PZ - July - August 2017 by annexbusinessmedia

A CONVERSATION ABOUT PINSA | BUYERS GUIDE July/August 2017 canadianpizzamag.com

GIVING BACK Creative ways to get involved in your community

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Volume 23 Issue 4 July/August 2017

11 GIVING BACK

Check out these creative ways to get involved in your community

16 ALTERNATIVE PAYMENTS

Is your pizzeria looking to offer forms of alternative payment? Operators share their experiences with bitcoin and barter

18 A CONVERSATION 18

ABOVE: These Canadian pizzerias have found interesting ways to give back to – and become an important part of – their communities. Be inspired! See page 11.

ABOUT PINSA Rodolfo Santo has an impressive international culinary background and he’s eager to share what he’s learned

ONLINE

DEPARTMENTS 6

editor’s desk

pizza bites

the pizza chef

marketing insights

guest column

making dough

new products

Giorgio’s corner

PIZZA IDEAS FROM THE CHEF OF THE YEAR COMPETITIONS Looking for inspiration to shake up your pizzeria’s menu? Our creative, passionate and cutting-edge Chef of the Year competitors deliver! On page 23 you’ll find five pizzas from the Canadian Pizza Show to ignite your taste buds and fire up your imagination. Watch for more pizza ideas from the show at www.canadianpizzamag.com.

CANADIAN PIZZA EXTRAS | Canadian inventor of Hawaiian pizza dies at 83; Businesses can get matching funds for ‘shareable’ tourism;

Pizza oven affects Montreal air-quality readings; …plus, the latest industry news and new products. www.canadianpizzamag.com

JULY/AUGUST 2017 pizza 3

from the editor’s desk July/August 2017, Vol. 23, No. 4

Cashless momentum H

ow close to going cashless is your pizzeria? Unless you’ve been hiding under the till for the last 20 years, you’ll have noticed the slow but sure shift from cash to cashless forms of payment in this country. One veteran pizzeria operator told us he saw a tipping point last fall when his cash take for one evening consisted of $20, a small fraction of his sales. The growth of cashless payment is affecting most, if not all, bricks-and-mortar retail and service businesses. Giving customers greater choice in how they pay encourages the impulse-buying urge that benefits all merchants. Canadians are steadily moving away from cash as a preferred form of payment. A survey this spring by Payments Canada found half of Canadians are ready to get rid of banknotes and coins. Two-thirds of respondents said they are ready to say goodbye to personal cheques. Often, we take our cues from the United States, where much of the technology and many products originate. In other ways, we are ahead of the U.S. and other countries in our innovations and adoption of new forms of payment. This is the case with our relatively easy access to debit payment through the Interac system set up by our banks decades ago. It has made payment by bank card relatively common and convenient. The big three cashless payment options are debit, credit and smartphone wallets but there are a lot of options out there. “Contactless” payment options such as MasterCard Pay Pass, Interac Flash, Android Pay and ApplePay – collectively referred to as near field communications, or NFC – appear to be overtaking the traditional swipe card as the most popular form. But there are other forms of payment to watch such as bitcoin, fingerprint recognition and barter. Innovations like these – often called “disruptors” – may be good, bad or temporary, but they shouldn’t be ignored.

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In fact, as Jim Chliboyko’s feature story (page 16) helps illustrate, the time may be right to give them a try. Some operators are testing and committing to new payment technology, and it’s a step worth considering. There has been a flood of information in the media about advancements in technology, much of it laced with jargon. It’s important not to be overwhelmed by its sheer volume. Instead, use these frequent announcements of hardware and technology options as an invitation to ask lots of questions and make comparisons. We should remember that, although cashless payment is driven by technology, that technology was developed in the service of convenience. The pizza industry, with its emphasis on delivery, makes convenience a priority. If you aren’t already doing so, it may be time to do some long-term planning for your pizzeria. Think about who your customers are, how old they are and what their lives are like. Consider their technology needs and habits. Investing in any technology – new payment hardware, a POS system, online payment acceptance, a digital menu board, virtual staff scenario training (yes, it’s a thing) – is a big step. But if you decide to take it, you may be pleasantly surprised by the possibilities it opens up when customers get convenient options, better service and a good reason to return to your pizzeria. On that note, make sure you take time out from taking care of your customers to enjoy the little moments with family and friends that mean so much. Happy 150th! •

Managing Editor Laura Aiken laiken@annexweb.com 416-522-1595 Editor Colleen Cross ccross@annexweb.com 519-428-3471 ext. 261 Publisher Christine Livingstone clivingstone@annexweb.com 519-429-5173 888-599-2228 ext. 239 Account Coordinator Shannon Drumm sdrumm@annexweb.com 888-599-2228, ext. 219 Media Designer Curtis Martin cmartin@annexweb.com Circulation Manager Anita Madden amadden@annexbizmedia.com 416-442-5600 ext 3596 Group Publisher Martin McAnulty mmcanulty@annexweb.com COO Ted Markle tmarkle@annexweb.com President & CEO Mike Fredericks Mailing Address P.O. Box 530, 105 Donly Dr. S., Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5 PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT #40065710 Printed in Canada ISSN 1203-6838 Published seven times per year (Jan/Feb, Apr/May, Jun, Jul/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov, Dec) by Annex Business Media Circulation email: lmalicdem@annexbizmedia.com Tel: 416-442-5600 ext. 3547 • Fax: 416-510-5170 Mail: 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 Subscription Rates Canada – 1 Year $ 19.00 (+ applicable tax) Best pricing (Can/USA/foreign) available online at www.canadianpizzamag.com 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.

Annex Privacy Officer privacy@annexbizmedia.com • Tel: 800-668-2374 No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. ©2017 Annex Publishing and 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

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pizzabites BRIEFLY | Western Ont. businesses can get matching funds for ‘shareable’ tourism; Pizza Hut Canada expands in Eastern Canada; Pizza oven affects Montreal air-quality readings | FOR MORE pizza news, www.canadianpizzamag.com

Pizza Nova raises $68K at annual golf tournament izza Nova recently presented a cheque for $68,200 to Villa Charities to support culturally sensitive care for senior citizens in the Greater Toronto Area, assistance for those with intellectual disabilities and general promotion of fitness, culture and the arts. The funds were raised at the Ontario company’s annual golf tournament held at Station Creek Golf Club near Markham, Ont., on May 30. Every year since 1994, Pizza Nova franchisees, suppliers, business associates, affiliated organizations, family and friends have been invited out for a day of golfing, networking, enjoying specialty pizza and helping out with a worthy cause. The Pizza Nova food truck served up eight types of pizza to hungry golfers, including breakfast pizza featuring hardboiled egg, spinach and prosciutto, fata and

tomato, and an antipasto table. Arthur Macri, a franchisee for 16 years beginning with his store at Victoria Street and Sheppard Avenue, was on hand to participate and enjoy the day. In 1986 Macri traded his franchise for a position at the chain’s head office. He had advice for new franchisees: “Look at the people who run the company and see where you’re at. Here it’s like having a second family. Then it becomes how hard you want to work.” The charity event has grown from about 80 participants to 260, Pizza Nova president Domenic Primucci told Canadian Pizza. “We just want to give back. This industry is all about family.” When asked how he chooses which causes to support, Primucci said, “We spearhead two causes – Villa Charities and Variety Village (through their annual “That’s Amore for Kids” event)

– and then we look at helping others. You can’t help everyone, but you can try.” A reception for participants was held that evening at Le Parq banquet hall in Markham.

Pizza Nova president Domenic Primucci and Sardo Foods national sales manager Pino Ferlisi catch up before hitting the greens at the Pizza Nova charity golf event in support of Villa Charities.

Fried wheat products still not gluten-free, warns Canadian Celiac Association F

ried wheat products still not gluten-free, warns Canadian Celiac Association. The myth that frying wheat products makes them gluten-free is endangering people with Celiac disease, said the Canadian Celiac Association in a news release. The association said it was concerned after numerous chefs reported being told that frying something made with wheat changes the protein so that it is safe for someone with Celiac disease. People often liken the frying process to cooking an egg, the CCA said. In the case of an egg, frying it changes the colour and structure of the egg, and while heating gluten in a fryer does change the structure of the gluten protein, it does not make it safe for someone with Celiac disease. “The protein must be completely broken into tiny pieces to make it safe for someone with Celiac disease,” said Sue Newell of the CCA. “There are no chemical processes that have been confirmed to do that for gluten in food.” The association acknowledged there is some debate about the exact temperature for this complete breakdown, with a suggestion that heating food to 315 C (600 F) for 30 minutes may be sufficient; however, at that point the food is totally inedible.

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Ontario raising minimum wage to $15 per hour O ntario is proposing raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour and Restaurants Canada has slammed the move. The plan is to increase the minimum wage to $14 per hour on Jan. 1, 2018, and $15 per hour on Jan. 1, 2019, followed by annual increases at the rate of inflation. The measure will give more than a quarter of employees in the province a pay increase and will help ensure that more workers are benefiting from Ontario’s economic growth, the government said in a news release. “Ontario’s economy has outperformed all G7 countries in real GDP growth over the past three years, and unemployment is at a 16-year low,” the release said. “But the nature of work is also changing. People are working longer, jobs are less secure and benefits are not the same as they used to be. Many employees are working long hours and still struggling to support their families on the current minimum wage of $11.40.” Restaurants Canada, which represents more than 37,000 restaurants, bars and food-service establishments that employ nearly

473,000 Ontarians, said the move is a betrayal of the industry’s trust. “Just three short years ago, the premier committed to a balanced, predictable model to set minimum wage rates,” said James Rilett, Ontario vice-president with Restaurants Canada, in a news release. “Business took her at her word and supported the changes. Little did we know that she would turn around and make a backroom deal with union leaders.” Ontario’s minimum wage will jump by 22.8 per cent in January 2018, which is 10 times the rate of inflation. The total increase by January 2019 will be 31.6 per cent in just 18 months – a total hit of $1.8 billion to the province’s restaurant industry. This represents a 31.6 per cent wage hike that will cost $47,000 per year. “Today’s announcement is devastating to the thousands of small business owners who hire and train high school students, newcomers to Ontario and others looking for a first start in the labour market,” Rilett said. “There is no question this will lead to fewer jobs, fewer hours, and fewer employers.”

