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MAY/JUNE 2020

CANADIANPIZZAMAG.COM

OPERATING IN A

NEW NORMAL In a pandemic world, pizzerias are making decisions based on the best advice – and gut instinct

For news and advice on COVID-19 in the pizza sector, visit canadianpizzamag.com

THANK YOU, FOOD HEROES, for nourishing our country and communities.

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May/June 2020 · CANADIAN PIZZA

MAY/JUNE 2020 Vol. 26, No. 3

DEPARTMENTS 6

From the Editor Focus on habits

Industry News Movers, shakers, legislation and news you can use

16 The Pizza Chef Panzerotti: An easy add-on

24 Tools of the Trade New ingredients, equipment and business technology

26 Cross-Canada Viewpoint

TOP PHOTO & ON THE COVER: © ARTISTGNDPHOTOGRAPHY / GETTYIMAGES

Operators have their say on issues that matter

CONTENTS

ONLINE

COVER STORY

Canadian Pizza roundtable: Pandemic challenges

10 Operating in a new normal

Canadian Pizza got together with three seasoned operators to share their experiences running their pizzerias under the cloud of COVID-19. The lively session, brought to you by iFoodEquipment, can be found on canadianpizzamag.com.

ON THE COVER Sandi Stoyan of Mickey’s Pizza and Brian Vallis of Piatto Pizzeria and Enoteca share their experiences and thought processes in making decisions during a pandemic. See page 10. CANADIAN PIZZA · May/June 2020

In a pandemic world, pizzeria owners are making decisions using the best advice and gut instinct By Andrew Hind

12 Reopening your dining room A health-and-safety expert highlights key considerations to keep in mind By Colleen Cross

18 Fold-Off: The James Timothy experience

The reigning Great Pizza Box Fold-Off champ talks showmanship and ‘that flappy-flap-fold thing’ he does By Colleen Cross

20 Don’t stop marketing, Part 1 During an economic downturn, when the going gets tough, the tough get marketing By Diane Chiasson

22 Six great Summit pizzas Chef of the Year competitors present flavour combinations to spark your creativity CanadianPizzaMag.com

CANADIAN PIZZA · May/June 2020

CanadianPizzaMag.com

FROM THE EDITOR BY COLLEEN CROSS

May/June 2020, Vol. 26, No. 3 EDITOR Colleen Cross ccross@annexbusinessmedia.com 519-428-3471 ext. 261

Focus on habits to increase sales at your pizzeria

uman beings are creatures of habit. This pandemic has brought the idea of habit to the forefront, putting us all outside our comfort zones. People all over the world have adapted to the pandemic threat by washing their hands frequently, practising physical distancing and staying home from work when they have symptoms as opposed to “toughing it out.” Families have adapted to pandemic restrictions by restructuring their days and creating new habits as the worlds of home, work, school and child care collide in a big way. Businesses have adapted by creating new policies and procedures to keep employees and customers safe. In April, Technomic pointed out customer behaviours in its Canadian Foodservice View. The research firm said more than two in five consumers who were polled have been cooking meals at home much more often, while about 30 per cent have ordered takeout from restaurants much less often. Forty per cent say they will not order takeout from a restaurant while the lockdown continues: a sobering thought. In our cover story, “Operating in a new normal,” Piatto Pizzeria and Enoteca’s Brian Vallis expresses concern about changing behaviour, noting that studies say it can take as little as 60 days to create a habit. Maybe you can turn habit to your advantage in marketing by focusing on creating habits with current customers. Social media is great for drawing people in through momentary temptation: “Look at this delicious pizza we just pulled out of the oven!” This kind of call to action would be even more powerful if followed up with a message about the future, such as “Put Margherita Mondays on your calendar!” or “See you next week for Takeout Wednesday!” Speaking of the Canada Takeout Day

campaign, it is an exercise in creating habits. It seems to have caught on, after being launched in early April. Our informal Facebook poll told us some operators have seen a bump in sales on Wednesdays, while others have seen lower sales than on other days. As Erica Warlow of Black Rock Pizzeria & Bakery in Blairmore, Alta., cheekily (and rightly) points out, “Isn’t every day Takeout Day?!” Plenty of pizzerias are advertising daily combos or weekly specials – strong draws for customer watching their dollars. And who isn’t watching their dollars? People really want to support their favourite restaurants in whatever way they can – by liking the heck out of social media posts, by ordering curbside, by adding on drinks where offered, by buying gift certificates for future visits and by tipping for pickup. That brings us to another side of the habit coin: the urge to break habits and routines. We’re hearing from some operators that customers are happy to tip for the pleasure of getting a break from the monotony of cooking. While many people enjoy cooking at home, doing it day after day along with the pressure that comes with planning their family’s next meal has made them crave a change of pace. “Tips have increased here. People are appreciating the fact that we are open and breaking their cooking monotony,” said Chris Evans of North of 7 Cod Father in Northbook, Ont. Just as the world has been figuring out what’s really important in life, you have a chance to figure out what really matters to your business. That lands you right back at your unique selling point. Now is a good time to revisit it to see if it could be adjusted or improved. And to get in the habit of selling your products and business to the public! | CP

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canadian_pizza_magazine May/June 2020 · CANADIAN PIZZA

INDUSTRY NEWS

ON THE WEB Free accounting advice for Canadian small businesses; B.C. releases guidance for restaurants for phase 2 of restart; How beer helped save this Seattle pizza chain | FOR MORE PIZZA NEWS, check out our website, canadianpizzamag.com.

JOIN US ONLINE OCTOBER 19, 2020 years and we work closely with our customers as we develop our products and services. The pizza oven demonstrates how Kanthal’s technology and innovative thinking can contribute to any industry,” said Dilip Chandrasekaran, head of R&D.

OVEN SCIENCE

Neapolitan pizza in 37.55 seconds Using electric heating, engineers at Swedish industrial heating technology company Kanthal have managed to reduce the time it takes to bake a traditional Neapolitan pizza from 90 to 37.55 seconds. Neapolitan pizza is usually baked in about 90 seconds in around 840 F, the company said in a news release. As an experiment, the company decided to try to reduce that time drastically while still maintaining quality. To be able to do that, Björn Holmstedt, a senior R&D expert at Kanthal, was faced with the challenge of building an oven that would not only deliver high temperature without burning the pizza, but also be so precise that the whole pizza baked perfectly. “I always enjoy taking on a tough challenge, and since I know that heat plays such a crucial part in pizza making, I saw this experiment as a perfect match for us. As Kanthal’s technology can produce heat up to 3360 F, high temperature is not a problem. However, pizza making is a precision craft. Therefore, we also needed to leverage our technology CANADIAN PIZZA · May/June 2020

to provide a high and precise temperature that we could easily control,” Holmstedt said. During the experiment, the company baked a Neapolitan pizza in just 37.55 seconds with an oven consisting of eight porcupine elements in the iron-chromium-aluminum alloy Kanthal AF, heated to a temperature of 1650 F. The pizza was made together with chef Oskar Montano, co-owner of the Stockholm-based artisanal pizza restaurant 800°. From his years living in Italy, Montano knows how the perfect pizza should look and taste. “I am surprised. I never thought this would be possible. As a chef I’m passionate about creating the perfect pizza and I’m always looking to improve what I do,” Montano said. “No detail is too small. Björn from Kanthal shared this ambition, and we have worked closely together dedicated to succeed.” Kanthal, part of Sandvik group, specializes in industrial heating, providing a wide variety of industries with sustainable heating products and services. “This experiment stands as proof that together with our customers, we can come up with innovative solutions to solve most challenges. We have had some of our partnerships for over 20

