Volume 18 Issue 6 September/October 2012
26
12 The fuTure of paying The bill Get the scoop on where merchant technology is headed.
16 ideas and inspiraTion 8
Here’s our top 10 tips from experts at the Canadian Pizza Business Forum.
22 new Technologies and pesT conTrol
Find out how technology can help you keep unwanted critters under control.
26 record-breaking pizza Turning pizza into art and fame at Steveston Pizza Co.
16
30
DEPARTMENTS 6
editor’s desk
8
pizza bites
10
the pizza chef
14
marketing insights
18
making dough
30
pizza on fire
www.canadianpizzamag.com SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 pizza 3
“Packed from Fresh Tomatoes, Not from Concentrate”...
President Tom Cortopassi (kneeling) and “Coach” Dino Cortopassi (standing) in one of our
Since 1942, our Restaurateur customers’ success has depended on the superior taste of the food they serve and of our products. As a family-owned business, it feels good knowing that so many of our customers have relied on our “Packed From Fresh Tomato” products from generation to generation.
Whether your restaurant has a long family history, or whether you’re the founder, you can depend on our family making the best “Real Italian” tomato products...always Packed From Fresh Tomatoes, Never From Concentrate...generation after generation!
Tom Cortopassi President/Owner
Dino Cortopassi Coach/Owner
Generation after Generation.
tomato fields in Stanislaus County, California
IT
Y
THE
S
L
StaniSlauS E
AL
O F
Q U
A
The “Real Italian” Tomato Company 1202 “D” Street
Modesto, CA 95354 Toll Free 1-800-327-7201 ©2010 Stanislaus Food Products
from the editor’s desk september/october 2012, Vol. 18, no. 6
Kicking it up a notch wo key messages came out of our inaugural Canadian Pizza Business Forum: Position yourself based on quality rather than compete on price and get involved with your community. Of the countless other tips and tricks shared on June 26, many revolved around these basic principles for independents. To compete on quality and commune with your community, you must avoid one very common pitfall for all business owners: Complacency. At first our ear hears that word and we think of laziness and sloth, things that certainly we cannot be simply by virtue of how hard we work. But complacency is something a little different and it can sneak into our businesses undetected. When things are going well and life is a success, there is a natural human tendency to ride the wave and kick back for a while. Yet this is when you can be at your most vulnerable. You never know when a new restaurant will move into your customer catch zone and start taking advantage of weaknesses that perhaps you don’t even see. Complacency is a death sentence for a business, particularly in an industry as competitive as pizza. For one business to grow, it generally needs to take customers from another. Complacency also happens when things get repetitive, or easier. It’s easy to let the flames of motivation dim to a steady burn after surviving the initial stages of growth that are typically so rigorous and demanding. Be wary. Pride will allow you to rest in contentment and success can make you fear trying new things and revert to “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” ways of thinking. It’s when good enough actually becomes good enough that someone can slip in quietly and start stealing your livelihood right out from under your nose. One way to fight this oh-so-common human habit is to become accountable for the goals of your business. Make a commitment to change, to exceeding expectations rather
T
than simply meeting them. Involve your staff. They are on the front lines of delivering goals. Cultivate a culture of your collective ideas, for that is what you should always be focused on and for more reasons than just beating the competition. Encourage your staff to speak their mind and be creative. It’s a way of thinking that will keep you out of autopilot. Be your customer for a day. Sample every dish, call your own store and order delivery. See what your service is like. Every pizzeria owner ought to be a little afraid of losing his or her customers, even pizzerias with lineups down the street. It is very easy for the next big thing to come along and if you haven’t been earning loyalty and keeping a watchful eye, that line could easily shift down the street. Just look at what complacency did for the juggernaut Research in Motion. Contests and industry events that surround you with your peers are great avenues for idea exchange and seeing if what you do is similar to what other pizzerias are doing. Contests, in addition to promoting your products, are one way you can put your finger on the pulse of the industry. Our Pizza with Purpose contest sponsored by Saputo Food Service has been extended and is now open for nominations until Nov. 1. Let us know if you want to participate! From the feedback we received, we learned the Business Forum was another such informative event for all. Thank you to the sponsors of the Canadian Pizza Business Forum: Pizza Master distributed by Alfa Food Service (platinum), Stanislaus Food Products (gold), Saputo Foodservice (silver) and Dairy Farmers of Canada/Santa Lucia (bronze). Also thank you to XLT Ovens for sponsoring our breakfast and coffee breaks, and to Moretti Forni/Faema Canada for lunch, with ingredients donated by Stanislaus Food Products and Saputo Foodservice. Stay tuned for details on our next event coming to you in 2013! •
6 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
editor Laura Aiken laiken@annexweb.com 416-522-1595 assistant editor Stefanie Wallace swallace@annexweb.com 888-599-2228 ext. 277 publisher Christine Livingstone clivingstone@annexweb.com 519-429-5173 888-599-2228 ext. 239 sales assistant Tara Jacobs tjacobs@annexweb.com 888-599-2228, ext. 219 Media designer Kelli Kramer group publisher Martin McAnulty mmcanulty@annexweb.com president Mike Fredericks mfredericks@annexweb.com Mailing address P.O. Box 530, 105 Donly Dr. S., Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5 PuBLICATION MAIL AgreeMeNT #40065710 reTurN uNDeLIVerABLe CANADIAN ADDreSS TO CIrCuLATION DePArTMeNT, P.O. Box 530, Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5 e-mail: subscribe@canadianpizzamag.com Published eight times per year (Jan/Feb, Mar, Apr/May, Jun, Jul/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov, Dec), by Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. Printed in Canada ISSN 1203-6838 circulation e-mail: 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 $ 24.00 (+ 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. ©2012 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 Online driven visits on the rise i
n the first quarter of 2012, the NPD Group found six per cent of restaurant visits were influenced by online marketing. Those restaurant visits supported eight per cent of all spending for restaurant meals/snacks. Online marketing, which is typically delivered via a website or smartphone application, is used most frequently to take advantage of restaurant deals and special offers, according to NPD’s CREST (the service that tracks the foodservice industry based on consumer reporting of more than 400,000 visits to foodservice outlets per year). Consumers are also online looking menu details, general information, recommendations/reviews, and restaurant location. CREST also found online marketing is effective in attracting new customers. Of all online marketing influenced visits, 26 per cent were first-time visits to a specific restaurant, more than twice the new buyer incidence for restaurant visits overall. Addressing the question of whether online marketing can be effective in building loyalty, NPD reports that consumers who use online marketing have higher revisit intentions than those who don’t (although this varies by the type of online marketing used). While a large majority of visits influenced by online marketing occur at quick-service restaurants, a disproportionate number occur at casual dining places, according to CREST. Casual dining accounts for a bit over one in every 10 restaurant visits, but the segment receives one in every six visits driven by online marketing. “The influence of online marketing on restaurant demand is expected to continue to increase,” says Bonnie Riggs, NPD restaurant industry analyst.