Pasta sales down or flat worldwide due to health concerns ales of pasta in Italy are down two per cent in Italy and flat in Canada and other countries, and health concerns are the main reason, according to new research from information company Mintel. Sales in Italy had a compound annual growth rate of -2 per cent between 2011 and 2015, with sales falling to 908,100 tonnes in 2016. The compound annual growth rate for pasta between 2011 and 2015 was -2 per cent in the U.K., and completely flat in Australia, Canada, France, and the U.S., Mintel said in a news release. Health is the reason this national cuisine has fallen on hard times, the research indicates. Today, almost one quarter of Italians say they are limiting the amount of pasta in their diet for health reasons, rising to 28 per cent of people aged 55 and over. Italy remains in the top three pasta eating nations. In 2016, only the Brazilians (1,223,500 tonnes) and Russians (1,184,900 tonnes) consumed more. “Health concerns over carbohydrate intake continue to plague sales of pasta, especially in Italy where retail sales have been in constant decline every year since 2009,” said Jodie Minotto, Global Food and Drink Analyst at Mintel. “The rising popularity of protein and the resurgence of low carb diets have made for a challenging environment for pasta, which is being shunned in favour of foods perceived to be healthier or more supportive of weight management efforts.” Research from Mintel Global New Products Database suggests 14 per cent of pasta products launched in 2016 were gluten-free, up from just five per cent of those launched in 2012. Eighteen per

cent were organic, up from 11 per cent launched in 2012. Eight per cent were whole-grain, up from five per cent launched in 2012. As consumers shun carbs, some are starting to look for healthier alternatives. In the U.K., “better-for-you” is a choice factor for a quarter of consumers when buying pasta, the Mintel report said. Pasta made with ancient grains appeals to 22 per cent of consumers, while variants made with vegetables appeals to 30 per cent. In terms of new product development, the organic claim leads the way in Europe and the U.S. In 2016, 28 per cent of all new shelf-stable pasta introductions carried an organic claim in both Europe and the U.S. Low/no/reduced allergen was the second most popular claim in both Europe and the U.S. Gluten-free came in as the third most popular claim in the U.S. and Europe. “All manner of ingredients are being used in next-generation ‘pasta’, the latest of which is seaweed. Sourdough fermentation is also being used to improve digestibility of gluten in wheat-based pasta,” Minotto said. For more news updated daily, visit www.canadianpizzamag.com

JULY/AUGUST 2017 pizza 9

the pizza chef

Artisan pizza: the healing food Diana Cline

id you know that women aged 19 to 49 require more than twice as much iron in their daily diet as men? And while you may already be eating foods with iron, depending on what you’re eating with them, your body may not be absorbing much of it. There are two kinds of iron: heme iron and nonheme iron. Heme iron, found in meat, fish, and poultry, is well absorbed by the body. Non-heme iron, found in beans, lentils, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and eggs, is not as well absorbed by the body. You can help your body absorb more non-heme iron by eating foods high in vitamin C and/or heme iron at the same time. I have been borderline anemic for most of my life, and I take iron supplements. After reading an article in a cycling magazine about healthy pizza toppings providing a great body replenishing and body-building meal, I wanted to create a pizza that would be incredibly high in iron but also taste delicious. Something that would satisfy all the requirements of a healthy, nutritious meal but not taste like the meal we think of when we’re trying to eat healthy. So I selected each ingredient specifically to increase my iron intake, decided how they would be prepared and put them all on one of our 100 per cent whole-wheat, thin, artisan pizza crusts. I call it “di prim’ordine nutrimento,” which means top-class nourishment, and it has olive oil and herbs sauce, roasted red peppers, minced garlic and pesto chicken with baby spinach and black olives. Wow, talk about tasty! It instantly became one of my favourites. But I didn’t know if anyone else would like it. For most people, the words “healthy pizza”

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bring up images of those things we’d rath- I sold out, packed the lounge and had er blend and drink instead of bake up on people who didn’t get to buy tickets just a nice pizza crust. I frequently host tast- showing up. Lucky for us, we have a patio ing evenings where I sample some of my and the weather was nice that evening, so newest artisan pizza creations and every- we managed to accommodate everyone. It one who tasted this one gave it top marks. was a little crazy – the good kind of crazy Since then, I have been working with – with every plate we owned out on the unique-to-pizza vegetarian tables that night. The feedingredients and preparing back was phenomenal! them as toppings, and crePeople wanted to order I wanted to ating entirely new vegetarone or more of the vegian and vegan artisan pizan pizzas they’d sampled create a pizza zas. I’ve been having a lot to take home and several that would be of fun creating these reciguests wanted reservations pes and giving them jazzy incredibly high for the weekend so they names. One of my new could bring friends back in iron but also with them. favourites – “Jack and the Beans Talk” – has red kidWhile I am busily gettaste delicious. ney beans, chickpeas, baby ting ready to fully launch spinach and Monterey Jack my vegan pizza cheese on cheese. It’s very tasty, and our menu, I am also seeing the samples have all been very well rated. the possibilities of so many more artisan I’ve also been working on a from- pizzas designed as body-healing meals – scratch vegan pizza cheese for the past for example, other artisan pizzas designed few months. While there are non-dairy for those with low potassium. No prooptions available, none is designed spe- cessed ingredients: into the oven, artisan cifically for pizza, and, as we all know, pizza dough, marinara, tomato slices, baking an ingredient in a 500-degree or massaged kale and roasted asparagus, out hotter pizza oven changes the texture and of the oven, drizzled with honey. Mmmm, mouthfeel of the ingredient. It’s been my now I’m hungry. experience that most vegan cheeses turn Until next column, be well. • into puddles in commercial pizza ovens and I wanted something that would still have a nice bite to it. I also wanted it to Diana Cline is a two-time Canadian Pizza magazine taste so delicious that even the carni- Chef of the Year, three-time winner of “Canada’s Best Pizza Chef” at international pizza competitions, a judge vores would like it! I spent a little while for international pizza culinary competitions in Las dreaming up and playing with ingredient Vegas, Italy and France, and a partner with Diana’s matrixes to create just the right balance of Cucina & Lounge in Winnipeg. In addition to creating award-winning recipes, Diana is a consultant to other taste and function. pizzeria owner/operators in menu development, creating Earlier this month, I hosted a vegan systems to run a pizzeria on autopilot, along with cheese pizza tasting evening, and at first marketing and positioning to help operators grow their business effectively and strategically. She is available I wasn’t sure there would be any real in- for consulting on a limited basis, for more information terest in it. But, it turned out incredible! contact her at diana@dianascucinaandlounge.com

cover story

Giving back Check out these creative ways to get involved in your community, and be inspired

BY COLLEEN CROSS

he most successful small businesses share an important quality: they make themselves part of their communities. Entrepreneur magazine lists getting involved among its top 25 common characteristics of successful businesses and Forbes says those who succeed long term are often motivated not by profit but by being able to work where they live. That’s good news for pizzerias across Canada, who do this so well. If you want to be more involved in your neighbourhood, city or region, take a look at what these three inspiring and creative pizzerias have rolled up their sleeves and done for theirs. 100% TEAMWORK Ken Hoose and staff at his Domino’s franchise in St. Thomas, Ont., had what you might call an extraordinary Monday on May 29. The team worked a long, busy day dishing out pizzas to please customers and to help out a co-worker diagnosed with cancer. Jesse Baughman, 16, who started work at the store late in 2016 was already considered part of the Domino’s family as his older sister, Kaitlin, worked at the store too. After Baughman got the difficult diagnosis and was recovering from chemotherapy treatments, Hoose visited him in hospital and reassured the young worker his job would be waiting for him when he got back on his feet. Hoose, who bought the franchise three years ago, hatched the idea of selling pins at $5 each to raise money. He took them to an industry awards banquet where he handily raised $3,000. “That

speaks to the character of this industry,” he says. The idea morphed into donating 100 per cent of sales to help support Baughman’s family with expenses arising from his treatment. “We’re at a point in our lives where we’re able to donate to others and still be OK,” he says. When he told the team about the plan, interest snowballed, he says. “The team wanted to help.” He let his franchise operator consultant at Domino’s know what he was planning about a month in advance and the preparation was done in about three weeks. It was tricky because some tasks, by their nature, couldn’t be done ahead of time, he says. His consultant passed the time, place and other details along the pipeline. Domino’s Canada head office donated funds and helped get the word out. At least a dozen area and national businesses pitched in as well. Hoose says store manager Shelby Stewart did a lot of the nutsand-bolts planning, using strategic Facebook posts to share a promotional flyer and topping their boxes with a printed version of the same flyer. Local media got wind of the cause and came out the Tuesday before. In the end, the post was shared more than 800 times and viewed 24,000 times, Hoose says. “Sales were relatively slow on the Friday before because people anticipated eating out the following Monday,” he says. Early in the morning on the big day, Hoose learned from manager Stewart that they had $3,000 in advance orders. “That’s when I thought, OK, it’s going to be that kind of a day,” he says with a laugh.

JULY/AUGUST 2017 pizza 11

They had people from surrounding towns such as Aylmer and Port Stanley and from nearby London. Everyone agreed it was a great cause; it also was a long day. They had a lull from about 2:15 to 2:45, Hoose says, but knowing that orders would flood in beginning at 3 o’clock, he told his team to take a break, get something to eat and have a drink. Staff worked in staggered shifts from 9:30 a.m. to midnight, many of them pulling longer-than-normal stints. Teenaged staff worked from 3:30 to 11:30. “We really appreciated their parents letting their kids work extra hours,” he says. A surprise visit from Baughman did a lot to energize the team. “When they saw it was Jesse, everyone started clapping,” Hoose says. “It brought them together.” Everyone was getting caught up in the momentum of what they were doing. Perhaps most touching, he says, was the effort put forth by drivers, who delivered pizzas for the full shift in order to “provide some continuity” to the day. “After they were paid, a couple of them gave their wages right back. They didn’t have to do that,” he says. The store raised $1,000 in tips and cash donations alone. But it is the numbers – 100 per cent donated, 1,450 pies, $26,000 raised – that make this fundraiser stand out and show it was able to mobilize a community. “It was a pretty inspiring day,” Hoose says. “That’s what draws customers to it. People want to be a part of it. And it was a learning experience for those who hadn’t done it before.” An unexpected byproduct of the day was the community’s awareness of the business. A Facebook post leading up to the day received 58,000 views. “If they didn’t know about Domino’s before that day, now they do,” he says. In a show of support at another level, Hoose says he and other franchisees in the area help each other out when needed. He says he has arranged to help out at an event in Simcoe, an hour’s drive east, to raise funds for a little girl battling leukemia. The manager was unable to be there due to a death in the family. “All the franchisees in the area have such close relationships,” he says.

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Photo courtesy Ken Hoose

cover story

Staff at Ken Hoose’s Domino’s franchise in St. Thomas, Ont., braced themselves for the 3 p.m. crowd during a daylong fundraiser to raise money for a co-worker fighting cancer. All told, 1,450 pies went out and $26,000 was raised for the cause.

The EarthBites program is currently A GROWING COMMUNITY Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co. is playing a delivered in five Vancouver schools, with long game of community and environmen- one-off workshops happening in spring and summer when there is demand. Fieldtal involvement. The restaurant and its Rocky Mountain en spends hours organizing a team of nuFlatbread Education Society support many tritionists, urban gardeners and foragers charitable efforts in relation to building to teach kids from kindergarten to Grade sustainable food systems. Two of those are 7 how to grow and prepare healthy food. They teach the program once a week all the EarthBites and an urban garden. “We created, facilitate and fund a pro- year long through units like “Preserving the Harvest” and “Summer gram called EarthBites,” Planting.” Some of the kids wrote Suzanne Fielden stay involved through the to Canadian Pizza in her Fielden summer. entry to the Saputo FoodWith the Parent Action service Pizza With Purpose organizes Committee paying for it contest in 2016. Fielden a team of or subsidizing it heavily, and husband Domenic it’s a self-sustaining model, own the very green businutritionists, Fielden says. She applies ness with three locations in Vancouver, one in Banff, urban gardeners for a grant as well. “It alAlta., and one in nearby and foragers to lows for transformation in schools. Kids that may Canmore, Alta. “Earthteach kids from never eat greens will scarf Bites teaches thousands down kale and radishes. of students how to grow kindergarten It’s an amazing program.” their own food and create healthy snacks – includto Grade 7 how At a time when 75 per cent of kids are malnourished ing pizzas – in Vancouver to grow and – either not eating enough schools,” she explained. “Our society also funds prepare healthy or eating too many readymade foods – the program innovative programs like food. is well received, she adds. Urban Stream, which is a They do no advertising micro farm in our Kitsilano but rely on word of mouth car park,” Fielden tells in an interview with us. “There we compost to raise awareness of the program. Through its Canmore location, Rocky all of our food on site and grow our own arugula and herbs, which we use to top Mountain also fund and conduct two school rooftop gardens where students our pastas and pizzas.”