Canadian Pizza is hosting a live,

andone-day feel aVirtual senseCanadian of community Pizza Summit to promote conversation with other pizzerias. Oh, andand did EVENT fresh ideas for your pizzeria. we mention Pizza Demopalooza and the return of the Great Pizza Virtual Canadian Don’t miss this chance for Box Fold-Off returns!to share Pizza Summit set pizzerias across Canada experiences and explore trends! Join us on Monday, Oct. 19, for Oct. 19 for an informative and fun virtual Stop Marketing’ Ideas that’s Panel just for you. experience Our summits and Chef‘Don’t of the Regional Pizza Join Roundtable us for this unique chance to Year competitions have been Pizza Demopalooza! come together virtually with other cancelled due to the coronavirus Pizza Box Fold-Off restrictions. That doesn’tVirtual meanGreatpizzerias! Watch for details and how to we can’t meet virtually to gather Product Showcase featuring Pizza-Focused Products, Services and Expert Advice ideas for your menu, ideas for register at canadianpizzamag. Exciting news about our next contest – com and in our nextYEAR! issue. marketing your signature pizza it’s changing for 2020-21 to PIZZERIA OF THE canadianpizzamag.com/virtual-events PZ_PIZZASUMMIT_VIRTUAL_FP_MAYJUNE2020_ASK.indd 1

2020-06-04 4:15 PM

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INDUSTRY NEWS

TRENDS

INNOVATION

Off-premises dining in Canada grows despite 32% traffic decline: NPD Group

Pizza Nova expands grocery lineup

The Canadian food-service industry experienced a 32 per cent decline in traffic for March 2020 as a direct result of the on-premises dining restrictions put in place in mid-March, the NPD Group reports. Restaurant operators have been forced to ramp up off-premises modes such as carry-out, delivery and drive-thru in an effort offset the losses during this period of unprecedented disruption. The impact was felt most in the full-service restaurants, where traffic was down more than 50 per cent during March. The quick-service segment was also negatively impacted as traffic slipped by 27 per cent, according to NPD’s CREST service, which tracks daily restaurant usage across Canada. Delivery channel orders grew by 22 per cent in March compared to a year ago, with digital orders accounting for 72 per cent of total delivery traffic. Third-party service providers accounted for almost eight out of 10 of these digital delivery orders. While this increase is significant, delivery represented only four per cent of overall restaurant traffic prior to COVID-19. With all but essential workers sheltering at home, and school and shopping trips effectively cut to zero, the lunch daypart was impacted the most during this time. On the other hand, the number of restaurant meals consumed at home has increased significantly and now makes up the largest share of the market.

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Toronto – In response to its communities’ heightened demand for online groceries, southern Ontario pizza chain Pizza Nova has expanded its grocery assortment. In addition to the Primucci grocery products that were already available in the store and via delivery, Pizza Nova is now selling fresh produce and Italian grocery staples. It has rebranded the category name from Primucci products to Grocery Mercato. According to a news release from the Ontario chain, customers can order a one-kilogram bag of flour and other groceries with their pizza at any of the 140 locations. Salad components, such as fresh lettuce, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and green peppers, can be purchased online, along with Primucci Extra Virgin Olive Oils, dried pasta, soppressata salami and grated Parmagiano. Customers will be able to get these essentials within the same time frame that they would get their pizzas delivered, the company said. DINING ROOM SCIENCE

Air-flow model shows how coronavirus can spread farther than 6 feet A group of researchers say that the air flow inside a restaurant is critical to reducing the chances of transmitting COVID-19, and that virus particles caught

up in a room’s air circulation can spread farther than the precautionary six-foot social distancing guideline. With the global spread of COVID-19, University of Oregon researchers, along with collaborators in the UO’s Institute for Health and the Built Environment in Portland and the Genome Center of the University of California, Davis, have reviewed how their research applies to COVID-19 and two earlier coronavirus outbreaks: severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, and the Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS. The team recommends: • Disinfecting surfaces, especially in areas of frequent human contact, with products containing 62 to 71 percent ethanol, a level found in most alcohol-based hand sanitizers. • Cleaning sinks with alcohol-based products or bleach. • Removing items from countertops adjacent to sinks to reduce exposure to viral droplets and aerosols. • Placing reminder signs about hand-washing protocols. • Making sure soap dispensers are full. Suggested practices that have emerged from the centre’s research include changes to ventilation systems and window operation. “The big opportunity is with increased access to outside air, which is easiest to accomplish through perimeter windows in many buildings,” director Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg said. Learn more at https:// around.uoregon.edu/content/ uos-indoor-research-centertakes-aim-covid-19-risks.

DELIVERY

Pizza Pizza launches Tamper Proof Pizza Box Pizza Pizza has launched a Tamper Proof Pizza Box featuring a safety locking mechanism that must be broken by the customer to access the pizza inside. The proprietary box is designed to assure customers that their pizza is untouched from the moment it leaves the oven to the time it arrives at their door, the company said in a news release. “Our team has been working tirelessly to adapt to the recent health crisis, so that we can continue to provide safe and secure service to Canadians,” said Paul Goddard, chief executive officer. ” We are pleased to be able to offer a packaging solution that will give our customers added confidence in knowing their food is protected and safe.” The restaurants adhere to strict preparation guidelines, ensuring that each pizza is baked at 500 F, transferred from the oven using a paddle, placed directly into the pizza box, secured in place with the new, integrated Safety Lock and delivered promptly within the guaranteed delivery time. On March 18, Pizza Pizza began offering contactless delivery, allowing customers to prepay and tip their drivers for online orders to maintain proper social distancing and eliminate contact at the door.

May/June 2020 · CANADIAN PIZZA

INNOVATION

BAKERY COLLABORATION How Brodflour bakery thrived preand post-COVID BY NAOMI SZEBEN

PHOTO: NAOMI SZEBEN, BAKERS JOURNAL

he COVID-19 pandemic affected many businesses, but it also changed the way bakeries thought about their business. Some bakers learned how to pivot, changing their line of products to match demand and production limitations. Other bakeries teamed up with different companies to create a partnership that celebrates similar ingredients, or a shared philosophy. These are the sorts of stories you’ll hear about in Bakers Journal’s “Good Neighbours” series. Once such Good Neighbour story is Brodflour, a bakery and fresh flour mill situated in downtown Toronto. Brodflour sells freshly baked breads and pastry, made from flour they mill themselves. “On-site stone milling is central to what Brodflour is about,” says general manager and co-founder Matt Faust. Its Liberty Village setting means that clients are largely office workers, and as the pandemic surged, clients waned. “Given it’s an office crowd, we hadn’t found people were buying a ton of bread or flour.” The bakery’s entire reason to be is pinned on its flour. Owners Dara Gallinger and Ronnen Harary wanted to change the way commercial bakCANADIAN PIZZA · May/June 2020

In a pre-COVID photo, Brodflour’s clients order hand-made artisanal baked goods made with flours milled on site.

eries work with flour. To get the very best quality and the freshest possible product, they decided to build a business that was both a mill and a bakery. Brodflour stone-ground its own flour to be used within 24 hours of milling. Though flour was what the bakery wanted to be known for, the company’s philosophy lies in making artisanal, high-end baked goods using local flour. The focus is on freshness and the quality of grain. “During this pandemic. It’s actually brought that to light, so we’ve kind of had an inflection point. People are coming in, buying sandwiches and coffee, and that’s great, but we wanted people to see our flour and experience that fresh-milled product. And that switch flipped.” Are they predominantly a bakery or a miller? That question was answered when Toronto consumers

