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Volume 21 Issue 6 November 2015
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12 FOSTERING RESPECT
Tips for a harassment-free pizzeria
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LOVE 16 SMALL-TOWN After serving four generations of customers, hard-working Peter’s Pizza has earned priceless positive word of mouth
18 PANTRY TRESPASSERS
Don’t let common pests spoil your food and damage your reputation
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COVER: Harassing behaviour can create a toxic atmosphere that harms your workers, turns off customers and, ultimately, hurts your bottom line. Learn how to head off problems and set a tone of respect in your pizzeria. See page 12.
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marketing insights
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guest column
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the pizza chef
www.canadianpizzamag.com NOVEMBER 2015 pizza 3
“Packed from Fresh Tomatoes, Not from Concentrate”...
President Tom Cortopassi (kneeling) and “Coach” Dino Cortopassi (standing) in one of our
Since 1942, our Restaurateur customers’ success has depended on the superior taste of the food they serve and of our products. As a family-owned business, it feels good knowing that so many of our customers have relied on our “Packed From Fresh Tomato” products from generation to generation.
Whether your restaurant has a long family history, or whether you’re the founder, you can depend on our family making the best “Real Italian” tomato products...always Packed From Fresh Tomatoes, Never From Concentrate...generation after generation!
Tom Cortopassi President/Owner
Dino Cortopassi Coach/Owner
Generation after Generation.
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from the editor’s desk November 2015, Vol. 21, No. 6
Employers as teachers anadian pizzeria operators have their hands full when it comes to finding great young workers for their stores. Job seekers’ wage expectations are too high, they don’t show up for interviews – or they bring along their moms, believe it or not – and they spend too much time tending to their personal lives while at work, says the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) in a September report that reveals what’s on the minds of small business operators when they set out to hire. Eighty-eight per cent of small business operators surveyed said their main hiring challenge was finding qualified people; just over half said salary expectations were too high; and a quarter of applicants didn’t show up for interviews. When the CFIB asked employers to submit tips for job seekers, it opened the floodgates: those surveyed came back with a list of no less than 4,500 tips to help job applicants make the grade. Besides the surprising “Don’t bring your mother to the interview,” a couple stood out. “Display a passion for continuous learning” and “Think long-term. Consider the experience you’re going to get, not just the immediate paycheque.” This is solid career advice for anyone. But it’s important that employers get behind those words of encouragement. The pizza industry is full of young workers taking on their first job. The chance to gain experience is often touted as the trade-off for taking on entry-level jobs at a lower wage. If this is the case, then it’s only fair to give those willing to pay their dues every chance to learn the ropes of your business, develop transferable personal skills and shoulder more responsibility when warranted. It’s important to remember that many of your youngest staff members have no
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experience outside of home and school. They may need training on tasks as basic as answering the phone professionally and – as Diana Cline pointed out in a recent Pizza Chef column – washing dishes properly. Teach them the basics of the restaurant business on the assumption they know nothing. Develop training manuals for everyday tasks, such as portioning, so they will know what’s expected of them. Give them a chance to develop communications skills they can use later in their working life by having them help with marketing copy and ads. Turn every task, no matter how small or tedious, into a teaching tool. And let workers know why it needs doing. When employees begin to prove themselves, reward them with more responsibility. Ask them for input on procedures, show them you’ve considered their opinion and explain to them why their ideas will or won’t work. Have them help train newer employees or take charge of organizing a team-building event. In short, consider them your works in progress, and be their mentor. With the minimum wage always on the rise somewhere in Canada, and a “Fight for $15” campaign sure to keep the upwards pressure on, it’s a safe bet high labour costs will remain up there with high food costs as the top concerns of the Canadian restaurant industry. The competition for employees is intense. Presenting yourself as a mentor – and following through on that promise – is one way to set yourself apart from other businesses and land your next “employee of the month.”
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Editor Laura Aiken laiken@annexweb.com 416-522-1595 Associate Editor Colleen Cross ccross@annexweb.com 519-428-3471 ext. 26 Publisher Christine Livingstone clivingstone@annexweb.com 519-429-5173 888-599-2228 ext. 239 Account Coordinator Shannon Drumm sdrumm@annexweb.com 888-599-2228, ext. 219 Media Designer Brooke Shaw Group Publisher Martin McAnulty mmcanulty@annexweb.com Director of Soul/COO Sue Fredericks Mailing Address P.O. Box 530, 105 Donly Dr. S., Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5 PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT #40065710 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESS TO CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT, P.O. Box 530, Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5 email: subscribe@canadianpizzamag.com Published seven times per year (Jan/Feb, Apr/May, Jun, Jul/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov, Dec), by Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. Printed in Canada ISSN 1203-6838 Circulation email: subscribe@canadianpizzamag.com Tel: 866-790-6070 ext. 207 Fax: 877-624-1940 Mail: P.O. Box 530, Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5 Subscription Rates Canada – 1 Year $ 19.00 (+ applicable tax) Best pricing (Can/USA/foreign) available online at www.canadianpizzamag.com Occasionally, Canadian Pizza Magazine will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above.. No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. ©2015 Annex Publishing and Printing Inc. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher. No liability is assumed for errors or omissions. All advertising is subject to the publisher’s approval. Such approval does not imply any endorsement of the products or services advertised. Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising that does not meet the standards of the publication. www.canadianpizzamag.com
pizzabites Diners value overall experience: Technomic early 80 per cent of consumers say “value” is very important in their decision of where to dine – but their definition of foodservice value depends on many factors, including service, overall ambiance and the quality of menu offerings, suggests research from Technomic. While price will always play a major role, delivering on these multidimensional elements of value is crucial as consumer attitudes toward dining out shift and operational costs rise. To combat this, operators must increase emphasis on the overall dining experience, suggests Technomic’s Value & Pricing Consumer Trend Report. “While food quality remains essential, the overall experience is becoming more important to today’s diners who are looking for fun, social and unique dining occasions,” said Kelly Weikel, director of consumer insights, in a news release. “Service and atmosphere make up about 40 per cent of Gen Zers’ and Millennials’ value equations at all types of limited- and full-service restaurants. They are looking for experiences they can share – both by connecting with others in the dining party and through social media.” Compiling findings from more than 1,500 U.S. consumers, as well as Technomic’s MenuMonitor, Consumer Brand Metrics and Top 500 Restaurant Chain Report, the report also indicates 47 per cent of millennials indicate they seek higher-quality fare more now than in 2013; 53 per cent of loyalty card holders are very likely to base their restaurant decision on a loyalty membership; and the most influential deals are “Buy One Get One Free” and “Half-Off Specials.”