can participate in a productive urban farm that thrives all year, including in the summer months when school is out. “Students and teachers have the support of urban farmer mentors to guide them through the world of plants and support the integration of gardens and food into curriculum,” Fielden says. The garden supplies the restaurant. The community seems to like what they are doing. “Teachers are super-grateful because they haven’t got the time or the skills,” she says. “Parents are grateful – their kids are eating their veggies and planting gardens at home!” It’s a nice leveller for students who may feel left out of activities for various reasons, for example, students whose first language isn’t English and those with special needs, she adds. The programs took their current form about a decade ago when the company opened as Rocky Mountain Pizza with the goal of operating under the responsible entrepreneurship model that promotes the idea of youth as leaders of tomorrow. “It’s the idea that businesses are not there just to make money,” Fielden explains. “One of our business goals is to keep as small a footprint as possible while still staying in business.” She organizes the pieces in what she calls “a big jigsaw puzzle” to make sure the key stakeholders know where they are supposed to be and when. Staff lead a team of six in running the programs. They have a public market three times a year where they sell fresh produce they grow at a micro farm in Vancouver behind the Kitsilano location where they compost all greens on site using an Urban Stream composting unit with the help of worm castings. In four beds they grow fresh micro greens, oregano, mustard seed, rocket, arugula, basil, sage and other delicacies. Fielden calls herself “the major tender” of the garden, which is supported by their education society and a small farmer’s grant. Guests and media sometimes ask for a tour and staff see that it’s much more than a restaurant, she says, adding that they have “zero turnover” among their chefs and most full-time employees. Rocky Mountain also buys from local farmers whenever possible. The restaurant likes to showcase and support them by buying what they have on hand then supplementing from other suppliers if necessary. In addition to their emphasis on giving back to the Earth, every month the business lends out its space to a community fundraising group and donates 10 per cent of its sales to the event. Finally, they connect more intimately with customers by holding make-your-own-pizza events Sundays and Mondays from 5 to 7 p.m. Tables are set up and front-of-house staff known as “pizza-making leaders” take turns guiding parents and tots through topping their own pizzas. These events also are popular for birthday parties and corporate teambuilding events. “Adults are crazy” when it comes to these evenings, she says with a laugh. RIGHT BACK ATCHA Fratelli Village Pizzeria, a small, full-service pizzeria in Scarborough, Ont., that specializes in wood-fired pizza, has managed to become part of its neighbourhood through a strategy of assisting and supporting those in need. The brothers sponsor hockey teams and gift certificates for

worthy causes. They also support silent auctions, raffles and special community events. “They do not say no to anyone who asks for a donation for any kind of fundraising,” the entry said. They support silent auctions, raffles, special community events. The donation amounts, which vary and may also be cash donations where appropriate, amount to thousands of dollars every year. But community involvement doesn’t always involve big cash donations, points out Denise Pocchi, who nominated the pizzeria run by her husband Salvatore (Sal) Pocchi and his brother Matteo since 2005. There is a long list of causes, including Movember, which each year sees Sal and Matteo not only grow moustaches but also ask for customer donations to help raise funds for an awareness of men’s health issues. The brothers match all funds raised. “The number 1 thing I love to do is the Christmas toy and food drive,” Sal says. For this yearly event, they set up a toy drive, contribute about $500 worth of toys to it themselves and ask their patrons to bring in more. The toys are distributed to local churches for distribution to disadvantaged children. The simultaneous food drive goes to various recipients. In 2015, the pizzeria supported a local hockey team and Continued on page 21

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feature

Alternative payments Is your pizzeria looking to offer forms of alternative payment? Operators share their experiences with bitcoin and barter BY JIM CHLIBOYKO

ention the phrase “alternative payments” and it may conjure up visions of underground economies, spice trade networks or Orson Welles’ black-marketer Harry Lime from The Third Man. But in reality, alternative payments are hardly the stuff of shadow or mystery. You’ve probably used an alternative method of payment today yourself. They can be anything used instead of hard cash or something standing in for cash: transactions on debit or credit cards, the use of prepaid cards, coupons, cheques or money orders. These are all forms of alternative payment. However, there’s a newer tier of alternative payments, like bitcoin, that some Canadian restaurant owners are looking to embrace, whether out of progressiveness or mere curiosity. For Tony Sabherwal, of Toronto’s Magic Oven chain, his inspiration had a rather Canadian seed. “I think the idea is from the time

that restaurants used a day or a special year, people are saying, ‘well, why don’t where Canadian Tire money was ac- you take it as payment?’ ” So, what is bitcoin? Here’s the quick cepted,” Sabherwal said. “So I was just riffing off of that and I said, well, what version: Bitcoin is a digital cryptocurrency without a central other forms of payment administrator like a bank can we accept?” all transactions are Others were thinking For people who and recorded in something the same thing, it turns called the blockchain. out. use bitcoin There are over 100,000 “I’ve been using bitonly sparingly, places of business that coin for over a year now accept bitcoin and miland I’ve been accepting there are no lions of estimated users. it as payment for just a month now,” said Jason transaction fees. Interactions can be completed over one’s smartSeitanidis of Matador phone or other forms of Pizzeria and Steak House storage. The value of bitcoin can fluctuin Calgary. “So, I’m pretty new at it.” For him, it all started out with a cash ate, but that’s part of the fun. Bitcoin is not even 10 years old. Its machine. “When I first got the bitcoin ATM date of introduction is listed as January in the restaurant, I didn’t realize how 2009 and its inventor is claimed to be much traffic it would drive,” Seitanidis Satoshi Nakamoto. However, that is said. “Long story short, we put an ATM widely recognized that this may be a inside of Matador and it’s a traffic driv- made-up name. Canada’s (and the world’s) first biter, so I thought that’s kind of cool. And as I’ve been learning about it over the coin ATM opened in a Waves Coffee

ABOVE: There is a newer tier of alternative payments – bitcoin and the barter system among them – that some Canadian restaurant owners are looking to embrace out of progressiveness or curiosity.

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Shop in downtown Vancouver back in 2013. Pizza restaurants were amongst the first early adopters, with Winnipeg’s Santa Lucia getting the city’s first bitcoin ATM in early 2014 and Regina’s first one appearing at Trifon’s Pizza a few months later. It must be noted that neither place has its bitcoin ATM anymore, though you can still find them at Waves. Magic Oven’s Sabherwal has gone so far as to include possible bitcoin payment on his chain’s own app. For Magic Oven customers, there are two ways of using bitcoin. “One is proprietary to us, which is a Magic Oven app,” he said. “And the other one is through a third-party company called Maegan. So, both are set up to be that way. In fact, I’m in conversation with the people that do the back end of our website because most of our orders come from our website, online ordering, and I’m trying to see if there’s a way of making bitcoin available on that, as well.” Despite his eagerness, Sabherwal has yet to process his first bitcoin payment

but he thinks it’s just a matter of time. “I think there are some people that sort of laugh it off; I don’t think the average consumer at this point is quite that into bitcoin,” he says. “But I think we have some large corporate clients that do some catering with us and they seem more interested in trying it out because their companies have bitcoin accounts.” “I think that as blockchain technology becomes more and more prevalent and people are secure with the knowledge that this is not a hoax or this is not just fake money that’s going to come and go. I think more and more people will start to use it. I mean, I feel secure. I’ve read a fair bit on bitcoin and the technology and it’s very secure. In fact, I think it’s more secure than using a credit card online.” Seitanidis agrees with that assessment. “Someone gets a credit card number, they can manipulate it, whereas with bitcoin, it’s secure. It’s so secure that you have to push it to me; I can’t pull it from you.” Despite the high-tech feel of bitcoin, Seitanidis said processing transactions is smooth. “Once you get over your fear of doing your first transactions, it’s seamless,” he said. “It’s very, very simple. And it’s even easier than using the current banking systems that are out there.” And it’s not just Edward Snowden types who are using it. “Investors, people sending money back to Europe, Asia, wherever, because the ease of moving that money, right,” recounted Seitanidis on the types of people who use it. “The transaction fees are, you know, next to nothing. A funny one is a lady comes in, uses bitcoin, she doesn’t want her husband to know she’s buying Jimmy Choo purses online.” Indeed, for people who use bitcoin only sparingly, there are no transaction fees. Because of the secretive nature of bitcoin, there is a certain element that proprietors have to watch for, though. One person who didn’t want to be

named mentioned that his bitcoin ATM attracted a criminal element that he had to chase away. Seitanidis acknowledged that, as well. “Now, at the beginning, I did have some negative, but I cleaned that up pretty good. You get the odd sketchy (person) – who’s in it for the wrong reason . . . and we just kind of cleared them out quick. But since then we’ve had no issues with it; it’s been great.” But bitcoin isn’t the only kind of newer alternative payment form out there. It’s not even the only one in which Seitanidis has invested resources. “Barter is ridiculous for me,” he said. “I do an average between $5,000 to $10,000 a month in barter.” What Seitanidis is talking about is not under-the-table payments but rather a legally recognized barter system, usually conducted through companies such as SabreTEC or eXmerce. “So, for instance, my grease traps get cleaned out by a company; they live in our quadrant of the city and they’re always at our place having pizza or lunch or whatever,” he said. “And they use their dollars for maintenance on their trucks – so it’s circulating all the time. We can get home painting, we can get restaurant painting; in fact, I had the whole restaurant painted on barter. It cost me 4,500 in barter dollars, equivalent to real dollars. And so, yeah, a lot of this stuff I normally spend real dollars on I can use my barter dollars for, which is equivalent to my food costs. So, 25 cents to every dollar.” In terms of taxes, Seitanidis says, “the CRA accepts that one barter dollar is equivalent to one Canadian dollar. I pay GST on it as well; we collect GST on it. So, it’s pretty neat.” While barter may be a little more straightforward than bitcoin, Seitanidis says not to let any of these forms of payment intimidate you. “My advice would be don’t overthink it,” he said, mostly referring to bitcoin. “The more you can simplify it, the better it is and the more it makes sense to you.” •

For more on payment options, visit www.canadianpizzamag.com > Business & Operations > Finance

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profile

A conversation about pinsa Chef of the Year runner-up Rodolfo Santo has an international culinary background and he’s eager to share what he’s learned BY COLLEEN CROSS

y conversation with Rodolfo Santo begins with a description of limoncello that is almost a love letter. The version of the drink he loves is a specialty of the Amalfi Coast in Italy, says Santo, who was born in nearby Naples. “The lemons there are bigger and sweeter. If you are driving along the coast and look down, you’ll see a hillside of lemons covered with black nets for harvesting,” he says. You need 100 per cent clean alcohol to make it true limoncello, he explains, which is why you cannot make it in Canada. One litre of pure alcohol equals four litres of limoncello, he says – an impromptu lesson. Then you add sugar and ferment it for two weeks. It goes especially well, he says, with a dessert pizza – nutella, peanut butter, banana and icing sugar – like one served at Gino’s Pizzeria and Spaghetti House in Kingston, Ont., where he is corporate chef. Santo, who was runnerup to Chef of the Year last October, also educates me on the finer points of La Pinsa Romana, which is both the name of his high-scoring pizza and a flatbread tradition dating back to ancient Roman times. The word “pinsa” is the past participle of the Latin verb “pinsere,” – “to crush” – and the forerunner to the modern word “pizza.” When talking about the pinsa, the easygoing chef becomes dead serious and detailed. “In Italy 99 per cent of pizzas are made using a premade flour, which is a mixture of three flours,” he says, adding that it’s not ideal for him because it contains soya, an allergen, and is expensive. The limitations inspired him to create a dough more to his liking. He developed a flour combining mixing spelt, amaranth, rice flours and organic Canadian flour. “I use filtered water with a pH of 7, which is perfect. It helps develop the gluten,” he says. The crust is parbaked, which makes it pleasingly springy. There is a practical benefit as well: it improves workflow and reduces the need for highly trained staff. “Anyone can make it. You don’t need to be a pizzaiolo,” he says. Every moment is a teaching moment with Santo, and we can learn a lot from this consummate chef who has plied his profession at some of Canada’s and Europe’s best hotels and restaurants and even on the seas aboard cruise ships. With a bachelor of science from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., a teaching degree in music and over a decade