PARTNERING Greenhouse Juice Co. and Brodflour’s partnership resulted in the Plant Pantry. Subscribers were able to acquire basic pantry supplies such as Brodflour’s freshly milled flour, fresh juices or produce. Restaurants like Blondies Pizza also raised their revenue by adding their pizza kit to the Plant Pantry.

found it challenging to find either flour or yeast in their grocery stores. Few regular clients returned for sandwiches or breads, but Brodflour needed to continue creating revenue and keeping its profile in the public eye. The bakery decided to sell more flour, but with the its space being limited, few customers could enter at the same time. The second problem raised involved creating a new line of clients. While Brodflour already did brisk business with local groceries and fine food retailers, they wanted to provide fresh flour to home bakers who needed it. That artisanal label wasn’t a bad thing for retail customers either. “We’re offering flour at a higher price point than what you would normally see. It’s a special product. [Flour milling] has definitely made CONTINUED ON PAGE 15 CanadianPizzaMag.com

COVER STORY

In a pandemic world, pizzeria owners are making decisions using public health advice, lessons learned from other businesses and gut instinct BY ANDREW HIND

n pizzerias across the country, workers are doing what they’ve always done: make great-tasting pies for a hungry public. This in spite of the pandemic putting pressure on restaurants from coast to coast. But it hasn’t been easy. Provincial governments across Canada ordered restaurants to close dining rooms in late March but continued to allow takeout and delivery service. At first blush, it would seem a simple matter for pizzerias to operate, even thrive, in the COVID-19 environment. But the reality is very different. Pizzerias have had to adapt to the “new normal,” be nimble with their business plans and rapidly transition many elements of 10

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“I had to explain to my staff that this isn’t just about their health, but someone else’s as well – your co-workers, your family, our customers.” –Brian Vallis, Piatto Pizzeria and Enoteca

their operations. There’s no established playbook for this sort of thing, no step-by-step business plan to follow. Instead, pizzeria owners are making decisions using a combination of public health advice, results from other businesses that have resumed and sometimes just going with their gut. “As soon as we heard the coronavirus was circulating in our community in early March, I jumped immediately to install aggressive new policies and procedures throughout the store,” says Sandi Stoyan, who owns and operates Mickey’s Pizza in Mississauga, Ont. (once featured on the TV show You Gotta Eat Here!) with her son, Alex. With a background in the health-care industry,

Stoyan recognized how serious the matter was and how strong measures had to be to protect staff and customers. “I knew we needed to crack down hard because the virus would be around for many months. We have to assume everyone is at risk and that everyone may have it. So, with that in mind, we had to decide how to move forward.” The first step, according to Stoyan, was making sure staff feel comfortable at the pizzeria. Measures included providing workers with gloves and face masks (“I hired a seamstress who designs ball gowns to sew washable masks,” she says), and installing Plexiglas shields over the counter to provide a barrier between them and the customers they served. Brian Vallis similarly knew he had to take additional measures to protect his staff. The owner of Piatto Pizzeria and Enoteca, with several locations in Atlantic Canada, he has dozens of employees to consider. “I researched everything I could on the virus and May/June 2020 · CANADIAN PIZZA

PHOTO CREDIT: © ARTISTGNDPHOTOGRAPHY / GETTYIMAGES

OPERATING IN A NEW NORMAL

COVER STORY

rewrote our policies, procedures and protocols based on what I found,” Vallis explains. “I directed the manager on duty to conduct temperature checks of each staff member upon entering, and I also began an extensive training program on COVID-19 safety, mandating that every employee get a 90 per cent grade. I had to explain to my staff that this isn’t just about their health, but someone else’s as well – your co-workers, your family, our customers.” But there’s no point in training up staff if there’s no business. Stoyan says sales were down 25 per cent for the first month, and Vallis had to close a few outlets in the wake of plummeting revenue. For the pizza industry to rebound, customer confidence must be restored. A big part of that is clearly communicating new policies to customers through signage, placing social distancing markers on floors, and reassuring customers through frequent and thorough sterilization of every surface. “For their safety, we fundamentally changed the way we serve our customers,” Stoyan explains. “We created five-minute service windows, staggering one customer every five minutes, to limit the number of people in the store at any one time to reduce exposure and enable us to sterilize the register, POS units and counters between each customer.” When customers come inside a restaurant, staff are responsible for directing and managing them to maintain proper physical distancing and observe other protocols. Many pizzerias have removed dispensers of napkins, plates and cutlery. Instead, they are providing customers with prepared packages containing these items, limiting the number of hands touching them and ensuring the highest safety standards. New business models have helped pizzerias endure during these past turbulent months. Many have CANADIAN PIZZA · May/June 2020

pushed delivery with promotional campaigns designed to encourage people to “give back by taking out.” The mantra always is contactless delivery – that is, prepayment and leaving the food on the doorstep – as health-care professionals have repeatedly stressed the only real danger in take-out food comes during the face-to-face interaction phase of the transaction. To increase capacity, many pizzerias are signing up for food delivery services, like UberEats, despite the high rates they charge for their service. Stoyan for one has bucked this trend, even though it may have undermined her revenue. “A lot of people are signing up for these third-party delivery services, but I

more thorough, and more labour-intensive, cleaning of tables and chairs between diners). “We need to adapt,” he explains. “I’ve already cut back on my menus, focusing on fast sellers to reduce costs, and will likely need to keep that in place for the foreseeable future. I’ll be creating separate exits and entrances to eliminate choke points where people might be forced to gather, and I’ll be taking only reservations so we can manage the number of people in the restaurant.” Still, he’s concerned about what the future holds. “I don’t believe we’ll return to our old norms because the pandemic will change consumer behaviour and expectations,” he says. “Studies have shown it takes 60 days

“For their safety, we fundamentally changed the way we serve our customers.” –Sandi Stoyan, Mickey’s Pizza don’t want to bring someone into the store who I can’t 100 per cent vouch for. If I’m not able to control everyone who comes into the store, I can’t keep my customers and my staff safe,” she explains. Instead, she is encouraging in-store transactions, but to limit the number of people in the pizzeria she asks customers to wait in the car and calls them when their pizza is ready. Others have initiated contactless curbside delivery – place an order, drive to the shop, and your steaming hot pie will be placed in the trunk of your car. Vallis has started thinking farther down the road towards reopening his dining rooms. He knows further changes will need to be made to comply with regulations, including smaller caps to dining room and heightened sanitization (such as

to create a habit. We’re well past that now. Many of the changes to our lifestyle may be here to stay now. So how do we move forward?” That’s a question Stoyan is grappling with as well, especially with a new restaurant slated to open this year. But she firmly believes all of the extra measures are worth it. “I think we, the pizza industry, help create a sense of normality and comfort by being open,” she says. “People are craving that.” | CP Andrew Hind is a freelance writer from Bradford, Ont., specializing in food, history and travel. He is the author of 25 books and the proud father of one. For more features on business operations, visit canadianpizzamag.com. CanadianPizzaMag.com

FEATURE

REOPENING YOUR DINING ROOM As restaurant dining rooms across Canada slowly reopen, a healthy-and-safety expert highlights key considerations operators should keep in mind BY COLLEEN CROSS

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When operators prepare to open, they will want to assess the number of patrons and workers that can be safely accommodated inside while maintaining the required physical distance.