CRFA upgrades restaurant sales forecast a
ccording to the latest forecast by the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA), annual restaurant sales will rise 4.2 per cent in 2012 to nearly $53 billion – which is higher than the 2.9 per cent forecasted last December – due to a healthy first quarter. Canada’s restaurant industry enjoyed better-than-expected sales in Q1 thanks to a mild winter and an extra day in February. “The upward forecast is good news not only for restaurateurs, but for communities across Canada. With more than one million employees, the restaurant industry is the number 1 source of first-time jobs, which are particularly important for students at this time of year,” says Garth Whyte, CRFA’s president and CEO. Here’s CRFA’s outlook for Canada’s
8 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
restaurant industry in 2012: • Quick-service restaurant sales will grow the fastest at 4.9 per cent, due to strong consumer demand. • Full-service restaurant sales will be restrained to 3.9 per cent growth as personal disposable income moderates. • Caterer sales will jump 4.4 per cent because of an expanding natural resources industry driving demand for remote catering. • Drinking place sales will slip 0.8 per cent due to weak consumer demand, unit closures and stricter drinking and driving legislation in Western Canada. Including non-commercial foodservice sales – at locations such as schools and hospitals – Canada’s restaurant industry will surpass $65 billion in 2012.
pizzabites
Old image of Chuck E. Cheese given the pink slip he company that operates the chain of children’s pizza restaurants is retiring the giant rodent’s outdated image – and the man who voiced its character for nearly two decades. CEC Entertainment Inc. was set to launch a national ad campaign in mid-July with a revamped image of Chuck E. Cheese as a hip, electric-guitar-playing rock star. It’s just the latest makeover for the 35-year-old mascot, which started life as a New Jersey rat who sometimes carried a cigar. CEC Entertainment, based in Irving, Texas, is struggling to revive sales at its more than 500 pizza restaurants, which offer games, prizes and a musical variety show. In May, CEC said revenue at its locations open at least a year fell 4.2 per cent in the first quarter and lowered its outlook for the year. According to ShowBizPizza.com, a Chuck E. Cheese fan site, the man who voiced the
T
mascot in commercials since 1993 learned of his replacement only after coming across “Chuck’s Hot New Single” online and realizing it was sung by someone else. The fan site in early July published a Facebook post by Duncan Brannan, the mascot’s former voice. Brannan could not be reached for comment. But in the post, he writes that part of his assignment when he first took on the role was to transform Chuck E. Cheese from “a joke-telling, sometime off-colour New Jersey rat” to a lovable, mainstream mouse. He notes that there were various signs in recent months that suggested he was being pushed out, but that he was assured by the company that he was still the voice of Chuck E. The Facebook post was republished by The Dallas Observer this week. CEC Entertainment says that Brannan wasn’t fired but that it simply “chose to utilize new voice talent.”
The new Chuck E. Cheese that launches this week will be voiced by Jaret Reddick, the lead singer for the pop-punk bank Bowling for Soup. The Chuck E. Cheese Facebook page now shows a silhouette of a cartoon mouse playing a guitar. The details of Chuck E.’s new image will be unveiled this week. The first Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre location opened in 1977 in San Jose, Calif. ShowBizPizza.com reports that the idea for Chuck E. came from a generic mascot costume that was acquired by the founder, Nolan Bushnell, who also co-founded Atari and Pong. Executives originally considered calling the restaurant “Rick Rat’s Pizza” but a PR agency figured a rat would be a bad mascot for a pizza chain. The name Chuck E. Cheese was selected because it downplayed the mascot’s species and forced people to smile when they said it, according to the site. – Written by The Canadian Press
Merchant Mobile Apps rolls out new software erchant Mobile Apps, a business dedicated to helping companies get connected to the next generation of smartphone users, just launched a new technology to help restaurateurs get mobile ready. Menu Driven works on all platforms, including Blackberry, iPhone, Android and Windows. The mobile website program is designed to be user friendly for customers when they order a pizza from their phone, which means users simply need a password and address to validate their order for delivery. The system is pay as you go on a month-to-month basis for merchants. For more information, visit www.merchantmobileapps.ca.
M
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 pizza 9
the pizza chef
How to judge a pizza Diana Coutu ’ve had the honour and privilege being an International Pizza Challenge judge at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas for the last two years. I’ve also judged in Italy and France. I’m often asked about how a pizza is evaluated. Each competition has distinct rules that govern the way a pizza is judged. The International Pizza Challenge has a few categories of pizza styles, although the main ones are traditional and nontraditional. The traditional category is a red sauce pizza with no more than two of the nine most popular toppings in North America (pepperoni, mushrooms, ham, peppers, olives, bacon, sausage, onions and beef). Because two competitors could easily each enter pizzas that feature pepperoni and sausage, what would make one stand out above the other? This is where your dough, sauce and cheese become key factors in the unique taste of your pizza. The non-traditional category is where anything goes and you are not restricted to the colour of sauce, or the kind or number of toppings on your pizza. That being said, there must be a balance between the toppings, crust, sauce and cheeses. I spoke with each of the other judges and we all agreed that more toppings piled on didn’t necessarily make a better pizza. In fact, some pizzas that came across our table could have been great, but they were grossly overtopped and lost all taste. Judging is broken down into two main categories: taste and visual presentation/ appearance. Taste accounts for 65 per cent of the overall score and appearance accounts for 35 per cent. The criteria for taste are then further broken down into: crust, sauce, cheese, toppings and overall taste. If the crust did not have any porosity or flavour, or conversely, if it was a flavoured crust but didn’t complement the
i
flavours of the toppings or cheese, then slice with the toppings, crust, cheeses and the pizza would get a low score for this sauce. If the pizza slops over on itself or criterion. The criteria for visual presenta- on my lap then it gets a lower score than tion are broken down into bake and visual if it held the weight of the toppings and presentation. We are a visual species and cheese. Next, I take a bite of the edge of we like to eat pretty food. Most of us think the crust on its own. This tells me whether that it tastes better when it looks fantastic. the crust has any flavour. It also tells me If the pizza is burnt, underdone or slop- whether the pizza maker knows about pily topped it would get a lower score proper fermentation that allows a great for this criteria. The only difference in crust to develop flavours or whether it’s the scoring between traditional and non- actually a cardboard crust hidden under traditional is that there is an additional tasty toppings. Lastly, I take another bite category for creativity unof the pizza with sauce, der the taste criteria for cheese and toppings, just non-traditional. we are a visual to confirm whether my first An acceptable or mediimpressions were accurate. species and ocre pizza would receive a In the case of two pizzas middle-of-the-road score, that come to mind, at first we like to eat such as a five out of a posbite I wasn’t sure if I liked pretty food. sible 10. An above-average them or not, but after that pizza would get a six or Most of us think last bite I knew without a seven out of a possible 10. doubt. Finally, before giving it tastes better A fabulous pizza would it my final score I ask myself score an eight or nine. If if this is a pizza that I would when it looks the pizza totally misses happy to pay for. If the anfantastic. the mark, then the score swer is yes, I give it a higher reflects the poor quality score for overall taste. and is low, typically less The important thing to than five. Reasons for the note is that judging a pizza low score could be that the pizza is over- contest is a lot like judging a beauty concooked, undercooked, soggy or greasy, or test. Everyone does not have to like the just tastes bad. same pizza, but as a judge you just need These are the mechanics of scoring. I to be convinced that the pizza you score always begin by looking at the pizza as it’s the highest is the one you like the best. • being presented to the judges (the pizza is always brought before us to see before it’s sliced). I check the bake by lifting the Diana Coutu is a two-time Canadian Pizza Magazine chef of the year champion, internationally recognized gourmet pizza and looking at the bottom of the pizzaiolo, co-owner of Diana’s Gourmet Pizzeria in crust. The facilitators then take the pizza Winnipeg, Man., and a member of the board of directors for away, slice it up and bring each judge a the CRFA. In addition to creating award-winning recipes, Diana is also a consultant to other pizzeria owner/operators piece of the pizza. At this point, I smell in menu development, creating systems to run a pizzeria my slice of pizza. I love the smell of good on autopilot, along with marketing and positioning to help food. A great pizza smells good before you operators grow their business effectively and strategically. She is available for consulting on a limited basis, for more even taste it. Next, I take a bite from the information contact her at Diana@dianasgourmetpizzeria.ca.