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Rodolfo Santo prepares to make his traditional pinsa at the International Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas in March.

of culinary training under his belt, no one can accuse the gregarious chef of not paying his dues. After coming to Canada with his family as a toddler and growing up in Hamilton he received an international education. “My parents were strong believers in education,” he says. They alternated his schooling between Naples and Hamilton every two years in Italy – making him fluent in both languages. Santo’s interest in food is easily traced to his mother. “My

Santo is proud to have worked for Gualtiero Marchesi, an Italian chef considered by many the founder of modern Italian cuisine. He describes Marchesi as a “pure gentleman who respected talent.” Marchesi sent him to a restaurant in Hamburg, Germany, for two months to help revise the menu. At first the local chef took exception, but after Santo explained he was there as a consultant to help him, the chef was receptive to his ideas. He says chefs need to be open to new experiences. “When you start to learn, things snowball,” he says. Back in Canada, he worked at two restaurants in Vancouver: The Poor Italian Ristorante and Federico’s Supper Club, before coming back to Kingston to be near his daughter, Savara, 18, who shares his love of food. “She knows her stuff,” he says. After a stint at Mastro Roberto Trattoria & Pizzeria in Woodbridge, Ont., Santo took a position in Kingston. He now works for Gino’s Pizza & Spaghetti, a five-location chain that started in 1982 in Toronto but is not to be confused with Santo’s springy parbaked pinsa is topped with sausage and the Gino’s chain in Toronto. He enjoys his work at the newmushrooms. est and largest location, which accommodates 30 people. His mother was a great cook. You could come to our house and role as corporate chef gives him freedom to experiment and never eat the same meal twice.” Her specialties included la- responsibility for among other things, staff training. He sometimes finds the younger generation difficult to sagna and from-scratch fusilli made by wrapping the pasta motivate. “The biggest challenge is culture,” he says. “In Candough around square wire hangers, he says. His interest in pizza was fuelled by a summer stint liv- ada, young people are not passionate and not serious about their job. In Europe, being a waiter or server is ing with and working for his mother’s cousin, a respected profession.” Pasquale, who ran Pizza Stella on Danforth AvHe sees another obstacle to staff performenue in Toronto, Santo made and delivered pizFood is an ing at their best: a lack of self-awareness. “I ask zas for the bustling business, which has since international people what they are good at and often they closed, and according to Santo, was the first can’t tell me. They don’t know themselves what pizzeria in Toronto to sell pizza by the slice in language, and they are good at.” the 1960s. One secret to successful training is repetiSanto followed that passion back to Naples, detail is what tion. “One problem I have is that I make things where he stayed with his aunt and trained for shows people look easy. I need to remind people that it takes six months. Burned in his memory is a mara lot of practice,” he says. His advice? “Get their gherita pizza he had at L’Antica Pizzeria da Miyou care.” – respect. Once staff have confidence in you, chele, a well-known pizzeria pumps out 2,000 Rodolfo Santo they will come along.” marinara and margherita pies a day. Plans are underway to open a Pinsaria in “It was the greatest thing I ever tasted. I’ll Kingston under the Gino’s umbrella. The new never forget it, that first bite,” he says. “I wantlocation will specialize in his pinsa and New York-style pies. ed to learn how to make that pizza.” He trained for three years at the Institut de tourisme et The team may look at franchising at some point. Santo has a working theory that food can eliminate bord’hôtellerie du Québec – the Hôtelerie – in Montreal, earning only room and board as he learned the ropes. Following this ders. “I think if you could just find out what a person ate as a he earned the designation of first cook after five years at the child, you could break down their defences so that they will listen,” he says. He sees food as a way a chef can communicate Excelsior Hotel in Milan, Italy. He then consulted for hotels in various cities in Europe. with a guest. In this conversation, “feedback is the greatest He recalls nine months spent in Milan in 1998 cooking for thing.” “Food is an international language, Santo says, “and dea restaurant to help the owner improve his business. Santo found it satisfying to see his employer move “from the back tail is what shows people you care.” It’s clear Rodolfo Santo of the paper to the front” after getting positive feedback from speaks that language fluently. • customers. To him it was proof the restaurant had “made it.” In a high compliment, and perhaps unaware of his internaFor more profiles, tional chops, customers joked, “The menu speaks only Italian.” visit www.canadianpizzamag.com > Profiles

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marketing insights

You don’t look a day over 149 Michelle Brisebois

anada is turning 150 years old this year and as we ramp up for the big event July 1, you can sense the momentum. I need to confess up front that I think “business anniversaries” mean more to the business (and by “business” I mean the founder or president) than they do to the customers or even the employees. Unless there’s a big benefit for the customers, celebrating the fact a business has been around for X number of years tends to be a big yawn. I wasn’t even sure how passionate Canadians were about being Canadian, at least when it came to food. Then there was “Ketchupgate.” In 2013 Leamington Ontario’s Heinz plant had more than 1,000 full-time and seasonal workers and the tomatoes it processed accounted for half of Ontario’s $52-million dollar crop (Financial Post, March 2017). The most recent owners, based in Brazil, announced Heinz’s ketchup would no longer be produced there. A Facebook post by a construction worker went viral and French’s stepped up to promote its ketchup as the “Canadian choice.” Sales of French’s ketchup started eating into sales of President’s Choice ketchup (which is actually the most Canadian produced of all the ketchups) at Loblaws so the grocery retailer took steps to cool sales of French’s. Loblaws looked like a villain for trying to squelch sales of French’s ketchup and in turn had to do their own damage control. There are many nuances to this story that one most sort through to understand the true business issues, but the big “a-ha” was the notion that Canadian-made products were important to Canadians. It shouldn’t really come as a shock. We’re seeing it all over North America. Protectionism and nationalism are big political stories currently and it’s tied to the most important “what’s

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in it for me” reason of all: jobs. Wheat, tomatoes, cheese, vegetables, protein. This is pizza and this is Canada (see the end of this column for some Canadian trivia tidbits). The opportunities to highlight pizza alongside swelling national pride are tremendous. While the opportunity is there; the danger lies in not linking that pride to the correct feature and benefit of the ingredient. Let’s start with tomatoes. Are the ones you’re using Canadian? If so, ride the coattails of the public awareness around how many jobs are linked to producing these sauces. For my money, this is the ingredient to lead with in your marketing. You can play on the “red and white” theme but make sure the words “Canadian grown and produced” are front and centre. If you’re wondering what the white topping might be, let’s talk about cheese. This is another ingredient with lots of media attention. President Trump fingered Canadian cheese as the evil villain in the Wisconsin dairy industry woes, much to the surprise of Wisconsin dairy farmers who cite overproduction in the U.S. as the issue). Nevertheless, Canadians are circling the emotional wagons where many things we export to the U.S. are concerned and cheese is one of them. Ask your suppliers for more information about your ingredients. If you source from local farmers, take a page from fine dining and say, “From Gary and Catherine’s farm, harvested by hand using local labour.” If you source from larger distributors, work with your sales rep to understand your ingredients and tell a compelling story about them. Your campaign might feature an ingredient each week focusing on its origin story. Here’s where social media can really work. The official hashtag is #Canada150,

designed to unite all activities related to the national celebration. Provinces and municipalities are also promoting their own hashtags, for example, #ON150 for all Ontario celebrations and #C150TO will focus on happenings in Toronto. You can use several hashtags in your postings, so find out what’s trending in your area and leverage all of them. Beyond the ingredients, pizza offers restaurants the best opportunity to visually celebrate Canada. A rectangular pizza with a white sauce background, red pepper cut to resemble a maple leaf in the centre and strips of bacon on either side offers some great culinary flag-waving opportunities. Shape the crust to look like a maple leaf and use maple-smoked bacon or a drizzle of maple syrup for flavour. If your establishment will see lots of visitors from other countries this summer, keep in mind that poutine, bacon and maple syrup are some of the top foods associated with Canada. Canadians are different from the rest of the world. A survey of countries conducted by Havas Worldwide, “Pride and Prejudice: Shifting Mindsets in an Age of Uncertainty,” found that what makes most people in the world proudest of their country is its culture, followed by its history. However, in Canada the top answer was its values. “Things like diversity, equality and politeness have more of an impact on ‘Canadian pride’ than hockey, maple leafs and the vision of the country’s founders,” the survey concluded. Make sure your customers have an experience rich in respect, equality and courtesy. That will be the best way to celebrate being Canadian. That and double bacon. • Michelle Brisebois is a marketing professional with experience in the food, pharmaceutical and financial services industries. She specializes in brand strategies.

cover story Continued from page 13 donated a pick-up truck full of food for the local Holiday Food Bank Drive. The local hockey team then assisted and volunteered at the food bank to help sort the food items. The donations come in and pile up high, threatening to take over the bar, Sal says with a laugh. The Pocchis and friend Al Reeves gather up the donations and take them to high school and public schools they work with for distribution. The schools sponsor a couple of families, Sal says. Last year they sponsored two immigrating families. Sometimes customers come to them with requests for families in need and they are happy to help, leaving it to the schools to decide who is in need. “I work one on one with the teachers,” he says. Highland Creek is a close-knit community, where neighbouring stores get in on the giving. An art store next door and the music store across the street, take donations on behalf of the store, direct customers to the pizzeria to donate and generally spread the word. The pizzeria has been taking part in the Highland Creek Heritage Festival in June for many years by hosting a community appreciation barbecue. For one day, streets are closed to allow make room for a children’s midway, corn maze, craft booths, live music and other entertainments. Until recently, they would have the barbecue out and be serving hotdogs and

sausages to the neighbourhood festival-goers. Two years ago, they started providing pizza to the hungry visitors. “It’s a small way to say thank you to the neighbourhood, ” Sal says. A few years ago the same neighbourhood gave a rousing show of support when a fire destroyed the restaurant on the evening of Mother’s Day of 2012. Many Highland Creek neighbours, friends and customers came to the brothers’ side to help clean up the restaurant site. They held a barbecue with the help of the local music store and raised more than $5,000 for them, a gesture that touched the brothers deeply. “We are very fortunate and very blessed,” Sal says. “You know, all our staff came back as well,” he adds. “Some had other jobs and they left them and came back. They are a great part of my family.” After many hurdles, the restaurant was up and running again by March 2013, “stronger than ever,” as Sal puts it. The memory of that neighbourhood support motivates them to keep on giving time, attention and money to worthy causes whenever they can. It’s inspiring proof that what goes around comes around. • For more on community involvement, visit www.canadianpizzamag.com

TASTE THE

TRADITION

Manufacturers and Distributors of Italian Specialty Cheeses and Food Products

gaylea.com • 1-800-268-0508 • salernodairy.com JULY/AUGUST 2017 pizza 21

guest column

Shep Hyken

hat does it mean to be a customer-centric company? That seems to be the question of the week. It started off with one of our subscribers emailing in the question, followed by two reporters wanting my take on this now-popular phrase for their interviews.

Doing what’s best for customers won’t always make them happy from customers, a manufacturer decides to add a new colour to a line of merchandise. Why? It’s a reasonable request and won’t cost much to set up for the new colour. As a result, the customers are happy because of the extra choice. The company’s decision was made because they knew their customers were asking for it. The company listened and responded. It was obvious that the decision of adding another colour would make a positive customer impact. This one was easy.

