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COWABUNGA WINS

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P.11 Canadian Pizza Virtual Summit surprises P.14 Pizza On Earth innovates in cottage country P.16 Best Recipe: Maipai’s Mala Honey Pie

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November/December 2021 Vol. 27, No. 6

DEPARTMENTS 6

From the Editor Pizza is the perfect gift

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

12 The Pizza Chef Christmas wish list

20 Tools of the Trade New products

22 Guest Column Pizza market insights

23 Making Dough How to handle Christmas at your pizzeria

26 Guest Column How to prevent pest hot spots

CONTENTS COVER STORY

COVER PHOTO: JUSTIN TANADA. CONTENTS: CANADIAN PIZZA (10); PIZZA ON EARTH (14); SALAR MADADI (16)

ONLINE

10 Cowabunga wins best photo!

Paytronix hosts webinar on ‘bankable points’ loyalty programs Bankable loyalty points programs account for one-third of loyalty programs and are growing in popularity, according to Paytronix. The technology company hosted a webinar explaining how these programs differ from others and provided guidelines for success. Visit canadianpizzamag.com.

ON THE COVER Justin Tanada, co-owner of Cowabunga Pizza in Hamilton, Ont., crafted this mouthwatering photo that won him top honours for best photo in our Virtual Competitions. See page 10.

CANADIAN PIZZA · November/December 2021

Learn more about how this pandemic startup is drawing in pizza fans from afar through social media By Colleen Cross

11 Summit surprise! Winners of the Virtual Competitions were announced at the recent Canadian Virtual Pizza Summit By Colleen Cross

14 Pizza On Earth This seasonal pizzeria’s family atmosphere and flexible business model attracts both customers and staff By Colleen Cross

16 Meet Maipai’s Mala Honey Pie The winner of Canadian Pizza Virtual Competitions’ best recipe is Detroit-style like you’ve never seen it. Here’s the recipe! By Salar Madadi

18 Cape Breton lifeline Wabo’s Pizza, Sub and Donair serves Cheticamp, N.S., and welcomes visitors from around the world By Andrew Hind CanadianPizzaMag.com

FROM THE EDITOR BY COLLEEN CROSS

November/Decemberr 2021, Vol. 27, No. 6

Pizza is the perfect gift

izza makes a perfect gift. It meets a high standard of gift giving: many people love to receive presents that won’t gather dust. Things you can eat, do or wear. Pizza is an ideal gift because it can be all three: craveable food, an experience such as a pizza-making class and cool promotional merchandise. Whether it’s gift certificates (digital, gift cards or old-school paper certificates), pizza subscriptions, take-home pizza kits, online or in-person pizza classes, off-the-shelf housemade specialities or merchandise, there is plenty of potential to add a layer of profit to your pizzeria’s bottom line. Pizza subscriptions: General Assembly Pizza are doing well with their frozen pizza “stacks” specially formulated to sell in the grocery store and by subscriptions. They are now available beyond the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario and and planned for cities in western Canada as well. This is not your grandma’s jellyof-the-month club. It solves problems for families needing a good, fast meal and introduces Neapolitan pizza into new markets. Take-home pizza kits: I refer you to Joes Family Pizzeria and their ever-expanding mealkit enterprise in our Pizza Summit coverage on page 11, and to a video talk we did with Pizza Lab in Vaughan, Ont., which you’ll find at canadianpizzamag.com. Pizza kits can showcase great ingredients and appeal to new customers. Pizza classes: Many of your customers are eager to learn a little of the magic behind their favourite pizza and pasta dishes. Posting demonstration videos, teaching a workshop and sharing online events (something you can do on platforms like Eventbrite), can give your customers and fans a window into your world. It’s not about giving away trade secrets: it’s about building an appreciation for what goes into making great pizza, every day, consistently. House-made specialities: Letting customers take home your signature products can pro-

mote your pizzeria’s brand. Many pizzerias sell house-made products off the shelf, including Meghan O’Dea, owner of Pi Gourmet Eatery in St. John’s, who talked with us in 2018 about selling a few signature products such as her award-winning cherry mango chutney to help out home cooks and help promote Pi. Customers can buy the chutney off the shelf or on the restaurant’s signature pizza, The Vegas Special. O’Dea explained: “It’s just a matter of making more, and bottling half and using half. It’s extra money so it’s good for my business.” Gift cards or certificates may be the simplest way to boost sales at this busy time. Diane Chiasson encourages operators to promote gift cards and encourage gift-giving in the latest edition of Making Dough with Diane (page 24). Gift cards are not impersonal! They are among the most requested gifts of the season, Chiasson explains, and are particularly popular among 18- to 34-year-olds. In addition, many gift card receivers will spend more than the value of their gift card once in the store. She suggests promoting your gift cards or certificates online, displaying them next to your till and training your employees to upsell them as an easy gift to give and a pleasant one to receive. Pizza Chef columnist Diana Cline shares her Christmas wish list and her views about running your restaurant to your own standards in what’s still a very challenging time. Our wish list for you includes a profitable holiday season, some relief from the stresses of running your business, happy times with your loved ones and taking your pizza business to the next level in 2022! Our New Year’s resolution is to help you succeed – with relevant, useful industry information, money-making ideas, stories of successful pizza businesses across Canada and exciting in-person pizza industry events. On that note, we will host Canadian Pizza Summits in Burnaby, B.C., on June 6 and in Toronto, Ont., on Oct. 24. Stay tuned! | CP

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INDUSTRY NEWS

ON THE WEB Winners of Canadian Pizza Virtual Competitions revealed at Canadian Pizza Summit | Toronto makes CaféTO permanent to support local restaurant industry Eataly Toronto’s Trattoria Milano reopens | FOR MORE PIZZA NEWS, check out our website, canadianpizzamag.com

CHAIN EXPANSIONS

California Pizza Kitchen breaks ground in Edmonton

Dairy prices set to rise in 2022 Pizzeria operators could see increases in the price of dairy products in 2021. In October 2021, the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC) conducted a review of Canadian farm gate milk prices and various other costs used in administering the supply management system. As a result of the review and consultations, the CDC intends to implement the following changes on Feb. 1, 2022. According to the release, dated Oct. 29: “First, the farm gate milk price will increase by $6.31/ hl (or $0.06 per litre). The increase in producers’ revenues will partially offset increased production costs due to the COVID-19 pandemic which caused revenues to remain below the cost of production. Feed, energy, and fertilizer costs have been particularly impacted. This will increase by an average of 8.4% the cost of milk used to make dairy products for the retail and restaurant sectors. However, the increase in the cost to processors will depend on the butterfat and solids non fat content of the product 8

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they manufacture. “The new farm milk prices will become official once they are approved by provincial authorities in early December 2021. “The CDC’s butter storage fees will be reduced from $0.0206 to $0.0137 per kg of butter, a 33% reduction. The Commission stores a certain quantity of butter to guarantee an adequate supply throughout the year, and to prevent shortages. In the case of butter sold at retail, for example, these fees represent half a cent per pound of butter (454 grams). “In addition, the CDC recognizes a 5.0% increase in milk processing costs such as packaging, labour, and transportation. This applies to butter sold by manufacturers to the CDC in the context of its storage programs. “In order to reflect these changes, the support price for butter used by the CDC in its storage programs will increase from $8.7149 to $9.7923 per kg on February 1, 2022, an increase of 12.4%. “The impact of these adjustments on retail prices will depend on many factors such as manufacturing, transportation, distribution, and packaging costs throughout the supply chain.”