10 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
feature
The future of paying the bill Flash and other forays into merchant technology BY JuLIe FITz-gerALD
I
magine sitting down at your favourite restaurant and browsing the menu on a tablet, which you then use to make your menu selections and pay your bill, all with the swipe of your finger. This is very possibly the future of the restaurant experience. Banks, debit and credit card companies and mobile marketing firms are currently working in a global effort to combine new communication products, such as smartphones and tablets, with cutting-edge payment methods in an effort to improve convenience for consumers and business owners. In today’s marketplace, wireless terminals with debit and credit card capabilities are continuing to gain popularity, specifically within the foodservices industry where the convenience of paying at the table is highly valued by customers. Jeff van Duynhoven, president of TD Merchant Services, says that wireless terminals are evolving to deal with signal issues experienced by some long-range wireless services. “We’ve moved to short-range devices like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-type devices, so there are still changes happening in that regard within the industry for pay at the table. If a merchant has a [payment] solution they’re not happy with, the technology may have advanced since then, so I would encourage people to look around because the technology continues to get better in that space,” he says. Another payment technology that is rising on the popularity metre is con-
tactless payments. Consumers possessing a card with contactless capabilities simply flash their card in front the corresponding reader to complete a purchase, making this payment method extremely quick and convenient. With Visa and MasterCard having already launched contactless credit cards, Interac Association is following suit with a debit card known as Interac Flash. “Interac Flash is rolling out now with Scotiabank and RBC. We have a number of merchants already signed up and announcements will be forthcoming about who will be accepting Interac Flash,” says Caroline Hubberstey, director of public affairs for Interac Association. Van Duynhoven believes that Interac Flash will become a big player in the months to come as more issuers support the technology. “What merchants found is that the whole chip and pin process was a little slower, so in places like pizza restaurants when it’s a busy time and there’s a lineup, contactless technology can make a huge difference. Quick-service restaurants are a primary targeted area for that,” he says. Hubberstey notes that restaurant owners who employ wireless or contactless devices in their businesses are also offering an added safety measure for their delivery drivers, as they will essentially be carrying limited amounts of cash. As adoption of contactless payment methods increases, industry insiders are busily working on the next
12 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
Wireless terminals with debit and credit card capabilities are continuing to gain popularity, particularly with foodservice.
revolutionary payment technology. Within the next couple of years, consumers will begin to see the emergence of mobile payment options. The concept of mobile payments is that consumers will have a wallet on their
smartphones that they can simply tap against a contactless reader to make a purchase. Visa is currently working with TD Canada Trust on a mobile wallet, while MasterCard and Google are developing the Google Wallet. Van Duynhoven says the details of mobile payments are still being hammered out amongst industry players, including mobile network operators, mobile phone manufacturers and the banks.
The main obstacle at the moment is more repeat customers per month than the availability of near-field communi- the pizza chain’s online ordering option. Plastic Mobile has received six cation (NFC) phones in Canada, which have the technology required to carry awards for their innovative app so far out mobile payments. Van Duynhoven this year, including a Webby Award in predicts that mobile payments won’t see the category of Mobile Shopping for any kind of mass deployment in the Ca- smartphones. “It was great because with nadian market until at least 2013 or be- our business we’re constantly pushyond. “I can say right now it’s probably ing back to convince CEOs to embrace more sizzle than substance. The whole something new and create innovations. aspect of NFC phones still needs a little Nobody really wants to be the first, so bit more time. The challenge is there’s when we’re able to overcome that first not that many native phones that have obstacle of convincing a client, it’s a that same contactless capability,” he ex- huge accomplishment. We’ve gotten a lot of kudos for this appliplains. cation,” Sallehy explains. Hubberstey confirms Maggie Adhami, prothat Interac Association Visa is currently gram director with Plastic is also actively developMobile, says the biggest ing mobile technology for working with challenge with mobile debit purchases. “We’re Td canada payment technology is certainly looking to that gaining the trust of cusfor 2012 on the debit Trust on tomers. “It’s really just side. We’re moving first to a mobile adoption, getting people Interac Flash and will use to trust and move towards that as the foundation to wallet, while mobile payments. We’ve move to mobile and NFC Mastercard been using the Internet payments as proximity payments,” she says. and google are for payment for 10 years. I think mobile is the next Pizza Pizza is having developing the evolution. When it comes great success with the from a trusted brand, I mobile payment technolgoogle wallet. think people are more inogy craze in Canada by clined to order,” she says. launching a multi-awardWhile mobile wallets winning iPhone app earlier this year. The innovative end-to-end or- are still a few years away, it will be indering system developed by Plastic Mo- teresting to see if Canadians are quick to bile allows users to view all Pizza Pizza embrace the technology once it is availproducts and specials, place an order able. “Canadians are interesting adoptand pay using their credit card or at the ers of technology. We tend to be not door. The application is also location necessarily leading edge, but close to based, using a geo-locator to find the it. Once we do adopt, we adopt quickly and Interac Debit would be a prime exnearest Pizza Pizza location. Within the first two weeks of launch- ample. We weren’t necessarily the first ing the iPhone app, it had 75,000 out with pin-based debit, but once it downloads and was reaching a new cus- took off, it really took off. We’re now tomer base. “It was amazing. We tapped amongst the highest users of debit in into a new market and that’s what every the world,” Hubberstey says. For business owners, payment techmarketer wants: to acquire new market shares through new channels,” says nology is a fascinating area of operaSalome Sallehy, marketing director of tions that, if due diligence is done, can lead to increased convenience for cusPlastic Mobile. The Pizza Pizza iPhone app has con- tomers and an even bigger client base. • Julie Fitz-Gerald is a freelance writer tinued to impress, with mobile orders increasing 15 to 35 per cent month over and regular contributor to Canadian Pizza month as well as bolstering 10 per cent magazine and Bakers Journal.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 pizza 13
marketing insights