MEANING OF CUSTOMER-CENTRIC If you Google the words “customer centric” (or “customer centricity”), you will encounter many definitions from different sources that are all very similar. I actually much prefer us- TOUGH DECISIONS ing the term “customer-focused” over But, what about a tough decision that a company knows will not “customer-centric.” be received well by the A general definition of customer, such as a price a customer-centric or cusEvery new increase? tomer-focused company system being Raising prices may not or organization is one in make the customer happy, which everything revolves put into place but what will happen if around the customer. In . . . warrants the company doesn’t take other words, all decisions this action? If the price that are made – the good a discussion doesn’t go up, in order to ones, bad ones and tough about how it continue to sell the same ones – always keep the product profitably, somecustomer in mind. will impact the thing else may have to Every new system becustomer. give. ing put into place, every Not raising the price new line of merchandise might mean a comprobeing developed, every new location being planned, every web- mise in quality or service. The choice to site change – in one word, everything – raise prices, even knowing the customer warrants a discussion about how it will will not be happy, may have to be done. Or maybe it’s a decision about someimpact the customer. In addition, all employees recognize thing behind the scenes that the customtheir role in the customer’s experience, er won’t see, but that still may have a even those employees who never have negative impact on the customer – maybe even worse than their concern over a direct contact with a customer. A couple of examples will make this price increase. These decisions are always made with point. After hearing multiple requests

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Be customer-focused and ask customers what they want. It will positively impact your customers, your employees and your bottom line.

the customer in mind, even if we understand they are not going to be positively received by the customer. Customer centricity shouldn’t be a concept that is simply bantered around. It should be woven into the very fibre of your company’s culture. Every employee must be a part of this culture that permeates the business. The best companies do this. So, if you haven’t already done so, make the decision for your company to be customer-focused. It will positively impact your customers, your employees and your bottom line. •

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, keynote speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information, visit www.hyken.com. For information on The Customer Focus customer service training programs, go to www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken.

feature

Five inspired pies These irresistible topping combos from 2016’s Chef of the Year competition will help you gear up for this year’s event BY COLLEEN CROSS

ooking for inspiration to shake up your pizzeria’s menu? These five pizzas from the 2016 Canadian Pizza Show will ignite your taste buds and fire up your imagination. Our creative, passionate and cutting-edge Chef of the Year competitors deliver!

LA PIZZA DI GRANO ANTICO Mateusz Rzeszutek of Queen Margherita Pizza in Toronto baked his way to third place with this complex pie. It featured whipped ricotta and a white balsamic vinaigrette made with Dijon mustard. The dough consists of Kamut flour, “00” flour, salt, water and yeast. The pie was topped with kale, fried chilis, toasted pine nuts and Parmesan.

LA MOLISANA Roberto Vergalito, owner of Roberto’s Pizza Passion in St. Catharines, Ont. whipped up one of his hottest-selling pizzas. La Molisana is a truffle pizza named for the truffles found in the Molise region of Italy. It is a Neapolitan thin-crust pizza topped with black truffle paste, mozzarella cheese, oyster mushrooms, dabs of fior di latte mozzarella, fresh parsley and a drizzle of black truffle oil. Roberto: “Truffle is a type of mushroom found in the ground. There are two types of truffle: black and white. Black truffle is more commonly found whereas white truffle is more difficult to find and can cost $6,000 per kilogram. •

PESTO CHICKEN PIZZA Richard Anger, manager and head chef of Buoys Eatery in Gore Bay, Manitoulin Island, Ont., used an olive oil base made from scratch on Buoys’ regular pizza crust. To this he added chicken, red onions, bacon, tomato, mozzarella and topped it off with Parmesan. Richard: “I strive to make the best hand-crafted pizza out there. I’m always testing the boundaries of dough and different combinations to find the next best pizza. That’s the charm of pizza: it can be everything and anything.” PIZZA DI PATATE VIOLA Dean Litster, corporate chef at Armando’s Pizza in Windsor, Ont., said he wanted to make something traditional but still a little outside the box. His Sicilian style deep-dish purple potato pizza featured provolone cheese, caramelized cipollini onions and prosciuttini. Dean: “I found that perfect balance working along the lines of a traditional potato pizza but adding my flair to it, the fresh herbs, the purple potato, the Italian Gorgonzola and the pickled bird’s eye chilis.” MARGHERITA WITH GUANCIALE Marco Zambri, owner of Slopes of Vesuvius Mobile Pizzeria in Uxbridge, Ont., created an innovative pie using cured pork cheek, known as guanciale in Italian. It featured San Marzano tomatoes, fior di latte mozzarella, fresh basil and grated pecorino cheese. Marco: “Less is definitely more when it comes to pizza when it’s done the way it was meant to be.”

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2017-06-26 10:06 AM

making dough with Diane

Diane Chiasson here is no one single secret to running a successful pizza operation. Opening and maintaining a pizzeria requires a great deal of hard work, discipline and dedication, and demands a lot of organizational skills. The pizza industry is highly competitive. Pizzeria owners must be prepared to meet the demands of their customers and willing to work hard to achieve and maintain success in this demanding industry. Here are four key elements to running a successful pizzeria, standing out from the competition and keeping your customers happy.

1. YOUR TEAM IS AN ASSET Excellent décor, design and layout are only effective if the service is up to the same standard. The most important thing to remember is that your customers keep your door open. Most people are extremely busy and don’t like to wait. Customers like to receive immediate attention: the better and faster service and food they get, the more likely they will be to continue coming to your restaurant. The employees who make up your team have just as much to do with the success of your pizzeria as your pizza does. Make sure customers are always served by skilled staff – and the right staff. You cannot run a pizzeria alone; therefore, you should train and coach your staff all the time so that they can still perform properly on your day off. Having great staff members who provide friendly service will translate into long-term repeat customers. 2. CREATE GREAT ATMOSPHERE The ambiance and atmosphere of your pizzeria should be enticing, be consistent and set the stage. Simply put, bare walls in a restaurant are unappealing, but you need to remember you have a pizzeria and not a nightclub. If you are looking to provide

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How to run a successful pizzeria: four key elements a place where your community can come, relax, and enjoy your pizza, it’s best that you invest in good quality tables and chairs and other comfortable furniture pieces. Tables should have enough space between them so that customers are not on top of each other. The colours you use should fit your concept, and the colours in your branding should be consistent with those of your floor, walls, window treatments and furniture. Proper layout and traffic flow path, music, lighting, food presentation, and artwork are elements that will create comfort. Make cleanliness and organization priorities in the front and back of your pizzeria, and keep bathrooms clean. You should also pay attention to the exterior appearance of your building as well as landscaping and signage; these are the first things customers notice. 3. FIND YOUR NICHE Your pizzeria restaurant has to stand out from the other restaurants in order to succeed. Why would you want to be the same old, same old pizza restaurant in your neighbourhood? What makes your restaurant better than or different from the competition? Be a quality fanatic and create something unique in your community – provide something that no one else provides. One major mistake many pizzeria restaurants make is trying to sell too many different products. Develop a niche: learn to do a few things and do them extremely well. For example, you could use and actively promote an authentic Neapolitan pizza or an old family pizza secret. You could add an online storefront and sell your unique, deluxe and gourmet pizza through the Internet. You also could differentiate yourself from the competition by offering top-quality pizza to a growing number of people who

have food allergies. Consider offering some low-carbohydrate, non-GMO and no-saltadded, organic or vegan pizza, made using only fresh and natural ingredients. Selling niche pizza will set you apart from your competitors. 4. BUILD A WEBSITE Your customers turn to the web to find out which pizza restaurant they want to try. If they can’t find you, they will likely buy from one of your competitors. It is more important than ever to have an online presence to help boost your visibility and legitimize your business. When designing your first website, make sure all necessary information is easy to find and that the site is uncomplicated, user-friendly and responsive. It should look as good on a smartphone, tablet or laptop as it does on your computer . You will need your logo, branded colours; telephone number; business address with a link to Google Maps; hours of operation, specials and upcoming promotions and events; photos of your pizzeria, staff, and food; other appealing content; and your current pizza menu. Don’t worry about other fancy things like newsletter and social media links – you can always add them later. Choosing the right domain name is one of the most important decisions you will make when starting your website. Make sure your domain name is your pizzeria name. For example, if your pizzeria name is Slice of Heaven, then your domain name should be www.sliceofheaven.com. • Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping food service, hospitality and retail operators increase sales for over 30 years by providing innovative and revenue-increasing food service and retail merchandising programs, interior design, branding, menu engineering, marketing and promotional campaigns. Contact her at 416-926-1338, toll-free at 1-888926-6655 or chiasson@chiassonconsultants.com, or visit www.chiassonconsultants.com

newproducts From ovens to cheese to business technology, Canadian Pizza keeps you in the know. For more on new products for the pizza industry, check out our website, www.canadianpizzamag.com ‘Sweet cloud’ cheese has fluffy texture Taste for Luxury Rare and Precious Foods has a delicate cheese called Dolce Nuvola made with full-fat, pasteurized milk. “Dolce Nuvola,” which means “sweet cloud” in Italian, tastes sweet and delicate, according to the product’s specifications. “It’s fluffy and light but it has

by farmers in the Cremona region of Italy, is versatile

current and future merchants, the partners said in a news release. “We’re delighted to provide

Restaurant promotional items grab attention

and new to the Canadian market, Tomic said. Suggested pairings include white wine, blueberry jam, acacia honey or wholemeal bread. www.tasteforluxury.ca

Chowly’s merchants not yet on delivery.com with a quick win for building awareness and boosting orders, and we’re looking forward to providing our merchants with a way to transmit orders directly to their POS systems without the need for additional training or

and Airﬂate Dancers are a fun way to grab the attention from a distance of those passing by your business. The promotional items are relatively inexpensive and easy to put on, set up

Ameramark’s garbage bin covers

a great texture similar to that of a fresh ricotta,” said Maja Tomic,

Chowly, Delivery.com join forces on online ordering

founder and owner of the company, which is based in Kingston, Ont. “It’s a very unique item. The product can be consumed alone

Chowly and Delivery.com have partnered on an integrated online ordering system that will see Chowly’s online-ordering and

“Working with Delivery.com directly and forming an ofﬁcial partnership has ultimately allowed us to provide a better product for

a company spokesman at Pizza Expo. The company charges no fees for artwork or setup and requires no

with just some bread, pasta ﬁlling, or can be used in cooking (even on cheesecake).” The cheese, which is produced

POS system integrated in a formal partnership with Delivery.com. The partnership extends beneﬁts to each company’s

the restaurant owner,” said Justin McNally, co-founder and Chowly chief technology ofﬁcer. www.chowly.com

minimum order if vector artwork is provided. Ameramark ships to Canada with two to three days’ turnaround. www.ameramark.com

devices,” said Jed Kleckner, chief executive ofﬁcer of Delivery.com.

and remove, according to

PIZZA & WINE AUTHENTIC ITALIAN RECIPES & WINE PAIRINGS 65 Simple and Authentic Italian Pizzas and the Wine Pairings that Complement! In Pizza & Wine, Chef Leonardo Curti shares 65 delectable pizza recipes paired with the perfect wine to create an idyllic meal. Includes these delicious pizza variations and more: • • • •

Quattro Formaggie Roasted Potato with White Trufﬂe Oil Tuscan Salami Calzone Italian Fig with Prosciutto

JULY/AUGUST 2017 pizza 25

buyers guide

2017 BUYERS GUIDE

& MANUFACTURERS DIRECTORY Alphabetical listings of manufacturers, suppliers and distributors of equipment, ingredients and supplies to the Canadian pizza industry

ADM MILLING COMPANY 7585 Danbro Crescent Mississauga, ON L5N 6P9 Tel: 905-819-7000 Fax: 905-819-9768 e-mail: info.cdnmill@adm.com Website: www.adm.com Main Products: Industry leader for your flour supply and pizza mix. Custom blends available and a wide variety of bakery mixes. Give your customers your best. ADM Feeding your Food Business. AM MANUFACTURING COMPANY 9200 Calumet Avenue, Suite NW07 Munster, IN 46321 Tel: 219-472-7272 Fax: 219-472-7271 e-mail: lserafin@ammfg.com Website: www.ammfg.com Main Products: Dough dividers, rounders, pizza presses, proofers, dockers, and complete bakery engineering services. AM is the world leader in dough handling equipment for the pizza industry since 1961.