CPK’s menu items including the Original BBQ Chicken Pizza, The California Club Pizza, The Thai Crunch Salad, and a range of other “Cali Health” infused items. As the CEO of CPK’s Alberta location, Naheed Shariff brings more than 25 years of experience in the restaurant franchising industry coupled with the 40 years of experience his mother and partner, Samira Shariff, brings. Together, Naheed and Samira have helped successful brands grow in the Alberta region. They were featured on the

ILLUSTRATION BY BRIAN FRAY, MAIN PHOTO: © AZURE / ADOBE STOCK, TOP RIGHT: CPK

CHEESE

California Pizza Kitchen has broken ground on its first Canadian location in Edmonton, where the U.S. chain will introduce its California-style pizzas, pastas and salads working with longtime Alberta restaurateur Samira Shariff. The new Edmonton location is the first of many CPK locations planned in the province over the next eight years. Once up and running, the 4,500-square-foot indoor space and 1,800-square-foot enclosed, heated patio is expected to seat 225 people and will offer all of

November/December 2021 · CANADIAN PIZZA

cover of Canadian Pizza magazine in 2009 as recipients of the Pizza With Purpose award. “Expanding our franchise operations now beyond the U.S. is a top priority for CPK and affirms our broader strategy for long term growth in our international markets,” said Giorgio Minardi, executive vice-president of global development and franchise operations at CPK. California Pizza Kitchen also has plans to open restaurants in additional markets throughout the country, including Vancouver, British Columbia and Toronto, Ontario. Established in 1985, California Pizza Kitchen operates more than 240 restaurants in 10 countries and U.S. territories. EXPO GIVEAWAY WINNER

Hobart announces winner of its custom-designed mixer giveaway

PHOTO: HOBART

Chris Burris (right) of Pies Place restaurant in Bayville, N.J., was the winner of the Hobart Legacy HL662 pizza mixer giveaway at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Hobart held its 13th giveaway at the Expo on Aug. 19. The company congratulated

Burris and the staff at Pies Place, which specializes in pizzas and traditional and specialty pasta dishes and American cuisine. The mixer, valued at $20,000, featured a colourful design naming it the hardest working, most loved mixer in the industry based on its power and speed. The Legacy HL662 is a maximum heavy-duty mixer with Variable Frequency Drive technology and two fixed speeds designed for consistently mixing heavy pizza dough. SUSTAINABILITY

Tupperware creates usable packaging for RBI’s Tim Hortons in partnership with Loop Tupperware is testing a reusable container to package Tim Hortons food menu items as part of a pilot program at select locations across Burlington, Ont. The reusable containers are available as part of the Loop program on site at participating Tim Hortons restaurant locations. Tupperware last year announced a partnership with TerraCycle’s zero-waste platform Loop, which works with leading brands to create zero-waste, durable and returnable packaging. Tupperware designed and produced a one-of-a-kind reusable packaging container option for Tim Hortons – one of Loop’s brand partners. The test pilot with Tim Hortons is Tupperware’s first foray into the market as a part of its partnership with TerraCycle’s Loop, and will advance Tupperware’s No Time to Waste initiative to significantly reduce single-use plastic and food waste.

CANADIAN PIZZA · November/December 2021

Registration is now open!

INDUSTRY EVENTS

Bakery Showcase offers tools and inspiration to build up your food-service business Bakery Showcase 2022 is set for April 10-11 at Toronto’s Congress Centre! Canada’s national baking industry event - featuring a bustling trade show and conference will feature an exciting lineup of inspirational speakers, education sessions, competitions and demonstrations. Highlights include: • 100,000 square feet showcasing baked goods (fresh, proof & bake, par-baked, freezer-to-oven, thaw & serve) baking ingredients, equipment, packaging services and technology and experts to help you make smart decisions for your pizzeria or bakery business. • In “Thriving in a Labour Shortage” experts tackle challenges for Canadian bakeries. This informative session will show you how to get grants and other recuperating funds, how to find and keep skilled employees and how automation can help your restaurant be efficient and less dependent on skilled labour.

• “Learn Your ABCs: The Art and Business of Baking with Cannabis” will bring together experts in baking with cannabis and cannabis licensing to tackle such questions as how do you determine bud freshness and what are the special challenges of using cannabis in baked goods? • Bakers Journal and founding sponsor Ardent Mills will reveal the Jake the Baker Inspirational Bakery of the Year and present the award in person! • Justine Martin will share the inspiring story of how she used her creativity, flexibility and communication skills to build a thriving business, Guilty Pleasures Bakery + Catering. • Mahathi Mundluru, a contestant on the Great Canadian Baking Show will share why she entered the competition, what it’s like to bake under pressure under the tent and details of her specialties • Top 5 Trends and Opportunities: Jane Dummer, RD, will look ahead at trends in baking and suggest ways you can act on these shifts in the market to ensure your business thrives into the future. See baking.ca for more educational sessions and regular updates. | CP CanadianPizzaMag.com

COVER STORY

Savvy pizzeria in Hamilton, Ont., uses imagery and social media to draw fans from afar BY COLLEEN CROSS

owabunga Pizzeria in Hamilton, Ont., expresses two sentiments: delight and satisfaction. For Justin Tanada, co-owner, the name means fun: “It’s what puts serotonin in my body,” says the 25-year-old, whose photo “Spicy Pep” was named best photo in our recent virtual competitions (see our Summit coverage in this issue). Cowabunga officially opened October 2020 as the brainchild of three fun-loving foodie friends: Tanada and accomplished chefs Joel Soares and Andy Huynh. The three took over their building in a busy suburb on Hamilton Mountain in March 2020 and were preparing to open when the pandemic hit, says Tanada during a visit by Canadian Pizza. With a wisdom beyond their twentysomething years, they hit pause to rethink the opening. They went on hiatus for two months, cleaned working on recipes, brainstormed operations and marketing ideas while gutting the interior. The result is a cozy store with bright white subway-style tiles and a “cube wall” as they call it inspired by Q-bert. It’s also a cheerful place based on the

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music playing and late-morning team prepping for the day’s opening at 4 and enjoying their tasks. The location on Hamilton Mountain plays into its business plan, but the business seemed designed as more of a brand than a single location. “There were pizzerias before there that didn’t work,” Tanada says. “We thought it was a perfect location: central in the city, up on the mountain, an equal distance to most places in Hamilton and on a bus route.” “We wanted to go for a ‘pull’ model,” he explains. “We wanted to attract people who will travel from far away to get our pizza.” He cites a customer from Timmins, an eight-hour drive away, who found them on Instagram and sought them out. They employ about 10 people. Staffing has not been the issue it is for many in the food services. “We’ve been able to find people whose motivation is not only money. “People get all kinds of skills in this job,” he says. “They want social skills.” They prefer to hire someone who is keen to learn skills. It’s a model he calls “will versus skill. It’s important to have good trainability,” he says, adding that management’s most important role is to teach, lead and train. Tanada, who worked for several years as a telesales manager, is interested in the psychology of what people want. “I don’t think fancy and gourmet pizza hits on social media,” he says. “People are looking for playful posts awesome photos.” Cowabunga has a small but focused menu offering eight pizzas with a twist – and a crunch. “Our Marg” features marinara sauce, a mozzarella

Cowabunga Pizzeria partners Justin Tanada, Andy Huynh and Joel Soares realized a dream in 2020. Says Tanada: “People shouldn’t be too scared to jump in and try something.”

blend, sundried tomato puree, basil, fior di latte and jalapeno pesto. They have found this an efficient way of operating. People pre-order starting at 10 a.m. and that lets the team estimate and assign pick-up times between 3 and 9 p.m. It’s a system designed to maximize efficiency and profitability. Under this streamlined takeout-only model, they rely on Facebook and other social media to take orders. Tanada, who has operated the @pizzatography Instagram page since 2017, racking up an impressive 22,000 followers. No doubt many of those followers migrated to the Cowabunga Instagram, which has 14,000 followers. Their idea is always to give people what they can’t get elsewhere. They use a house blend of high-quality pepperoni. Dips are made from scratch. And they import U.S. snacks such as Mike and Ike candies and Tahiti Treat to create a sense of nostalgia. How is business? “Well, we have no investors and we are selling out every weekend – making 100-200 pizzas,” Tanada reports. It’s a customer base of repeat customers that is steady and growing with new fans. | CP

November/December 2021 · CANADIAN PIZZA

PHOTO: CANADIAN PIZZERIA

COWABUNGA WINS BEST PHOTO!