Table for 10? Michelle Brisebois f I had to pick one menu item that has the ability to shape-shift to any culinary trend it would have to be pizza. Change the toppings, modify the crust and you can have anything from decadent to healthy. Pizza’s appeal for those embracing today’s culinary trends isn’t simply isolated to its ingredients. It’s also linked to its basic format. You see, pizza is the one food that has been shared since it first appeared on North American menus. Communal dining is one of the hottest restaurant trends right now, and pizza is a natural extension of this trend. But the nobler goal might be to understand what’s driving the trend, for then we can use this information to market pizza more effectively. After years of wanting a quiet table for two in the corner of the restaurant, people are suddenly craving a crowd. Communal dining in its current format means a long table where a dozen or so guests can sit together and rub elbows while eating. The guests may know each other or simply be strangers who are put together by the luck of the draw. It’s a dining style that’s common in Europe. Communal dining can be found in bistros and beer halls, tavernas, trattorias and tapas bars. Trendy North American restaurants have embraced this format. Many of them are installing large, long tables that seat 10 or more guests either as one large party or random deuces and trios cobbled together by chance. Grubwithus is a website promoted as a way to “eat with awesome people.” They developed an app that lets users buy communal dinner seats for 10 diners. In an extension of social networking sites, birds of a feather can flock together allowing people to connect with each other around interests like wine,
i
Pizza is the perfect food to capitalize on the trend towards communal dining
startups and travelling. The service has Forty per cent of respondents answered more than 30,000 registered users. In yes. Of those who agreed, there are clearly Canada, there’s a similar site called The age-related differences with 55 per cent of Social Feed based in Vancouver and To- those who like the idea of communal dinronto. Another site called Eat With Me ing falling into the millennial cohort (age focuses on “connecting people through 21-34) and 22 per cent of those aged 48food,” allowing users to create or join 64 saying they like the idea of communal events. In many ways, communal dining dining. Forty-two per cent of those aged is an IRL (in real life) extension of online 35-47 are receptive to sharing a table with interaction. While technology and trend others. Males are significantly more likely may facilitate this type of dining, what’s to be receptive to communal dining than the psychological motivation? Why on females (39 versus 30 per cent). earth would someone Pizza is firmly rooted want to sit at a large, long in the notion of commutable with strangers? The guests may nal dining, whether it’s at Much as the arts and a long table in your restauknow each crafts movement of the 20th rant or over a card table in century was essentially a a dorm room. The nugget other or simply backlash against the indusof wisdom here is in the be strangers trial revolution, a yearntrend and its underpining to connect may be the nings. Promote your pizzas who are put byproduct of the growth as a shared meal. Highlight together by of the Internet. People are the fact that all those sharlooking to food as a means ing in the pizza will have luck of the of generating more real-life the same dining experience draw. interactions; this perhaps is at the same time as opa way of combating isolaposed to “parallel dining” tion caused by technology where diners each order or it could be simply cravsomething different. If your ing someone to break bread with. More and target market skews younger, do consider more Canadians are becoming empty nest- introducing a long table to seat 10 or 12 ers as the baby boomers watch their echo people. Leverage social media to help dinboomer children leave home. Ten years ago ers find each other. Maybe there’s a meat a quiet table for two was a treat and now lover’s night or a thin crust fan club? It they’re eager to pay to sit at a table filled with will make effective use of your restaurant several other people to recreate the joy of a space, tap into a hot dining trend and creraucous meal. Communal dining certainly ate social connections over your food. As isn’t the most popular type of experience Charlotte Bronte said, “Happiness quite but it is a significant portion of the market. unshared can scarcely be called happiResearch by JWT titled “What’s Cooking: ness; it has no taste.” • Trends in Food” asked respondents to indicate yes or no to the question “I like the Brisebois is a marketing professional with expeidea of communal tables at restaurants and Michelle rience in the food, pharmaceutical, financial services and the ability to interact with other diners.” wine industries. She specializes in retail brand strategies.
14 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
the
Canadian Pizza show
SHO
W
Thank you To our 2012 sponsors Platinum
distributed by Gold
silver
bronze
Thank you To our 2012 aTTendees! here are some TesTimonials from This year’s shoW: “Great event very informative, awesome speakers, lots of great food, I met some very nice people and can’t wait to attend next year!” Sukh – Pizza Depot, Guelph
“It was very informative, inspiring and confirmed other pizzeria owners have the same ideas as us. Lots of what we learned we have thought of, just now we know we need to ACT. The experience was just overall great!” Josh & Rhonda Schlueter – Lotamecheese Pizzeria, Cambridge
“Thank you for all your hard work and we will most definitely attend another ‘Canadian Pizza’ again.” Sue and Dave Lanktree – Pizza Junction, Kitchener
Thank you To our 2012 exhibiTors (Lunch SponSor)
(break SponSor)
WaTch canadian pizza magazine for deTails on The 2013 shoW!
feature
The members of the afternoon panel (l-r Marina Rondinelli, Joe Leroux and Tom Stankiewicz) shared tried-and-true ways to outcompete the big chains.
Ideas and inspiration Tips to take away from the inaugural Canadian Pizza Business Forum BY STeFANIe WALLACe
I
nspiring and informative were two buzzwords attendees used to describe the first-ever Canadian Pizza Business Forum. Held June 26 at the Waterloo Inn Conference Hotel in Waterloo, Ont., the forum was a perfect opportunity for independent pizzeria owners to refresh their minds with new business practices and rekindle their love for what they do. Delegates of the show took in a fantastic day of listening to and interacting with presenters, including Diana Coutu, of Diana’s Gourmet Pizzeria in Winnipeg, and Scott Anthony of Fox’s Pizza Den in Punxsutawney, Penn. Best practices for outcompeting the big chains was the topic for the afternoon’s speaker panel, which included Marina Rondinelli, former owner of Rondo’s Pizza Plus in Bright’s Grove, Ont., Joe Leroux, owner of Amadio’s Pizza in Mississauga, Ont., and Tom Stankiewicz, owner of Bondi’s Pizza in
London, Ont. Jeff Cling of Fuller Landau Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors in Toronto rounded off the afternoon with a session on financial planning. In between speakers, the trade show floor was alive with conversation and networking among delegates and representatives from 18 companies. The day would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors: Pizza Master distributed by Alfa Food Service (platinum), Stanislaus Food Products (gold), Saputo Foodservice (silver) and Dairy Farmers of Canada/Santa Lucia (bronze). Many thanks to XLT Ovens for sponsoring breakfast and coffee breaks, and Moretti Forni/Faema Canada for sponsoring the buffet lunch, with ingredients donated by Stanislaus Food Products and Saputo Foodservice. More thanks to all exhibitors, speakers and attendees.
