Issuu

Volume 17 Issue 1 January/February 2011

12 The oldesT pizzeria in ToronTo

Take a peek inside the success of what is widely believed to be Toronto’s first pizzeria.

16 so long, high sodium

It’s no secret we need to cut the salt, but how? Here are some great tips for reducing the sodium levels in your pizzas.

19 Cheese, please

Take your pies to a new level by getting creative with cheese.

20 going wiTh The grain 20

Give your school boards and nutrition-wise patrons the healthy crust they’re looking for with whole grains.

25 8 ways To surely annoy

your sTaff There’s a good chance you have pet peeves about your staff, but they are probably harbouring a few complaints themselves.

www.canadianpizzamag.com

DEPARTMENTS 6

editor’s desk

pizza bites

canadian pizza online

the pizza chef

making dough

marketing insights

pizza on fire

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 pizza 3

“Packed from Fresh Tomatoes, Not from Concentrate”...

President Tom Cortopassi (kneeling) and “Coach” Dino Cortopassi (standing) in one of our

Since 1942, our Restaurateur customers’ success has depended on the superior taste of the food they serve and of our products. As a family-owned business, it feels good knowing that so many of our customers have relied on our “Packed From Fresh Tomato” products from generation to generation.

Whether your restaurant has a long family history, or whether you’re the founder, you can depend on our family making the best “Real Italian” tomato products...always Packed From Fresh Tomatoes, Never From Concentrate...generation after generation!

Tom Cortopassi President/Owner

Dino Cortopassi Coach/Owner

Generation after Generation.

tomato fields in Stanislaus County, California

THE

StaniSlauS E

O F

Q U

The “Real Italian” Tomato Company 1202 “D” Street

from the editor’s desk January/february 2011, Vol. 17, no. 1

More than a price point nother year, another dairy increase. Surprising isn’t the word that comes to mind. Year after year, the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association’s (CRFA) lobbying is commendable. Year after year the valid points of unjustified inequity seem to fall on deaf ears. The price of milk will increase by 1.5 per cent on Feb. 1. No rollbacks. No level playing field for frozen and fresh pizza makers. Looking back at a January 2009 editorial I wrote on dairy prices, it seems I could essentially reprint it today with a few numbers updated. And, as was the case in 2009, consumer interest in cheese still seems to be ever burgeoning. Last time I peeked into a Chapters, cheese books had their own dominant display in the cooking section. Cheese may be expensive, particularly artisanal varieties, but it’s an affordable and desired luxury for some. For others, they just want loads of cheese on their pizza, and the more, the better. Appeasing this crowd often means offering a competitively cheap price, whereas the foodie crowd is willing to dole out extra dollars without complaint, well educated in the value of what they are paying for. And somewhere between foodie and finger lickin’ good is probably the palate of your average customer, sometimes in the mood to pay more, sometimes insistent on paying less. This division of customers can be frustrating in the face of rising costs, but pizzerias offer so much more than a price point. As a pizzeria operator you are giving back employment opportunity, nourishment, enjoyment and a sense of neighbourhood. If you’ve been feeling good about your in-

volvement with your community, it’s time to think about nominating yourself for our Pizza with Purpose award. If you haven’t been feeling like a part of your community, it’s a new year and a great time to reflect on what more you can do. The karma in community ties is not only a moral circle, but makes good business sense when you consider the all-powerful word of mouth. The little things count. My grandfather owned a pharmacy in a small town for more than 30 years. I ended up working at a pizza place in the same spot as a young adult. I would get to talking with longtime residents who were also regular customers and my grandpa’s store invariably came up, accompanied by a tale of some favour he’d done that they still recalled long after he’d retired. Often it was his willingness to deliver needed medication at all hours. Before his death he was given a Citizen of the Year award in his community, and I remember being so proud of how much of a difference his generosity made. Some people really go above and beyond and we want to recognize our country’s pizzerias for their dedicated efforts. Perhaps you sponsor a local sports team, work with an association like MADD or fundraise for local schools. To be as passionate and proud of the work you do for free is easily as fulfilling as the labour of love you do for pay. You’ll find the Pizza with Purpose entry form online at www.canadianpizzamag.com Remember, rising costs may feel like a kick in the teeth but you offer so much more than a price point. Be more to your customers and they will pay more to you. •

editor Laura Aiken laiken@annexweb.com 416-522-1595 assistant editor Brandi Cowen bcowen@annexweb.com 888-599-2228 ext. 278 publisher Christine Livingstone clivingstone@annexweb.com 519-429-5173 888-599-2228 ext. 239 sales assistant Sandy Mels smels@annexweb.com 519-429-5183 888-599-2228 ext. 219 production artist Emily Sun group publisher Martin McAnulty mmcanulty@annexweb.com president Mike Fredericks mfredericks@annexweb.com mailing address P.O. Box 530, 105 Donly Dr. S., Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5 PuBLICAtION MAIL AgrEEMENt #40065710 rEturN uNDELIVErABLE CANADIAN ADDrESS tO CIrCuLAtION DEPArtMENt, P.O. Box 530, Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5 e-mail: cnowe@annexweb.com Published eight times per year (Jan/Feb, Mar, Apr/May, Jun, Jul/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov, Dec), by Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. Printed in Canada ISSN 1203-6838 Circulation e-mail: cnowe@annexweb.com tel: 866-790-6070 ext. 207 Fax: 877-624-1940 Mail: P.O. Box 530, Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5 subscription rates Canada – 1 Year $ 18.90 (includes gSt - #867172652rt0001) $ 20.34 (includes QSt/HSt) uSA – 1 Year $ 40.00 Occasionally, Canadian Pizza Magazine will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above.. No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. ©2010 Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher. No liability is assumed for errors or omissions. All advertising is subject to the publisher’s approval. Such approval does not imply any endorsement of the products or services advertised. Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising that does not meet the standards of the publication. www.canadianpizzamag.com

6 pizza JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

pizzabites ore than half of all Canadians thought spending the holidays with their in-laws would be more enjoyable than eating a low-sodium diet, according to a national survey conducted in November of last year. The survey results highlight one of the main challenges in reducing Canadians’ sodium intake to the 2,300 milligrams per day recommended by the Sodium Working Group. “Consumers are no longer as willing to trade off great taste for health as they were earlier in the healthy foods movement,” says food trends expert Dr. Elizabeth Sloan. However, 88 per cent of Canadians still believe lower-sodium foods can be delicious. Younger Canadians are less likely than their older counterparts to think this way. In fact, 55 per cent of 18 to 34 year olds reported it would be harder to enjoy a lower-sodium diet than to spend the holidays with their in-laws, compared to 43 per cent of 35 to 64 year olds. The study also found that men (79 per cent) are more likely than women (67 per cent) to feel that they have to sacrifice taste in order to follow a lower-sodium diet. The national Omnibus survey was conducted among 1,050 Canadians.