EVENT

SUMMIT SURPRISE! Winners of the Canadian Pizza Virtual Competitions announced BY COLLEEN CROSS

A PHOTO COURTESY JOES FAMILY PIZZERIA

t the Canadian Pizza Summit, we revealed the winners of our Virtual Competitions, held throughout September. We are excited to share the results!

Best photo We asked operators to send in a photo showing their pizzas, their business or their team at work. The criteria are composition, originality and intent, clarity and quality, lighting and exposure, colour and how well it represents the Canadian pizza industry. Our judges this year were two professional photographers, Angela Simon and Chris Smith. Angela is the production manager at Canadian Pizza’s parent company Annex Business Media, where she oversees the production department workflow, scheduling and creative artwork. She also teaches part time at Mohawk College in the Graphic Design program and in 2006 received her Registered Graphic Design designation. Chris was staff photographer for The Brantford Expositor for over 25 years. He set up and taught the news photography course at Laurier University in Brantford for its journalism program. Chris has won a number of awards including National Press Photographers Association, Ontario Wire

News, Western Ontario News Association and Ontario News Association. And the winner is…Justin Tanada of Cowabunga Pizza in Hamilton, Ontario. Here’s This is how he describes his photo: “The infamous Spicy Pep from Cowabunga Pizzeria, taken in front of the shop mural. This photo captures the awesomeness of both the pizza and the vibes at Cowabunga Pizzeria!” The judges found this photo inventive and appealing, with a great angle and composition, great lighting and good use of the exterior wall. Tanada’s photo appears on our cover this month. Best pizza kit 2020 was the year of the pizza kit – many of you packaged up makings for your pizza and sent it home with loyal customers who were hungry for your pizza and looking for an activity they could do at home with the kids. The criteria are visual appeal, originality, ease of use, packaging and marketability. Judging our kits was Michelle Brisebois, a marketing consultant specializing in e-commerce and digital content strategy and retail/in-store activation. As part of her former role at Rich Products, she was involved in marketing pizza kits. And the winner is…Joe Ward of Joes Family Pizzeria in Pembroke, Ont., who also was a guest at our roundtable on community at the Summit (more on that session in future issues). Here’s how he describes his photo: “Our pizza kits include everything to make a 12-14 inch pizza (depending on your preference for crust thickness) dough, mozzarella, marinara and pepperoni. We started making them at the beginning of COVID but launched in our local No frills in Jan-

CANADIAN PIZZA · November/December 2021

Joes Family Pizzeria of Pembroke, Ont., took top honours for best pizza kit at the Canadian Pizza Summit and Virtual Competitions. “It’s not just a stopgap to get through COVID. It’s a strategic move,” said judge Michelle Brisebois.

uary. We are in over 30 stores across the Ottawa valley and on the Quebec side. We are on track to do $350-400K in pizza kit sales by year end and are currently in a 4,000-square-foot warehouse (our pizza kit factory). “We have also started a new initiative, ‘Pizza kits for a cause,’ where we partner up with local charities and groups to raise money for their organizations. “We started down the pizza kit journey to keep our 10 staff members busy and employed. They make and package all the dough, cheese, sauce and pepperoni and then we bring it to the warehouse where we store it and build out the actual kits. We are looking at having the factory start producing and packaging all the ingredients as soon as we can renovate the space into a full commercial kitchen.” Judge Michelle Brisebois said: “Joe’s Family Pizzeria has truly exemplified the art of pivoting to adapt to market conditions by launching value-added bake at home pizza kits to sell through retail grocery “The CONTINUED ON PAGE 17 CanadianPizzaMag.com

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.

Diana’s Christmas Wish List

wo things, just two things.

1. Freedom to operate our businesses with minimal government restrictions and full transparency from all elected officials and appointed health officials I don’t know about the rest of you, but when I opened my space for dine-in guests, it was with the intention of welcoming all who wished to patronize my establishment. In Howard Schultz’ autobiography, Pour Your Heart Into It, he shares his journey to create and grow Starbucks. In the book, he outlines the “third place” premise: a place in between work and home where all can gather, enjoy refreshments, have a meal and respite from the day, and converse with their families, neighbours, colleagues and others. A neutral space where patrons may come and go. This is the foundation of a café, or even a restaurant. In 2011, when I went through the expansion of my takeout and delivery concept, I found navigating building regulations, requirements and codes very cumbersome. I was lucky to work with a good company to help, but even with their expertise, there were still hiccups with imposed layers upon layers of new regulations to comply with. One inspector would sign off on one portion, but then another inspector, scheduled days or weeks later, had another set of regulations to oversee. Another checklist. Needless to say, the buildout took a great deal longer to complete than originally scheduled, and, even with adjustments on wants versus needs, the project went over budget. But once it was done, and we opened our doors to welcome guests, well, that seemed like it was all worth it. Over the next several years I found many occasions where I was so grate12

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Our dine-in spaces have become inhospitable to some of the very people who have supported our businesses for years.

ful our space was designed with large washrooms, extra-wide doorways, and tables and chairs that were not fixed in place: we were able to host many small and large gatherings, pizza-making classes, paint nights, tasting nights and karaoke parties where we were able to accommodate as many as 30 individuals all wanting to sit together, at one very loooooong table. In addition, I was grateful to have hosted many disabled guests, their support workers and their families who would not have been able to dine in otherwise. These were the reasons we expanded into a restaurant space. To be able to do what we love to do, in a sacred space of sorts. hospitality noun 1. Cordial and generous reception of or disposition toward guests. 2. An instance of cordial and generous treatment of guests. 3. The act or practice of one who is hospitable; reception and entertainment of strangers or guests without reward, or with liberality and kindness. The past 19 months we’ve been faced with increased restrictions being forced upon all restaurant owners; where we have willingly or unwillingly become enforcers of government and appointed health officials’ ever-changing policies. We are not encouraged to

question or ask for the supporting evidence behind these policies. We are punished if we defy the rules. A fellow independent pizzeria owner in Calgary had his business, Without Papers Pizza, forcibly shut down. His crime? He welcomed everyone, as he had done for many years and as he had done in the weeks prior to restrictions being re-implemented. The owner, Jesse Johnson, has a very interesting back story: his own father, a victim of the Japanese Canadian internment camps in Canada (194249), had to carry papers in order to leave the camp and move about. If you aren’t familiar with this portion of our history, more than 22,000 Japanese Canadians – comprising more than 90 per cent of the total Japanese Canadian population from British Columbia – were forcibly relocated and interned in the name of national security. The majority were Canadian citizens by birth. Even though the camps were eventually closed and condemned as violations of several basic human rights, no reparations were ever made to the victims for the atrocities. Jesse named his establishment in honour of his father’s life-changing experience. The very concept meant to be welcoming and hospitable to one and all. A fellow restaurateur in my home city has received close to $45K in fines, so far. One transgression was because, allegedly, a patron was dancing. Another transgression was because, allegedly, two physical tables, seated with guests of the same party, were not physically close enough together to be considered “one table.” I had a longtime customer reach out to me a few weeks ago. He wanted to book a karaoke party at my restaurant. A celebration for his longtime friend, who is turning 65. I know both of these individuals and many of their life stories. It would be my great pleasure to host their party, having hosted a similar party for their group of friends in 2019. But I told him I couldn’t. How could I accept the