ARDENT MILLS ULC 235 Nugget Court Brampton, ON L6T 5H4 Tel: 905-494-2600 Fax: 905-494-2607 e-mail: elaine.odoherty@ ardentmills.com Website: www.Ardentmills.ca Main Products: Ardent Mills offers the industry’s broadest range of flours, mixes, blends and specialty products, customized to meet your needs and backed by unrivaled technical support, customer service and supply assurance. Organic white & whole wheat flour & Organic Universal pizza mix also available.

ARLA FOODS CANADA INC. 122 Rayette Road Concord, ON L4K 2G9 Tel: 905-669-9676 ext. 412 Fax: 905-669-4110 e-mail: john.lillicrap@arlafoods.com Website: www.arlafoods.com Main Products: One of Canada’s largest manufacturers and importers of specialty cheese under the Castello, TreStelle and Arla Brands.

BURKE CORPORATION c/o Chase Global Foods 27-2020 Wentworth St. Whitby, ON L1N 9A8 Tel: 905-432-8474 Toll-Free: 1-800-263-1964 e-mail: info@chaseglobalfoods.com Website: www.chaseglobalfoods. com/burke-branded-fully-cookedpizza-toppings Main Products: Burke supply’s fullycooked meat toppings including: beef, pork, and Italian Sausage with various sizes from crumble to Hand-Pinched Style®. Burke also offers flavour profiles such as Italian, Spicy Italian, Mexican, Chorizo & Sriracha. CHECK CORPORATION 1800 Stephenson Hwy. Troy, MI 48083 Tel: 248-680-2323 Fax: 248-680-2326 e-mail: rlarpenteur@checkcorp.com Website: www.hotbag.com Main Products: Electric HOTBAGS keep the contents oven-hot from the store, right to the customer’s door.

CONTINENTAL FOOD PROD. INC. 20 Anderson Blvd. Uxbridge, ON L9P 0C7 Tel: 905-513-9690 Fax: 905-513-9174 e-mail: anthony@continentalfoods. ca Website: www.continentalfoods.ca

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COVERTEX PIZZA BAGS. 2021 Williams Parkway, Unit 10 Brampton, ON L6S 5P4 Tel: 800-968-2310 e-mail: sales@covertexcorp.com Website: www.covertexcorp.com Main Products: Located in Ontario since 1978, we are your best source for Pizza bags and food delivery bags. Please give us a call. CROWN CUSTOM METAL SPINNING INC. 1880 Kipling Ave. Toronto, ON M9W 4J1 Tel: 416-243-9333 Fax: 416-243-0112 Toll-Free: 1-800-750-1924 e-mail: sales@crowncookware.ca Website: www.crowncookware.ca Main Products: Aluminum cookware, pizza pans, racks, stainless steel stock pots, pizza bags, pizza accessories, and much more!

DYNAMIX GLOBAL 43, rue St-Andre Victoriaville, QC G6P 2T3 Tel: 819-350-6950 e-mail: info@dynamixg.com Website: www.dynamixg.com Main Products: Established in 2015 following the growing demand of our customers, Dynamix Global. is basically a technical team offering a range of products for almost any type of production.

buyers guide

FINICA FOOD SPECIALTIES LTD 65 Superior Blvd Mississauga, ON L5T2X9 Tel: 905-696=2770 Fax: 905-6967240 e-mail: ctos@finica.on,ca Website: www.finica.com Main Products: Imported Cheese & Grocery Specialists. CELEBRITY Goat cheese, ZERTO fresh mozzarella & other specialty cheeses. From Italy: MENU sauces & Vegetables, PIVETTI “00” flour, FRUTTO D’ITALIA olives, Sweety Drop peppers. FOODTOOLS INC. 190 Veterans Boulevard South Haven, MI 49090 Tel: 269-637-9969 Fax: 269-637-1619 e-mail: dougp@foodtools.com Website: www.foodtools.com Main Products: Portioning equipment, pizza cutters, cheese cutters. GUELPH FOOD TECHNOLOGY CENTRE 88 McGilvray Street Guelph, ON N1G 2W1 Tel: 519-821-1246 Fax: 519-836-1281 e-mail: gftc@gftc.ca Website: www.gftc.ca Main Products: Food safety & quality consulting, training programs (public courses & customized programs), product development, process development, nutrition labelling, shelf-life extension, packaging evaluation, small-scale co-packing.

HARVEST-PAC PRODUCTS INC. 22131 Bloomfield Road, RR#3 Chatham, ON N7M 5J3 Tel: 519-436-0446 Fax: 519-436-0319 e-mail: sales@harvestpac.com Website: www.harvestpac.com Main Products: Tomato processing. 100 oz. Crushed Tomatoes, Pizza Sauce made from fresh field grown tomatoes. Located in southwestern Ontario, producing safe, quality food products. Excellent service.

ITALIANA FOODTECH INC. 815 Alness Street Toronto, ON M3J 2H8 Tel: (647) 557-3477 e-mail: info@italiana.ca Website: www.italiana.ca Main Products: Italiana Foodtech is a manufacturer and distributor of authentic Italian made pizza and pasta making equipment. Supplying traditional wood & gas fired ovens, energy efficient deck ovens, dough mixers, fresh pasta makes, cookers and more, to restaurants and residences across North America.

LESAFFRE YEAST CORPORATION 3901 F.X. Tessier Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC J7V 5V5 Tel: 450-510-5764 Fax: 450-424-9458 Toll-Free: 1-866-621-1514 e-mail: peter.jacobs@ lesaffreyeastcorp.com Website: www.lesaffreyeastcorp. com Main Products: Lesaffre Yeast Corporation is a manufacturer of high quality Yeast and Dough Conditioners, which will provide: flavour, strength and the security to support your quality products.

LLOYD INDUSTRIES 3808 N. Sullivan Rd., Bldg 25-J Spokane Valley, WA 99216 Tel: 509-468-8691 Fax: 509-467-1381 e-mail: sales@lloydpans.com Website: www.lloydpans.com Main Products: LloydPans is an industry leading manufacturer of commercial grade baking, pizza, and restaurant equipment made in the USA. The Company designs and manufacturers commercial pizza pans and tools, bakeware and cookware

MALAGUTTI OVENS 815 Alness St. Toronto, ON M3J 2H8 Tel: 647-557-3477 e-mail: info@italiana.ca Website: www.italiana.ca Main Products: Available exclusively at Italiana FoodTech, Malagutti fired ovens are custom built in Italy to suit the unique needs of your restaurant. Choose your body style, fuel source, deck and custom exterior finish to make really make your oven yours.

MARSAL PIZZA OVEN 3220 Orlando Drive Unit #3 Mississauga, ON L4V 1R5 Tel: 905-677-4428 Fax: 905-677-5357 Website: www.wdcolledge.com Main Products: For over forty years, Marsal has manufactured innovative restaurant equipment, including pizza deck ovens and refrigerated prep tables that have revolutionized the pizza industry.

MIDDLEBY MARSHALL C/O ESCAN SUPPLY CO., 15-6400 Millcreek Dr. Suite 617 Grimsby, ON L3M 1P2 Tel: 416-674-9732 Fax: 866-797-9125 e-mail: sales@escansc.com Website: www.middleby-marshall. com Main Products: Middleby Marshall is a recognized global leader with conveyor ovens approved and used by the top 5 pizza chains in the world.

MIMI FOOD PRODUCTS INC. 1260 Creditstone Rd. Vaughan, ON L4K 5T7 Tel: 905-660-0010 e-mail: info@mimifoods.ca Website: www.mimifoods.ca Main Products: Pizza Dough Balls (White, Caputo ‘00’, Whole Wheat), Pizza Crusts, Focaccia’s (variety of flavors and sizes), Panouzzo Bread/Slider Buns, Flatbreads, Tortilla Balls, Custom Formulations, BRC Certified, 2012 Grocery Grand Winner.

Canada distributed by

Canada

MORETTI FORNI (EURO MILAN DISTRIBUTING) 115 Matheson Blvd. East Mississauga, ON L4Z 2Y5 Tel: 905-501-8600 Fax: 905-501-9737 Toll-Free: 1-855-544-8600 e-mail: info@morettiforni.ca Website: www.morettiforni.ca Main Products: Italian manufacturer of electric and gas pizza and bakery ovens. Various sizes and models available in stock for immediate delivery.

JULY/AUGUST 2017 pizza 27

buyers guide MR. PEEL, INC. 33975 Autry St. Livonia, MI 48150-1323 Tel: 734-266-2022 Fax: 734-266-2121 e-mail: peels@mrpeel.com Website: www.mrpeel.com Main Products: Wood and Aluminum Baking Peels, Laminate Boards, Bakery Supplies and Restaurant Smallwares. Custom orders welcome. NATIONAL MARKETING, INC. 33975 Autry St. Livonia, MI 48150-1323 Tel: 734-266-2222 Fax: 734-266-2121 e-mail: nmisales@nminc.com Website: www.nminc.com Main Products: Smallwares, delivery products, shelving, cooking equipment, pizza tools, thermal bags, heated delivery, ovens, and bakery supplies.

P & H MILLING GROUP HALIFAX PO Box 2185, 730 Marginal Road Halifax, NS B3J 3C4 Tel: 902-429-0622 Fax: 902-423-9075 e-mail: dmuise@phmilling.com Website: www.phmilling.com Main Products: Products OfferedPizza flours, enriched flours, no-time flours, natural flours, whole wheat flour, cracked wheat, wheat bran, whole grain; Pizza mixes and custom-blended Pizza mixes. P & H Milling -Halifax also produces private label flour, mixes and bases.

P & H MILLING GROUP LETHBRIDGE PO Box 400, 1301 2nd Ave. S Lethbridge, AB T1J 3Z1 Tel: 403-328-6622 e-mail: gwright@phmilling.com Website: www.phmilling.com Main Products: Products Offered: Pizza flours, enriched flours, no-time flours, bread flours, whole wheat flours and organic flours. P&H Milling also produces private label flour for the retail and wholesale markets.

P & H MILLING GROUP ONTARIO REGION 1060 Fountain St. N Cambridge, ON N3E 0A1 Tel: 519--650-6422 Toll-Free: 1-800-621-0588 e-mail: gwright@phmilling.com Website: www.phmilling.com Main Products: Pizza Flours, Whole Wheat Flour, White Flour, Whole Grain Flour, Organic Wheat Flour, Durum Semolina. Our sales force will assist in sourcing the best products to meet your needs and will provide timely market information to secure your requirements. Products are delivered on a fleet of company owned and operated trucks and tankers in addition to a wide distributor network.

P & H MILLING GROUP SASKATOON 75 - 33rd Street East, PO Box 160 Saskatoon,, SK S7K 3K4 Tel: 306-667-8016 Toll-Free: 1-888-313-6837 e-mail: gwright@phmilling.com Website: www.phmilling.com Main Products: Products Offered: Pizza flours, enriched flours, no-time flours, bread flours, whole wheat flours and organic flours. P&H Milling also produces private label flour for the retail and wholesale markets.

P & H MILLING GROUPMONTREAL 380 Oak Street Montreal, QC H3K 2G2 Tel: 514-934-3234 Fax: 514-934-5069 Toll-Free: 1-866-934-3234 e-mail: rblais@phmilling.com Main Products: Products Offered: Pizza flours, organic flour, enriched flours, no-time flours, natural flours, whole wheat flour, cracked wheat, farina, wheat bran, whole grain; Pizza mixes and custom-blended Pizza mixes. P & H Milling -Halifax also produces private label flour, mixes and bases.