8 pizza JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

Cher Mereweather, director of the GFTC’s sustainability consulting business unit.

he Guelph Food Technology Centre (GFTC) hosted a gala to celebrate leadership in sustainability among food and beverage processing facilities. The November event marked the release of key findings from the first phase of the GFTC’s “Raising the Bar for Sustainability Performance in Ontario’s Food and Beverage Processing Industry” research project. Facilities that participated in the study and showed exceptional initiatives in sustainability were nominated for special recognition and winners presented with awards. Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Co., a small facility in Picton, Ont., took home the a high honour of the evening, walking away with the award for Corporate Social Responsibility. Cher Mereweather, director of the GFTC’s sustainability consulting business unit, noted that what made the win so impressive was a small facility’s ability to excel at incorporating sustainability into its

everyday practices. “With fewer than 20 employees, Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Co. demonstrated that corporate social responsibility can be done well at any size,” Mereweather said. Other facilities nominated in this category included Kraft Canada Inc. (Scarborough, Ont.), Hiram Walker and Sons Ltd. (Windsor, Ont.), and Cargill Value Added Meats – Foodservice Canada (London, Ont.). Other award categories included energy and waste management, environmental sustainability, community contribution and employee engagement, and strategic leadership.The evening also featured a silent auction for Second Harvest, the Toronto-based perishable food recovery organization. The auction raised $3,155, which will be used to deliver approximately 6,310 meals across the GTA. Canadian Pizza and Bakers Journal magazines, published by Annex Publishing & Printing, were proud media sponsors of the GFTC’s gala event.

Photo courtesy of GFTC

Canadians don’t Awards gala celebrates sustainability expect to enjoy low-sodium food

pizzabites

Sandwich and salad prep units from Master-Bilt Master-Bilt has introduced new Mega top sandwich/ salad prep units in its Fusion refrigeration series. the units come in four models and feature stainless steel interior and exterior, adjustable vinyl-coated shelves and insulated top lids. All cabinets are foamed-in-place with ecofriendly, efficient, polyurethane insulation, and can hold up to 30 1/6-inch pans. All Mega top sandwich/salad prep units are Energy Star certified. the units come with a standard limited four-year extended compressor warranty and one year limited parts and labour warranty.

Boston Pizza raises $260K for charity oston Pizza has raised $260,000 for charity, thanks to donations from Canadians across the country. Throughout November, the chain sold BP Kids Cards at its 340 locations nationwide. For a minimum donation of $5, guests could purchase a card redeemable for five free kids meals. The proceeds will be donated children’s and family charities, via the Boston Pizza Foundation. The top fundraisers were the Boston Pizza locations in St. Bruno, Que. and St. Jerome, Que. Runners up included locations in Lindsay, Ont., Oakville, Ont., and Dartmouth, N.S. Since its inception in 1990, the Boston Pizza Foundation has raised more than $10.5 million for a range of charitable organizations. The foundation supports local, national and global non-profit organizations that work to improve the health and well being of children and families. In Canada, past fundraising efforts have supported the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and Kids Help Phone.

Technomic’s New Year’s predictions ig changes affecting everything from menus to concept development are on the way, according to new research from Technomic. Here’s what to watch for south of the border that’s probably northward bound.

Action in adult beverages Demand for retro cocktails, high-cachet gin and bourbon, craft beers and punch, including sangria, will grow. Look for cocktails with herbal and floral ingredients, skinny cocktails, and even more adult beverages in fast-casual eateries. Beyond bricks and mortar Food trucks, facilitated by social media that notify foodies of their whereabouts, were an L.A. and Manhattan fad a year ago. Now they’re all over the country. Farmers as celebrities The back-to-the-source mentality is sending farmers and producers into the spotlight. Restaurants will feature their celebrity suppliers by offering special menus, inviting them to comment on blogs and even hosting visits. Farmers and artisans will be saluted in highly detailed menu descriptions. More attention to the supply chain also means more attention to food safety, traceability and local sourcing. Social media and technology Kiosk ordering, wine lists on iPads and tableside payment systems have the potential to revolutionize operations. Couponing websites and location-based social media will grow. Apps will continue to evolve while facing new competition. Technologies are evolving so fast that rewards and risks are high. Korean and beyond The Korean taco – synthesis of Koreanstyle fillings in a Mexican format – signals the rise of Korean food. Multicultural tacos with world ingredients, sometimes in surprising combinations, portable street food and small plates from around the planet, will continue to gain popularity. Frugality fatigue Penny-pinching was a novelty when the

recession began, but now it’s old. Anyone who can afford it will dip back into luxury dining. Look for flashy restaurants and extravagant specials even on staid menus. Meanwhile, the middle class will gravitate to reasonably priced, high experience value operations. Pricey full-service concepts will continue to push bar menus, and gastropubs will proliferate. How low can you go? As food input prices heat up, sustaining the bottom line will continue to be a crucial issue. Look for more restructuring of price deals, such as the “everyday low prices” favoured by retailers. Carefully calibrated brand action We’ll see more fast-casual brand extensions by full-service restaurants, more ultra-niche eateries with narrowly focused menus and high-concept ambiance, and investment in brand refreshes and remodels rather than unit growth. Back to our roots The hunger for comfort food develops an appetite for home-style Southern fare, retro Italian food, and gourmet doughnuts. Family-style service formats and familysize portions are poised to be popular. New competition from c-stores Retailers have been encroaching on restaurant turf for some time. The hottest action will be among convenience store operators upgrading their food service, where margins are 40 to 60 per cent instead of the five per cent typical for gas. Consumers are responding positively to upgraded offerings, variety and ambiance. Healthful versus indulgent Look for more items and detailed descriptions on “healthy” menus, including glutenfree fare as well as “under x calories” items. “Eating a little better” will translate into menu modifications such as slightly lower sodium and slightly more glamorous sea salt. “Eating better some of the time” will lead to more innovations like Meatless Mondays.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 pizza 9

pizzabites

Dairy prices to rise 1.5% espite the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association’s (CRFA’s) call for more reasonable dairy prices, the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC) issued a price increase of 1.5 per cenbt on the milk used to make cheese, yogurt and ice cream, effective Feb.1. “Record-high dairy prices and low disposable incomes are already driving consumers to choose other menu items in our restaurants,” says Garth Whyte, President and CEO of the CRFA. “This price increase will drive dairy consumption down even further.” Since 1994, the price of industrial milk has climbed by 59 per cent. In contrast, the consumer price index rose by only 34 per cent and milk producers’ costs, according to the CDC’s own formula, has only increased approximately six per cent. “Canada’s dairy pricing system is designed to be complex to drive prices up and escape public scrutiny,” says Whyte. “It’s time for a fair and transparent dairy pricing system that works for restaurant operators, farmers and consumers.” During the CDC’s annual stakeholder’s consultation on Nov. 18, 2010, the CRFA sought a price roll-back for industrial milk to bring prices in line with inflation, more emphasis on efficient farms when calculating the cost of production and a level playing field in the price of cheese offered to frozen and fresh pizza manufacturers.

read These sTories and more aT www.Canadianpizzamag.Com

news highlighTs •

PIZZA CONE ARRIvES IN CANADA

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RESTAURANTS USING FACEBOOk TO DRIvE ONLINE ORDERS

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TOP ThAT! PIZZA TACkLES BUILD-yOUROWN MODEL

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DINING DISCOUNTS MAkE SOME RESTAURATEURS SICk

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PIZZA PRANk COSTS RESTAURANT $3,900

read These sTories and more aT www.Canadianpizzamag.Com

10 pizza JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

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The oldest pizzeria in Toronto BY JuLIE FItz-gErALD

t’s generally accepted that New York Style pizza in Toronto was born when the Pugliese family opened the doors of Vesuvio in 1957, making this restaurant the oldest pizza place in Canada’s biggest city. Using high-quality ingredients and maintaining customer relationships that span generations are just a few of the reasons that Vesuvio Pizzeria & Spaghetti House has been a customer favourite for 53 years. Located at 3010 Dundas St. W. in the Junction neighbourhood, Vesuvio opened its doors the same year that Elvis was rocking the stage at Maple Leaf Gardens. The Pugliese brothers immigrated to Toronto from Italy. Domenico Pugliese, the eldest of four brothers, went to New York to learn everything he could about making pizza, bringing back with him a pizza dough recipe that has remained unchanged for decades. As Joe “Chicago” Rodrigues, a pizza maker and chef with Vesuvio since 1981, puts it: “After 53 years, you become perfect at something because you do it so often. The owners are hands on all the time, so they keep the recipe exactly as it should be.”