November/December 2021 · CANADIAN PIZZA

PHOTO: SOUTHWORKS / ADOBE STOCK

THE PIZZA CHEF

responsibility when I wouldn’t able to be much of a host, instead becoming an enforcer of this celebration: no dancing, no hugging?, no people too close together, masks if they’re not eating or drinking, music kept below a certain decibel level and my team checking everyone’s papers to determine if they’re welcome to the party. Not much there for a 65th birthday party vibe. Heaven forbid my team or I don’t enforce the rules accordingly and receive a $5K fine. Not to mention any new restrictions that may be mandated in between booking the party and hosting it. Many veteran operators have had our spaces for over a decade. We’ve encountered different public health issues and somehow we’ve managed to still operate relatively freely without needing to restrict our guests in any way. That is, we could welcome our patrons as we deemed appropriate. Our dine-in spaces have become inhos-

pitable to some of the very people who have supported our businesses for years. They are now spaces that are unwelcoming to some of the very talented individuals who prep, cook and bake the very meals served in the dinein areas. Meanwhile, we sometimes see pictures of maskless elected officials on social media, in social situations, seemingly behaving contrary to the very mandates they’ve set out for us to impose on our guests. Elected and appointed officials, and even media must be held accountable to their responsibilities to serve the living men and women of the land. Not the other way around. 2. Peace on Earth and goodwill towards all I was brought up believing that Canada was truly the place where all may come together with mutual respect for independence, freedom of religion, speech,

assembly and association, and freedom of the press. Where we all live in relative peace as we each endeavour to lead our own fulfilled lives – whatever that looks like. Where family means not only blood relations. Where diversity only makes our society stronger. Where we’ve learned from atrocities and injustices from our collective past, and mutually agreed upon holding ourselves to the principles in our Canadian Bill of Rights and our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. “I am Canadian, a free Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship God in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, free to choose who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” –The Right Honourable John G. Diefenbaker, Prime Minister of Canada, House of Commons Debates, July 1, 1960. | CP

New PS3240 Pizza Conveyor Oven

The Middleby Marshall PS3240 conveyor oven bakes both faster and at lower temperatures than other ovens. Patented vertical columns of hot air move heat aerodynamically instead of using high temperatures. The streams of hot air remove the boundary layers of cool heavy air, which insulate the product resulting in rapid baking without burning. Designed to cook a multitude of products.

www.middlebymarshall.com CANADIAN PIZZA · November/December 2021 PZ_Middleby_NovDce21_CSA.indd 1

CanadianPizzaMag.com

2021-11-03 3:27 PM

PIZZA ON EARTH Seasonal pizzeria’s family atmosphere and flexible business model attracts customers and staff BY COLLEEN CROSS

Graham Johnson is responsible for production and does most of the baking in Etna, Pizza On Earth’s custom-made dome-shaped oven.

“M

y main profession is landscape painter,” says Elizabeth Johnson, owner of Pizza On Earth in Dorset, Ont. “I didn’t expect to run a pizzeria.” The artist is known for her oil and watercolour paintings of the landscapes of Muskoka and of her travels around the world. But she is very happy and proud to be at the helm of Pizza On Earth, a

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PANDEMIC PIVOTS FOR SUMMER 2021: • Streamlined summer hires • Changed operational flow • Got a POS system. • Plan to add a second oven

thriving family-run seasonal pizzeria in Dorset, in Ontario’s cottage country. During a phone interview, she explains that 12 years ago, her daughter, Sarah Jane, took a corner of her father’s construction business, to set up a pizzeria and Elizabeth took a corner to display her artwork. “It was really nice to have a separate room for the art. That became too much of a luxury as the pizzeria expanded into the art gallery.”

Brad Johnson had started Portico Timber Frames in 2005. In 2009 Sarah Jane decided to build a domed pizza oven with her dad and open a pizzeria. At the time she was a university music student and cellist who loved to cook and to bake. With the help of a $3,000 seasonal business government grant, Pizza On Earth was born – a familyowned and -run pizzeria specializing in wood-fired, gourmet, thin-crust pizzas prepared with quality ingredients. Sarah Jane came up with all the pizzas and their playful names, Elizabeth says. For example, Firetower, their spicy Hawaiian pizza is named after a lookout that is one of the main features in Dorset. Bigwinner, a bestseller, is named for the Bigwin, a wooden steamship that used to ferry people to and from Bigwin Island. “There’s a story behind each one,” Elizabeth says. In 2019 Sarah Jane left to open the Red Hand Bakery in Conception Bay, Newfoundland, outside St. John’s. Enter son Graham, also present for our interview, who had spent his summers as a teenager and student working in the business and learning to cook using their dome-shaped oven. “It was a good fit, since I had just graduated,” says Graham, who is responsible for production and does most of the baking. Elizabeth manages the office and staff. Elizabeth’s four children and three grandchildren all involved or starting to get involved in the business. They experimented by switching from frozen, diced chicken to roasting their own chicken, as one example. They now make everything by hand except pepperoni, salami and cheese including their sauce made with crushed tomatoes, their sausage and their own 48-hour fermented dough. Etna, the oven The oven is the showpiece. It sits outside the store on a concrete platform with a timber roof over it. Customers can talk to Graham through a screened-in

November/December 2021 · CANADIAN PIZZA

PHOTOS: PIZZA ON EARTH

PROFILE

porch attached to the side door. The outdoor area includes a big deck with picnic tables and umbrellas, and a garden where kids can run and explore while parents watch. Their oven, named Etna, and built in 2016, can hold six 13-inch pizzas. The firebrick is cut on an angle to fit closely around a heavily insulation insulated armature. “It never gets too hot on the outside and never cools down from 750-800 degrees,” Elizabeth says. Because in the morning the oven is still hot, they would sometimes bake up to 600 bagels using the residual heat. The bagels were very popular, but they found demand was so high during the pandemic they had to let that aspect of the business go to make sure they did not disappoint their pizza customers. Dorset has about 5,000 year-round residents. In summer that number rises to 20,000. “It’s very busy,” Graham say. “Every year trying to improve the business by making it quicker.” If you build a house, staff will come Many of their staff are students in cottage country for the summer. “We’ve been pretty lucky,” Graham says. “The last couple of years we’ve had a lot of great employees. Several of them have come back over four seasons. It is tricky trying to train them to cook on the oven. It’s taken me years to get good at it. We just get so many orders.” Pizza On Earth operates from May to Thanksgiving or Labour Day, depending on the availability of their student employees. They are open daily from 11-8 during the summer. “This summer for the first time we were able to leave for one day to go away,” Elizabeth says. “I was very proud of the staff, really nice to see that and that’s what we’re hoping to encourage.” For new hires: “We have a day of training when we go over every step of production. We watch and see where they gravitate to.” Some enjoy making the dough, she explains, while others like topping the pizzas or working the front counter. “We try to match the right student to the right job,” she says. Graham says they recently renovated a building on the property with five rooms that can house six students. They contacted nearby Georgian College and four other colleges and let them know they could provide CANADIAN PIZZA · November/December 2021

Pizza On Earth is a family-owned and -run pizzeria specializing in wood-fired, gourmet, thin-crust pizzas prepared with quality ingredients.

accommodation. Culinary and other students are attracted to the work situation. “We try to pay well, generally pay above minimum wage, but we expect a lot,” Elizabeth says. “They do work hard. And we have family events, bonfires, hikes up a mountain. We socialize, especially in June and September when we’re not so busy.” “It’s such a challenge to find really good workers. You have to put a lot into it. You have to show them you’re committed.” Flexibility is key Before the pandemic hit, they baked bagels, sold bagel sandwiches, served espresso and lattes, and featured the work of a local potter in the art gallery. COVID prompted them to re-arrange operations to takeout only. “It forced us to focus on the pizza,” Elizabeth says. They tried a few new things, such as selling bouquets of fresh flowers from an outside table. “Our gardens are so prolific. One of our employees who used to be a florist started arranging the flowers.” After discontinuing the bagels, they sold artisanal bread and pastries made by a well-respected local baker, certified Master Baker, pastry chef and chef Heinz Hubbert

of The Little Badger House. Graham notes the irony: “We were scaling back because of more demand, not less. Sales went up 40 per cent that spring. We hired 25 kids to try to accommodate. One of the girls wanted to start making smoothies and salads. Customers loved it but it was too much.” Most important was to get pizzas made, he says, and eliminate long lineups and up to 1.5-hour wait times. For summer 2021, they went down to a team of nine, changed the flow and got a POS system. They plan to add a second oven, so they can teach more staff to bake. “The oven is the bottleneck.” Currently Elizabeth sells her art through social media and hopes someday to bring back a small in-store art gallery. That’s not the only dream. They also hope to have a separate bakery where people can buy their house-made bagels as well as Hubbert’s baked goods. It’s clear they have the flexibility, creativity, drive and family support to make these dreams – and more – come true. | CP

Read more profiles of successful businesses at canadianpizzamag.com CanadianPizzaMag.com

RECIPE BY SALAR MADADI, MAIPAI TIKI AND PIZZA BAR, HAMILTON, ONT.