Photo courtesy Restaurants Canada
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Restaurant industry to mark 25 years of growth anada’s restaurant industry is poised for its 25th consecutive year of growth in 2016, with sales expected to grow by 3.8 per cent to $62 billion, according to a new report from Restaurants Canada. When non-commercial foodservice in settings such as hospitals and hotels is factored in, restaurant industry sales will add up to more than $77 billion in 2016. However, the report also speaks to challenges in the industry such as surging labour and food costs. Manitoba and British Columbia will lead the way in 2016, with projected growth of 4.3 per cent. In comparison, Newfoundland and Labrador is estimated to grow by only 1.8 per cent. “Restaurants are a catalyst for the Canadian economy,” said Donna Dooher, president and CEO of Restaurants Canada in a news release. “They’re an important part of every community, they account for more than one million jobs, and they generate billions of dollars in spin-off spending for everything from agriculture to technology. When restaurants thrive, Canada thrives.” She noted that despite the strong growth in the category, the average pre-tax profit margin is just 4.2 per cent, down from 5.8 per cent in 2001. “Restaurants are contending with increasing labour, food and beverage costs, and with finding the workers they need to grow their businesses.”
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LCBO takes on sales of beer growlers estaurants Canada said it was surprised to learn the LCBO will be selling growlers of beer, as the Ontario government rejected the idea just a few months ago. “Restaurants Canada asked the government to follow the lead of other provinces and allow restaurants to sell growlers for customers to take home,” said James Rilett, the association’s Ontario vice-president, in a news release. “The government said no, and then turned around and took the idea for themselves.” As part of the submission to the Ed Clark Panel, Restaurants Canada proposed that growlers be allowed as an “off-sale” in restaurants to promote craft beer and allow Ontarians to experience different tastes that may not be available in packaged formats. “I guess the government is saying that it is only a good idea if they are selling the product,” Rilett said. “Now they have chosen to directly compete with restaurants and bars for the draft beer market.” Currently, restaurant and bar owners must pay full retail price or higher for beer and spirits, along with corporate and employment taxes to the government. The association has been calling for changes to the system with no response from the government.
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‘Connected Car’ displayed in Toronto oronto International Film Festival-goers got a taste of the future of retail through immersive experiences, including demonstrations of Visa’s proof-of-concept Connected Car and a virtual reality retail experience. “The excitement, imagination and momentum that flourish at the Toronto International Film Festival create the perfect setting to tell the story of how Visa is changing the way we pay,” said Brenda Woods, head of marketing for Visa Canada, in a news release. “Similar to stepping into a theatre, our onsite demos at the heart of the Festival, at Roy Thomson Hall, offer guests the ability to be transported in a fun way to experience the future of shopping.” A Connected Car was on display at Roy Thomson Hall during the festival to demonstrate Visa’s payment technologies by showing visitors how one can order a meal on the way home and make many of their purchases without leaving the car. “As the number of internet-enabled cars on the road increases and internet-connected things proliferate, we will continue to provide Canadians with innovative ways to pay for everyday purchases from the car such as gasoline and drive-through purchases while driving interoperability and maintaining payment security that consumers expect from Visa,” said Derek Colfer, the company’s head of technology and digital innovation. The demonstration included an immersive online shopping demonstration. Festival-goers were invited to step in and be surrounded by eight-foot screens that transported them into a virtual shopping environment. Attendees can choose between a Parisian-style bakery, complete with romantic music, bright colours, and beautiful pastries, or an old-style country and western shop, with country tunes and wood accents. Consumers will navigate their way through the stores and select their purchases by touching the screens that surround them. The demonstrations feature Visa Checkout, the company’s online payment service that removes the need to continually re-enter payment and billing information. The technology debuted earlier this year at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. It features several features – Visa Checkout, Visa’s online payment service, cellular connectivity, Bluetooth Low Energy and Beacon technology deployed at Pizza Hut restaurants to alert staff when the customer has arrived – that are integrated by Accenture Digital.
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Seven merchandising tips for success Diane Chiasson
he importance of visual food merchandising is so often overlooked. Visual merchandising is defined as selling a product through a visual medium. It is the art of turning a passive looker into an active buyer through the use of colour, texture, lighting, composition and visual communication. When combined with descriptive signs and point-of-sale materials, merchandising increases impulse sales, creates interest and offers a unique experience for customers. Here are seven tips that can help you incorporate better food merchandising elements into your pizzeria.
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3. COMMUNICATE YOUR PRODUCTS Potential customers walking by your restaurant do not know how great your food is. You have to tell them you serve great food through your displays and signage. For instance, you could feature a fresh “pizza of the day” from a highly visible angle and surround it with products that have a wide range of colours, contrasts and textures. Then make sure your signage clearly identifies products with a price and a description that lets your customers make their buying decision quickly.
1. OPTIMIZE YOUR SPACE USING KEY INTERIOR DESIGN ELEMENTS The first impression customers have when they walk through your door is conveyed through the interior design of your space. Use can use décor to help build a positive image of your business and create attention, interest, desire that ultimately leads to the decision to buy. Before your customer walks through your door, they will probably look through your windows to see what’s inside. Make sure you create a view from your front window that invites them in – a well-lit, fresh and clean environment.
4. USE LIGHTING TO ADVANTAGE Drawing attention to your products is the first step to completing a sale. Proper lighting is vital to success. Never underestimate the power of quality lighting to make good products look great. For example, use a combination of natural light and different types of lighting such as spotlights to direct your customer’s eyes towards certain food areas and to show off your signature items and make the colours stand out. If you have an open kitchen concept in your operation, direct most of your lights at the kitchen, as it is the “main attraction.” Having proper lighting will encourage customers to buy more and stay longer.
2. DESIGN YOUR MENU PROPERLY Having the right menu design is what pulls your foodservice operation together, making it an effective merchandising tool. Your purest form of marketing strategy, it ultimately determines the type of customer you attract. A well-written menu lets your customers start tasting the food before it is out of the oven. If you post your menu outside your operation, make sure it is placed in a clearly visible glass panel and offer mini paper menus for potential customers to pick up.