Today the west-end landmark is owned by Ettore Pugliese, one of the original brothers, and Rita Pugliese, wife of the late Corrado Pugliese, who, sadly, passed away last year. Through life’s changes, Vesuvio has remained a tight-knit, family operation, with Ettore’s daughter Paolo acting as restaurant manager. Of the more than 40 people on staff, many have been part of the business since they were teenagers. “Most employees have been here for 10-plus years. They started out as teenagers, have gotten married, had kids and they’re still here,” Rita says fondly. With a roomy sit-down restaurant and a separate side for takeout, pizza lovers can enjoy mouth-watering slices and homemade pastas. A typical Friday night

12 pizza JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

sees more than 500 pizzas fly out the door, with 13 drivers criss-crossing the Toronto West streets, bound by Lake Ontario to the south, Lawrence Avenue to the north, Kipling Avenue to the west and Christie Street to the east. If an order is large enough, the accommodating owners say they will deliver anywhere, but Rita warns that on a busy night, the wait could be as long as one to one and a half hours for delivery. For Vesuvio’s loyal customers, it’s worth the wait to sink their teeth into that light, chewy crust sporting the freshest toppings available. If customers choose to dine in, the restaurant side is an inviting, large room with an original mural dating back to the 1960s and beautiful art adorning the walls.

5 tips for your pizzeria’s longevity 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Avoid compromising on quality in tough times. Always use the best ingredients you can. Maintain a consistent product. This fosters loyalty among customers. Treat staff as family. This makes for great working relationships and low turnover. Be involved in the community. Don’t be afraid to change the direction of your business if times call for it.

feature Three vibrantly coloured paintings – created by Arts for Children and Youth, an after-school program for children living in high-risk communities – fill the west wall of the room. The east wall boasts local artwork provided by the Junction Business Improvement Association, with new pieces gracing the space monthly. The tables are topped with craft paper, and crayons are doled out to children to occupy their imaginations while they dine, making this spot perfect for a fun night out with the whole family. Rita says some of their clientele have been chowing down on made-to-order pizza and pasta since the beginning. “We have people who were coming here when they were going to school. They’ve since gotten married, had kids, now their kids have their own kids, and they still come.” Customer loyalty can be difficult to cultivate. Rita attributes Vesuvio’s longstanding success in the community to a high-quality product. They visit the Ontario Food Terminal market twice a week, selecting the freshest ingredients to adorn Vesuvio’s traditional handmade dough and tomato sauce. Even with the rising prices of cheese, this pizzeria is shelling out for high-quality mozzarella, maintaining a quality pizza that west-enders have come to expect over the past half century.

Rita Pugliese, co-owner of vesuvio, framed by an original wall mural inscribed “1962.”

While the success of a pizzeria hinges on a good product, every business also needs to bend and move with the times, making decisions that may be difficult but necessary to ensure longevity in the industry. The Pugliese brothers recognized this during the 1980s and made a difficult decision to close the restaurant side and focus on their take-out and delivery business, due to a longstanding ban on alcohol in the Junction. The Dundas Street West area had been proclaimed “dry” in 1904 and the

alcohol ban continued until 2000, making it difficult for all restaurateurs in the area to compete with other Toronto eateries. Being prevented from serving a glass of wine or cold draught beer with a steaming pizza made it very difficult to grow the dine-in side of the business, and so the restaurant was closed and used for storage for almost 16 years. In 2000, a vote to lift the alcohol ban finally went through, and the restaurant was reopened the same year. The Pugliese brothers were able to make a tough decision back in the ’80s that allowed them to keep their business profitable and maintain their presence within the pizza industry. With both sides of the business operating again at full tilt, the original Pugliese vision for Vesuvio is right on track. The Pugliese family enterprise that opened its doors when such classic cars as the Ford Mercurys were still rolling through the streets of Toronto, is a long success story summed up by Rita. “I’m happy, I’m proud that my husband and his family started this business. They worked extremely hard to start it and to keep it going. To see people coming over and over again, it gives you a sense of pride, it’s nice. I mean how can you describe it. It’s pride in what we do and how we treat our customers.” •

Mintel highlights foodservice trends Restaurant-goers value menu transparency, but still want the occasional indulgent dining experience, according to new research from Mintel Menu Insights. Sixty-two percent of consumers say they plan to eat healthier in the upcoming year, but many complain that healthier food doesn’t taste as good without the added sugar, sodium and fat. Restaurants will address this problem by using healthier ingredients in popular dishes and positioning them as better-for-you options. Consumers might opt to visit the “healthy” restaurant, but be wooed by the not-so-healthy offers. Convenience and technology will form the perfect union this year, as restaurant-goers will see an increase in automated menus at their favorite establishments. These electronic order-takers

will provide customers with the opportunity to order food to their specifications in do-it-yourself style, reducing the restaurant’s reliance on front-of-house staff and full-time employees. Automated menus, in addition to mobile applications, will allow restaurants to reach a younger, more mobile consumer. Consumers want to know what they’re eating, and the recently passed American healthcare bill mandates such disclosure. Restaurants with 20 or more units will be required to list calorie counts on their menus. Consumers seem happy with the impending disclosure, with 61 per cent agreeing that restaurants should post nutritional information. While the local food movement continues to grow, the push toward indigenous ingredients takes that trend a

14 pizza JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

step further. In 2011, we will see restaurants incorporating more traditional or authentic ingredients to their ethnic or globally positioned entrees. The ingredient-marketing claim “local” has grown by 15 per cent between the second quarter of 2009 and the second quarter of 2010. A vast majority of American restaurants will have to disclose calorie counts on their menus, but that rule doesn’t apply to limited time offers. Operators will take advantage of this by offering lessthan-healthy novelty or seasonal menu items, allowing customers to indulge in a guilty treat, without feeling pressured to make a healthier choice. As it stands, 43 per cent of consumers say they’re likely to change what they order when calorie counts are listed on the menu.