The Mala Honey pie by Salar Madadi, owner of Maipai tiki and pizza bar in Hamilton, Ont., was named Best Pizza Recipe at the Canadian Pizza Summit. “I’ve never seen a combination of flavours like this on a pie anywhere,” Madadi says. “We specialize in Detroit-style pizza and tiki cocktails, and we keep a small but focused menu.” He adds: “On a Detroit pie, this one hits all the bases – crisp from the cheese crown edges and crust, acid from the pickled chili, heat from the chili/crisp/honey, umami and salt from the Asiago, sweetness from the honey, and a little touch of bitter from the Thai basil. “I’ve been a fan of Sichuan peppercorn and Mala flavours for a while, and I had created a wing flavour for our restaurant that used our house Mala spice and hot honey together. This started off as a staff meal experiment using those two as a base and evolved into this with some testing and balancing. I like to create a balance and contrast of textures and flavours on my pizzas, and this one is my favourite so far! INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 tbsp canola oil • 1 par-baked 10 by 14 Detroit-style pizza crust • 1 tsp dried oregano • 12 ounces mozzarella / brick cheese half-and-half blend • 1/2 tbsp Mala spice (see recipe below) • 1-1/2 tbsp chili crisp – we use Lao Gan Ma chili in oil with black beans for a little extra savoury flavour, available in most Asian grocery stores • 1/2 of 1 stem green onion, thinly sliced • 15-20 slices pickled chili pep16

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pers (see recipe below) • 8-12 leaves Thai / cinnamon basil • 1 tbsp Asiago cheese, shredded • 1 tbsp hot honey – we use a house-made honey that we infuse with scotch bonnets and Thai chili: use your favourite hot honey here! Instructions

1. Brush the inside of your Detroit pizza pan with canola oil, making sure to get the inside edges all the way to the top. 2. Place your par-baked crust inside the pan. We par-bake our crusts to catch the rise exactly where we want it and to simplify our nightly dinner services. 3. Sprinkle with all of the dried oregano, starting to build up layers of flavour. 4. Scatter all of the mozzarella/ brick onto the crust, going a bit heavier at the edges and lighter in the middle to help build a cheese crown. 5. Evenly sprinkle all of the Mala spice over top of the cheese. 6. Evenly scatter all of the chili crisp over top. 7. Bake at 525 F for 10-12 minutes until bottom crust is crisp and golden, cheese crust is brown, but not burnt, and cheese on top is starting to brown. 8. Let cool in pan for 15-30 seconds before carefully using a metal spatula to remove the pizza from the pan, being careful to leave the cheese crown intact. 9. Transfer to a cooling rack for 2-3 minutes. 10. Transfer to your serving plate and cut into 8 pieces (we like to throw a corrugated liner underneath still to

keep the crust from getting soggy). 11. Garnish the pizza evenly with the remaining toppings other than the honey in this order: green onions, pickled chilis, Thai/cinnamon basil, shredded asiago. 12. Drizzle the hot honey in a zigzag over the whole pizza. 13. Enjoy! MALA SPICE Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp cumin seed • 1 tsp fennel seed • 1 tbsp chili flakes • 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorn • 1/2 tbsp kosher salt • 1 tbsp white sugar Steps:

• Add the first 4 ingredients to a dry frying pan and toast

over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. • Transfer whole spices to a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. • Add salt and sugar and mix thoroughly. QUICK PICKLED CHILIS Ingredients:

• 4-5 red finger chilis (mild heat) • 1/2 cup rice vinegar • 1/2 cup water • 2 tbsp sugar • 1/2 tbsp salt Steps:

• Whisk all ingredients except chilis together until dissolved. • Thinly slice the finger chilis and add them to the brine. • Let sit for at least 1 hour. | CP

For more recipes, visit canadianpizzamag.com November/December 2021 · CANADIAN PIZZA

PHOTO: SALAR MADADI

The Mala Honey Pie

EVENT

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

idea was born out of a passion for supporting their staff during the COVID business interruptions. The product, packaging and recipes are solid and the branding builds on the ‘homemade’ aspect of their product. By identifying new marketing channels through grocery, Joes Family Pizzeria is developing new revenue streams that will ensure it survives the pandemic challenges and that the company thrives into the future. “The ability to see the opportunity where so many businesses only saw obstacles is what makes this pizza kit addition unique. It’s not just a stopgap to get through COVID. It’s a strategic move.” Ward receives a $300 Visa gift card in honour of Joes winning pizza kits. Honourable mention went to Antonino’s Original Pizza of Windsor, Ont., for “a beautifully executed video. The storytelling was superb.”

CANADIAN PIZZA · November/December 2021 PZ_PizzaSummit_HP_Dec21_CWM.indd 1

Best pizza recipe We asked chefs to send us a detailed pizza recipe of any shape or style. Our judge was award-winning pizza chef Diana Cline, a two-time Canadian Pizza magazine chef of the year champion, three-time winner of “Canada’s Best Pizza Chef” at international pizza competitions and a judge for international pizza culinary competitions. Diana is partner with Diana’s Cucina & Lounge in Winnipeg and a consultant to other owner/ operators. Judging focused on the merits of the recipe itself, along with taste and appearance. Recipe was 40% of the score, appearance was 40% and taste was 20%. And the winner is… Mala Honey Pie, by Salar Madadi of Maipai Tiki and Pizza in Hamilton, Ont.! You will find Madadi’s winning recipe on the recipe page of this edition. Judge Diana Cline called the winning recipe a “Nicely detailed recipe. Very colourful

pizza, nice visual.” Madadi wins a trip to compete at the International Pizza Challenge at Vegas Expo including flight, hotel and admission! Carlo Raillo, owner of the newly opened Italia Mia in Edmonton, a past multiple Canadian Pizza Chef of the Year received honourable mention as having a “nicely detailed, easy-to-follow recipe and great video on preparation.” Thank you to all those who entered! We gratefully acknowledge the support of our Gold-Plus sponsors Ardent Mills (summit and competitions), Gold sponsors Galbani Professionale/Lactalis Canada Foodservice, and Silver sponsors Faema Canada and Euro-Milan Inc. (summit and Best Recipe). Watch the January/February issue for an in-depth profile of Maipai. And enjoy more highlights of our panel sessions at canadianpizzamag.com and in future issues of the magazine.| CP

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2021-11-19 12:31 PM

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.