groups of people you have contact with: staff, suppliers making deliveries, customers visiting the restaurant in person and those receiving pizza delivery at home. Engage regularly with your workers and health and your safety committee, she recommended. “They have good perspective and insight and are already engaged in organizing controls that will protect everyone. Their input is valuable.” With information coming in rapidly, regular and frequent communication is necessary to protect yourselves and your customers, she said. There are different ways to reduce the transmission and by engaging

Key considerations: • Reduced facility capacity • Additional cleaning and sanitization • Communicating to customers how new measures will impact service and wait times

your employees, you can better understand where in your operation there are higher risks. For businesses with dining rooms, extra time will be required to clean and sanitize. Operators should determine how much time those activities will take, and make sure there are proper time, materials and personnel to do that work. Before inviting the public in again, assess what the capacity of your space is to maintain the two-metre distances at the entrance/exit and in seating areas. How can your operation maintain the required distance? Demarcations on floor and tabletops (such as taping an “X”) are options. May/June 2020 · CANADIAN PIZZA

PHOTO CREDIT: © RIDO / ADOBE STOCK

anadian restaurants are slowly and cautiously planning to reopen their dining rooms. To better understand how reopening will look, Canadian Pizza spoke with Amy Campbell, BHSc, DOHS, CRSP, who is health and safety program manager for the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. Campbell suggested it’s wise to take a phased approach to integrated safety measures. A key thing to consider is risk of exposure. What functions or activities in your restaurant are high-risk? Many businesses are currently doing curbside takeout or delivery, and these involved, generally speaking, a lower risk than dining in. Once patrons are invited to dine in, operators need to amplify efforts, she said. That includes handwashing, cleaning and sanitization. Handwashing and physical distancing are important among all

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FEATURE

Tables may be removed, stacked or possibly used to create pathways to show people where they should be going. Plexiglas barriers can increase the physical barriers between staff and customers and among groups of customers. Tablecloths are not recommended if only for practical reasons. “If you’re handling laundry, you would want employees to wear mask and gloves when doing so,” Campbell said, adding that hard surfaces are a good choice because they are easily sanitized. Removing condiments and shared items also will help keep minimize transmission of the virus. Create menus on wall spaces instead of handing out paper menus, she suggested.

Supplier-restaurant measures As for supplier-restaurant relations, Campbell recommends offering hand sanitizers to representatives making deliveries to the restaurant and taking time to clean or wipe down places where items are placed. Encouraging contactless payment among both suppliers and customers is to everyone’s benefit, she said. When people have to work in close proximity, masks and gloves will help reduce risk of transmission, she said. Enquire of your suppliers what measures they have, contactless payment, receiving orders outdoors, how can you safely offload without sharing things like dollies.

What factors should be top of mind before an operator opens their dining room again? When operators prepare to open, they will want to assess the number of patrons and workers that can be safely accommodated inside while maintaining the required physical distance. “Work with health and safety committee members or representatives to determine how people will use your facilities,” Campbell said. “Run through typical scenarios. That will lead you through what you need to do and help you assess how can you properly clean your establishment.”

What functions or activities in your restaurant are high-risk? “Risk communication is critically important,” she said. The way in which an operator engages with their employees and informs them of the risk and what precautions they’re taking to control that, are essential to managing this transition time. When workers feel confident that the precautions reflect the best available advice from 14

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public health agencies and that there is frequent and reliable communication about health and safety – that goes a long way. That regular two-way communication between employers and the workforce is really valuable.”

Looking further ahead Which precautions will be enduring over time? The two key measures Campbell has consistently heard are physical distancing and handwashing. Those will continue as necessary, enduring precautionary measures, she said, for individuals in their homes as well. She expects to see increased attention to cleaning and sanitization and what that requires in time, resources and education. How people can protect themselves from hazardous materials and how to handle waste from cleaning activities are other areas that will continue to concern us. Campbell said it’s important to communicate with your customers in this new normal: “It will look different, it will feel different and their experience will be different, so managing expectations will be top of mind for business owners as well.” | CP For more features on operations and COVID-19 information, visit canadianpizzamag.com. May/June 2020 · CANADIAN PIZZA

PHOTO CREDIT: © INTERIORPHOTO / ADOBE STOCK

What should be top of mind for operators?

For businesses with dining rooms, extra time will be required to clean and sanitize. Determine how much time is needed to do this work and make sure you have the materials and personnel to do it.

INNOVATION

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

BAKERY COLLABORATION things a lot busier for us. In terms of a sales perspective, what we would sell in flour, in one month, pre-COVID, we now do in about two days.” The increased flour sales helped them focus on milling. During the lockdown, the bakery made a choice to keep the business running by making a flour production partnership happen. “So we would run our stone mill for two to three hours a day. Now we’ve run it seven to eight hours a day. One of the challenges is being able to keep up with that. Sometimes our bakers share the responsibility of milling, but we do have a miller full time here, milling. The bakery continues to make breads with its freshly made flour for customers, but business is now strictly delivery or contactless pickup. “People can just call in, and they pay for their order. We have a table inside: we just leave the bread there. And that’s it. Really, those are the main ways that we’re getting product out on the retail side and then our flour is sold retail to some big grocery stores.” The real challenge lies with direct-to-consumer delivery. “We’re still such a small company. We only have one delivery truck. You know, people were just calling in asking for flour delivery,” Faust says. Faust adds proudly that Brodflour was selected by higher-end online grocery delivery services. Companies such as Grow, Gather & Co. curate food baskets for the discerning gourmet who is sheltering in place. “You’ll get some really nice produce, some really nice meats, and they’re also featuring our bread and butter flour.” Brodflour found that by partnering with Grow, Gather & Co., they could transition to a different clientele, and really focus their target market to a more gourmet and adventurous consumer. The deal went both ways. Produce companies that would typically distribute to restaurants could retain revenue with home delivery. “They used the best of the best, and they’re just trying to highlight local high-end food manufacturers that are basically doing something really cool and artisanal, kind of on a smaller scale. So that’s really helped us get our name out,” Faust adds. One advantage to partnering with other companies resulted in interesting cross-promotional advertising. Brodflour was “good neighbours” with the Greenhouse Juice Co. “We actually grew up with their owners, so we know them well,” Faust recounts. “We’ve had a good relationship. Greenhouse stocks our flour on a weekly basis, so they’re still providing fresh products. And as long as you hit their minimum of, you know, $30 or $40, clients can get our products delivered next day to their door, and [Greenhouse] also doing the same thing, working with really unique plant-based products. That allows us to expand our delivery zone and go direct to the consumer.” Anna James of Greenhouse Juice was the one to reach out to Brodflour; however, they had “always been in conversation about how we can collaborate together.” They were already offering some of Brodflour’s breads at one or two their locations. “But, we never really had a mutual retail relationship, [prior to

the COVID outbreak]. It was really us just retailing purchases,” Faust clarifies. Greenhouse Juice Co. and Brodflour’s partnership resulted in the Plant Pantry. Subscribers were able to acquire basic pantry supplies such as Brodflour’s freshly milled flour, fresh juices or produce. Restaurants like Blondies Pizza also raised their revenue by adding their pizza kit to the Plant Pantry. “We’re always open to partnering with other brands that kind of speak to our ethos. So, anyone that kind of shares our vision for having a fresh product, something that kind of changes the way the consumer thinks about a staple that we’ve all previously seen as shelf stable.” On top of providing fresh food, for every purchase made in April, Greenhouse donated a toonie from every order containing a Plant Pantry item to the CanadaHelps COVID-19 Community Care Fund in support of vulnerable communities across Canada affected by COVID-19. “Part of our founders’ philosophies is a lot of giving back to the community,” Faust says. “My motto has just been, say ‘yes’ to any opportunity. Figure it out after it happens. Every day we encounter problems, and these are just challenges that can be solved easily.” | CP Naomi Szeben is editor of sister publication Bakers Journal.