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feature

So long, high sodium BY BrANDI COwEN

t’s no secret: Canadians consume too much sodium. According to Health Canada, the average Canadian adult consumes 3,092 milligrams of sodium every day. That’s more than double the 1,500 milligrams the human body needs daily. The country’s Sodium Working Group warned in a recent report that most of the sodium in the Canadian diet comes from foods that have been prepared commercially, including foods served by restaurants. The report also identifies the main high-sodium culprits: “breads, which include all commercial breads, muffins, buns, biscuits, rolls and similar baked products (14 per cent); processed meats (nine per cent); vegetablebased dishes, tomato and vegetable juices (eight per cent); soups (seven per cent); pasta-based dishes (six per cent); and cheese (five per cent).” Consider how these sources of sodium relate to your products. Crust. Sauce. Veggies. Meat. Cheese. Many of the foods contributing to the glut of sodium in the Canadian diet may be the very same ingredients that make your pizzas a hit with your patrons. As consumers become more health conscious, these sources of sodium may hurt your business. But remember, despite the bad rap it’s earned in the media, sodium isn’t all bad. “Sodium is actually an essential nutrient,” explains Dr. Mary L’Abbé, a professor with the University of Toronto’s Department of Nutritional Sciences. The human body needs sodium to help with everything from regulating blood pressure and maintaining electrolyte balance to generating energy within cells. L’Abbé, who served as chair of the Sodium Working Group from its creation until September 2009, and vice-chair from September 2009 onward, says sodium is also integral to the modern food industry. In addition to flavour, salt is “used to provide

texture in foods . . . in cured meats to help in its preservation, shelf life and microbial food safety.” “It helps to bind proteins so foods feel more tender and soft in the mouth. In things that have to be fermented, like cheeses and breads, you need a certain amount of sodium to help the fermentation process and cure properly,” L’Abbé adds. “Even things like colour in meats are enhanced by sodium levels.” Despite the many roles sodium plays in food processing and preparation – not to mention taste – it’s possible to make significant cuts while still delivering the delicious dishes customers have come to expect. The challenge is to reduce sodium levels in your menu offerings without sacrificing taste, texture or overall quality. MAkING ThE CUT “We’ve reduced sodium in over 75 per cent of our menu items . . . I would say we’ve probably done 80 per cent of what we can do,” says Matthew Hoag, corporate chef at Boston Pizza. The chain made sodium reduction a priority three years ago. At the time, trans

16 pizza JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

fats were the hot-button issue, and Boston Pizza had just succeeded in eliminating industrially added trans fats from its entire menu lineup. With that accomplishment under its belt, the chain began exploring ways to tackle another growing public health concern: high sodium intake. As Hoag explains, the chain has been busy since then, working with its suppliers to identify menu components where sodium reductions can be achieved. “Anytime we’re having discussions on a product, we’ll ask, ‘what can you do to help us out with this?’ and just keep pushing it forward.” The process involves a fair bit of trial and error. It’s a balancing act between what’s possible from a technical standpoint, and what’s desirable in a finished product. “You look at [a component] and say, ‘Let’s look at our current pizza sauce today and let’s look at some samples that are 10 per cent, 15 per cent, 25 per cent and 50 per cent reduced in sodium,’” says Hoag. “Can we tell the difference? What is the difference? How far can we go?” Once those questions have been answered, the new, lower sodium pizza sauce

is rolled out in a limited market area. This small-scale trial allows Boston Pizza to test the changes and, most importantly, monitor guest feedback. When the chain introduces reformulated components into its dining rooms, it doesn’t tend to advertise the changes. Rather than issuing press releases to build media buzz, or highlighting health benefits on its menus, Hoag says, “When we make a change, we will frequently make a change and notify absolutely nobody.” Considering the results of a recent Technomic study, which found that although half of all Canadians report wanting healthier menu items, only one-quarter actually consider nutrition when dining out, Boston Pizza may have the right idea. ShAkING ThE hABIT There are two specific challenges that Boston Pizza has had to contend with when reducing the sodium levels of its menu offerings. “One is what you technically can and can’t do,” Hoag explains. Citing the example of cured meats, he says, “You just can’t drop sodium at will on them without compromising food safety in the process. That’s probably one of the biggest challenges.” Customer taste for salty foods is another major obstacle to cutting sodium. The trick, says Hoag, is to reduce the amount of sodium in your dishes slowly, giving the customer’s palate an opportunity to adapt to the lower sodium levels. “Guests have been acclimatized to the taste of salt. You see a lot of people put salt on their food before they even taste it,” he notes. “You want [the reduction] to be gradual so that the pizza they have today tastes like the pizza they have tomorrow and next year.” L’Abbé agrees that gradual reductions are key. “The data seems to say that you can lower sodium by about 20 per cent, 30 per cent, and people won’t even notice the difference,” she says. For products made in house, L’Abbé recommends waiting until the end of the cooking process before seasoning. “Salt to taste, not salt and then taste,” she advises. Adding more salt if necessary is easy; removing excess salt after the fact is not. Brand name ingredients brought in from elsewhere pose a different sort of

sodium reduction challenge. “Take Frank’s RedHot,” says Hoag. “If we ask them to reduce sodium, they’re going to say it’s a branded product and all the other people that buy Frank’s are going to be affected by it.” In this case, sodium reduction would have to be initiated by the product manufacturer. “They’re going to do it based on many, many people asking them to do it,” he adds. You can also help customers curb their intake by quite literally taking sodium off the table. The Sodium Working Group reported that just six per cent of the sodium in the average Canadian diet is added at the table, but this simple step can still make a difference, and you may be surprised by how many of your customers don’t notice that their favourite shake-on seasoning is missing. “I was at a meeting where there were no salt shakers,” L’Abbé recalls. “It was only afterwards that [organizers] realized there were only a couple of tables that actually asked for a salt shaker.” She says most of her fellow meeting goers only noticed the shakers’ absence when chatting after the meal. A meal which, L’Abbé is quick to add, tasted just fine without a sprinkle of salt. Even though Technomic’s survey found that nutrition isn’t a top-of-mind concern for many diners when browsing menus, Canadians are increasingly optimistic that healthier foods can taste good. Findings from a recent national survey reported that nearly nine in 10 Canadians (88 per cent) believe lower-sodium foods can be delicious. Capitalize on diners’ increasing optimism that healthy can be tasty, and prove them right. “Sodium shouldn’t be used as a crutch for flavour,” says L’Abbé. “There are lots of ways you can add flavour to meals, like herbs and other fresh ingredients.” Pizza is often considered a major source of sodium in the Canadian diet, but it doesn’t have to be. By working with your suppliers to identify areas where sodium reduction is a feasible option, and making gradual changes to your pies, you can offer your customers tasty, lower sodium fare. The key is to balance what’s possible against what’s realistic while still delivering the quality product your customers have come to expect. •

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 pizza 17

the pizza chef

When opportunity knocks Diana Coutu

orking for yourself means you can be the architect of your success. As an entrepreneur you need vision to steer your business. You must also be able to develop the many opportunities presented to you. Timing is key. Most opportunities present a very small window in which to seize them. Not all opportunities are good fits for your concept nor should be pursued, but if you are open minded and paying attention, you just might spot a great fit and ride the ensuing wave of success. A few years ago I wrote an article about our move from our cramped and crumbling location into new bigger, brighter and better digs. In 2006, sales exceeded expectations and we outgrew our tiny pizzeria. It was a good problem to have, allowing us to create a space better suited to our operations. It was quite the ordeal, and frightening at first because it was a big stretch. There were bumps along the way but it was one of the best things we could have done for our business. Fast forward to today and business is great. Our financial commitments have been mostly fulfilled and we find ourselves facing a similar opportunity where the stars have all aligned: the unit next door to us is available and still undeveloped with a dirt floor. It’s almost as if it’s been waiting this whole time for us to see it for the great dine-in space that it could be. Six months ago this opportunity was just a distant thought and now the window is closing. This is a perfect example of an opportunity and timing that’s a great fit with our concept. We always thought our future growth would be through opening more locations since we have regulars in areas of our city that we don’t currently deliver to. But, if we don’t act now, the