5. BECOME A HOUSEHOLD NAME Understanding your brand and how to convey your message is an essential part of your business operation. Do not try to create a brand that appeals to everyone. You will end up with a brand that is unclearly defined. Start by targeting your brand to the specific demographics to which your restaurant appeals. Is your pizzeria’s neighbourhood more family-friendly or full of students? Are you surrounded by busy, condo-dwelling urban professionals? It’s important to ensure
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your branding captures the culture of these potential customers. 6. ENHANCE YOUR TAKE-OUT Fast food outlets and family restaurants are eating up more and more of the dollars consumers spend on food every year. Families are finding less time to prepare homecooked meals, so fresh, high-quality homemeal solutions and take-out foods are now in high demand and are a great way to increase profits and customer service. With take-out it is important to make sure you get it right the first time. There is only one chance to get it right, or the customer’s meal might very well be a total disappointment. For this reason it may be worth investing in an accurate order-entry system with point-of-sale software. Even without such a system, every good take-out pizza restaurant needs staff that understand how to complete the order efficiently and correctly the first time. 7. USE CROSS-MERCHANDISING Customers will often enter the dining area with no clear choice in mind of what they want to eat. Selling incremental add-on items increases the average check size while enhancing your customers’ perception of a better, different and special dining experience. Always try to link relevant items on your menu and signage; for example, if you’re a dine-in restaurant, pair garlic breads with salads. The possibilities are endless. Customers need only a bit of prompting before they start buying. • Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping foodservice, hospitality and retail operators increase sales for over 25 years. Her company provides innovative and revenue-increasing foodservice and retail merchandising programs, interior design, branding, menu engineering, marketing and promotional campaigns, and much more. Contact her at 416-9261338, toll-free at 1-888-926-6655 or chiasson@chiassonconsultants.com, or visit www.chiassonconsultants.com.
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Fostering respect Tips for a harassment-free pizzeria BY COLLEEN CROSS
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izzerias are often fun, informal workplaces, and most owners encourage a little levity in their restaurant to boost morale. But when does teasing, joking and store banter cross that fine line into harassment? As an employer, if you tolerate too much harassing behaviour from your staff or customers, you open yourself up to a fine or lawsuit. Over the long term, you also risk a toxic atmosphere that harms your workers, turns off customers and ultimately hurt your bottom line. If you think harassment is an ugly word, consider that its close cousin is violence. The terms exist on a continuum that encompasses a laundry list of behaviour you may dismiss as relatively harmless: teasing, spreading rumours, swearing, pulling pranks and arguing. Heather L. MacKenzie, founder and senior partner at Vancouver’s Integrity Consultants, practised law for several years specializing in employment law, insurance law, and human rights issues including harassment and discrimination. MacKenzie offers a loose definition that she says would be similar across the provinces: “Harassment is comment or conduct that ought reasonably to be known to be objectionable or unwelcome, serves no work-related purpose, and has a detrimental and substantial effect on someone in the workplace.” That behaviour is rooted in one of the “prohibited grounds,” she says, of which
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there are about a dozen. Most provinces set out rules for race and gender and many also address age and socio-economic status. The Ontario Human Rights Commission, for example, lists 14, among them ancestry, creed (religion), ethnic origin, sexual orientation, age and disability. The legal notion of violence has expanded since the 1990s to include inflicting emotional harm, MacKenzie says. “We tend to think of violence as being an act of physicality – as a violent act that may involve a weapon or use of bodily force. We now recognize that “we can wreak terrible psychological and emotional harm on someone without ever laying a hand on them,” she says. “We can do this through cyber behaviour or through words or through psychological warfare – which can involve using no words at all.” “We define harassment quite broadly as any behaviour that demeans, embarrasses, humiliates, annoys, alarms or verbally abuses a person and is known or would be expected to be unwelcome,” says Jessie Callaghan, a senior technical specialist at the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety who assists employers in the field of workplace violence. “It can be words, it can be gestures, it can be intimidation, it can be practical jokes.” “We encourage people to look at the behaviour with what we call the ‘reasonable person test,’ ” Callaghan says. “Would a reasonable person think that behaviour is unwelcome, or is the person who’s receiving the behaviour saying it’s
Handling harassment is often about building a positive workplace culture. “If your employees are happy to come to work, it can improve productivity,” says Jessie Callaghan of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.
Tools and resources General information: • “Best practices: Policies for workplace violence and harassment” (Restaurants Canada website) including links to guidance for each jurisdiction • Small business resources (on provincial government websites) • Provincial and territorial human rights agencies (http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/ eng/content/provincial-and-territorial-human-rights-agencies) • Federal and provincial labour standards (http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/ labour-standards.asp) • Lawyer or law student specializing in employment or occupational health law Centre for Occupational Health and Safety tools: • Canadian Government Departments Responsible for OH&S www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/information/govt.html • Bullying in the Workplace | Violence in the Workplace (overviews) • Violence in the Workplace Awareness (free e-course suitable for employees) www.ccohs.ca/products/courses/violence_awareness/ • Violence in the Workplace Prevention Guide (pocket guide or PDF, $15)
unwelcome? That’s an important part.” WHAT DOES HARASSMENT LOOK LIKE? Harassment can include discrimination, sexually charged comments or conduct, bullying or isolation. And it can come from any direction: management, staff or customers. MacKenzie offers a hypothetical example. “I come into the restaurant and I’m teasing someone I work with – male or female – about how much action they got on the weekend. Or probing about their sex life or making comments about my own. And that’s making somebody feel uncomfortable. You’ve got the ingredients for sexual harassment in that commentary. On the continuum, you can then move to the possibility, or the risk, that this behaviour moves into the realm of violence or physical touching.” It could turn into a situation where two employees are closing down the restaurant together and it turns into a situation of sexual assault, she says. It’s important to remember that sexual harassment does not necessarily require sexual interest, MacKenzie notes. It can happen in an all-male or all-female envi-