PROFILE

CAPE BRETON LIFELINE Wabo’s Pizza, Sub and Donair prides itself on serving Cheticamp, N.S., and welcoming visitors from around the world BY ANDREW HIND

@CdnPizzaMag

Wabo’s is popular with locals and considered a must-visit for the throngs of tourists who descend upon Cheticamp each summer, due in large part to the town’s proximity to the Cabot Trail.

pizzeria upstairs. Neary knew Wabo’s was popular with locals and that it was considered a must-visit for the throngs of tourists who descend upon Cheticamp each summer, due in large part to the town’s proximity to the Cabot Trail. The restaurant appealed to Neary for several reasons. It had long been successful, so there’s that. But on a personal level, he liked that the restaurant wasn’t overly large – 40 in the downstairs Italian restaurant, 10 in the pizzeria above – meaning it represented a good stepping stone in his career, a business he could jump into without fear of drowning. Here was a chance to finally put his business administration degree to work for him. And, of course, with years of experience in the hospitality industry, he had a foundation of skills and knowledge that would stand him in good stead. It was an ideal opportunity, one too good to pass up, and so

TOP-SELLING PIZZAS FOR TOURISTS: Seafood Pizza, with white mozzarella, lobster, scallops, shrimp, onions, mushrooms and green peppers. FOR CABOT TRAIL WALKERS: Veggie pizzas FOR LOCAL CUSTOMERS: Pepperoni, salami, bacon, onion, mushrooms, green peppers, tomatoes, green olives and other tried-and-true toppings

in 2017 he signed the papers and took ownership. Born and raised in Cheticamp, Neary has a strong sense of community. It’s evident in how he speaks of the small Cape Breton town, and the manner in which he runs the business. Profits are important – he had a business administration degree, after all – but even more so is being a good corporate citizen. “My primary focus upon taking ownership was on not changing too much. The restaurant had been there for so long when I arrived, so I didn’t want to be ‘That Guy’ who rocked the boat and changed things unnecessarily just so I could say I made it my own,” Neary recalls. “I maintained consistency on the operations side for the benefit of employees – they are the backbone of the business, after all – and on the menu side for the sake of loyal customers, even striving to keep ingredients and brands the same.”

November/December 2021 · CANADIAN PIZZA

PHOTOS: WABO’S PIZZA, SUB AND DONAIR

arc Neary was 14 when he began working in the food services industry. He didn’t know then that he would spend the next two decades working in restaurants, or that he would ultimately own his own establishment. That wasn’t necessarily the plan – there wasn’t a plan, at first. But the amiable owner of Wabo’s Pizza, Sub and Donair in Cheticamp, N.S., can’t find fault with the road he took. “Wabo’s is a landmark restaurant, a business iconic to Cheticamp,” he says. “I’m proud to carry its tradition forward.” Neary was working in his cousin’s bar, not exactly spinning his wheels but nonetheless feeling unfulfilled in his career when he learned Wabo’s was up for sale. Founded in the coastal Cape Breton community in 1993, the restaurant consists of an Italian eatery on the ground floor, along the town’s signature boardwalk and with a patio that boasts scenic views overlooking the water, and a traditional

Neary naturally put his own stamp on things. Loyalty to community was important, so he ensured buns were purchased from the local bakery instead of from out of town, as was done prior. And he eventually experimented with the menu, introducing items based on the tastes of a two very different clientele bases – the tourists who flock to the region in the summer and the locals who support the business year round. “Business triples in the summer when people from all over Canada and the world come here. Tourists eat very differently than locals do,” Neary explains. “The top-selling pizza among tourists is the Seafood Pizza, with white mozzarella, lobster, scallops, shrimp, onions, mushrooms and green peppers. It’s a taste of Nova Scotia. Also popular are our veggie pizzas; many of the people who hike the Cabot Trail are health conscious and opt for vegetarian options.” Locals, conversely, are far more traditional in their tastes, generally choosing standard pizza varieties. Wabo’s was thriving and Neary firmly settled into his role as owner when the world was turned upside down in spring 2020. Nowhere was spared from the global COVID-19 pandemic, not even isolated Cape Breton Island. Rather than retreat in the face of an invisible enemy, Neary stepped forward. “During the initial lockdown phase of this pandemic, starting in March 2020, our town basically shut down. All other restaurants were closed for almost a month, but I decided to stay open,” Neary recalls. “I thought it was important to the community to provide a sense of normality and comfort – a simple pizza

“The top-selling pizza among tourists is the Seafood Pizza, with white mozzarella, lobster, scallops, shrimp, onions, mushrooms and green peppers,” says owner Marc Neary. “It’s a taste of Nova Scotia.”

could uplift spirits in what was a difficult time.” Neary threw an additional lifeline to scared and troubled neighbours by initiating a Community Grocer program. Cheticamp, a town of 3,000, has only one grocery store. Inventory was often low, and many people were too frightened to shop. Neary decided he could help by ordering bulk, wholesale items and retailing them to his customers. “It was extremely popular. At one point we were selling over 100 bags of flour a week, as well as a whole range of grocery items,” he says. As the economy reopened, supply lines began correcting themselves, and life in general began returning to a sense of normalcy, the need for the Community Grocer program has lessened. Neary still sees a demand, however, and continues to do monthly orders. The program was a way of lending a hand to the community he loves during its darkest hour, but the decision has been good for business. “The grocer program provided an additional source of income, but more importantly demonstrated that we cared for our customers,” he says. “We were rewarded with increased loyalty and gained a bunch of new

CANADIAN PIZZA · November/December 2021

customers as a result.” Pizza sales have risen a lot over the last two years, and Wabo’s enjoys a reputation in Cheticamp even more exalted than before (if such is possible), but Neary is quick to add that

things haven’t yet returned to normal. The downstairs Italian eatery hasn’t reopened yet: Lockdowns, public health restrictions and customer uncertainty cost Wabo’s the entire 2020 season, while labour shortages conspired against Neary in 2021. He anticipates reopening, better than ever, in 2022. If that sounds optimistic, that’s because Neary is that sort of man. He intends for Wabo’s to return to its pre-pandemic vibrancy as a core piece of downtown Cheticamp, with happy tunes from patio parties luring tourists in off the street and a vibe that signals Cape Breton is once again open to worldwide visitors. Community, after all, means everything. | CP

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TOOLS OF THE TRADE

hobartcorp.com

MARKETING COURSE PEPPERONI

Hormel launches Rosa Grande Pepperoni in Canada Hormel Foods Canada has launched Hormel Rosa Grande Pepperoni to the Canadian food-service marketplace. The chalice of Pepperoni, Hormel Rosa Grande provides a bold flavour, picture perfect curls and distinct crunch. Hormel Rosa Grande Pepperoni is the benchmark for all cup and char pepperoni, the company said in a press release. Product is available throughout Canada at many food-service distributors. hormelinternationalfoodservice. com

EQUIPMENT

Hobart’s Legacy+ heavy-duty mixers have up to 30% more mixing capacity Commercial food equipment manufacturer Hobart’s new Legacy+ maximum heavy-duty mixers provide as much as 30 per cent more mixing capacity in the same-sized bowl. VFDadvantage variable 20

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frequency drive delivers more power to the bowl to incorporate and develop ingredients, while also safeguarding the motor from overheating if the operator exceeds the rated capacity. It ensures convenient, efficient speed changes while the mixer is operating. There is no need to stop and restart the machine. VFDadvantage provides a softstart function that gradually delivers power to the mixer as it increases speed to prevent ingredient splash-out and protect the motor. It also has an ultra-slow stir speed that allows ingredients to be mixed slowly and thoroughly. On the 80- and 140-quart mixers, the feature

‘Attract Local Customers’ online course available to pizzerias at discount A new online course is available to teach restaurants and other small businesses how to improve their local search engine optimization (SEO) to help attract customers. Restaurants and smaller retail chains rely on local traffic. As our economy reboots, you can wrap your arms around existing customers and help new customers find you easily, says marketing consultant Michelle Brisebois, creator of the course. After searching on a smartphone for a restaurant that’s close by, 76 per cent of people end up visiting the company in one day. What’s more, 28 per cent of local Google searches result in a purchase. “Claiming and optimizing your free Google My Business profile is the most powerful thing you can do to rock your local SEO strategy,” Brisebois adds. The course’s short modules are designed for busy operators to absorb at convenient times. Use a special promo code – CP20 – that gives Canadian Pizza readers $20 off the registration fee. The code expires Dec. 31 at midnight. textrixinnovationschool.teachable.com