16 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
ToP 10 TiPS of ThE DAy Create a USP One of Diana Coutu’s low-cost marketing tips was to create a unique selling proposition, or a USP. “Your USP is not a slogan, it’s specifically what makes you different, what makes you better,” she said. Your USP should be something that sets you apart from your competition, like Coutu’s: “Great-tasting, awardwinning gourmet pizzas, delivered with exceptional service, guaranteed, or your money back.” Write several attributes of your business on index cards and devise a statement that incorporates all that are unique and important to your business. Advertise a money-back guarantee Coutu described the money-back guarantee tactic as something that “gives you brownie points for breathing.” If you
Continued on page 24
making dough with Diane
Retail your way to more money Diane Chiasson
izza operators can have great fun when it comes to selling retail and promotional items. These items can also help you enhance and strengthen your brand image and bring in extra profits. Provided they know about it, many of your loyal customers will want to buy your merchandise as long as it is unique and interesting. Ensure that your products are displayed prominently in your operation and on your website, and that the prices reflect their value. Set up a display case at the entrance of your operation, and use tent cards, signage, POP materials, or even e-mail marketing to inform your customers of your new and exciting products. There are also almost no drawbacks to selling retail products. Not only will you be able to create another stream of income, but each piece of merchandise that is purchased also acts as free advertising for your pizza operation. And if none of your products sell, you can always give them away as gifts for upcoming promotions. Here are six ideas for developing a line of retail products that you can sell in your operation to increase profits and create free advertising.
p
GifT cARDS Gift cards or gift certificates are a musthave. They are easy to make and easy to sell, especially during the holidays. Sales of gift cards are pure profit, as research has shown that nearly 25 per cent of them never get used. Gift cards are also great for bringing new customers into your operation since quite possibly the recipient of the gift card has never visited your place. The majority of gift card users also end up spending much more than the value
of their gift card, thereby increasing your average cheque. T-ShiRTS/cLoThiNG Pizza operators can have a lot of fun with Tshirts and other clothing items, especially those sporting funny logos, slogans, images and characters. Humorous puns and irony are particularly popular among patrons. T-shirts are also inexpensive to produce. Since kids tend to be big pizza lovers, be sure to create a separate line of fun and colourful T-shirts just for them. hATS While T-shirts and other types of clothing can be covered by jackets, your logo/ slogan on a hat will always be prominently displayed. Hats are also inexpensive to produce and act as a great marketing tool. Ensure that you source good quality hats that fit well and are stylish so that customers will want to wear them. iPhoNE cASES Phone cases are no longer used just for protective purposes. They are now considered a fashion accessory, and people change their cases to match their outfits or to make a statement. Sell branded iPhone cases with funky designs and fun slogans targeted at the youth market. PizzA ToyS Kids influence where the family eats when they dine out, so they are a key market to target. Sell a line of pizza toys that are fun and affordable. Create a collection of items
18 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
Selling a line of hats helps keep your logo on display.
that offers a new collectible for a limited time period each week/month so that you can draw repeat business driven by kids who want to purchase the entire collection. cANDy AND coNfEcTioNERy Consider selling pizza-themed lollipops, gummy pops, chocolate, packaged candy and other confectionary products labelled with your brand as souvenirs for kids (or adults) to take home. Because candy is fun and colourful, it is easy to set up a large merchandising display to not only increase sales, but to attract kids as well. Up-selling your customers with fun retail items creates bonus fun for your customers and bonus profit for you. • Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping restaurant, foodservice, hospitality and retail operators increase sales for over 30 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 416-926-1338, toll-free at 1-888-926-6655 or chiasson@ chiassonconsultants.com, or visit www.chiassonconsultants.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
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 Vision Foodservice Systems Halifax, Nova Scotia Tel: (902) 461-4615 Contact Ted Mussett Email: ted@visionfoodsystems.com
In partnership with the Dairy Farmers of Canada
Pizza
is the world of food’s chameleon. By mixing and matching ingredients and sauces in a myriad of ways, people have made pizza a cultural love affair for many countries around the globe. Combine the truly global nature of pizza with today’s gourmet cheese market and you get an unprecedented opportunity to offer your customers ethnic-inspired twists on old favourites while still connecting with big trends such as eating local. Cheese has and always will star in a leading role on your pizza. Get creative and let it shine!
A little goes A long wAy
Cheese is a big chunk of the pizza-making pie. Why not earn a little more from it? When you accent your pizza with a premium cheese you can upsell by a nice margin for a tidy profit. For example, an accent of .25 cents worth of cheese may allow you to raise the price of the item $1.00 or $1.50. Customers perceive the value and love the chance to try something new. It is becoming more and more common for pizzas to carry a main cheese and secondary cheese as people’s tastes become increasingly sophisticated. Using a higher-profile cheese also means getting more flavour, which in turn means using less cheese. “When using highquality cheese, it’s all about the flavour and not so much about the oooey-gooey,” says Kathy Guidi, cheese expert and author of Canadian Cheese: A Pocket Guide (McArthur Publishing). Try using full fat for maximum flavour and let the tongue speak for itself. If you’re wondering just how much Canadians love their cheese, consider this: In 2009, the annual cheese consumption in Canada was 12.28 kg per person, up from 11.58 kg in 2007 (Statistics Canada). There has been a boom in specialty cheese books, classes and blogs. One can only think to predict interest is growing and sales are poised to climb. Let fine cheese be the ingredient that differentiates you from you competition. Homegrown Heroes
Canadians are increasingly committed to buying and eating local. A recent study by BMO suggests that Canadians are willing to pay more to put local food on their tables. The survey showed that 81 per cent of Canadians are likely to purchase Canadian cheeses when shopping, with the No. 1 benefit cited as supporting their local producers. Locally inspired dishes topped the Canadian Restaurant and Food Association’s list of hot trends for 2012 in their chef survey for the second year in a row. Artisanal cheese was the No. 1 choice for a side and No. 9 as a hot trend overall. This survey reflects what customers are most excited about right now, and it can’t be denied that they’re excited about homegrown cheese. An online conversation from an Ontario VQA wine and cheese tasting event even trended No. 1 on Twitter. That’s amazing! Keep An eye on….
Firm cheese: People are starting to understand firm cheeses, says Kathy Guidi. “Soft cheeses seem to be where they begin, now they are starting to be swayed into firm, and Canadian
top 5 ideas to try today
1 2
Pairing wine and cheese in your pizza
Imagine merlot-soaked red onions, with a spicy sausage and beautiful aged cheddar. Delicious!
Smoky flavours are big
Try a smoked blue cheese like Blue Haze from the monks at the Abbaye de Saint-Benoît-du-Lac in Quebec. A bourbon-inspired sauce with a creamy, smoky cheese would be a terrific balance on the tongue.
3
Ethnic-inspired pizza
Now is a great time to add ethnic-inspired pizzas to your menu, like an India-inspired Butter Chicken pizza finished with a twist of Canadian-made pillow-soft Burrata by International Cheese Co./Santa Lucia.
4 5
Soft Cheese Blend a soft cheese such as ricotta into your sauce.