ronment where something as seemingly harmless as a comment about someone’s clothing or a rumour can trigger all sorts of emotions and consequences in the person it’s aimed at. Making someone an outcast is another common form of harassment that can have devastating consequences. “It’s death by a thousand cuts – or cumulative effects,” she says. “It is a big deal.” RESTAURANT INDUSTRY AT RISK Several cases of workplace discrimination and sexual harassment have come into the limelight this year, suggesting the restaurant industry is especially prone to such issues. “Restaurants are consistently challenged,” MacKenzie says. That may be because restaurant employees tend to be young and not clear on what’s acceptable in the workplace. They often come straight out of high school into their first job, she says. It may also be that restaurants are social settings, with a lot of interaction happening after hours or on social media, which blurs the lines between socializing and working and is hard to control, she adds. Tipped employees are more vulnerable
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to harassment from customers because those customers may have higher expectations than the employee has, she says. CROSSING THE LINE It’s important to draw a line between appropriate and inappropriate conduct, let others know when it’s been crossed and respond when that happens. In the hospitality industry, social boundaries sometimes are blurred, MacKenzie says. For example, when employers and supervisors socialize outside of work with employees it is a common and potentially tricky situation where there is often pressure for all to join in. How do you draw the line? She suggests asking your staff these questions: “Will what I say or do have an impact on our ability to work together? Does it connect to the reputation of me or someone I work with?” If the answer is yes, she says, think twice before engaging in that behaviour. The same is true of workplace humour. Jessie Callaghan offers some helpful questions: “Would a reasonable person find that funny? Did the person on the receiving end of joke find it funny? Can you tell that they are uncomfortable or stressed by it? Did they report they didn’t find it funny and didn’t want to be the recipient of it?” “It’s very hard to say you have zero tolerance because there is subjectivity involved,” she says. “I would encourage the owner or manager to keep a workplace as positive as possible so that you don’t have to be gauging whether or not a comment or conduct crossed the line. When things do cross the line, make sure everyone knows it. And if people are flirting with the line a lot, you might want to provide some feedback.” Dating within the workplace is another blurred line. Asking a co-worker for a date is not sexual harassment, MacKenzie says. “When the answer is no and you continue to ask them – that’s sexual harassment. As long as the two parties are not in a line of authority, there usually isn’t a problem. But when one of the parties is in a position of authority . . . it doesn’t look good. It requires a lot of discretion for a supervisor to carry on a romantic relationship with their employee without appearing to fa-
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MacKenzie says. This need not be a heavy task. Owner/ operators should familiarize themselves with the legislation that applies to their WHY IT MATTERS Harassing or bullying behaviour has all province or territory. “You need to do some research online. sorts of consequences not only for its victims but also for the overall health of the Set aside a day to make sure you’re in compliance,” MacKenzie says. “If there are business. “People don’t realize that when you hu- things surprising you, make a list.” It’s a wise investment to hire a lawyer miliate someone, you set off a biological chain reaction that can lead to lack of sleep or a law student who specializes in occuand disruption of the thought process that pational health and employment law, she depletes serotonin and cortisone, and can says. “One hour with a specialist is worth result in depression and even post-trau- three with a generalist.” “The onus is on the employer to be matic stress disorder,” MacKenzie says. Aside from the very real negative psy- aware of their responsibilities,” she says. chological effects, there are obvious ef- “When a compliance officer checks into fects on a business. If you’re found not a complaint, ‘You never told me’ is not a compliant, you may face a fine or lawsuit, defence. Find the time to make sure you’re compliant.” MacKenzie says. It is also good practice A negative atmosphere to have a harassment policy can affect productivity in in place for staff and cusa direct way. “You can have tomers, although the madecreased productivity if Harassing jority of provinces do not people don’t want to come or bullying have a duty to have one. to work and are feeling vic“We should transcend the timized when they’re there. behaviour has legal requirements here,” You can have higher turnshe says. Set up guidelines, over and there is a cost to all sorts of communicate them to emhiring and training your consequences ployees and apply them staff,” Callaghan says. with consistency and fair“I would think that cus... ness. tomers would detect it at Though legislation vartimes. If it’s a negative enies in different jurisdictions, vironment, you could lose there are some common elbusiness. Employees might not show up to work if they’re on a shift ements, Callaghan points out. “All require workplaces to do a risk with a certain person or if it’s a difficult shift to work and a negative environment.” assessment based on a their particular This also could lead to recruiting prob- circumstances,” she says. In the case of lems, she says. “Word would get out. A a pizzeria, that would include assessing toxic work environment can affect every- risks for delivery drivers who might not know what to expect when they show up body.” at someone’s door – risks common to most pizza restaurants. The exercise would also BE PROACTIVE As an employer, you carry responsibility include assessing your store’s particular for making sure your workers are safe from location. Most legislation requires that detrimental comments and behaviour. You assessment to be reviewed regularly and can do this by arming yourself with infor- especially if circumstances change; this mation, developing a behaviour policy could mean a change in your business or based on the risks around you and setting a new business moving in next door that may be attracting a certain clientele. a tone of respect that will inspire others. Like MacKenzie, Callaghan strongly “There is an expectation that even if you have only one employee, you need to ensure a safe and healthy workplace,” Continued on page 22 vour that employee in work matters, she says.
2014 Winner The Kitchens of The Pizza Mill
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The Pizza Mill Winners of the Foodservice Piz Saputo za With Purpose Award
ARE YOU MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY? Nominate your pizzeria for the Pizza with Purpose Award sponsored by Saputo Foodservice and share the spirit of generosity with your fellow pizzaiolos.
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We want to hear about your fundraising, sponsorship, participation in community events and creative contributions. Activities can be local or national in scope. The winner won’t be determined just on an amount of money raised, but on all the ways, big and small, that your pizzeria is touching lives.
The Pizza with Purpose award sponsored by
Enter online at www.canadianpizzamag.com or email: laiken@annexweb.com
2015 Entry Deadline: Dec. 31! Pizza_Purpose_Saputo june15.indd 1
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VIVA LA PIZZA! THE ART OF THE PIZZA BOX Since the origin of to-go pizza, pizzerias and pizza chains have taken great pride in covering take-out boxes with captivating designs. They’ve also wrestled with the best way to manufacture a box that can keep a pizza both hot and stable. Where does all of this art come from? Scott Wiener has been collecting and cataloging pizza boxes for 10 years. In Viva La Pizza! – named after a popular box design – Wiener traces design trends over the past four decades and speaks to some of the world’s most prolific box designers. Here the world’s expert on pizza boxes collects 100 weird and wild box designs and explores the curious history of the pizza box. Included are international designs, corporate designs, and dozens of quirky images produced by and for mom-and-pop pizzerias.