SAUCES

Bitter-sweet, coffee-infused barbecue sauce is ‘hot, punchy’ GothRider and Firebarns Hot Sauce have launched what they describe as a bitter and sweet, edgy barbecue sauce. The sauce combines GothRider Gasoline coffee, made using slow-roasted coffee beans, and Firebarn’s “hot, punchy BBQ sauce,” the companies said in a press release. “The sauce works equally well as a marinade, dip or accompaniment to chicken, burgers, ribs or barbecue chicken pizza,” said Phil Kyprianou, founder of GothRider. Available in 350-millilitre bottles, the barbecue sauce retails at $9.99. Firebarns is a Quebec-based food manufacturer of barbecue sauces, hot sauces, condiments and spices that’s been in business for six years and uses locally grown hot peppers. gothrider.com

MARKETING TOOLS

Square Marketing launches in Canada Square’s new integrated marketing tool, now available in Canada, helps businesses engage new and existing customers. Square, a software, payments and hardware company, has launched Square Marketing for businesses in Canada. The platform helps businesses connect with new and existing customers, all in one place. It allows businesses to create, send, and track email marketing campaigns, promotions, discounts and coupons in minutes expanding reach and helping sellers

November/December 2021 · CANADIAN PIZZA

PHOTOS: HORMEL, HOBART,

allows for the new FastStop feature – the ability to bring all moving parts to a complete stop in three seconds. The Legacy+ mixers feature maximum-capacity overheat protection, including heavy-duty wiring and connections that can handle more power, resulting in higher production and reducing thermal cycling impact.

PHOTOS: SQUARE, ABRAMS BOOKS

gain key business insights with analytics. In the U.S., Square’s own data revealed that in August 2021, 78 per cent of coupons and discounts sent through Square Marketing were redeemed within one week, up from 50 per cent in January 2021. The service helps restaurants drive buyer engagement and return on investment, plan ahead, automate, send emails to customers and measure campaign results using real-time tracking. squareup.ca

BOOKS

ONLINE ORDERING

Book by Anthony Falco provides pizza techniques from around the world

Commission-free ordering platform offers alternative to third-party apps

In his comprehensive first book, pizza chef and consultant Anthony Falco teaches you everything you need to know to make pizza wherever you are, drawing from his singular experience opening pizzerias around the world. Pizza Czar: Recipes and KnowHow from a World-Traveling Pizza Chef is filled with hacks, tips and secret techniques. After eight years at the famous Brooklyn restaurant Roberta’s, Falco’s mission was to discover the secrets and spread

Taliup Payment Solutions has launched a commission-free online ordering platform for restaurants to maintain and grow their own independent brands. Taliup Express is a POS system focused exclusively on foodservice and hospitality businesses looking for an affordable and competitive option to hefty commission third-party apps. Businesses pay a flat monthly software fee and the credit card processing fee for the online ordering platform. taliupexpress.com | CP

the gospel of making the world’s favourite food better. The book is a resource for any pizza maker, teaching mastery of the classics, tricks of the trade, styles and recipes from around the world. Published by Abrams Books, the book is priced at $44. annexbookstore.com

CUP AND CHAR T H E Y C A N ’T RE SI ST

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CANADIAN PIZZA · November/December 2021 PZ_Chase Globa_NovDec21_cSA.indd 1

CanadianPizzaMag.com 2021-11-17 11:37 AM

PIZZA MARKET INSIGHTS BY VINCE SGABELLONE, INDUSTRY ANALYST, CANADA FOODSERVICE, THE NPD GROUP

Vince Sgabellone has worked in many different roles across the food and food-service industry. From sales to marketing, distribution to product development, from manufacturers to operators. He has been an industry analyst with The NPD Group for more than a decade, helping his clients to understand the market, the competition and the consumer.

Pizza operators still have opportunities to grow their slice of the pie

@CdnPizzaMag

As an early adopter of delivery, the quick-service restaurant pizza segment has been defining the space for years.

forms, the once trend-setting QSR pizza operators risk being left behind with their self-branded delivery apps. One tried-and-tested method of encouraging app usage is loyalty programs. These programs have primarily been the domain of the QSR coffee operators, but the pizza business is ideally situated to make use of this marketing tool. Pizza is the number 1 menu item for delivery. But maybe not for long. Pizza used to be included in half of all delivery orders as recently as 2018. But now, CREST data reports that French fries are in a dead heat for the top spot and rising quickly. Despite this upheaval, the typical QSR pizza delivery order has not changed much. QSR pizza operators need to consider ways to refresh their menu with new items and new flavour combinations. The segment generates some of the highest dealing rates in the industry. While this could be a double-edged sword for some operators, the QSR pizza segment has managed to take full advantage of these deals by growing order size and lifting their average eater checks. One tailwind that will help to pro-

pel the QSR pizza segment forward is slice sales. Many of the operators in this segment rely on this volume at lunch and snacking dayparts. As consumer routines normalize in the coming months, so will slice sales. These sales tend to generate lower tickets and a higher frequency of visits, which is a winning combination for loyalty programs. If you are like me and the one-quarter of Canadians who responded to a recent NPD study, then you have likely increased your ordering of restaurant meals for delivery this past year. This same study also indicates that this behaviour will continue for the foreseeable future. The delivery landscape has changed forever and in response, the QSR pizza segment continues to innovate with tech-based solutions such as pizza vending machines, touchless pickup and pizza subscriptions. Looking further into the future, we see some brands testing out the possibility of delivering with driverless cars and flying drones. This evolution will be necessary for the segment to keep up with the market and hold on to its hard-earned slice of the delivery market it helped to create. | CP

November/December 2021 · CANADIAN PIZZA

elivery has been growing in leaps and bounds and this service mode has helped to sustain the restaurant industry during this challenging time. As an early adopter of delivery, the quick-service restaurant (QSR) pizza segment has been defining the space for years. Operators in this segment were also early adopters of online ordering and mobile-app technology. As such, QSR pizza operators were well-positioned at the start of the pandemic and have fared better than average during this time. The pizza segment accounted for more than one-third of total restaurant delivery orders before the pandemic (The NPD Group/CREST® 12me Feb’20). In the most recent CREST data (12me May’21), the pizza segment remains the largest but has now dropped to about one-quarter share. This trend began many years ago and accelerated rapidly during COVID-19. The changing restaurant delivery marketplace leaves the QSR pizza segment vulnerable in several ways. It’s the segment that relies most on delivery to reach its guests. According to The NPD Group/Future of Foodservice July 2020, delivery is forecast to continue growing and the QSR pizza segment will outperform the overall market recovery. As consumers return to their old routines and begin returning to restaurants, the QSR pizza segment will need to work hard to maintain its dominance in this space. It’s the segment that relies most on digital-ordering platforms. Third-party aggregators are responsible for most delivery orders in the Canadian foodservice market and as more consumers discover the convenience of these digital-ordering plat-

GET READY

FOR OUR EXCITING LIVE, IN-PERSON EVENTS FOR 2022! The Canadian Pizza Summit and Chef of the Year Competitions is a one-day event exclusively for pizzeria and restaurant owners and operators. It’s the only event in Canada dedicated to the art and business of making pizza, and it offers attendees: • A unique setting at a business dedicated to the pizza industry! • State-of-the-art ovens and equipment!

CANADIAN PIZZA SUMMIT AND CHEF OF THE YEAR COMPETITIONS NEW: TWO CHOICES OF WHERE TO COMPETE! Registration opens February 1, 2022!

BURNABY, BC, JUNE 6, 2022 <

• Exciting competitions featuring signature pizzas from dozens of pizzerias! • Opportunities to network with other pizzerias and exhibitors! • A way to reward and engage your employees! • A month’s worth of market research – all in one place on one day!

TORONTO, ON OCTOBER 24, 2022 <

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 35 years by providing innovative, revenue-increasing marketing strategies. Contact her at 416-926-1338 or chiasson@chiassonconsultants.com, or visit chiassonconsultants.com.