Canadian flair
Add Canadian Brie or Camembert to a wild mushroom pizza for the ultimate in earthy.
cheese producers make some marvelous ones, award winners, in that realm.” For a firm cheese full of accolades, try Louis D’or, a 40-kg cheese wheel, from La Fromagerie du Presbytère in SainteÉlizabeth-de-Warwick, Que, grand champion of the 2011 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix. Sue Riedl of the Globe and Mail called it a “conversation show stopper.” sAvvy selling
Since local ingredients are of utmost interest to your customers, shout the provincial home of your Canadian cheeses from the rooftops. Be specific about the cheesemaker. Pepper your menu with all the romance your star attraction deserves. Write “an amber-ale-beer-flavoured cheddar from The Village Cheese Co., made in the Thompson-Okanagan area of B.C.” rather than “cheddar.” One definitely sounds more exciting to try than the other. Resources like The Definitive Guide to Canadian Artisanal and Fine Cheeses by Gurth Pretty are a great way to find new cheeses and the story behind them. Let your own cheese passion spill into your marketing. If you are sending your customers e-newsletters, consider giving them information that will build excitement for your ingredients, such as different breeds of dairy cow or the difference between raw and pasteurized cheeses. Have little cards made up for customers to keep that tell them where they can buy the local artisanal cheese that they just ate at your establishment.
In partnership with the Dairy Farmers of Canada
From CoAst to CoAst: try tHese greAt 100% CAnAdiAn Cow’s milK CHeeses smoKed provolone by QuAlity CHeese (bellA CAsArA) www.qualitycheese.com
Based in Vaughan, Ont., Quality Cheese Inc. makes award-winning specialty Italian cheeses. Herb And gArliC goudA by sylvAn stAr www.sylvanstarcheesefarm.ca
This great gouda out of Red Deer, Alta., earned a championship title at this year’s Canadian Cheese Grand Prix. CAsey blue by tHornloe CHeese www.thornloecheese.ca
Thornloe Cheese has been making respected and award-winning cheeses in Ontario’s north for over 70 years. Curds by villAge CHeese Co. www.villagecheese.com
The Village Cheese Company is a small cheese plant in B.C. based on the estate winery concept that proudly proclaims on its website: “We have set the cheese industry back 70 years and we’re proud of it!” mAple smoKed CHeddAr by botHwell http://bothwellcheese.com
Bothwell Cheese has been creating beautiful, award-winning cheeses in Manitoba’s dairy belt since 1936. brie or CAmembert by nAturAl pAstures CHeese CompAny http://naturalpastures.com
Head cheesemaker Paul Sutter is known for crafting taste bud-titillating specialty cheeses from milk produced by Heritage Dairy Farms on Vancouver Island, where cows roam happily on a farm committed to sustainable practices and animal stewardship. FresH mozzArellA by internAtionAl CHeese Co. ltd. http://internationalcheese.ca
International Cheese of Toronto, known for its signature Santa Lucia line, handcrafts over 32 different cheese products, including award winners. FontinA by FromAges CdA www.fromagescda.com/en
Fromages CDA is a Quebec-based organization that distributes several different fabulous cheeses from multiple acclaimed artisanal cheesemakers. monterey JACK by Adl www.adl.ca
Amalgamated Dairies Limited of P.E.I. recently won 3rd place in the American Originals category for their Monterey Jack at an American Cheese Society event in Montreal.
guest column
New technologies and pest control Bill Melville
rom demanding healthier options and locally sourced ingredients to changing taste preferences, consumer demand is perpetually reshaping the foodservice industry. National chains and indpendent pizzerias alike must adapt to stay competitive and profitable. However, there is at least one constant that consumers (and health inspectors) will always demand – a pest-free dining experience. When it comes to pest control, it is important to implement an integrated pest management (IPM) program. This approach focuses on sanitation measures to minimize pest attractants such as food and water as well as facility maintenance to block pests’ access to your building. To combat this threat, the pest management industry has introduced new or improved technologies to help effectively treat pests that are a primary concern for pizzerias
f
fLiES These pests transmit more than 100 known pathogens, including E. coli, salmonella, staphylococcus and shingles. Flies leave behind bacteria every time they land through their contaminated bodies, regurgitated fluids or fecal deposits. To help combat flies, in addition to focusing on strict sanitation practices, the industry has adopted the use of insect light traps. These traps effectively capture flies, ensuring that proper identification and eradication procedures are implemented. These advancements in continuous, effective and sanitary fly control can be discreetly placed in virtually any location, and are well suited to food preparation areas. There are no chemicals to worry about and no concerns about airborne contamination from insect parts – a common problem with traditional “bug zappers.” That’s because the newer traps are
designed to attract flies using ultraviolet lights, and then capture them on a nontoxic adhesive trapping board inside the unit. These silent trapping devices operate 24 hours a day. cockRoAchES Cockroaches carry a number of organisms and bacteria that can cause food poisoning, diarrhea and dysentery. Roaches typically pick up these diseases by walking into contaminated environments and then spreading them to other areas. While thorough sanitation is the most effective way to combat cockroaches, there are new tools that can help trap and repel these pests. For example, pheromone traps use synthetic materials relating to the particular biology of a specific cockroach species to lure roaches to sticky traps. There also have been advancements in insect repellants to keep cockroaches from hiding in cracks and crevices. One such example is repellant dust, which uses naturally occurring compounds such as silica or natural pyrethrin to prevent roaches from entering harbourage areas. This is most effective when applied in small openings where roaches may hide. RoDENTS Rodents carry salmonella bacteria in their intestinal tracts and can contaminate food through bacteria passed in their droppings or urine. Researchers have recently revisited the effectiveness of ultrasonic devices to help manage rodent populations. Manufactured with specific sound frequencies that are out of the human hearing range, these could be ideal tools to help keep rodents from entering your pizzeria. Typically, ultrasonic devices are best suited to exterior applications, where rodents are always on the lookout for an easy entry point.
22 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
While some technologies are used for specific pests, there are others that can help with your overall pest management program. Here are a few you should consider: • Organic cleaners made with naturally occurring bacteria and enzymes eliminate the grease and grime pests feed on and breed in, especially in drains. • “Active monitors” and detection devices locate and track resilient pests. Active monitors can use specific attractants to draw in pests that are dwelling in close proximity to the devices. • Odour reduction technology can help limit the smells that attract pests to your facility. While it is tempting to use masking agents such as air fresheners, they are not effective for long-term odour control. Installing a misting system with powerful all-natural reactants can neutralize airborne odours from accumulated waste and convert odorous anaerobic bacteria into non-odorous facultative bacteria. Such systems do more than mask with ineffective perfumes; they eliminate odours at the source. No one technology can help you avoid a pest infestation, so it is important to work with your pest management provider to set up a plan to manage the specific pests in your environment. When combined with an IPM program, the right mix of new technologies is the key ingredient to pest control success. • Bill Melville is the quality assurance director for Orkin Canada. He has 35 years of experience in the industry and is an acknowledged leader in the field of pest management. For more information, e-mail bmelville@ orkincanada.com or visit www.orkincanada.com.