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Small-town love After serving four generations of customers, hard-working Peter’s Pizza has earned priceless positive word of mouth BY COLLEEN CROSS
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hen Peter’s Pizza threw a 50th birthday party, the whole which he ran briefly then leased to another operator after finding he had his hands full with the Aylmer location. town came. The Geracis have five children – Fran, Mario, Cathy, Antonia and The Geraci family, founders and owners of the Aylmer, Ont., pizzeria, held a party in late August and Lily – all but one of whom worked in the restaurant as teenagers. invited the town to help them celebrate the longevity and success of Mario started working there when he was a young teenager and has worked there full time ever since. their business. Mario always knew he wanted to stay in the business of making Who came out for the occasion? The Geracis estimate 350 people came through their doors or mingled under a temporary tent erected great food. But Matt, who has worked at the family business on and in front of the pizzeria, among them longtime customers, friends and off since age 15, went away to college before coming back to the former staff. There were probably a few of the curious and uninitiat- business, all the while holding down two jobs. “I’ve always had two ed as well, although you’d be hard pressed to find those in this town jobs,” he says with a smile. The father of three young children now works in grocery retail when he’s not at the pizzeria, which is open of about 7,000. Their customers are legion – and loyal – and their hometown daily after 4 p.m. Peter’s Pizza has always been a pick-up, take-out and delivery spirit well known in these parts. As a thank-you to their community, the family treated well-wish- only shop, but in 1983 the family realized a dream when they added a dine-in restaurant next door to the pizzeria. The ers to birthday cake, coffee and a slice of authentic restaurant, which shared the kitchen and connected Sicilian-style pizza not sold in the store but made specifically for the occasion. For the Geracis, through awnings, did a booming business. However, they decided to close it early in 2006 as the pizzeAuthentic Sicilian is one of the oldest styles of the concepts ria itself had plenty of traffic – more than enough pizza and “the first fast food,” Peter’s Pizza founder for Mario, Nancy and Matt to handle after Peter and Peter Geraci tells Canadian Pizza during a warm famof family and Francis retired that same year. ily chat in the back of the store made warmer by the business have Mario, Nancy and Matt incorporated the business radiating double-deck stone ovens. He describes it and reopened in March 2006. The three run the busias the essence of simplicity. You rise the dough, use always been ness with the help of five outside staff, two of them fresh tomato, olive oil, lots of onions, a few anchoinseparable. part-timers. vies – don’t overdo it – and romano cheese grated For the Geracis, the concepts of family and roughly almost to the point of shredding. “In Italy, business have always been inseparable. Evidence Sfincione!” he says with a flourish. of this is an apartment above and below the pizWe are joined by Peter’s wife Francis, the couple’s zeria. Though unoccupied now, at one time or son Mario and Mario’s son Matt. Mario, his wife, Nancy, and their son Matt run the shop, which they took over from another most of the family took turns living in it. “There are so many memories growing up above the pizzeria,” Mario says. Peter and Francis in 2006. “Family life mingled with work life.” FAMILY TRADITION Peter, who originally hails from Palermo, Italy, began working in the BAKERS FIRST late 1950s, and held three jobs into the early ’60s. One job was under They describe themselves as bakers. “We make our own dough,” Agostino (Gus) Bondi in his London and St. Thomas, Ont., restau- Mario says. “We like to get that golden crust that you only get with rants. In 1965 he split off and started Peter’s Pizza. It is one of the experience.” He and Matt roll out the wooden proofing box they use few originals still in business, Peter says. Others include Vito’s Cave and which he says works better than a metal one. “It doesn’t let the dough balls get too warm too fast,” he says. and Tony’s in London, Capri Pizza and Chef Bondi’s in St. Thomas. They still have the dough roller Peter and Francis bought in the Peter and Francis opened a location in Delhi in the late ’60s,
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Matt, Mario, Peter and Francis Geraci enjoy serving Aylmer-area pizza lovers from Peter’s Pizza, a local institution established in 1965.
1960s in Pico, Calif. – an Acme model. Peter learned the pizza trade during his years working with Gus Bondi in his London and St. Thomas restaurants, but he is selftaught to a degree. “I educated myself on the levitation of dough,” he says. It wasn’t long before he went into partnership with Bondi. ‘UPSIDE-DOWN’ PIES Their pizza is fresh, not frozen, and made with the cheese on top. “It helps preserve the flavour of the ingredients,” Peter says. “I would have to say our specialty pizza (our most popular one by far) is our Peter’s Deluxe, which features pepperoni, mushroom, green pepper, cheese and bacon,” Matt says. To satisfy those who like their toppings on top, they also serve “upside-down pizza.” For example, he says, usually a deluxe would be made starting with sauce, then pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers, cheese and bacon on top. However, a customer who asks for a ‘Deluxe upside-down’ would receive a pizza made starting with sauce, then cheese, then all the other toppings would be put on top of the cheese.” OLD-FASHIONED SERVICE They are decidedly and proudly old school in their approach to taking orders and working at the ovens. “We don’t use oven timers,” Matt says. “And we still like to write on the boxes instead of attaching the cash-register receipt. We have our own proprietary plates at the printer,” he adds, bringing out a box emblazoned with “Peter’s Italian Cuisine” and a boot-shaped map of Italy in red ink. The Geracis pride themselves on customizing pizza for their regular customers. When families come in now wanting half-thick, halfthin crusts, heart-shaped crusts, and other special requests, the team always tries to accommodate. They do not offer Internet ordering, preferring to handle orders over the phone or in person. “You tell me you want a special kind of pepperoni, and I say, come in and we’ll talk about it,” Mario says. “Aylmer is a great little town,” he adds, rhyming off several
industries that once thrived there: the Carnation plant, Aylmer Canners, Imperial Tobacco. Talking in person and on the phone helps them get to know their customers and to feel good about meeting those special requests. They cater to the people of Aylmer and the nearby police college, limiting delivery to local addresses. “We have four generations of customers,” Peter says. “It’s nice to watch customers growing up to become pilots, doctors, judges, he adds. This prompts chuckles from the whole family as they all recount the story of a favourite customer who sold them their used Volkswagen in exchange for pizza – lots and lots and lots of pizza. “The best form of advertising is service and product,” Peter says emphatically. The positive word of mouth seems to have inspired extraordinary loyalty in their customers. Several former regulars come from far reaches to get a taste of home – and sometimes to take it back with them. One such customer, who used to run a company in town, likes to take three pizzas home with her to British Columbia. “They were her carry-on, before they changed the size restrictions,” Matt says. Former residents now living in South Carolina, eager for their Peter’s fix, order pizza several times whenever they come home for a visit. The family has faced challenges, as all businesses do. Mario notes the pace with which things change. “It’s important to keep up with changes and trends, and pay attention to what people are asking for.” Then there are the food costs and advertising, he says. Competition is tough. “With any business, you have to work at it all the time,” he says. It takes a lot of sacrifice to build a long-lasting business, Peter says. “You’ve got to be dead serious and responsible.” With such a strong family work ethic, and the hands-on involvement of second and third generations, Peter’s Pizza looks set to serve its community for another 50 years. •
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feature
Pantry trespassers Don’t let common pests spoil your food and damage your reputation BY ALICE SINIA
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he food industry faces a number of pest concerns, but pantry pests – or stored product pests – are one of its greatest. As their name implies, stored product pests like to eat and breed in food that is typically found in pantries and kitchen cabinets. This accounts for many of the ingredients that pizzerias use on a daily basis. Although stored product pests are small in size, these trespassers can cause major damage to your business. Nearly all dry and stored food products are susceptible to pantry pests, and infestations can originate anywhere in the supply chain – in food processing facilities, during shipment, in storage or in the area of use. They devour many types of food and contaminate much more than they eat. Some species secrete substances that alter the flavour of food and can also cause allergic reactions in humans once ingested. So, even the smallest infestations can severely damage your inventory and tarnish the reputation of your pizzeria. The following is a list of common types of stored product pests to help you identify them within your facility. INDIAN MEAL MOTHS These pests are small, greyish brown moths with a portion of their front wings being reddish brown. They tend to feed on nuts, herbs, dried fruits, seeds, candies and grain products. They are about 1.5 centimetres long when fully grown and have a life span of one to two weeks. These moths can cause severe damage to food inventory with the webbing that they deposit. Any infested products will have the webbing and frass, also known as moth droppings, on their surface.
