Italian ChickenTM & Sicilian ChickenTM Pizza Toppings www.todarinifoods.com ........................................................................................ 855-279-6977
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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE
ON HOLD MARKETING
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PIZZA BOXES
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PIZZA BOX LINERS
pmq.com/Recipe-Bank/
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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE
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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE
EARTHSTONE OVENS, INC. ...............6717 San Fernando Rd. ..................Glendale, CA 91201800-840-4915 .......................Fax: 818-553-1133 .......................... www.earthstoneovens.comAll units UI listed.
MARSAL & SONS, INC. ................................................ The new standard in the Pizza IndustryBrick Lined Deck Ovens • Standard Deck Ovens • Prep Table Refrigeration631-226-6688 ......................... marsalsons.com ........................ [email protected]
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PIZZA OVENS CONT.
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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE
WWW.XLTOVENS.COM
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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE
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THE PIZZA EXCHANGE PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE
TOMATO PRODUCTS
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At 19 and 22 years old, brothers Ray and Michael Savokinas were ready to take the plunge into pizza when a local pizzeria owner who was leaving town promised it’d cost only $800 to set up shop . The year was 1964, and the tab ended up being closer to $8,000—not to mention opening week was tinged with hostility when a competitor schemed to outright put them out of busi-ness . Luckily, Savo’s Pizza & Family Restaurant (savospizza .com) in downtown Pittston, Pennsylvania, was an instant success, winning hordes of fans for its slow-cooked sauce and now-iconic rectangular pies . “We’d developed all of the recipes with my mom and other family members, and we were successful right off the bat,” recalls Ray . “From day one, we’d offer anyone who wasn’t satisfied their money back, no questions asked . Fifty years ago, you didn’t see that, even in major retailers .”
In 1971, Savo’s moved to a shopping mall, and a second loca-tion opened in nearby Wyoming, Pennsylvania, in 1973 . But Michael’s sons point out that innovation continued: Art Savonikas remembers the pizzeria as a take-and-bake pioneer (the first in the area to offer par-baked pies for customers to cook at home), while Michael Jr . recalls introducing little-known Buffalo wings way back in 1985 . And getting attention never seemed to be a problem—one newspaper ad initiated a frenzy when it proclaimed, “Don’t Buy Savo’s Pizza,” then stated in fine print at the bottom, “Unless you want the very best .”
Of course, bumps in the road were inevitable . When Ray and Michael started work on a nightclub, their bank loans fell through mid-construction . “We even had to go to loan sharks for money, but we still ended up opening it in 1975,” Ray says . “Then, in 1977, a fire destroyed a good part of the shopping center, so we had to close the pizzeria for six months .”
Even through ups and downs, the Savo’s mall location remains, now cemented as a well-loved Pittston institution by generations of locals . The interior of the pizzeria is designed as an exact rep-lica of its original downtown location, and records from 1964—its opening year—decorate the walls . Unfortunately, the marketing and design mind behind the business, Michael, passed away late last year, just before the golden anniversary he’d long looked forward to . But his wife, Georgia, keeps the business thriving with their two sons, who work to attract the next generation of customers through online ordering, an app and the pizzeria’s first-ever round pie, which rolled out last May .
Meanwhile, original co-founder Ray still pitches in to offer guid-ance as the business continues to charge ahead . “My brother and I did a lot of hard work to be successful,” he says . “We had a lot of hurdles, but we always kept looking forward, not back .”—Tracy Morin
This Pennsylvania-based “little pizzeria that could” overcame hardships through innovation and sheer will to succeed.
Savo’s Pizza & Family Restaurant
DEPARTMENT TIME CAPSULE
(Top to bottom) Michael and Ray Savokinas wield their pizza peels; the current Savo’s replicates its original down-town location, shown here in the ’60s; Ray and Michael’s mother, Madeline Savokinas (and her husband, Joseph) helped develop recipes before opening.
Has your pizzeria been in business for 50 or more years? If so, contact us at [email protected] PMQ Pizza Magazine The Pizza Industry’s Business Monthly
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Links to Extra Content
Featured Video: Pizza TV profiles Pizza Brain, the world’s first pizzeria/pizza museum in Philadelphia.
Featured Video: PMQ Extra: Be a fly on the wall at a get-together of Think Tank members in Las Vegas.
Digital Edition Extra_junejuly14.indd 101 5/22/14 4:54 PM