At Lesaffre, we understand baking challenges—and how to help you solve yours. Start by joining our team of bakers at one of our three U.S. Baking Centers, each equipped for speciﬁc applications. Our Pizza Innovation Center in Chicago houses a dough room and seven different pizza ovens to take you from concept to launch. At our Milwaukee Baking Center, we make every major yeast-raised product using commercial baking processes. And at our East Coast Baking Center in New Jersey, we develop custom solutions for clean label ESL and fortification.

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CANADIAN PIZZA · May/June 2020

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2020-05-27 9:42 AM

THE PIZZA CHEF BY DIANA CLINE

Diana Cline is an award-winning pizza chef, a partner with Diana’s Cucina & Lounge in Winnipeg. In addition to creating award-winning recipes, Diana is a consultant to other pizzeria owner/operators in menu development, creating operational systems and marketing to help operators grow their business strategically. Contact her at diana@dianascucinaandlounge.com.

Panzerotti: An easy menu addition

@CdnPizzaMag

Your customers may be already buying these types of heat-and-eat meals – might as well be from you!

Amazingly enough, even though it is made of the same ingredients as pizza, a panzerotti tastes very different, especially with the garlic butter and Parmesan added.

best to serve extra sauce on the side, warmed up, for dipping. Next, cover your sauce spot with cheese. We portion three ounces of cheese in our 10-inch panzerotties, the same amount as on our small pizzas. Then place your toppings on the cheese spot. Try to place your toppings in the middle of your panzerotti, leaving at least a thumbnail border around the edge of the dough. We typically use a little less than our small pizza portion amounts. If you add more than one topping, you should reduce the amount of the other toppings a little to accommodate the extra filling. For best results, panzerotties should have one to three toppings, and a maximum of four or five. Once you’ve added all your toppings/fillings, grab one side of your panzerotti dough and fold it over to meet the dough on other side, essentially giving you the folded pocket. This is where having stretched your panze-

rotti out bigger than the disk comes in handy because it gives you a little extra room to pinch your edges together. Clear any cheese or toppings from between the folded edges, if you have anything caught in here you won’t be able to get a good seal and your panzo will pop open in the oven and make a big mess. Next, take your fancy fork and press the edges together. Trim any excess dough away with a pizza wheel cutter. Next – and this is extremely important – poke your panzerotti with the fork several times, creating venting holes for all the steam as your panzo cooks. If you neglect to do this, your panzerotti will most certainly burst open at the seams. One last tip before putting it in the oven: gently lift your panzerotti off the disk, making sure it’s not stuck anywhere, and then gently place it back on the disk. If you’re making a calzone, however, do not poke holes in the dough, and make sure you May/June 2020 · CANADIAN PIZZA

PHOTO: DIANA’S CUCINA AND LOUNGE

hat item can you add to your present menu to give your customers a different meal option, without having to add any other ingredients, nor need to add an expensive piece of equipment, nor need extra space to accommodate the addition to your menu? Panzerotties (a.k.a. calzones)! Over the years, there has been some debate about which name is correct, and my intention here isn’t to get into that debate. For the purpose of this column, writing from my experience, it’s my understanding that a panzerotti is baked in an oven, while a calzone is fried in a fryer. Also, a panzerotti has the sauce inside, whereas for a calzone, it’s traditional to serve the sauce on the side. Depending on your existing setup and equipment, you decide which one suits your menu best. As for ingredients, you’ve already got everything in stock: dough, sauce, cheese and toppings. Other than that, for equipment, if you want a nicely pinched edge on your panzerotties, you’ll have to get one item – a fork. The basic process for making panzerotties is to take a small dough ball, slap or stretch it out to about an inch larger than the screen. We make 10inch and 12-inch panzerotties, and use the appropriate sized screens as size guides. If you’re making a panzerotti, put a small amount of sauce just off of the centre, being careful not to over-sauce. If you’re making a calzone, skip the sauce step entirely. For a panzerotti, it’s better to go lighter on the sauce, because the sauce heats up really fast and too much will cause large amounts of steam to build up inside and usually result in a “popped” panzerotti, with sauce, cheese and fillings oozing all over your oven. If you or one of your customers is a sauce lover, it’s

have a good seal. Bake your panzerotti in your regular pizza oven, or put your calzone in the fryer until both the top and bottom are golden brown. Some people say that you have to cook panzerotties at a lower temperature, but I’ve found that as long as you’re not over-saucing and over-stuffing, they cook fine at the hotter pizza oven temperature. If you’re cooking in a deck oven, expect to rotate your panzo halfway through baking. Once the panzerotti is finished baking, we brush it with a touch of garlic butter and sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese on it. Amazingly enough, even though it is made of the same ingredients as pizza, it tastes very different, especially with the garlic butter and Parmesan added. We serve it in a

CANADIAN PIZZA · May/June 2020 Untitled-1 1

standard pizza box. As an additional income stream, consider making and baking a dozen of these at a time and freezing them for a take-home-and-reheat meal option for your customers. At Diana’s, we offer them in the most popular combinations: cheese blend, pepperoni and cheese, and ham and pineapple. They can be reheated in the microwave in minutes, or in the oven for about 15 minutes. Your customers may be already buying these types of heat-andeat meals – might as well be from you! Repeat the process above only omit the garlic butter and Parmesan cheese. Portion the garlic butter between two sheets of wax paper and freeze it solid (ahead of time) so it’s separate from the panzo. Cool the panzerotties completely, then insert

the waxed sheet of garlic butter (on the side) before bagging them together in a freezer-grade bag. We recently relaunched our frozen panzerotti line, and we found that our regulars buy them in multiples to keep in their freezers and reheat for a later meal. This frozen sideline is very popular and your customers will love them! | CP Popular panzo combinations: cheese blend, pepperoni and cheese, and ham and pineapple.

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2020-06-05 1:30 PM

FEATURE

FOLD-OFF: THE JAMES TIMOTHY EXPERIENCE The reigning twotime Great Pizza Box Fold-Off champ talks showmanship, humility, technique and ‘that flappyflap-fold thing’ he does BY COLLEEN CROSS

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Future box-folding champs? James Timothy clowns around with his children, Grace and Finn.

from the beloved shop where he works as a server – Zen’Za Pizzeria in London, Ont. Even after two months, he still finds it all hard to believe. “Vegas – it was gonna happen! And we had just moved into number 1 category on Trip Advisor in London,” says Timothy, who turned 40 in April. Zen’Za re-adjusted to takeout and then was able to shift gears into ready-made, vacuum-packed pizza production. However, it’s meant the very sociable Timothy has had to stay home temporarily, while owners Wayne and

“Wayne can talk to for hours about fermentation. But boxes – that’s my thing.”