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Weevils are easily identified by the elongated snouts on their heads, a characteristic that also makes them easily distinguishable from other stored product pests.
SAWTOOTHED AND MERCHANT GRAIN BEETLES Both sawtoothed and merchant grain beetles are brown, about 2.5 to 3 millimetres long and have flat bodies. Both have six saw-like teeth on each thorax, which is their main identifying feature. They are particularly common within commercial facilities. Their flat bodies allow them to get between tiny cracks and burrow through boxes and packaging. These beetles like to feed on cereals, flour, birdseed, nuts, spices, candy bars and tobacco.
reddish brown in colour and enjoy flour, cereal products, cracked grains, baking mixes, beans, peas, dried fruits, nuts, chocolate and spices.
FLOUR BEETLES Flour beetles are very small in size: adults are around 3 to 4 millimetres long. They are
GRANARY AND RICE WEEVILS Weevils are a type of beetle that are brown in colour and measure up to 3.5
CIGARETTE, DRUGSTORE BEETLES These beetles are closely related and both feed on a wide variety of stored products ranging from dried flowers to powdered milk. Adults are oval-shaped, brownish and about 2.5 to 3 millimetres long. They have the ability to chew through packaging, making them a nuisance to deal with.
to 5 millimetres in length. They are easily identified by the elongated snouts on their heads. This characteristic also makes them easily distinguishable from other stored product pests. Rice weevils have four pale yellowish markings on wings, forming an X-like mark. Weevils prefer stored grains or seeds such as popcorn, birdseed and nuts. Small holes in grains are a sign of infestation. Pest management is challenging for any restaurant or food processing facility. The abundance of food, moisture, temperature conditions and harbourage sites creates conditions where pests can thrive. Maintaining a safe and clean site is critical to tackling these challenges. To reduce the risk of stored product pests invading your facility, apply the following tips: Inspect incoming materials for signs of an infestation and to ensure they are free of pests. For suppliers and distributors, trucks should be carefully inspected for pests before any packaging or materials
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are unloaded and before the products are shipped. When storing pantry products, use plastic or glass containers with secure lids to keep food dry and easy to see. Never leave stored products undisturbed for long periods of time. Store products off of the floor, on shelves, racks or pallets. Allow for inspection aisles between shelves for inspection and cleaning. If possible, maintain half a metre of perimeter space from wall to allow for inspection and monitoring. Eliminate entry points to reduce the risk of an infestation within your pizzeria. Pests often enter under building doors and openings around windows, so make sure everything is closed and sealed properly. Inside your restaurant, floors should be in good repair. Be sure to caulk and seal any cracks. Floors should also be free of product and other residue, so address product spills immediately.
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Allow proper ventilation and illumination in storage areas. Ventilation helps keep food moisture down, which discourages pests and mould growth. Many female stored product pests use pheromones to attract mates. Using pheromone traps can help you effectively monitor for infestations. Try using non-pheromone based insect glue board monitors or food lures to monitor other crawling pantry insect pests. Pantry pests can be a pain, but a proactive approach and constant monitoring can save you a lot of hassle in the long run. In the end, your customers will appreciate that you kept these unwanted ingredients out of your restaurant and out of their meal. • Alice Sinia, PhD, is the resident entomologist, regulatory/ lab services, for Orkin Canada focusing on government regulations pertaining to the pest control industry. With more than 10 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 at asinia@ orkincanada.com or visit www.orkincanada.com.
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marketing insights
Everyone’s a critic Michelle Brisebois
othing strikes fear into the heart of a restaurateur more than the spectre of a restaurant critic. They traditionally arrive unannounced – often alone – and sit quietly as they eat, scribbling into a note pad. The next day, if all goes well, there will be a glowing review of your restaurant in the newspaper or a local magazine. A good review can make you and a bad one can break you, but times have changed. That lone reviewer has multiplied and amplified because now every single patron has taken up the charge. The power they wield makes that lone restaurant critic seem insignificant. Social media has allowed regular people to critique their hospitality experiences for the entire world to see, and TripAdvisor, created in 2000, is among the most powerful of the online hospitality review websites. TripAdvisor now employs 900 people and boasts 250 million consumer reviews. The website’s yearly TripBarometer study suggest online reviews influence where 88 per cent of people book. It’s a powerful tool for businesses and it’s a free tool, but to make the most of it you must invest your time and be comfortable with a bit of vulnerability. If you haven’t yet visited TripAdvisor’s management centre at https://www. tripadvisor.ca/Owners to set up your business profile, you should do that first. The management centre will allow you to describe your business using photos and text, manage your reviews by responding to feedback and analyze your performance compared to that of competitors. Focus on three areas as you engage customers in a brand discussion on TripAdvisor, Yelp, Zagat, Urbanspoon and other review websites: quantity, quality and recentness.