ideas and inspiraTion
Continued from page 16 give customers a reason to come and try your pizza with nothing to lose, they’re more likely to come and try your pies for the first time. “And besides,” she noted, “most of you, for honest mistakes, would offer to remake the pizza or refund the money – you would do what it takes to make it right.” Advertising and promoting this gives emphasis on your dedication to customer service. Use a direct-mail campaign You already know where your customers live, so why not contact them directly? Instead of sending out flyers, Coutu advised using a direct-mail campaign, sending letters to your customers with monthly specials, newsletters or referral programs. “Use the power of your database,” she said. Jazz up your business cards One of Scott Anthony’s sure-fire ways to build more media and community relationships is to make business cards more effective. He advises adding a photo of
T
Diana coutu on the podium at the canadian Pizza Business forum.
yourself, which gives a face to the company. Add a “Compliments of the house” line to the back of your card, and when interacting with members of your community, fill it in with whatever you choose, like free breadsticks.
he taste of
Tradition
Manufacturers and Distributors of Italian Specialty Cheeses and Food Products
T. 905.544.6281 F. 905.549.1196 20 Morley Street, Hamilton, Ontario, L8H 3R7
24 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
Engage with your customers This a key strategy for all members of your staff, including yourself, Anthony noted. When customers have a positive experience at your establishment, they will share it with their friends or family and become
regular customers. “Most of them aren’t coming back because of indifference. Training your staff on these little tips and getting them to interact are good ways to keep your customers coming back.” Become involved in the community The afternoon panel discussion featured three independent pizzeria owners with great strategies on keeping up with your competitors. If there’s room in the budget, Marina Rondinelli, former owner of Rondo’s Pizza Plus, advises supporting local sports teams and events with sponsorships, “It’s a good way to get your name out there, and the shirts last forever,” Rondinelli said. Keep a current POS system Joe Leroux, owner of Amadio’s Pizza in Mississauga, Ont., has used a POS system since 2005 to take orders, keep track of food costs and keep a customer database. It saves him time and money. “Using a pen and paper to take an order would take me two to three minutes,” he said. “I can take an order and ask how the family is in 15 to 20 seconds with a POS.” Stand out in a crowd of independents Like many of the delegates, Bondi’s Pizza owner Tom Stankiewicz found it hard to stick out in the saturated market. He took over an existing business in London, Ont., but changed the product from the typical cheesy Italian pizza to gourmet pizzas. He revamped the look of the restaurant, moving from an old location to a brand new location. Bondi’s Pizza created a buzz when one of his regular customers, who worked with a local arena/ concert venue, ordered pizza for bigname artists like the Black Eyed Peas and Deep Purple when the bands were visiting London on tour. Look for fraud red flags Jeff Cling, valuations manager at Fuller Landau, suggested proactive steps against fraud. “Make sure you screen your employees and have a good sense of who you are hiring,” he said. Have two people count the cash float the end of each evening. Monitor the sequence of your cheques and ensure all cheques have two signatures. Keep up with your financial statements and track disbursements. These are tasks that may sometimes get overlooked for the sake of saving time, but they are important to keeping your business accounts safe.
Keep a backup/recovery and disaster plan Should anything ever happen to you or your business, backing up your files and maintaining a disaster plan is key. “If something catastrophic happens, how will you make sure you can get back to business as quickly as possible?” Cling asked delegates. Keep your database of staff, supplier, customer and insurance information in a secure cloud storage system that can be accessed from
outside sources. Don’t overlook simple things like keeping flashlights and first aid kits available and stocked. “You don’t want any downtime where you’ll be losing sales or opportunities to make money.” If you haven’t already implemented some of these tactics, start incorporating them into your marketing and business plans. Watch for more exclusive video tips from our speakers on www.canadianpizzamag.com. •
sponsored by
Put Your
2011 Winner Joe Leroux
on our cover PizzaSEPOCT201
1.indd 1
11-08-30 11:24 AM
ARE YOU MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY? Contest Deadline Extended to November 1, 2012 Nominate your pizzeria for the Pizza with Purpose Award sponsored by Saputo Foodservice and share the spirit of generosity with your fellow pizzaiolos. 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. Simply send us your contact information as a nomination, by Friday, July 6, 2012. We will then contact you with further information. Everything you do from January 1, 2012, to November 1, 2012 counts. Saputo will award $2,500 to the winning pizzeria, which will also be featured on the cover of the January/February 2013 edition of Canadian Pizza magazine. NAmE(S) ________________________________________________________________________ ComPANy NAmE _________________________________________________________________ AddrESS ________________________________________________________________________ PhoNE __________________________________________________________________________ E-mAil __________________________________________________________________________
4 EASY WAYS TO NOMINATE YOUR PIZZERIA Submit the information above to: Canadian Pizza magazine Pizza with Purpose Award MAIL Annex Business media Po Box 530, 105 donly dr. South, Simcoe, ontario, N3y 4N5 OR PhONE 1-416-522-1595 OR FAx 1-888-404-1129 OR E-MAIL laiken@annexweb.com
Pizza_Purpose_Saputo sept12.indd 1
The Pizza with Purpose award sponsored by
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 pizza 25
12-08-13 7:03 AM
feature
Record-breaking pizza Steveston Pizza Co. on turning pizza into art BY JuLIe FITz-gerALD
N
ader Hatami didn’t set out to break a record for the most expensive pizza ever sold, but that’s exactly what happened in April when he received an order for his now infamous “C6” pizza priced at $450. The pizza became the most expensive pizza sold in the world (without gold), according to World Records Academy. Currently, the Guinness World Records website credits Maze restaurant in the U.K. with the most expensive pizza. Maze’s pizza sells for $178 US, says Guinness. The 12-inch pizza, number C6 on the menu, must be ordered one day prior to allow for preparation. It begins with a base of braised scampi-prawn in a sauce Américaine (think a denser version of lobster bisque), with a bit of lobster added above the cheese, and then pizza is baked. After baking, Hatami assembles his masterpiece, fanning lobster out from the centre of the pie, followed by smoked salmon, caviar and a dollop of crème fraâche Add a final sprinkle of chives and the C6 is ready to enjoy. “It’s not the kind of food you make dinner out of, it’s the kind of food that you dine from,” Hatami said of the pizza that is now known around the globe. “You take it home, you open it up and it’s something that’s very artistic. It has to be artistic, otherwise, why do it?” When Hatami opened Steveston Pizza Co. in Richmond, B.C., six years ago, it was simply for a change of pace. After working as a chef in hotels and restaurants, followed by a six-year stint on cruise lines writing menus and working as a corporate trainer, Hatami felt the need to be land-based. Soon after, a tiny 387-square-foot storefront in historic Steveston Village caught his eye. The space was ideal for either a pizzeria or an ice cream parlour. Luckily for Richmond residents, the pizzeria was a more viable option. From its opening day, Steveston Pizza
The infamous “c6” pizza priced at $450.