opportunity to add a dine-in space to our do well are those who have good systems present location may be lost forever. and good people to manage them. After carefully considerWe decided to pull the ing expansion rather than trigger on expanding our To grow the opening a second one, the current location and jump choice seems obvious. A in with both feet. If we’re business under second location is very going to move ahead with the same roof is the opportunity then we costly in manpower, time and resources, not to menare going to invest fully attractive and tion it’s difficult to split in it. It’s a lot like what we ideal in many your time between two lowent through three years cations. To grow the busiago. It’s frightening at first, ways. ness under the same roof is but also fresh and excitattractive and ideal in many ing. The direction that this ways. We need very little new beginning takes us in kitchen equipment as the infrastructure is guaranteed to have some bumps along is already in place, so the majority of the the way, yet it’s also guaranteed to offer imspace can be used for seating. The biggest measurable rewards. • asset is that we aren’t dividing our energy between two locations. I’ve met many piz- Diana Coutu is a two-time Canadian Pizza Magazine chef the year champion, internationally recognized gourmet zeria owners who had one location, then of pizzaiolo, co-owner of Diana’s Gourmet Pizzeria in Winopened a second and struggled to keep nipeg, Man. and a member of the CRFA board of directors. addition to creating award-winning recipes, Diana is both afloat. I’ve also met many restaurant In also a consultant to other pizzeria owner/operators in owners who tell me from experience that menu development, creating systems to run a pizzeria on opening your second location is much autopilot, along with marketing and positioning to help operators grow their business effectively and strategically. more difficult than opening your third. She is available for consulting on a limited basis. For more From my observation, the restaurants that information contact her at Diana@dianasgourmetpizzeria.ca.

18 pizza JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

feature

Cheese, please Diners are hungry for new flavours. Do your pizzas deliver? BY BrANDI COwEN

here’s a whole world of cheeses to Because the cheeses are fresh, they tend explore. Despite high tariffs, im- to be healthier options, often containing porters from around the globe are lower levels of sodium and fat than other bringing flavours from as far away types of cheese. That’s why Guidi recomas Italy, Israel and India to Canadians. At mends using fresh cheeses to make healththe same time, cheese production is thriv- ier, tastier pies: “In the fresh category are ing here at home. According to the Cana- the ones that have the least salt but still dian Dairy Information Centre (CDIC), deliver great flavour.” Stracchino, a fresh cheese with a soft, Canada produced 399,544 kilograms and more than 650 varieties of cheese last year. creamy texture and mild flavour, is also With so many options to choose from a delicious, low sodium cheese choice. and so many combinations to experiment Stracchino works so well for pizza that, when asked about her with, it’s a great time to dream pie, it’s the first topconsider changing up your “in the fresh ping Guidi mentions. cheese repertoire. “A nice thin crust, “It’s not just about pizza, category are the stracchino cheese, basil, it’s about cheese in many ones that have thin slices of fresh tomato cases,” says Kathy Guidi, president of Artisan Cheese the least salt but and maybe I’d grate some hard cheese over the top Marketing and founder of the Cheese Education still deliver great that would brown a little bit,” she describes enthuGuild. Guidi also recently flavour.” siastically. “A nice fine, penned Canadian Cheese: hard cheese – Asiago – if A Pocket Guide, which feayou wanted to add a little tures tasting information punch to that pizza.” for approximately 180 CaShe pauses for a moment, then adds: nadian cheeses, many of them artisanal. For an aficionado like Guidi, the “And maybe mushrooms.” cheese can make the difference between a so-so pie and a truly memorable pizza PLAy WITh yOUR FOOD experience. She can still recall a particu- Incorporating novel cheese varieties into larly delectable pizza she enjoyed in To- your pies can make your pizzas stand out ronto: “It was pretty special with fig and from the competition, but it can also be blue cheese. I think there may have been a risky move. If customers are unfamilsomething else besides just the blue, an- iar with a particular variety of cheese, other softer, mellower cheese, just to fill in they may hesitate to order an entire pizza topped with something they may not like. the blanks. It was delicious.” Cheeseboards can help diners overcome this fear of the unknown, offering a ThE CASE FOR FRESh Fresh cheeses, including mozzarella fior taste of an unfamiliar cheese without havdi latte (made from cow’s milk) and moz- ing to commit to an entire meal featuring zarella di Bufala (made from domesticated water buffalo milk), taste great on pizza. Continued on page 22

At the CRFA Show, don’t miss Chef Ezra Title of Chezvous Dining and host of Healthy Gourmet

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 pizza 19

feature

Do you know the difference between whole wheat and whole grain flours?

Going with the grain BY LAurA AIkEN

onfused between whole wheat and whole grain? The two are not one and the same, although it’s a common misconception. You may have clients, such as schools, asking you for new nutritional requirements in your crust. “Whole grains are here to stay,” says Kevin Jones, technical services manager for Horizon Milling. “And it is mostly driven by the schools.” Many of the inquiries Jones fields from pizza makers involve an interest in creating a whole-wheat crust to fulfil the new mandates and interests of school boards, he says. When he learns that is the case, Jones says he generally asks question to clarify and learns that what pizza makers actually are required to develop is a whole-grain pizza crust. Whole-wheat and whole-grain are easy to confuse but they do not mean the same thing.

WhOLE GRAINS Grains are the seeds of plants such as wheat and rice. The seeds are composed of three parts – the bran, the endosperm and the germ – all of which play a nutritional role. These grains can be whole or refined. Whole grains have all their parts whereas refined grains have had the germ and bran removed. Manufacturers in Canada are required to enrich white flour to put back nutrients lost in processing, but this still does not equate to the fibre and completeness of whole grains. The Health Canada website tells us that when wheat is milled to make flour in Canada, the parts of the grain are usually separated and then recombined to make specific types of flour, such as wholewheat, whole-grain and all-purpose. To be considered whole-grain, all parts of the kernel should be used in relatively the same proportions as in its original state.

20 pizza JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

However, food and drug regulations allow up to five per cent of the kernel to be removed to help lengthen the shelf life of whole-wheat flour. The section of the kernel that is detached for this purpose contains a lot of the germ and some of the bran. If this part of the kernel has been removed, the flour is no longer be considered whole-grain. Health Canada further notes: “Whole wheat bread is made with whole wheat flour. As sold in Canada, whole wheat flour may have much of the germ removed. Therefore, 100 per cent whole wheat bread may not be whole grain – however, it remains a nutritious choice that provides dietary fibre not found in white bread.” So, while whole-wheat is a better fibre provider than white, it’s not the same as whole-grain flour. Not only is it not the same nutrition-wise, but there is a taste