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TripAdvisor’s popularity index algorithms measure these three things, so nurturing them is very important. It’s a good thing to encourage guests to write reviews but businesses are not allowed to offer incentives for reviews according to TripAdvisor’s policy. The more reviews you get, the more you will rise in the rankings. Positive reviews rise higher in the rankings too and your reviews will offer wonderful clues as to where you can improve. You will get negative reviews and that’s nothing to run screaming into the night over – engage the customer and thank them for their feedback. Respond that you’d like to chat with them further offline and post your contact information for them to reach out privately. By responding, you’re showing you care about your guests. That gives prospective customers reassurance that you’ll care about their experience too. A PhoCusWright survey indicated 80 per cent of respondents say that seeing a business address reviews makes them believe the business cares. The study also reports that “62 per cent of TripAdvisor users agree that seeing hotel management response to reviews makes them more likely to book the hotel versus a comparable hotel that didn’t respond to travellers.” When it comes to choosing a restaurant, 50 per cent of people check TripAdvisor before booking and 20 per cent read at least 11 reviews before they choose which restaurant to visit. If you aren’t on TripAdvisor, here’s another statistic to consider: “31 per cent of respondents avoid eating at restaurants that do not have any reviews.” The more recent your reviews, the higher you will rank: it suggests your business is relevant and viable. The volume of reviews the site receives every day
is staggering: 160 new submissions per minute. With all due respect to the marketers in the crowd, a customer review is hardly ever about the signage, slick magazine ads or the catchy slogans. It’s almost always about the people and the experience. Your team is your most important brand asset and the more you can engage them in the process, the better it will work. Make TripAdvisor feedback something to celebrate by posting lovely reviews in employee areas. Print off positive reviews and write a small thank-you note at the top – pop it in a team member’s pay stub or mail folder. Appreciation is a great motivator. Encourage your team to either wear nametags or introduce themselves by name so feedback can be connected to them specifically. Sharing negative reviews is a great way to direct staff coaching and to monitor small issues before they become widespread and chronic. Respond to the positive reviews too as this is a way to reinforce the positive brand experience for all to see. Having this level of service transparency can be nerve-wracking, but it allows the world to see how much you care. As Jeff Bezos of Amazon once famously said, “Your brand is your reputation. It’s what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” With web 2.0 tools, you’ve been invited into that room, and for better or for worse, you now get to hear what they’re saying about us. While sometimes it may feel a wee bit uncomfortable, you’ll probably also hear some very nice things. Either way, you’ll no longer need to guess. • Michelle Brisebois is a marketing professional with experience in the food, pharmaceutical and financial services industries. She specializes in brand strategies.
Continued from page 14 encourages employers to familiarize themselves with requirements in the province where they operate and suggests that if owner/operators don’t find the answers they are looking for in their jurisdiction, they should keep looking until they do. “I would really encourage you go beyond the minimum. That’s how you prevent the bigger problems from happening,” she says. “I would encourage them to apply their workplace violence prevention policy to everyone who does business with them. It’s not just employee-to-employee or customer-to-employee, but it could be suppliers to employees as well. It’s everybody who has something to do with your business.” She suggests posting a sign that makes it clear harassment and bullying are not tolerated. “You can then point to that and say, ‘We don’t act like that in here,’ ” she says.
SET A TONE OF RESPECT Both MacKenzie and Callaghan say it’s crucial for employers to be a good example for staff and customers. “Honour one another, respect one another,” MacKenzie says. “If you build your business with that in mind and you will set the stage for a healthy workplace.” “As an employer you set the tone for your pizzeria. It’s important to apply a high and consistent standard of accountability. When hurtful behaviour happens, have a conversation with staff telling them it is not acceptable and explaining why not. Give them one warning and no second warning,” she says. Employers should not put too much power in the hands of your supervisors, MacKenzie suggests. “A trusted team is great, but don’t be a stranger. Check in every month or at a regular interval that makes sense. Ask them how they are doing. Getting to know them helps you to read them,” she says.
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Watch for other clues that there is a problem. For example, have several people been asking to change shifts lately? This could be a sign they are avoiding certain staff. “Be curious. Take the time,” she says. While there is no legal obligation for an employee to tell their manager first before lodging a complaint, MacKenzie adds, “If I were an employer, I’d rather be a workplace where people know they can speak up.” Callaghan agrees. “Be present, be observant, and respond to reports.” “A lot of it is about building a positive workplace culture. You don’t want to be the kind of place where people don’t want to come into work,” Callaghan says. “It’s an amazing opportunity to get young people off on the right foot in a working world by teaching them effective communication skills, problem solving and conflict resolution,” Callaghan says. “If they can be coached on all of that, it can have a positive impact.” •
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guest column
Jeff Grandfield and Dale Willerton he most common reason tenants lease space instead of buying a location is supply and demand: 95 per cent of all commercial space is for lease and not for sale. If you are in the enviable position of being able to purchase property, there are several opportunities available to you: a business condo where you occupy the one unit, a strata title unit, small strip plazas or centres where you’re now a landlord to other tenants as well, or standalone buildings on a small parcel of land. Major factors that impact this decision for the average tenant are the long-term commitment of purchasing a building and the ability to obtain the financing. For those pizzeria tenants able to purchase property, here are a few key pros and cons to consider.
Buying versus leasing commercial space
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PROS Paying a mortgage is better than paying rent. Lease payments are forever, but your mortgage will eventually be paid off. Often, your mortgage payment may be very close to your rent obligation. In most cases, you will gain equity in your property. Over the course of time, your property may double – or even triple – in value. This increase in value is in addition to the value of your business contained within the property. You’re in charge. You don’t have to deal with the hassles of a landlord or property manager. CONS There may be some sacrifice on location, because many of the prime locations may not be available for purchase. If you’re vacating an existing location, you may be leaving a great opportunity for
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Securing a trophy location can make your pizzeria far more conspicuous, but these locations do not sell or lease cheaply.
a competitor to move into your location. Being in charge is a con as well as a pro. When you purchase property, you’re the one responsible for all repairs and maintenance a landlord would normally handle. MAKING THE DECISION When making the decision to purchase or lease commercial space, don’t decide to buy simply for the sake of owning real estate. Only consider purchasing a space or property if you would be prepared to lease that same location anyway. Also, remember to think outside of the box. What we mean here is consider all opportunities – both conventional and unconventional. We live in an “anything goes” or “whatever works” society and that philosophy often applies to business locations as well. For example, a major restaurant chain located near The Lease Coach office went under and the freestanding building was quickly snapped up by a group of orthodontists for their new office. A big-box store can move and be replaced by a sporting goods anchor store. A chiropractor may move in where a fitness facility failed. And so on.