Jocelyn de Groot pump out the pizzas, which are sold at retail, he says. When we spoke, he was enjoying being primary caregiver for their children, Grace, 4, and Finn, 2, giving his wife, Sarah, a teacher, more distraction-free time to help her students with electronic learning. Timothy, who hails from Somerset, England, has about 20 years of cooking and serving experience under his belt. “My father had a pub and I worked there and in many different places,” he says. “I’m used to working with my family. That’s why it’s nice working with Wayne and Jocelyn.” May/June 2020 · CANADIAN PIZZA

PHOTO: SARAH TIMOTHY

ames Timothy’s big plans for 2020 included heading to the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas to showcase his pizza box folding skills. Our reigning Great Pizza Box Fold-Off champion, Timothy won handily the last two Great Pizza Box Fold-Offs at the Canadian Pizza Summit. Last October, Timothy folded 10 large boxes in 42.55 seconds, besting his time the previous year of one minute, 3.7 seconds. As we all know, the universe had other plans. Like many in this industry, Timothy had the rug pulled out from under him by the COVID-19 pandemic. “I had got to the 15-day countdown when the pandemic hit,” he says. Not only were his plans for world domination in box folding put on hold, but he was temporarily sidelined

FEATURE

Z’Energy days He has worked for Zen’Za for about two years. He started working mornings in the Z’Energy Day Café, a health-focused project that eventually morphed into Zen’Za Pizzeria. “I would work from 9 to 12, then Zen’Za came on at noon. For a few hours in the morning it was oat-milk based coffee and avocado toast. In England I often did a morning shift – like a highly trained barista.” At lunchtime, Timothy would switch hats to server. He was also in charge of the Zenergy Day Café Instagram page, from which he ran more than 100 episodes of popular cooking show “The Zenergy.” It featured signature dishes – with a side of hamming it up. “I like the dopamine fix,” he says. “I get 50 likes in a matter of seconds.” The café served its purpose of raising awareness of the Zen’Za brand. They gradually changed to an 11 a.m. start and Timothy began working the day shift. They still do the avocado toast for the brunch. After living in Canada for several years, he’s learned to appreciate certain things about the Canadian restaurant-going public. In particular, tipping, which was something of a novel concept. “In England, to get a tip, you really have to go above and beyond,” he says. “Here, people want to give you money just to help you out. It’s a level of compassion.”

Showmanship An unexpected combination of showmanship and humility, Timothy likes to use his box-folding platform to promote Zen’Za. “Anything I can do to bring attention to them, I’m happy to do,” he says. “Wayne can talk to for hours about fermentation. But boxes – that’s my thing.” “At first it was just a bit of fun,” he says. “I’m folding these boxes on a daily basis, so it made sense for me to represent Zen’Za in Toronto,” Timothy says. After pulling off the fastest time and experiencing the rush of a crowd watching, he was hooked. “It spurred me that first year. I came home with the certificate and two jars of sauce and that was it!” He shifted gears to train for Vegas Expo, which requires competitors to fold five small boxes, a different format from the Canadian fold-off, which requires competitors to fold 10 large boxes. “I was looking at all of some of the previous winners – and they were about 20 seconds for five boxes,” he says. “My technique started to change. With 10 boxes, you can afford to stumble a couple of times. With five there is no room for stumbling.” The city of London rallied around him: a GoFundMe campaign raised $1,000 in short order and the London International Airport bought flights for him and Wayne. He is humbled – amazed, in fact – by the enthusiastic response. “People would come into Zen’Za, hand me a $20 and say, “You the box guy? Go get ’em!’ Everyone has shown so much love and support,” Timothy says.

James Timothy accepts his second award for the Great Pizza Box Fold-Off from Casey Zheng, brand manager for Parmalat.

to speed. But with five, it’s all over in 20 seconds. I did loads of 25 and 26 seconds – respectably fast. I even did a 19-second time. But it’s all in the technique, that flappy-flap-fold thing that I do.” As an added touch, the folding champ now draws on the boxes. “I do Mandalorians and Baby Yodas,” he says. “I’m not a great artist but I can do quick scribbles. It’s a very small and local thing. But people seem to like it.” | CP For details on our upcoming, remote Great Pizza Box Fold-Off at the Virtual Canadian Pizza Summit, see page 27 and visit canadianpizzamag.com.

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Secret is technique Besides having lots of boxes to practise with, what’s the secret to his supersonic skills? “The secret is the technique,” he says. “There’s only one way it will go together fast. You can’t do step 3 before step 2. You’re really looking to put in maximum effort for a short time. With 10 boxes I could build CANADIAN PIZZA · May/June 2020

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MAKING DOUGH WITH DIANE BY DIANE CHIASSON

Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping foodservice, hospitality and retail operators increase sales for over 30 years by providing innovative, revenue-increasing marketing strategies. Contact her at 416-926-1338 or chiasson@chiassonconsultants.com, or visit chiassonconsultants.com.

Don’t stop marketing, Part 1

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Advertising or promotion?

In previous recessions, restaurants that continued to invest in marketing saw an overall growth in their businesses at the expense of the competition, while those that stopped their budgets saw a decrease in sales.

You may think that these two words mean the same thing, but they do not. Advertising is a one-time communication: it is something you would do to promote your pizzeria business, products or services such as an ad in a magazine, TV or radio commercials, and website banners. Promotion includes all the particular activities and ways available that are intended to announce or promote your business, products or services. Examples include team or league sponsorships, contests, events, coupons, social media and direct mail. Promotional campaigns are often done to get the media to promote your message at no cost. Promotions usually don’t cost a lot of money, as advertising does, and you may want to do some daily promotions. Don’t forget to get involved in charitable events, whether by hosting or sponsoring, which will be a great way to create a positive attitude about your pizzeria in your community. The result in doing both – advertising and promotion – at the end is to create brand awareness, attract new customers and

increase your sales. If you suddenly decide to stop all marketing, you will have to start over by building momentum from zero. If your customers haven’t heard from you in a while, you will have to work twice as hard to get their loyalty back. Rather than suddenly stopping your marketing efforts, you are better off maintaining or even increasing your efforts to make sure that you are in a position of strength when this economic downturn passes. Just remember that increased spending in marketing and advertising during a downturn will pay off exponentially in the months and years to come. I certainly believe that you should keep marketing during an economic downturn, especially if your competitors aren’t!

1. Evaluate, analyze and check everything right away It’s important you spend your marketing budget wisely. You need to know how much you can spend. You also need to have a strategy on how to spend it, where to spend it and what you want to achieve. It’s also very May/June 2020 · CANADIAN PIZZA

hen restaurants are facing tough times, the first thing they do is to stop marketing their operation. Many marketing experts, including myself, will tell you that when facing economic tough times the first thing that restaurant owners usually do is arbitrarily cut marketing costs. But doing so can be a bad business decision that can prove disastrous that may leave your brand in a less competitive position when the economy recovers. It has been proven over and over that cutting marketing and advertising during a downturn will delay your recovery. Many pizzeria owners will behave the same way. Fearful of declining revenue, they will typically cut costs – including marketing costs – reduce prices and postpone new projects. It’s a normal reaction. However, marketing and website improvements are not the things you should suspend right now. Budgeting for marketing and advertising is as necessary as budgeting for your electrical bill or your payroll. It’s not the time to cut promoting, advertising and marketing. Over the years, research studies have confirmed that the best strategy in terms of long-term return on investment is to either steadily continue or aggressively increase marketing spending during an economic downturn. In previous recessions, restaurants and pizzeria operations that continued to invest in marketing saw an overall growth in their businesses at the expense of the competition, while those that stopped their budgets saw a decrease in sales. You should always be marketing to new potential customers as well as to your existing customers. Here are four out of 10 points to think about to market your pizzeria during a slowdown.

important to understand that any purchases depend on consumers’ having disposable income, feeling self-assured about their future, and trusting in business and the economy. You should definitely analyze your POS data for food-cost savings. Decide which menu items you can temporarily eliminate (products ordered less frequently) and which products your most loyal guests tend to buy. What can you offer right now that no one else can? Can you think of some creative and unique ways that you can help your customers?