difference and other factors to consider when formulating a whole-grain crust. WORkING WITh WhOLE GRAINS If you want to develop a whole-grain pizza crust, there’s no way to avoid the many experiments in search of perfection, but that’s the fun and creative part! There are, however, some things to keep in mind when working with whole-grain flours, including how you want the finished product to look and taste. Bob Meyer, director of technical services for Dakota Specialty Milling and member of the American Institute of Baking’s education committee, says he has seen pizza makers experimenting with all extremes in the last year. Some want the whole grains visible, some as hidden as possible. It all depends on the clientele you’re serving. The pieces in whole-grain flour will cut the structure of the gluten, says Meyer. “If you’re adding flakes you would need to be careful of tears in the pizza dough.” You also need to start with good high-protein flour when doing a multigrain blend, one that will carry the “dead weight” of the grains, he adds. You may need to consider increasing yeast, gluten or other dough strengtheners. Essentially, he recommends maximizing the strength of the dough lest it fall apart. Also, Meyer notes that you need to optimize hydration levels because the whole grains “act like little sponges.” Taste is obviously of utmost consider-

ation. If it doesn’t taste good, it’s not going to sell. Jones notes that whole-wheat crusts tend to be a less favourable taste-wise than whole-grain crusts, citing a more positive reception to whole-grain pizza taste. Meyer explains that since whole grains do have a much stronger flavour than white flour, you may have the challenge of masking that with sugar and spices for your particular clientele. “The more wheat, the nuttier the taste,” says Meyer. “You may want to look at using other sugars, like molasses or honey to complement it.” You can source many different types of whole-grain flour blends; what percentage of them you incorporate into the crust will depend on how you want your crust to turn out. If you want to develop a rye or barley crust, you will find unique challenges in working with the different plants as they will not all formulate the same. For example, rye can be difficult to work with for pizza in that rye grains tend to make the dough very stiff and less pliable, says Jones. However, experimentation can lead you to the right balance, depending on the kind of crust you’re seeking. While considering how to take away salt and fat in pizza, don’t forget about health benefits that can be added. Whole grains are a great source of fibre, a nutrient gaining traction in the national conversation. A healthier crust can help you attain, maintain or grow your key school business, as well as offer a healthier option for everyone. •

SpeedLine releases new software The SpeedLine 6.2 release from SpeedLine Solutions delivers new point of sale capabilities specifically requested by restaurant chains and operators. HotBackup is intended to act as insurance against unexpected hardware failures, backing up data every minute of every day. Custom options also allow restaurant operators to set up automatic backups for payroll and accounting files. Additional features offered by SpeedLine 6.2 include: • Caller ID timers, status alerts, and automation tools. • New menu options intended to improve the speed and accuracy of coupon tracking. • A new electronic receiving interface that lets restaurant suppliers connect with SpeedLine Inventory. • Tools designed to help managers find and edit employee records more easily • More than 50 online training videos and tutorials.

At the CRFA Show, don’t miss Michael Stadtländer, Executive Chef at Eigensinn Farm

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 pizza 21

feature Cheese, please Continued from page 19 that flavour. Boards typically feature three to five selections, including one soft and one firm cheese (such as Camembert and Asiago), and a blue vein cheese (like a Roquefort). A spreadable cheese, such as a fresh chêvre, and a cheese selection flavoured with herbs or wine can be used to round out the board. A cheese board can serve dual purposes, expanding your patrons’ taste horizons, and opening your pizzeria to a world of new pie possibilities. “I think the opportunity more and more for restaurants is to use some of your ends of cheeses and grate them up, shred them, and use them on a pizza,” Guidi says. “Any cheese will melt and some of the finer artisan cheeses will actually brown. It would be a lovely way to use up some of the cheese from your cheese boards.” She points out that many cheeses are “very flavourful,” so you may not need to use very much in order to add an exciting new flavour to your pies. Guidi suggests that somewhere between 30 and 40 per cent of the cheese on a pizza be of a specialty variety, while the remainder can be a more basic cheese choice. Guidi also recommends offering mini-pizzas made with artisan cheeses. This idea capitalizes on the growing trend towards

22 pizza JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

Formaggio stracchino can be a great addition to your menu’s cheese choices.

offering more snack items. It also gives customers another opportunity to test out a new flavour in an easy-to-share way, without committing to an entire meal. For the very cautious customer, consider offering samples of the cheeses your kitchen works with. Taking your customers out of their comfort zones and exposing them to new varieties of cheese can create opportunities to change up your menu while giving diners a flavour experience that will keep them coming back for more. •

Call for more information

making dough with Diane

Diane Chiasson

alentine’s Day is one of the busiest days of the year for food service. Not all pizzerias are at the top of the list when it comes to romantic meals, but there are still several ways for all savvy operators to take advantage of this busy day. Since Valentine’s Day falls on a Monday this year, the idea of ordering pizza may be more appealing than heading out for a fancy meal at the start of the school or work week. Here are eight great ways you can increase your sales and bring in more customers this Valentine’s Day.

8 Valentine’s Day promos to spread some love weather, especially on a Monday night. Instead, couples may prefer to stay in and snuggle up on the couch with pizza and a movie. Hold a special delivery promotion that includes a copy of a classic romantic flick. Allow customers to choose from a list of titles when ordering their pizza.

hEART-ShAPED PIZZA Start your Valentine’s Day promotions by offering a heart-shaped pizza. For an added touch, you can also cut all your pepperoni slices into heart shapes. Create a romantic pizza using ingredients such as artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, Asiago cheese and asparagus. SEND PIZZA, NOT FLOWERS Most women would like their husbands or boyfriends to send flowers and chocolates on Valentine’s Day. But what can women send back in return? Men might appreciate a surprise lunch delivery in the form of a heart-shaped pizza. Advertise a special delivery promotion on Valentine’s Day and target your female customers. Allow them to include a personal message that will be printed onto a special Valentine’s Day card included in the delivery. Finally, make sure you include a few coupons for your pizzeria in the card! MAkE IT ChARITABLE For each of the heart-shaped pizzas you sell, donate a dollar or two to the Heart & Stroke Foundation, or another charity of

Spread the love and reap the business on valentine’s Day by promoting your own heart-shaped pizza.

your choice. This is a great way to pay the Valentine’s Day love forward. PACkAGE WINE, ChOCOLATES AND FLOWERS If you operate a dine-in restaurant, offer a prix-fixe dinner special that includes a bottle of wine, chocolates and flowers. Help save time and money for husbands and boyfriends by including the gifts in the meal! Dim the lights in your restaurant, put some candles on the tables, and hire a singer or a band to play some live romantic music while your customers dine. Make it a fun night! INCLUDE ThE kIDS Run a contest and invite kids to design a Valentine’s Day card. Children dining in the restaurant can create the card during their visit and submit their entry in person. If the pizza is delivered, provide a self-addressed, postage paid envelope so they can mail in their design. Offer the winner(s) a free pizza party, or gift certificates for free meals. PIZZA AND A MOvIE Many people dislike dealing with crowded restaurants and heading out in the cold

24 pizza JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

ADvERTISE yOUR PROMOTIONS As with any other promotion you run, you must tell your customers about it! Beginning a month before the big day, display the appropriate POS materials and signage in your pizzeria. Hang posters on your walls and windows, leave brochures and flyers on your countertops, send direct mail and update your website. Make sure you include a flyer or brochure with every pizza you deliver leading up to Valentine’s Day. PROMOTE TO STUDENTS Most students are on a budget, so they are a perfect group to target for celebrating Valentine’s Day with a pizza. Offer a student special for your heart-shaped pizza, or liaise with your local college or university and create a promotion that lets students in the dormitories send Pizza-grams to each other. The Pizza-gram could be a mini heart-shaped pizza delivered with a special greeting or other prepared message. With a little creativity, you can help share the love this Valentine’s Day and show your bottom line a little lovin’ too! • Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping foodservice, hospitality and retail operators increase sales for more than 25 years. She provides innovative food and retail merchandising programs, interior design, marketing and promotional campaigns, and much more. Contact her at 416-926-1338, toll-free at 1-888-926-6655 or chiasson@chiassonconsultants.com, or visit www.chiassonconsultants.com.