There are both conventional and unconventional opportunities for every business industry. Perhaps a trophy location will make sense for your business? This is a specific unit that outshines all the other spaces for lease or purchase in a property because of its prominence and visibility. Trophy locations do not sell or lease cheaply; however, for some pizzeria owners, having a trophy location can make their business far more conspicuous. But do all pizzeria owners need to be located in the same type of building? Of course not. You need to evaluate every type of building or property that is available because its unique qualities can represent the 20 per cent advantage you need to be successful over your competitors. • Dale Willerton and Jeff Grandfield – The Lease Coach are Commercial Lease Consultants who work exclusively for tenants. Dale and Jeff are professional speakers and co-authors of “Negotiating Commercial Leases & Renewals For Dummies” (Wiley, 2013). Got a leasing question? Need help with your new lease or renewal? Call 1-800738-9202, e-mail DaleWillerton@TheLeaseCoach.com or visit www.TheLeaseCoach.com. For a copy of the free CD, “Leasing Do’s & Don’ts for Pizzeria Tenants,” e-mail your request to DaleWillerton@TheLeaseCoach.com.
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the pizza chef
Getting saucy Diana Cline
ome independent pizzerias use a premade canned pizza sauce for their pies. Most chains do as a way of simplifying operations for the franchisee and eliminating the concern of the company’s proprietary recipes falling into the wrong hands. While there is a consistency factor in choosing this form of sauce, I prefer to make my sauce from scratch for several reasons, mostly because I can achieve a less generic taste. Your sauce is very important to the overall taste of your pizza; sauce is one area where an independent pizza place can set itself apart from chains and all others. We start our award-winning marinara recipe with grade A, premium-quality, crushed tomatoes that are bright red in the can, naturally sweet and full of lycopene, which studies suggest may help prevent prostate cancer. There are grade B through D quality tomatoes available, which many pizza places use as a base for their sauce. Lower-quality tomatoes are orange and sometimes even brown in the can. The increased acid makes them bitter to the taste, especially compared to the premium grade A tomatoes. Many of these lower grades of canned tomatoes have plastic liners inside the tin cans because the acid from the tomatoes is so strong it will eat the tin and leach tin flavour into the tomatoes. Pizza places that use low-quality tomatoes try to overcome the bitterness and orange colour by loading the sauce with sugar and red dyes to mimic a better-quality tomato. This is false savings because whatever you might save on the lower-quality tomatoes, you now have to spend on sugars and dyes. Grazziano, my Italian pizza school instructor, says that sugar is the worst thing you can add to your pizza sauce. And he’s right. The sugar causes any
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exposed sauce to burn in the hot oven. I serving. When you buy the best spices, less should also mention that plenty of studies is truly more. link red dyes to increased aggression in We combine our selected herbs and children, and most parents aren’t looking spices in our grade A tomato base and alfor more ways to give their children hid- low it to marinate in the walk-in cooler for den sugar. 24 hours before it’s ready to use. Sometimes Another concern with low-quality I am asked whether you need to cook the canned tomatoes has to do with the can- marinara in order for your sauce to develop ning process. Many processes include flavour. As long as you give it time to mardipping of the tomatoes in a bath of lye inate in the walk-in, there is no need to do or bleach to remove the skins, whereas so. Your sauce will cook in the hot oven, high-quality tomato canning processes cooking it twice won’t make it any better. steam the tomatoes instead. Some pizza The last parting tip for sauce is to make makers refuse to believe sure your sauce is warmed that the lye bath affects the up to room temperature taste of the tomato, but hybefore using it on pizSauce is one persensitive palates can tell. zas. If you use cold sauce area where an Spices are another conon your pizza, it needs to cern. Many spices are grown spend the first few minindependent in Third World countries, utes in the oven warming where access to clean water pizza place can up to room temperature, and education about proper while the dough is already set itself apart food handling are real iscooking. This dichotomy sues. Villagers typically are from chains and of temperature increases paid by the pound, so it’s the gum line, that chewyall others. common for sticks, stones raw-dough section of and other foreign matter to your pizza, just above the get into the product. The cooked crust and beneath truth is there’s not just a big the sauce. And creating an difference in price on guaranteed-quality exaggerated gum line is a surefire way to spices versus cheap ones. There’s also a big ruin a great pizza: no one will be able to difference in the amount of spice per gram. enjoy the high-quality ingredients you Choose a brand or company that works with used to make it if all they can taste is raw villagers to ensure maximum quality and pizza dough. • purity. When you use high-quality spices, recipes require less quantity to create great Diana Cline is a two-time Canadian Pizza magazine chef of the year champion, internationally recognized gourmet and satisfying flavours. Plus, you can be pizzaiolo and owner of Diana’s Cucina & Lounge in certain your recipes will always turn out as Winnipeg. In addition to creating award-winning recipes, Diana is also a consultant to other pizzeria owner/opintended, every time. We purchase only the erators in menu development, creating systems to run a best-quality spices at Diana’s, yet the cost is pizzeria on autopilot, along with marketing and positionto help operators grow their business effectively and only one per cent of the total recipe cost. ing strategically. She is available for consulting on a limited Most of the flavour is provided by the in- basis. For more information, contact her at dianaslcline@ gredient with the least expensive price per gmail.com.
Contact your local repesentative to arrange a demonstration British Columbia Castle Agencies North Vancouver, BC, Canada Tel/Cell: (604) 904-7681 Contact: David Terretta Email: king@castleagencies.ca
Alberta MAC Sales & Marketing Calgary, AB, Canada Phone: 403-281-8540 Contact: Steve MacKell Email: mackell@telusplanet.net
Manitoba/Saskatchewan Dennis Braun Agencies Winnipeg, MB Canada Tel: 204-663-8077 Cell: 204-229-4613 Email: denbraun@mts.net
Ontario Distex M.&M. Inc. Mississauga, Ont Tel: 905 565-5990 Toll Free: 1 888 645-7324 Email:info@distex.ca
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Quebec Distex M.&M. Inc. St-Laurent (Quebec) Tel.: (514) 382-3620 Toll free : 1-800-567-3620 Web: www.distex.ca
Atlantic Provinces/Maritimes Flanagan Agencies Inc Moncton, New Brunswick Tel: (506) 387-8757 Contact Mike Flanagan Email: mike@fai.ca