Handling the holidays

your time and make sure to have enough time for essential tasks. Always add contingency time for the unexpected. Try to achieve a good work-life balance by having enough time for your family and friends, exercise and hobbies.

s your pizzeria ready for the holiday rush? The holidays can be extremely profitable but overwhelming for pizzeria operators. What can you do in the next few weeks to prepare your pizzeria for the inevitable rush of business? This year’s holidays will certainly feel a little different, but people are very eager to go out now and experience some of the familiar holiday treats your pizzeria offers. With planning, scheduling, pizza product development, merchandising, packaging, employee training, promotions, and delivery to curbside pickup, your pizzeria will be very busy until the end of January 2022. Here are eight quick ideas for handling the holiday season. 1. Review 2020, and plan from it I am positive that you have your last year’s holiday sales. By accurately tracking and using past data, you will be able to create a realistic forecast. You will be able to configure promotions and staffing levels to ensure optimal productivity, staffing and service. These documents should be the most important papers that you need to review. You need to assess when you sold and how much you sold as it is the only way to predict what you need to order and make for this year’s holidays. You should get input from your employees, so they feel like they are part of the plan and eventual solution. 2. Schedule properly Proper scheduling is vital to the successful management of your operation during the holiday season. Review your to-do list and schedule, high-priority and urgent activities, essential and accurate production, inventory and maintenance tasks, employee scheduling, and customer service. Avoid taking on more than you can handle. Understand what you can realistically achieve with

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Display gift card options near your register and train your employees to suggest this is the easiest gift to give.

3. Make your guests feel at home with holiday decor Remember that how you decorate your store or dining room for the holiday season will influence your customers’ buying habits. Make sure your location is inviting with a cheerful ambiance. Your storefront should be super clean and welcoming, and your store’s interiors encourage the upsell with fun and festive decorations, twinkle lights and holiday music. A bit of greenery and bows may be all you need. 4. Create a Christmas menu featuring food and drinks Isn’t it the perfect time for changing up your menu for the holidays? Introduce or reintroduce the best-selling holiday menu items from all previous years. It’s a great way to entice customers to stop by to check out the new food and drinks. Make sure that you offer treats from other cultures. Have Diwali, Chanukah, Kwanzaa and even a New Years’ Eve theme for your goods. Make a variety of treats for each relevant holiday. You will create additional sales and make someone’s day. Don’t forget the classics in your haste to be original. Serve your special Christmas pizza with garlicky bread sticks or gooey cheese sticks and frosted mini cinnamon rolls to promote a festive mood. 6. Promote gift cards and encourage gift-giving The festive season is traditionally a time of higher spending. While there is a perception that gift cards are im-

personal, they are among the most requested gifts of the season and are particularly popular among 18- to 34-year-olds. In addition, many gift card receivers will spend more than the value of their gift card once in the store. Gift cards are the quick and easy gift that everybody loves to receive. Place a prominent giftcard display at the cash register to encourage spontaneous gifting. You could quickly sell gift cards not only in your store but also online. Make gifting easier by displaying gift card options near your register and train your employees to suggest this is the easiest gift to give. 7. Keep your staff happy Are your employees in the holiday mood? The season is about happiness and merriment, so make sure your employees put their best foot forward throughout their shift. When you have adequately stocked and staffed your restaurant, your employees won’t feel overwhelmed. This will help them stay smiling so that they can better help your customers. As you know, being properly staffed is key to a great customer experience. Ensure that you have all of your staff members before your competitors scoop up the most reliable talent. Make sure that all of your seasonal employees are well trained: the better informed your employees are, the better the guest experience will be. 8. Promote delivery and curbside pickup If you have an online ordering system, delivery is another great contactless option. Your customers can place their orders without leaving their homes and without spending time on the phone. It’s wise to designate a curbside pickup area that requires as little contact as possible. Ensure your customers know the process for picking up their pizza and menu items before they get to your pizzeria. | CP

November/December 2021 · CANADIAN PIZZA

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BY ALICE SINIA, PHD

Alice Sinia, PhD, is quality assurance manager of regulatory/lab services for Orkin Canada focusing on government regulations pertaining to the pest control industry. With more than 20 years of experience, she manages the quality assurance laboratory for Orkin Canada and performs analytical entomology as well as provides technical support in pest/insect identification to branch offices and clients. For more information, email Alice Sinia at asinia@orkincanada.com or visit orkincanada.com.

Prevent these 4 pest hot spots at your pizzeria this winter

for pests. Ensure trash cans are emptied at least once a day, and bins are rinsed out at least once a week to prevent the buildup of leaking organic matter from trash bags. Using a commercial door closer at the top of your entryway to ensure the door fully closes behind each patron coming in and out is an efficient way to confirm that the door stays fully closed. Install LED lights where appropriate to capture flying pests that may have made their way inside your storefront. Finally, regularly sweep the area throughout the day to ensure crumbs on the floor are removed and not left for a pest’s next meal.

s the temperatures drop into the winter, pests will be looking for food, water and shelter from the cold in order to survive. As long as they find these three basic survival needs, pests will keep returning all season long. One of the best ways to prevent pests from discovering new sheltering spots is to know where in your pizzeria they are most likely to hide. Below are the top four hot spots where you’ll likely find pests in winter, as well as how to keep these areas pest-free all season. 1. Perimeter and roof These areas can be challenging areas for keeping pests out, as they are large, broad spaces and can be out of sight or concealed. Rodents, spiders, ants and cockroaches will find very small spaces to use as their entry points. Cracks in the building’s exterior, worn down door and window seals, damaged screens, doorways or windows, unscreened utility vents and other types of openings in the building, or even damaged areas on the roof such as missing tiles or shingles all roll out the welcome mat for pests looking for ways into your pizzeria. Ensure your pest management plan remains active throughout the winter, as this will help you stay ahead of new pest activity and enable you to swiftly rectify problem areas when they arise. Also schedule a pre-winter inspection or assessment to identify entry pressure points and rectify accordingly. When these pests find their way inside, they can quickly establish residence in wall voids, ceilings and under floorboard, so sealing any visible cracks, openings or crevices is crucial. 2. Dumpsters As one of the most common culprits for pest hotspots, staying on top of a 26

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Pests can quickly establish residence in wall voids, ceilings and under floorboard, so sealing any visible cracks, openings or crevices is crucial.

Keep all stored food products in airtight containers, at least a quarter of a metre off the ground and away from exterior walls

maintenance routine to preventively keep pests out and away from the garbage area is crucial. Once pests find a suitable food source, it is harder to control their populations so staying proactive is a must. Dumpsters should be placed as far away from your building as possible as to not attract pests near. Your waste management company should pick up and empty your dumpsters at least twice a week to prevent food waste from sitting and being an attractant for too long. Ensure the area around and underneath the dumpster is regularly hosed down to keep organic material from leaking out of the dumpster and collecting on the ground underneath it. 3. Storefront areas As the area where your patrons will be ordering, waiting and potentially dining, it is crucial for this area to remain pest-free. However, with the handling and consuming of food and standing wastebaskets around, as well as the constant opening and closing of the front door, this can quickly become an attractive area

4. Storage areas Areas that store food products are going to be a top concern for keeping pests out during the winter months. Keep all stored food products in airtight containers, at least a quarter of a metre off the ground and away from exterior walls – this helps keep them inaccessible to pests. Installing insect monitors, pheromone traps and lures in these areas can be great for early pest detection. It is also important to inspect all stored dry food goods, such a sugars, flours, seeds and grains when they are delivered. Be on the lookout for webbing, trails, gnaw marks, pest droppings (usually small, round and dark for rodents), and any bag rips or damage to packaging as these could all be signs of a pest infestation in transit. Impacted products should not be accepted or put in your stored food areas as they could quickly contaminate other stored foods. When it comes to keeping pests out of your pizzeria this wintertime, knowing where to look for them, what attracts them and how to proactively keep them out are all key steps in your pest management plan. Remain vigilant in monitoring for new or increased pest activity to keep your business safe and pest-free through the winter. | CP

November/December 2021 · CANADIAN PIZZA

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