feature

8 ways to surely annoy your staff BY rHONDA r. SAVAgE, DDS

f you are a manager, there’s a good chance you’ve had many pet peeves regarding your staff and their behaviour. What you may not realize is that your employees probably have a few complaints themselves. It’s true that often these complaints can be unreasonable. As a manger you need to accept that you can’t always make everyone happy, but it’s important to know what you can improve on as a leader. When your staff members respect you and the way you manage the team, it improves morale. When morale goes up, production goes up. How can you improve your management style to prevent your employees from agreeing with these frustrations? yOU COME TO WORk GRUMPy Each day depends on your attitude when you walk in the door. If you are negative from the first moment your staff members see you, it may affect their moods and result in low productivity or bad customer service. Make a mental choice the moment you wake up in the morning to be a positive influence on your staff members. If you have start-of-shift team meetings, assign someone to bring in inspirational thought or a humorous incident or joke to start off on a positive note. Do not complain about the day before or dwell on the traffic you dealt with during your commute. yOU MICROMANAGE ThE STAFF Excessive attention to detail can hold back the growth and development of your business and your team members. Employees that are micromanaged feel frustrated,

lose confidence, become timid and are discouraged. Attention to detail is a positive trait of any manager, but if you’re correcting every little detail or do everything yourself, you’ll hurt your performance and that of the team. As an owner or a manager, you need to delegate, follow up without micromanaging and hold people accountable. Create a system in which your employees can keep you updated on the projects they’ve been assigned. This way, they don’t feel you are micromanaging or taking over, but you are able to keep updated on the progress. yOU ARE TOO “hANDS OFF” AND DON’T hOLD EMPLOyEES ACCOUNTABLE While micromanaging may not be a sound management strategy, it’s also possible to be too “hands off” with your staff members. Good leaders coach and mentor but don’t micromanage or let things float along. You know the strengths and weaknesses of your people. The days of dictatorial leadership are gone. Most employees today thrive on independence, growth and involvement. And yet they also thrive on feedback, accountability and firm, fair leadership. Finding a balance is crucial for the success of your business. yOU COMPLAIN ABOUT ThE BAD ECONOMy AND POOR CASh FLOW It may be a difficult time in the economy. Your employees care about you and the company, but if you’re burdening them with your woes, the morale will go down. Don’t share everything. They don’t need to know it all. Focus on being positive, cheerful and supportive.

Some people may argue that your staff needs to know the facts. Yes, but do not harangue them daily that their job is in jeopardy. Let them know what the goals are and how important each and every one of them is to the success of the business. Before you feel a need to lay anyone off, ask yourself these questions: 1. Can you be training and encouraging them to be more in your market? 2. How is your customer service? 3. Should you be working on your business before you resort to drastic measures? yOU BRING yOUR PERSONAL LIFE TO WORk We all have those days. We all have personal lives outside of our work. It can sometimes be difficult to separate the two, especially as a manager. But regardless of what is happening in your personal life, it’s important to keep that separate from your professional life. Anything from talking to your employees about personal problems to having family and friends stop by the office excessively can hugely affect the way your employees view you as a leader. If you overheard your employee talking about her date last night rather than focusing on work, you probably wouldn’t be thrilled. It’s important to set a good example for the staff by setting the standard of behaviour. yOU DON’T DEAL WITh PROBLEMATIC EMPLOyEES If you don’t deal with problematic staff, one (or both) of two things will happen:

Continued on page 28

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 pizza 25

marketing insights

Defensive tweets Michelle Brisebois

But there seems to be a disconnect between what hen a Chicago-area Domino’s was an hour late and delivered the wrong order to a woman named Amy customers expect and what they get. Only 22 per cent of Korin, they had no idea how deeply they’d just respondents said they’d actually got a response as a result of stepped in doggy-doo. You see, Korin is something of a social complaining on a social media site. According to the website TechCrunch, those aren’t media maven, advising several multinational companies on their digital strategies. Shortly after discovering she had the the only ways social media is changing customer expectations. In 2007, 60 per cent of Ameriwrong pizza, Korin aired her frustration on Twitter. With no social media defence strategy, pizzerias are often un- cans indicated that when they had a negative aware of the online trash-talking or left scrambling to minimize customer experience, they wanted to speak the damage. This is where the Korin vs. Domino’s story gets in- to a live agent about it. At the time of the study, 26 per cent wanted to communicate via teresting. It seems that Domino’s franchisee Ramon DeLeon is well versed e-mail, and five per cent preferred chat. At the time, Facebook and Twitter weren’t used by when it comes to effectively using social media to corporations to handle complaints and grow his business. DeLeon saw Korin’s frustrated only 22 per cent resolve problems. By 2010, expectatweet because he was tracking any mentions of his tions had started to shift. Last year 83 stores on Twitter. He immediately contacted her to of respondents per cent of Americans indicated they say that a fresh pizza exactly as she’d ordered was said they’d wanted to speak to a live agent, while 66 per on its way. Then he wowed her by posting a video cent preferred e-mail, 12 per cent preferred chat, apology. At the time, DeLeon was totally unaware actually got and seven per cent selected social networking sites that he was dealing with a social media expert. He a response as their channel of choice when seeking to was simply leveraging new tools to accomplish an resolve a complaint. old objective: superior customer service. as a result of The availability of digital options for The Customer Experience Impact 2010 report commissioned by RightNow Technologies and complaining on a communicating has caused consumers to crave conducted by Harris Interactive looked at social social media site. human interaction in real time. Businesses may acknowledge and accept that media’s influence on consumer expectations. The their customers are talking about them online but study reports that 82 per cent of consumers in the if they don’t send a direct message, how do we United States said they’ve ceased doing business with a company after experiencing lackluster customer service. know they’re saying? While new tools and applications are conOf the people who’ve taken their business elsewhere, 73 per cent stantly appearing to help monitor the online chatter, one of the indicated that rude staff was the primary problem, and 55 per easiest ways to track what’s being said about you is via Twitter cent reported that the company’s failure to resolve their problems Search. To use this tool, simply log onto your Twitter account in a timely manner was their chief beef. Such customer service and look to the top of the page. You’ll see a search bar to the immissteps can have huge repercussions. Seventy-nine per cent of mediate right of the Twitter bluebird. Type the name of your own American consumers said they’d shared their negative customer business or product into the search bar and click on the magnifying glass icon or hit enter to begin the search. All of the recent experiences in public and with their friends. These days, it seems consumers view social media as a way of tweets mentioning your business will come up. You can refine lodging a formal complaint and that’s skewing their expectations the search to check out those tweets with links and tweets from regarding speedy resolutions. The study found that of the con- people near you. You can even check out the people talking about you. You sumers who took to social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to publicly air a complaint, 58 per cent expected a response can click on the “save this search” box in the upper right hand from the company. Moreover, 42 per cent expected a response corner and then the search will be saved on your Twitter profile. All you have to do is click on the little upside-down triangle next from the company within a day of posting their complaint.