PARMALAT CANADA 405 The West Mall, 10th Floor Etobicoke, ON M9C 5J1 Tel: 416-626-1973 Website: www.parmalatfoodservice.ca Main Products: Parmalat Foodservice offers leading brands and products in Cheese, Shredded Cheese, Pizza Mozzarella, Process Cheese Slices, Yogourt, Sour Cream, Butter, Milk, Creamers, Whipping Cream, Garlic Margarine, Juices and Ice Cream Mixes.

28 pizza JULY/AUGUST 2017

PARRHEIM FOODS (P&H MILLING GROUP) 817 48th St. East Saskatoon, SK S7K 0X5 Tel: 306-931-9911 Fax: 306-931-1655 e-mail: gohara@phmilling.com Website: www.phmilling.com Main Products: Products: Specialty products for the Pizza industry such as Pea flour concentrates (starch, protein, flour and fibre) - both conventional and organic. RABCO FOODSERVICE LTD. 880 Milner Avenue Toronto, ON M1X5N7 Tel: 416-321-5823 Fax: 416-321-5826 e-mail: srabkin@rabcofoodservice. com Website: www.rabcofoodservice. com Main Products: Distributor of Smallwares to the Canadian Restaurant Industry with a full line of Pizza products, including pans, peels,screens, racks,stands and accessories

REDIHEAT, INC. 4516 St. Clair Avenue, Suite 101 Cleveland, OH 44103 Tel: 1-888-556-2024 e-mail: dave@rediheat.com Website: www.rediheat.com Main Products: RediHEAT manufactures quality heated pizza delivery bags, 7 sizes available. Each bag includes our heater which ensures your pizza is delivered hot. All heaters come with a 2-year warranty.

buyers guide

E q u i p m e n t a n d Te c h n o l o g y f o r t h e B a k e r y I n d u s t r y

REISER (CANADA) LTD. 1549 Yorkton Court Burlington, ON L7P 5B7 Tel: (905) 631-6611 Fax: 905-631-6607 e-mail: salesCN@reiser.com Website: www.reiser.com Main Products: From dough dividers to pizza topping production, to cheese shredding and depositing, to vacuum and MAP packaging. Reiser is the one supplier that pizza manufacturers can trust for better, smarter solutions

SPRINGER’S MEATS INC. 544 Parkdale Ave. N. Hamilton, ON L8H 5Y7 Tel: 905-547-1321 Fax: 905-547-3107 Toll-Free: 1-888-824-3012 e-mail: smi@on.aibn.com

STANISLAUS FOOD PRODUCTS 1202 D Street Modesto, CA 95354 Tel: 800-327-7201 Fax: 209-522-7519 Website: www.stanislaus.com Main Products: Stanislaus “Real Italian” tomato products are 100% Packed from Fresh Tomatoes, Not From Concentrate. More Independent Pizzerias and Italian Restaurants choose Stanislaus than any other tomato company in the US/CA.

RICCO FOOD DISTRIBUTOR One Ricco Place Strathroy, ON N7G 3H8 Tel: 519-245-7081 Fax: 519-245-7126 Toll-Free: 1-800-247-4226 e-mail: donjr@riccofoods.com Main Products: Pizza & restaurant food needs.

SALERNO DAIRY PRODUCTS 20 Morley Street Hamilton, ON L8H 3R7 Tel: 905-544-6281 Fax: 905-549-1196 Toll-Free: 1-800-263-6536 e-mail: hamoffice@salernodairy. com Website: salernodairy.com

SHAFER-HAGGART LTD. 1100 Melville St. Vancouver, BC V6E 4A6 Tel: 604-669-5512 Fax: 604-669-9554 e-mail: info@shafer-haggart.com Website: www.shafer-haggart.com Main Products: Shafer-Haggart, established in 1934, is a privately owned Canadian corporation, offering a wide selection of canned fruits and vegetables. Tomatoes, pineapple, olives, artichokes, peppers, mushrooms and more. Private label inquiries welcomed.

SUGARDALE c/o of Chase Global Foods 27-2020 Wentworth St. Whitby, ON L1N 9A8 Tel: 905-432-8474 Toll-Free: 1-800-263-1964 e-mail: info@chaseglobalfoods.com Website: www.chaseglobalfoods. com/sugardale-foods Main Products: Sugardale supplies dry-cured pepperoni, fully-cooked ham, and fully-cooked bacon in slices, BLT-Style, pieces and bits sizes. Sugardale also offers bacon in flavour profiles such as Hickory-Smoked Peppered, and Applewood-smoked.

VALLEY METAL LTD. 3003 11 Street Southeast Calgary, AB T2G 3G9 Tel: (403) 243-7778 Fax: 403-243-1476 e-mail: sales@valleymetal.com Website: valleymetal.com Main Products: Valley Metal is located in Calgary and serves local, national and international restaurant clients. We supply pizza pans, proofing lids, table pedistals and custom interior metal fixtures.

EXCLUSIVELY AT:

647.557.3477

italiana.ca

JULY/AUGUST 2017 pizza 29

buyers guide

PIZZA EQUIPMENT AUTOMATED PIZZA EQPT. Dynamix Global Foodtools Inc. Italiana FoodTech Inc. Moretti Forni Reiser (Canada) Ltd

COOKWARE Crown Custom Metal Spinning Inc. Dynamix Global Lloyd Industries Inc. National Marketing Inc. Rabco Foodservice

HEATED DELIVERY SYSTEMS Check Corp. Covertex Corp. Mr. Peel Inc. National Marketing Inc. RediHeat, Inc.

BAGEL EQUIPMENT Dynamix Global Reiser (Canada) Ltd

CUTTING BOARDS Foodtools Inc. Lloyd Industries Inc. Mr. Peel Inc. National Marketing Inc. Rabco Foodservice

HOT BOXES Covertex Corp. RediHeat, Inc.

DISPENSERS Reiser (Canada) Ltd

MENU BOARDS Valley Metal Products

DISPLAY CASES Crown Custom Metal Spinning Inc. Rabco Foodservice

MOBILE KITCHENS Dynamix Global Moretti Forni

BAKE SHEETS Crown Custom Metal Spinning Inc. Dynamix Global Lloyd Industries Inc. Moretti Forni Rabco Foodservice Ricco Food Distributor Valley Metal Products BAKING STONES Mr. Peel Inc. National Marketing Inc. BEVERAGE DISPENSERS Rabco Foodservice BINS Rabco Foodservice

DOUGH EQPT. AM Manufacturing Crown Custom Metal Spinning Inc. Dynamix Global Italiana FoodTech Inc. Lloyd Industries Inc. Middleby-Marshall Moretti Forni Mr. Peel Inc. National Marketing Inc. Reiser (Canada) Ltd Ricco Food Distributor

MEAT NUGGET FORMS Reiser (Canada) Ltd

OVEN ACCESSORIES Dynamix Global Italiana FoodTech Inc. Lloyd Industries Inc. Moretti Forni Mr. Peel Inc. National Marketing Inc.

DOUGH MIXERS Dynamix Global Italiana FoodTech Inc. Moretti Forni

OVENS Dynamix Global Dist. Italforni Italiana FoodTech Inc. Malagutti Ovens Marsal Pizza Oven Middleby-Marshall Moretti Forni Mr. Peel Inc. National Marketing Inc. Ricco Food Distributor

FILTERS Ricco Food Distributor

PACKAGING EQPT. Reiser (Canada) Ltd

CATERING EQPT. Crown Custom Metal Spinning Inc. Dynamix Global

FOOD PROCESSORS Reiser (Canada) Ltd

PACKAGING MACHINERY Reiser (Canada) Ltd

GRINDERS Reiser (Canada) Ltd

CHEESE HANDLERS Reiser (Canada) Ltd

HEAT LAMPS Moretti Forni

PANZAROTTI EQPT. Dynamix Global Italiana FoodTech Inc. Moretti Forni

CALZONE EQPT. Dynamix Global Italiana FoodTech Inc. Reiser (Canada) Ltd CAN OPENERS Ricco Food Distributor CARTS Lloyd Industries Inc. Mr. Peel Inc. National Marketing Inc. Rabco Foodservice

CONVEYORS AM Manufacturing Dynamix Global

30 pizza JULY/AUGUST 2017

PASTA EQPT. Dynamix Global Italiana FoodTech Inc.

PIZZA MAKING EQPT. AM Manufacturing Crown Custom Metal Spinning Inc. Dynamix Global Dist. Italforni Italiana FoodTech Inc. Lloyd Industries Inc. Middleby-Marshall Moretti Forni Mr. Peel Inc. National Marketing Inc. Reiser (Canada) Ltd Ricco Food Distributor Valley Metal Products PLASTIC BOXES Crown Custom Metal Spinning Inc. Lloyd Industries Inc. RACKS Crown Custom Metal Spinning Inc. Dynamix Global Lloyd Industries Inc. National Marketing Inc. Rabco Foodservice Valley Metal Products REFRIGERATION SYS. Dynamix Global Italiana FoodTech Inc. RESTAURANT EQPT. Dynamix Global Dist. Italforni Italiana FoodTech Inc. Lloyd Industries Inc. Malagutti Ovens Middleby-Marshall Moretti Forni Mr. Peel Inc. SCALES Rabco Foodservice SHELVING Dynamix Global Mr. Peel Inc. National Marketing Inc. Rabco Foodservice

SINKS Dynamix Global Rabco Foodservice SLICERS/DICERS Dynamix Global Dist. Italforni Foodtools Inc. Lloyd Industries Inc. Rabco Foodservice Reiser (Canada) Ltd SMOKERS Reiser (Canada) Ltd TABLES Dynamix Global Rabco Foodservice Valley Metal Products TORTILLA EQPT. AM Manufacturing Foodtools Inc. Reiser (Canada) Ltd TRAYS Dynamix Global Lloyd Industries Inc. Mr. Peel Inc. National Marketing Inc. Rabco Foodservice Ricco Food Distributor Valley Metal Products TUNNELS Moretti Forni USED EQPT. Dynamix Global Moretti Forni UTENSILS Valley Metal Products WASHERS Ricco Food Distributor WEIGH SCALES Rabco Foodservice

buyers guide

SUPPLIES & SERVICES ADVERTISING SPECIALTIES Ricco Food Distributor

BUFFET WARE Lloyd Industries Inc. Rabco Foodservice

APRONS & BIBS Rabco Foodservice

CLEANING PRODUCTS Ricco Food Distributor

BAGS Check Corp. Continental Food Prod. Inc. Covertex Corp. National Marketing Inc. Rabco Foodservice RediHeat, Inc. Ricco Food Distributor

CLEANING TOOLS Rabco Foodservice

BOXES Continental Food Prod. Inc. Covertex Corp. National Marketing Inc. Ricco Food Distributor BRUSHES Moretti Forni Rabco Foodservice

CONSULTING SERVICES Guelph Food Technology Centre DELIVERY SYS. Check Corp. Covertex Corp. RediHeat, Inc. DESIGN Lloyd Industries Inc. DINNERWARE Rabco Foodservice

DOUGH BOXES Lloyd Industries Inc. Moretti Forni Mr. Peel Inc. National Marketing Inc. Ricco Food Distributor

LUBRICANTS Ricco Food Distributor

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS Guelph Food Technology Centre

OVEN MITTS Mr. Peel Inc. National Marketing Inc. Rabco Foodservice

FORMS Ricco Food Distributor

PAN COATINGS Lloyd Industries Inc.