2. Pay special attention to your existing customers and care about new ones Your pizzeria brand’s biggest asset during an economic downturn will be its existing customer base. Your marketing strategies should focus on your most valuable and loyal customers. Happy customers will always help you back by recommending your pizzeria and posting reviews on social media platforms. The importance of honest communication with your customers cannot be overstated. Find out what kind of customers come to your restaurant, get to know them better and find out what they want. Asking each customer what they would like to buy would be a good strategy. Develop meaningful relationships with your existing customers and, most particularly, with your new customers. Customers do appreciate when employees care about their experience and make them feel welcome. It’s important to try to do everything to make your customers’ lives as easy as possible. Studies show that customer service may be greatly improved and that consumers will get better service after this crisis. Call, email or send a card to your best customers. Tell them that you appreciate their loyalty and continued patronage. Just remember that word-of-mouth marketing is still one of the best ways to attract new customers to your pizzeria.

4. Fine-tune your product offering With this current economic situation, you may be faced with budget cuts and tough decisions in the months ahead. As they say, “less is more!” As you know, purchasing behaviour changes dramatically during economic downturns. It’s the right time to get creative with your menu, pricing strategies and product mix. Don’t throw everything out the door as people will not stop buying small snacks, appetizers, junk food and other small treats. It’s a known fact that at a time of economic downturn, people tend to visit chocolate stores more often as they crave sweetness. It has been well documented that sales of chocolates rise when times are tight: it calms your nerves and stress by giving you that sugar rush. How about launching your first-ever chocolate dessert pizza? You could make these pizzas with toppings such as chocolate sauce, dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate shavings and white chocolate chunks – all on a yummy chocolate crust. If Dr. Oetker can make these sweet pizza treats, I believe that this is something that you could definitely add to your product mix. Perhaps the best quote about advertising in a recession came from Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart. When asked, “What do you think about a recession?” he responded, “I thought about it and decided not to participate.” Stay tuned for Part 2. . | CP

3. Emphasize family/friend meetings, values When there is an economic downturn, people tend to retreat to familiar, cosy down-to-earth places. They tend to stay home and surround themselves with homemade and less expensive food, friends, and good family fun. A lot more company employees will work from home, and because most businesses are discouraging travel, the confined population will probably go stir-crazy. As more and more people choose to practise social distancing, the need for a human connection will never be greater. The strong desire to connect with others and their go-to local restaurants will only become stronger. People like to do business with people and businesses they know. This could be an opportunity for people to want to connect and help one another out, and they will need a place to meet. This is will be a great opportunity to turn your pizzeria into a community hub with cosy fireplaces and warm smiles. Market your pizzeria as a safe place to meet. A welcoming restaurant is a magical place that people need at the time of crisis more than ever: they need a peaceful place to escape. It’s also a perfect place to provide them with an inexpensive workplace with free WiFi. Get in touch with your local customers and encourage them to come in for a special lunch promotion or an afternoon treat. Making your pizzeria a genuine place of social gathering will help foster a much-needed sense of community and will probably end up turning these customers into long-term customers. CANADIAN PIZZA · May/June 2020

CanadianPizzaMag.com

IN THE KITCHEN

SIX GREAT PIZZAS FROM THE SUMMIT Ideas from Canadian pizza chefs that feature mouthwatering flavour combinations to stir your senses and spark your own creativity

homemade tapenade featuring kalamata olives. A pinch of chili flakes on top.

BY CANADIAN PIZZA STAFF

Philly ’za

A Forager’s Delight

Jalapizza

By Aaron Gehrman, Emilio Finatti Pizzeria, Langley, B.C. Crushed tomato sauce, baked with cheese, smoked bacon, marinated mushroom medley.

By Josh Paone, The Lock Wood Fired Pizza, Port Colborne, Ont. Jalapeno base, chicken, bacon, cherry tomatoes, shredded and fresh mozzarella and jalapeno cream cheese dollops.

Here we bring you six pizzas from independent Canadian pizzerias that feature mouthwatering flavour combinations to stir your senses and spark your own creativity.

By Wayne de Groot, Zen’Za Pizzeria, London, Ont. The vegan version of Zen’Za’s popular Philly ’za. Red sauce base with light vegan mozzarella, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers with garlicky cherry tomatoes. Provolone on top along with a freshly cut red onion and the pizzeria’s Philly sauce and a swirl of garlic white sauce.

Bel Villaggio

Salame Piccante Pizza

(translates to ‘Beautiful Village’) *Third place, Open division By Sunny Singh, Lina’s Italian Market, Calgary, Alta. Crisp saffron pizza crust, salamino picante, Italian tomato sauce, smokie würstel, scratch sausage, smoked speck, grana padano, arugula, DOP balsamic vinegar.

By Raj Sivasothy, The Good Son, Toronto, Ont. This pizza brings the heat with its piquant, spicy flavours that burst through with each bite. Tomato sauce, buffalo cheese, olives, salami.

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Pizza del Sole By Jeremy Paone, The Lock Wood Fired Pizza, Port Colborne, Ont. Homemade dough, fresh basil leaves, mozzarella and provolone blend and a chunky red sauce on top of the cheese,

To pick up more pizza trends, attend the Virtual Canadian Pizza Summit on Oct. 19! May/June 2020 · CANADIAN PIZZA

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

From ingredients to kitchen equipment to business technology, Canadian Pizza keeps you in the know. For more on new products for the pizza industry, check out our website, canadianpizzamag.com.

popular,” said Tim McLaughlin, vice-president of marketing at Steam Whistle. “So we decided to put it in a can and make it available across Ontario.” At 2.5 per cent ABV, Steam Whistle Lemon Shandy is sweeter than a typical beer that pairs well with hot summer days, patios, back decks and beaches with friends and family. It is now available at LCBO outlets across Ontario. steamwhistle.ca

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Reusable face mask made for restaurants based on chef’s uniform design Mirvik Uniforms & Merch of Montreal has launched a reusable face mask made using a liquid-repelling, premium twill fabric that prevents penetration of splashed droplets. The mask is made with the same innovative technology as the company’s chef’s uniform. Along with the water-repellent, twill-fabric technology, every mask has eight layers, three of fabric and five of filters. The PM 2.5 filters are made with activated carbon and last up to five days. There is an exhale valve to allow for easy breathing and adjustable ear loops for comfort and fit. The Canadian designed and tested masks are made at the company’s plant is in Montreal. They come in reusable, Ziplock-style packaging to ensure minimal contact during shipping and handling, and include information for proper wear and care. Colours include neutral tones of black, grey and a bright blue. The masks and replaceable filters are available at wholesale 24

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pricing and also for retailers to purchase and carry for their customers. For large orders, Mirvik is able to create custom masks allowing companies to integrate their brand’s colours and patterns. mirvik.com

DRINKS

Steam Whistle Lemon Shandy available in Ontario Just in time for summer, the Lemo Shandy, a crowd favourite at the Steam Whistle Biergarten in Toronto, is available in a can to Ontario customers. A refreshing mix of Steam Whistle Craft Brewing Company’s Pure Pilsner and lemonade, the beverage is a tart twist on a classic favourite. “We were making and serving Shandy at the Steam Whistle Biergarten, and it was incredibly