26 pizza JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011

to the “searches” heading and you’ll see your entire list of saved search terms there. Try checking once per day to see who’s talking about you. What you’ll likely see there will make you feel pretty good about your business. People may be sharing their love of your pizzas, talking about which toppings they ordered and even which wine they’re pairing with their pie. If customers are offering kudos, you may want to jump in and respond with a “Thanks! You made my day,” tweet. Then, entice them with posts about the fresh pies just out of the oven and special offers for your followers. Yes, there may be some comments from frustrated customers in the mix, but here’s your chance to address their issues head on. If a customer has a complaint, tell them you want to make things right and then proceed to fix the situation. You’ll get a chance to defend yourself publicly and you’ll likely draw a few new followers to your Twitter feed in the process. A recent report by MarketTools, Inc., a provider of software and services for business feedback management and market research, stated that 94 per cent of companies don’t use social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter to get customer feedback, despite people’s growing engagement with these platforms. The study revealed that companies usually gather customer feedback through: email/online surveys (51 percent), formal phone surveys (28 percent), and informal phone calls (28 percent). In the end, social media simply takes the blanket off of those conversations customers have always had about the businesses they frequent. These digital tools give us a way to finally participate in the conversation and turn negative perceptions into positive ones. As Ramon DeLeon suggests, “Fight social media fire with social media water.” • Michelle Brisebois is a marketing professional with experience in the food, pharmaceutical, financial services and wine industries. She specializes in retail brand strategies.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 pizza 27

feature 8 ways To annoy your sTaff Continued from page 25 The others will begin acting like them or you’ll lose the respect of the staff. You cannot ignore a problem. The problem will build and you will lose the respect of the rest of your staff if you don’t take necessary steps to resolve the issue. Deal with issues early on before they get out of control. Staying involved in the day-to-day tasks of your staff members will help you stay on top of any problems or potential problems that may exist. Make sure you are visible to employees by walking around the restaurant and visiting a little with each one. Check in with key people to find out if there are any issues you need to resolve. yOU ARE NOT AROUND ENOUGh There is no doubt that emergencies come up. Sometimes no matter how hard you

try, you have to be out of work for personal reasons, whether it is a doctor appointment or family emergency. It’s important that employees are able to count on you for assistance, guidance and support. A manager who is not available for their staff will quickly lose the respect of these people. If you do need to be away from the business a lot for personal reasons, try to schedule meetings on the same day each week. This way, at least your staff will always know when they can reach you. yOU OvERREACT You can be a good leader 90 per cent of the time, but if you’re losing it 10 per cent, that’s what they’ll remember. Overreacting in any way to an employee bringing an issue to your attention is a bad idea. It’s important for the staff to know they can come to you with problems and keep you updated on the business. You don’t want to make them feel guilty for doing this; rather you want to encourage this

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behaviour. Your team knows things about the business that you may not be aware of sometimes. You need to know what they know, or your business may be in danger. Overreacting to anything your staff members tell you will only discourage them from keeping you informed. Everyone, even management needs to work at being a better team member. Begin by realizing the strengths and weaknesses that you have as a leader and work on the things you could improve on. By being aware of the frustrations your staff members have, you can work to change those habits. You’ll earn the respect of your employees, they’ll be happier and more productive and the business will benefit. • Dr. Rhonda Savage is an internationally acclaimed speaker and CEO for a well-known practice management and consulting business. Dr. Savage is a noted motivational speaker on leadership, women’s issues and communication. For more information on her speaking, visit www.DentalManagementU.com or e-mail Rhonda@ MilesandAssociates.net.

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Tom Stankiewicz here is at least one secret in the pizza business that every owner guards with their life. It has the power to make pizzas with the exact same toppings taste completely different from one another. It could even be the main reason your customers are loyal to your pizzeria, rather than the competition across the street. If you haven’t guessed by now, that secret is your pizza sauce. I have never found two sauces that taste the same. I suspect most of us use similar, if not the same ingredients. The secret is hidden in the proportions we add to the tomato sauce and the tomatoes themselves. In my pizzeria, I use 12 spices and two different kinds of crushed tomatoes. Many people wonder how you come up with a great recipe for a pizza sauce. The quest for perfection will be more difficult for someone who has decided to open an independent pizza store. It will involve a long process of trying various combinations of spices and tomatoes. Some people continually improve their recipe for years. They find creative ways to get feedback from their customers that, in turn, lead them to make small changes that satisfy the greatest number of people. I have heard of one owner who noticed that a lot of his customers were over 40. He decided to ask them via a quick survey what specific ingredient they were avoiding in food and why. Most clients cited health reasons for their choices. The owner was then able to compile a list that he used as his guide to improve his pizza sauce, as well as the toppings he was offering. This was a brilliant idea that turned into a huge success. After investing so much time and effort into developing the perfect pizza sauce, keeping the secret to that success is a must. I bought my pizza sauce recipe along with the business, which opened in

Protect your saucy secrets the 1960s. I was tempted to make some have special containers that I prepare evsmall tweaks but in the end, I decided to ery day with the mixture of spices needed leave it exactly as it has been for the past for my pizza sauce. I fill these containers 50 years. Why fix something if it isn’t bro- before any employees arrive. I’ve found it ken? Those who bought their businesses to be very convenient, especially during the same way I did will recall that our in- busy times when we may need to prepare vestments are protected by a bucket of pizza sauce a legal contract that prohibquickly. Anyone can pick it’s also a good its the seller from disclosing up the pre-made container the recipe to anyone. and get the sauce ready in idea to have The next challenge is to less than two minutes. that employee make sure that only those It is also important to who need to know how to consider what informasign some sort make your pizza sauce are tion needs to be disclosed of an agreement to customers. I’m sure in on the secret. In my business, there is only one other you’ve noticed that many that would person who knows the inprepackaged foods have gredients and proportions prevent him from labels that list everything to mix with the crushed that was used to prepare disclosing this tomatoes. She is a family them. As of right now, we recipe to anyone are not required to promember who is associated with the pizza business and vide this information for else. understands how vital the our products, but how do secrecy of this information you handle a customer is. For most independents, who wants to know exactly the secret is shared with either family or what you put in your pizza sauce due to trusted friends who work for the busi- allergy concerns? A simple way to tackle ness in some capacity. If you need to let an this situation is to ask which specific inemployee know, make sure it is someone gredient triggers that customer’s allergies. you can truly trust and depend on. This Then your answer can be a simple, “no, should be someone who has worked for we don’t use it,” or “yes, we do use it.” you for a long time, not a new hire from This allows you to address your customa month ago. It’s also a good idea to have ers’ concerns without having to disclose that employee sign some sort of an agree- your whole ingredient list. ment that would prevent him from disRemember that the pizza sauce is a closing this recipe to anyone else. very unique feature of any pizza pie. Have Obviously, the best way to ensure se- fun improving your recipe, but if you have crecy is to tell no one, but this has the po- one that your customers have loved for tential to be a problem if the sauce runs out many years, let it be, and closely guard the and you’re away. There are ways of making secret to your success. • sure that the sauce can still be prepared in your absence. You would simply have Tom Stankiewicz has been in the pizza business for more to make sure that the spices are mixed than 15 years. He has been the proprietor of Bondi’s Pizza in London, Ont., since 2000 and is president of the together ahead of time. At my pizzeria, I Canadian Pizza Team.

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