FURNITURE/INTERIORS Valley Metal Products

PAPER PRODUCTS Continental Food Prod. Inc. Foodtools Inc. Ricco Food Distributor Saputo Dairy Products

GLOVES Ricco Food Distributor LIDS Lloyd Industries Inc. National Marketing Inc. Rabco Foodservice Ricco Food Distributor Valley Metal Products

NAPKINS Continental Food Prod. Inc. Ricco Food Distributor

PIZZA PADS Ricco Food Distributor

SMALLWARES Lloyd Industries Inc. Moretti Forni Mr. Peel Inc. National Marketing Inc. Rabco Foodservice Valley Metal Products STORE FIXTURES Valley Metal Products THERMOMETERS Mr. Peel Inc. National Marketing Inc. Rabco Foodservice TRAYS Lloyd Industries Inc. Rabco Foodservice Ricco Food Distributor Valley Metal Products

JULY/AUGUST 2017 pizza 31

buyers guide

FOODS & INGREDIENTS APPETIZERS Finica Food Ricco Food Distributor Saputo Dairy Products BAKING INGREDIENTS Ardent Mills Finica Food P & H Milling Group Parmalat Canada Parrheim Foods Ricco Food Distributor Saputo Dairy Products BAKING POWDER Ricco Food Distributor BEVERAGES (COLD) Continental Food Prod. Inc. Parmalat Canada Ricco Food Distributor Salerno Dairy Prod. Saputo Dairy Products BEVERAGES (HOT) Parmalat Canada Ricco Food Distributor Saputo Dairy Products BREAD PRODUCTS ADM Milling Company Ardent Mills Mimi Food Products Inc. P & H Milling Group Ricco Food Distributor BREADING Ricco Food Distributor CHEESE Arla Foods Continental Food Prod. Inc. Finica Food Parmalat Canada Ricco Food Distributor Salerno Dairy Prod. Saputo Dairy Products

CONDIMENTS Finica Food Shafer-Haggart Ltd. CROUTONS Ricco Food Distributor CRUST CRISPER Ricco Food Distributor CRUST MIXES ADM Milling Company Ardent Mills CRUSTS Ardent Mills Mimi Food Products Inc. Ricco Food Distributor DAIRY PRODUCTS Ricco Food Distributor Salerno Dairy Prod. Saputo Dairy Products DESSERT TOPPINGS Ricco Food Distributor DESSERTS Ardent Mills Parmalat Canada Ricco Food Distributor Saputo Dairy Products DESSERTS (FROZEN) Parmalat Canada DOUGH Ardent Mills Lesaffre Yeast Corp. Mimi Food Products Inc. P & H Milling Group Ricco Food Distributor Salerno Dairy Prod. EGGS Ricco Food Distributor FLAVOURS Lesaffre Yeast Corp.

FLOUR ADM Milling Company Ardent Mills Continental Food Prod. Inc. Finica Food Moretti Forni P & H Milling Group Parrheim Foods Ricco Food Distributor Salerno Dairy Prod. FROZEN BAKED GOODS Mimi Food Products Inc. FROZEN PIZZA Mimi Food Products Inc. Ricco Food Distributor FRUIT Shafer-Haggart Ltd. GARLIC Continental Food Prod. Inc. Ricco Food Distributor HERBS Continental Food Prod. Inc. Ricco Food Distributor Salerno Dairy Prod. MEAT PRODUCTS Burke Corp. Ricco Food Distributor Sugardale MEATBALLS Burke Corp. Continental Food Prod. Inc. Ricco Food Distributor MEXICAN PRODUCTS Burke Corp. Mimi Food Products Inc. Shafer-Haggart Ltd. MIXES ADM Milling Company Ardent Mills Ricco Food Distributor

CHEESE ALTERNATIVES Ricco Food Distributor Saputo Dairy Products

NUTS Ricco Food Distributor

CHICKEN Continental Food Prod. Inc. Ricco Food Distributor

OILS & SHORTENINGS Continental Food Prod. Inc. Ricco Food Distributor Salerno Dairy Prod.

32 pizza JULY/AUGUST 2017

OLIVE OIL Continental Food Prod. Inc. Ricco Food Distributor Salerno Dairy Prod. Shafer-Haggart Ltd. PASTA PRODUCTS Ricco Food Distributor Salerno Dairy Prod. POTATOES Ricco Food Distributor PREPARED FOODS Mimi Food Products Inc. Ricco Food Distributor PRETZELS Ricco Food Distributor PROSCIUTTO Salerno Dairy Prod. SALAD DRESSINGS Ricco Food Distributor Salerno Dairy Prod. SANDWICH ITEMS Finica Food SAUCES Continental Food Prod. Inc. Finica Food Harvest-Pac Products Inc. Parmalat Canada Ricco Food Distributor Salerno Dairy Prod. Saputo Dairy Products Stanislaus Food Products Seafood Shafer-Haggart Ltd. SEASONINGS Ricco Food Distributor SNACK FOODS Mimi Food Products Inc. SOUPS Ricco Food Distributor SOY PRODUCTS Moretti Forni Parmalat Canada SPICES Ricco Food Distributor

SYRUPS Ricco Food Distributor TOMATOES & PROD. Finica Food Harvest-Pac Products Inc. Shafer-Haggart Ltd. TOPPINGS Burke Corp. Continental Food Prod. Inc. Finica Food Ricco Food Distributor Salerno Dairy Prod. Shafer-Haggart Ltd. Springer’s Meats Inc. Stanislaus Food Products Sugardale c/o Chase VEGETABLES Finica Food Ricco Food Distributor Shafer-Haggart Ltd. YEAST Continental Food Prod. Inc. Lesaffre Yeast Corp. P & H Milling Group Halifax Ricco Food Distributor Salerno Dairy Prod.

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Company

Advertisers Index Page #

Annex Bookstore .............................................. 25 Ardent Mills ........................................................ 2 Burke................................................................... 7 Buyers Guide................................................26-32 Canadian Pizza Show 2017 .........................14 -15 Middleby Marshall............................................. 35 Moretti Forni ..................................................... 13 Pizza Power Page .............................................. 33 Ricco Food Distributor ...................................... 21 Salerno.............................................................. 21 Saputo .............................................................. 36 Springer’s Meats ............................................... 13 Stanislaus .................................................... 4 & 5 Use these advertiser contact numbers to find out more about a product advertised in this issue or to place an order. This index is provided as a service. Canadian Pizza Magazine is not liable for errors or omissions.

JULY/AUGUST 2017 pizza 33

Giorgio’s corner

How to choose a POS system Giorgio Taverniti our point-of-sale system should serve your pizzeria’s every need. It should be able to tell you everything about your business at any point in time, past or present. As your business grows, so will its point-of-sale (POS) needs and when it’s time for a change, there are a few things you should know. Although changes in technology can be intimidating and frustrating, they can help you succeed. POS systems have come a long way from the basic cash register. You can now effortlessly be wireless, paperless, and ideally, stress-less. You can monitor your sales from home, in a meeting or even on the beach. Almost all new systems come with savvy advances in technology and this can make it difficult to choose the right one for you. The best way to ensure that you do is to do your research: ask questions, make sure the system you choose is user-friendly and get feedback from staff who are using it. Most importantly, make sure any new investment in technology can grow with your business. I have upgraded my POS system more than a few times and with each upgrade in technology I have redefined my business needs. Ask yourself what you really want from a POS. This question makes the selection process much easier and allows you to truly understand what is a make-it or breakit feature for you. With so much innovative software out there, the idea of choosing one can be overwhelming. That’s why researching potential systems is crucial. During the process, you may come across software that seems promising but doesn’t have everything you’re looking for. Don’t discount a system right away because many suppliers will

34 pizza JULY/AUGUST 2017

make modifications to the software includes. Is there a membership fee? based on your needs. Write down all Is there 24-7 customer service? Does your questions, call the company and the company provide staff training? Is see if any customization is possible. the data backed up externally? These Before making any decisions, ask as are all important factors to consider. many questions and run through as You don’t want to be left alone after a many scenarios as you need to in order single tutorial session with a program to get all the information you need. Be you haven’t yet mastered. Don’t let the pizzazz of software sure to read reviews of the company and its level of service. A piece of software features cloud your judgment. Your may be brilliant but if it’s not attached new system needs to be beneficial to an accommodating and friendly over the long haul. A system may have customer service representative, it can everything you need now but what make a business relationship daunting. about in the next two to five years? New advances in technology are Can this new software or upgrade to your old technology exciting and can increase grow with your business? your restaurant’s revenue, This is a fair question efficiency and exposure. Make sure any for every business to They can even prevent a especially a loss of income. However, new investment consider, small business. With it’s important to choose advancements in technology a user-friendly system. in technology happening so quickly, Posting on social media can grow with choosing an upgrade is about as tech savvy as can be stressful. The I get, so when I recently your business. cost and longevity of the switched my POS system software are definitely I needed to make sure determining factors. Any I could navigate and teach the new system to others. When new software is both an expense and I finished my research, I asked for a an investment; therefore, a good POS software demonstration version of the system should be able to grow with program I’d chosen. A system may have your business needs. You will learn new skills with any every feature you want and seem like a dream come true, but if it’s too difficult POS system. Take advantage of your to navigate or customize, then is it system’s innovative features and use really the right one for you? A demo will them to benefit your pizzeria. Be sure show you how to use the system with to make notes and continually modify your business in mind, whether you’re your system to suit your needs and to a mama-and-papa shop like me or a big make it the best it can be for you. • chain restaurant. This demo will help you narrow down your technological choices and allow you to see how well Giorgio Taverniti owns Frank’s Pizza House in Toronto, the potential new company works which has been in his family since 1990. A graduate of George Brown College’s culinary management and within your business. culinary programs, Giorgio helped found a If you’re impressed by the demo, then Italian popular pizza-making workshop at the college and dig in further and see what the software ran it for three years.

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Contact your local repesentative to arrange a demonstration MARITIME PROVINCES Flanagan Agencies, Inc. Moncton, New Brunswick 506.387.8757 Fax: 506.387.8750 sales@fai.ca

QUEBEC Distex M&M, Inc. St. Laurent (Quebec) 514.382.3620 Fax: 514.382.7837 info@distex.ca

ONTARIO Distex M&M, Inc. 905.565.5992 or 1-800.645-7324 Fax: 905.565.5992 info@distex.ca

MANITOBA and SASKATCHEWAN Simpson Wilson Ltd. Winnipeg, Manitoba 204.632.6941 or 1-800.342.3626 Fax: 204.633.9254 cam@simpsonwilson.com

ALBERTA Bert Johnson Ent., Ltd. (BJE) Calgary, Alberta 403.870.4763 Fax: 403.287.7788 Calgary: dave@bje.cc Alberta: erin@bje.cc

BRITISH COLUMBIA Distex M&M, Inc. Port Moody, BC 778.989.3620 cvandenhoven@distex.ca

MC/TM

FROM OUR SIGNATURE TO YOUR SIGNATURE PIZZA

Discover tradition, quality and authentic taste with our Fior di Latte. A true Italian-style mozzarella made with cow’s milk. Its fresh, rich, milky taste and creamy texture make it the ultimate ingredient for your high-temperature pizza oven.”

IF IT’S NOT SIGNED, IT’S NOT SAPUTO.

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Contact Your Saputo Foodservice Sales Representative for More Information VANCOUVER 604.946.5611

EDMONTON 780.468.5811

SASKATOON 306.931.0040

WINNIPEG 204.987.6345

TORONTO 905.264.7600

OTTAWA 613.741.9718

MONTREAL 514.328.3466

www.saputofoodservice.ca

QUEBEC 418.651.5220

DARTMOUTH 902.468.5700

MONCTON 506.859.8888

ST. JOHN’S 709.753.3943