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Ecolab launches programs to help restaurants combat COVID-19 Ecolab is offering a raft of COVID-19 assessment and training programs to help restaurants protect their employees and guests, and get back to safe and profitable operations. The programs are offered through EcoSure and Lobster Ink, divisions of the company focused on food safety and public health. The Coronavirus Training and Assessment Program is designed to help prepare and protect front-line employees. The program includes a COVID-19 response readiness assessment of risks and best practices and onsite training that provides practical guidance for COVID-19 prevention and remediation. The High-Risk Assessment Program is meant to reinforce best practices, mitigate food safety and public health risks, and protect employees and guests. For areas where onsite assessment is not practical, EcoSure also provides a Virtual Training and Assessment solution, which is guided remotely by an EcoSure food safety and

public health expert. The Takeout & Delivery Assessment Program is focused on takeout and delivery, including cleaning and sanitation, food integrity, packing and storage and third-party delivery. Ecolab’s Lobster Ink business is offering the Essential Rebound Training Program, which provides concise online training for line-level staff and managers, including hand hygiene, sanitizing and disinfecting, time and temperature control and protocols to prevent cross-contamination. ecolab.com

SANITATION

Mobile doublesided hand washing station functions inside or outside Vollrath Company has a new double-sided hand washing station designed to give customers and employees an easy and convenient space to wash their hands anywhere sanitation is of concern in a building. Outfitted with a pair of sinks separated by a safety guard, each side of the unit features a sink, faucet with foot pedal for hands-free operation, soap dispenser and towel dispenser. This wash station can be stationary or mobile. It has fresh water and waste water tanks, making it suitable for both indoor and outdoor use vollrathfoodservice.com May/June 2020 · CANADIAN PIZZA

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2020-05-28 2:02 PM

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Annex Bookstore ............................................................. 25 Ardent Mills ULC ................................................................ 2 EM Bakery Equipment B.C. Limited ............................... 23 Faema Company (Canada) Ltd. / Euro-Milan Inc............ 28 Lesaffre Yeast Corporation .............................................. 15 Middleby Marshall............................................................ 13 PZ Misc ....................................................................... 17,27 Ricco Food Distributor ..................................................... 21 Springer’s Meats Inc. ....................................................... 19 Stanislaus Food Products .............................................. 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.

CANADIAN PIZZA · May/June 2020

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CROSS-CANADA VIEWPOINT BY CANADIAN PIZZA STAFF

Here you’ll read about pizzeria operators from across Canada and have a chance to share your own views on a wide range of topics. To offer feedback or ideas for future topics, get in touch with editor Colleen Cross at ccross@annexbusinessmedia.com or 519-428-3471 ext. 261.

Being a good neighbour

and delivery since opening three years ago. The Spicy Vegetarian, with a base of spicy gravy along with onions, green peppers, black olives and pineapple hot peppers, is a customer favourite. “Most customers prefer their pizza delivered to their home,” Gaurav said. “We are practising social distancing. Drivers wear gloves and when a driver arrives at a customer’s home, they call, then leave the pizza at an agreed-upon place near the doorstep.” Many people were ordering online before the pandemic and Gaurav expects cashless payment to become even more popular.

or our online feature “Good Neighbours,” we talked with pizzerias helping their communities in creative ways Here is a sampling of their stories.

Keeping hard-working truckers truckin’ Pembina’s Pizza Joint, Winnipeg (as of mid-April 2020) Long-haul truckers often stop in to Pembina’s Pizza Joint in Winnipeg to take a break for pizza. During the pandemic, the thriving three-year-old pizzeria has given them even more reason to stop. The store is on the Pembina Highway with easy access for truckers and a large parking lot that can accommodate half a dozen trucks, said assistant manager Gaurav Khanna. Khanna sent an open invitation to truckers on the business’s Facebook page: “Hello, our beloved Truckers, Front line workers who are working for us to get the essential supplies delivered to the facilities. . . . We at Pembina’s Pizza Joint are delighted to let you guys know that we are offering free veggie pizza at our location at 1743 b Pembina Hwy. . . . We appreciate all the things you do thank you.” Truckers can order either a 12inch medium veggie pizza for one person or a 14-inch large for two people, Gaurav said. The truckers can customize the toppings. Staff suggest they call ahead by five or 10 minutes so they don’t have to wait for their pizza. Pembina’s staff are down by 60 per cent and current staff are working long hours Monday through Saturday from early afternoon to 3 a.m. Reaction to the initiative has been positive with lots of smiles. “Truckers are doing a hard job,” Gaurav said. “Manager Mohit Vasudev is a good guy so he wanted to help.” The shop has focused on takeout 26

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Making lemonade out of lemons “The really nice thing is that other pizzerias in the area followed suit. We’re all competitors, but we respect them.” –Paul Mollica

Pie-Zano’s Authentic Italian Pizza in Chatham, Ont. (as of mid-April 2020) On Sunday, March 15, Paul Mollica and Joe Leggiero, co-owners of Pie-Zano’s Authentic Italian Pizza in Chatham, Ont., made the difficult decision to close the pizzeria’s doors temporarily to ride out the COVID-19 pandemic. Primarily a takeout and delivery business, Pie-Zano’s, which has been in business for nearly 10 years, could have stayed open. Mollica and Leggiero decided to close temporarily to be on the safe side, as Mollica has underlying medical conditions. When the Ontario premier announced schools would not reopen after the break, and with one of the largest high schools across the street and students a big percentage of their customers, it made sense to close. “It was one thing after another,” Mollica said. Pie-Zano’s normally would have a staff of eight to 10 on weekends and help from his wife, Linda, and other family members. Because the shop is only about 900 square feet, social distancing would have been impossible. Warnings from relatives in hard-hit

Italy made them certain their decision was the right one. “Our relatives told us everybody took it lightly in Italy, at first. Everyone thought it was a bit of a joke. They told us to take it seriously.” The pizzeria has shut down only two weeks in total since opening 10 years ago, Mollica said. When it did this time, they were left with a houseful of dough. “We had just received a couple big orders, gearing up for students to come back from their March break. We had 100 doughs already made up, the cheese already shredded.” So, they made lemonade out of lemons. “We thought, let’s give them to the hospital staff next door and first responders,” Mollica said. They used all of the product they had in stock to make about 100 pizzas to give to local police officers, firefighters, paramedics and staff at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance practically next door to them. Hospital executives picked up the pizzas for the hospital and a friend helped them get pizzas to the fire department and other places. The delivery brought a few tears to the eyes of the front-line workers. “Everybody called to thank us and sent letters. It was nice.” But that’s not what motivates them. “We work hard, we’ve got a good business going and we were happy to give back,” Mollica said. “The really nice thing is that other pizzerias in the area followed suit. We’re all competitors, but we respect them.” And there’s enough business for everyone, he added. The business has become part of the community, sponsoring hockey and soccer teams. “We’ll miss that this summer,” he said. | CP Thank you to Gold sponsor Parmalat and Silver sponsor HungerRush, formerly Revention, for supporting this initiative to recognize pizzerias being Good Neighbours! Check out more Good Neighbour stories at canadianpizzamag.com. May/June 2020 · CANADIAN PIZZA

JOIN US ONLINE OCTOBER 19, 2020

Canadian Pizza is hosting a live, one-day Virtual Canadian Pizza Summit to promote conversation and fresh ideas for your pizzeria.

Don’t miss this chance for pizzerias across Canada to share experiences and explore trends! ‘Don’t Stop Marketing’ Ideas Panel Regional Pizza Roundtable Pizza Demopalooza! Virtual Great Pizza Box Fold-Off Product Showcase featuring Pizza-Focused Products, Services and Expert Advice Exciting news about our next contest – it’s changing for 2020-21 to PIZZERIA OF THE YEAR!

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