Co. was a hit. “One thing led to another and from the first day that I opened it was busy, we had lineups. For me it was new, I’d never done pizza before, it was crazy!” The pizza shop quickly became a customer favourite, with loyal patrons travelling upwards of an hour just to sink their
26 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
teeth into one of Steveston Pizza’s unique pies. Hatami drew from his previous experience when creating his one-of-a-kind menu. “We always created menus that under-promised and over-delivered. The menu didn’t seem like there was much to it. Customers didn’t form a high expectation,
but when they got the dish, the idea was to exceed all expectations and provide the ‘wow’ factor. Every pizza has to have garnish, design and uniqueness.” The pizzeria was such a hit that Hatami opened a second location in Surrey/White Rock in 2010 and a third location in Vancouver last year. He attributes his success to the freshness and artistic flair that embodies each pizza made in his stores. “There has to be a definition for high quality. High quality cannot be a logo; it cannot be a label. It also doesn’t necessarily mean that you pay high prices,” he said. “One main rule that has to be followed is that, for example, if you chopped an onion today for your pizzas and you have a slow day, don’t use that onion tomorrow. If you have to throw a handful of it out, that’s not a waste, that’s an investment for your tomorrow.” Thanks to a barrage of international media after selling his first C6 pizza, Hatami is now known as the man who snatched away celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s record for most expensive pizza ever sold.
However, he is quick to point out that most of his menu options are comparable in price to other pizzerias. This is where the media frenzy becomes both a blessing and a hindrance for Hatami. “It’s good in the sense that our name is out there and it’s great for branding our product, but CNN and the others, all they talked about was the $450 pizza. It made it sound like all we are is an expensive pizza shop, but our average price is $20.” At first glance, Hatami’s C6 pizza may seem like a publicity stunt, but after learning more about his philosophy of food and affinity for artistic expression, it’s clear that Hatami is more interested in creating food with flair. “The idea was to create a pizza that is beautiful and tasty and full of culinary art; then you price it. It shouldn’t be the other way around,” he said. “I did it for the fun of it. It wasn’t to buy a house off of it. I’ve sold only two C6s and eight C5s [priced at $128]; it’s not going to make me rich or poor. I thought the pizza was great and I put it on the menu. It doesn’t matter
if it sells or not. It’s all about what you represent, what your menu represents, what your mind represents. It’s what your creativity brings.” When asked if he actually expected to sell his C6 pizza, Hatami responds with a laugh – “Absolutely not!” And what of the media attention? “You don’t expect it, but it’s no biggie, it’s just a pizza. It’s how much pride you can have serving it that matters.” The future of Steveston Pizza Co. is bright, with two new locations set to open in the Philippines in September and December of this year. Hatami has a lot on his plate, but feels positive about what is to come. “I want to ensure that whoever wants to invest in our ideas is not after money but is after success and recognition. It’s true that a big element in measuring success is money, but it shouldn’t be the first element. The biggest element is personal satisfaction.” • Julie Fitz-Gerald is a freelance writer based in Uxbridge, Ont., and a regular conributor to Canadian Pizza.
The PanSaver® Cook & Chill System Easy as 1 – 2 – 3
1. Fill
2. Clip
3. Chill
The PanSaver® Cook & Chill System Lets You: Facilitate food-on-demand vs. having to cook-and-serve Hold food up to 28 days in food grade sanitary barrier bags Preserve nutrient integrity and flavor for up to 28 days Portion and safely transport food to other locations
Our Cook & Chill System is space saving, easy to use and highly cost effective.
Cook & Chill Supplies
CFIA•ACIA
Gwynedd Corporate Center 1120 Welsh Road, Suite 170 North Wales, PA 19454 www.pansaver.com 1-877-PAN-SAVR (726-7287)
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 pizza 27
equipMent
equipMent
Worlds Finest Dough Presses, Divider/Rounders & Dough Dividers
DUT/DM-18
BMIH
MANUAL PIZZA DOUGH PRESS
Manually Operated DOUGH DIVIDER
Dough up to 18” diameter Economically priced
1-9 ounce dough capacity per piece, 36 or 18 at a time.
Dutchess has you covered with dough dividing, rounding and pressing to produce the perfect pizza crust. 1-800-777-4498 sales@dutchessbakers.com www.dutchessbakers.com
gluten-Free
pos sYsteMs “Since we installed SpeedLine, we’ve tripled our sales and lowered our food cost.” - DIANA COUTU, DIANA’S GOURMET PIZZERIA.
Book an online demo today! www.speedlinesolutions.com I 888.400.9185
Heated deliverY sYsteMs
ElEctric HotBag DElivEry SyStEm
3x2 ad April 09.indd 1
3/25/2009 9:23:46 AM
No temperature drop from oven to customer • Bag heats to & stays at 160°-175° • Heats from top & bottom
• Lightweight Thermoloft™ nylon
• The original, proven & patented In-store delivery system heats up to 12 HOTBAGS at once.
800-927-6787 www.HotBag.com
Made in the USA by the Check Corporation
28 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
2
Marketing
Consulting serviCes
Double Your Sales Immediately! Learn tips & tricks from a Master Pizzaiolo. Order your copy of Canadian Pizza Baking Champion Diana Coutu's cookbook Passionate About Pizza at www.annexbookstore.com
online ordering
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 pizza 29
3
pizza on fire
Tom Stankiewicz y law, every pizzeria must be equipped with a grease trap. It’s a simple plumbing device that separates grease from water and stops grease from entering the sewer system. If grease does enter the sewer system, there is a very high probability that it will cause a sewer pipe blockage over time. All pizzerias use deep fryers for things like chicken wings or panzerotti, and the rules and regulations apply to us the same as to any other restaurant business. I thought it would be worthwhile to review these guidelines since I, myself, recently had a visit from the city inspector. First, let’s understand what a grease trap actually does. Simply put, when wastewater enters the grease trap, the grease gets separated from water by floating to the top of the trap. The wastewater flows to the sanitary sewer while the oil remains in the trap. It is important that the grease trap is cleaned regularly and serviced at least once every two months to keep it running smoothly. Overlooking the cleaning of a grease trap can lead to serious environmental problems. Blocked sewers can lead to a sewage backup into your business, other properties or local rivers. It can also lead to serious health problems for employees or visiting customers. Aside from this, the city’s public health unit can close down your business until the problem is fixed. The idea, of course, is to prevent any of that before it actually happens. Every city website offers tips on how to properly manage grease. As you can imagine, the list isn’t short; however, there are three tips that make the most sense to me. First, it is the owner’s responsibility to train all staff in proper waste management. It only takes one person who doesn’t know the correct procedures to start the ball rolling in the wrong direction. Second, all sinks
b
Avoiding a messy situation should be equipped with a strainer. Third, all solid grease buildups must be removed from equipment before washing it. In our case, the city inspector came in to make an appointment for the following week. I invited him to come in and have a look right away. It was nice to hear that everything looked great. He explained that their job is to teach and explain to the business owners how to clean and prevent grease spills. Finding out how often we clean the grease trap, how it is cleaned, and who empties it for us, allows inspectors to ensure proper procedures are being followed. It’s an opportunity to provide guidance and assistance to a business owner who may not realize that he or she hasn’t been complying with regulations. The appointment was set for a more detailed inspection. Two days before the appointment, the company that was emptying the grease bin for us spilled some of it. We could have been fined up to $400 for the spill, plus up to $1,800 to have the city clean it, and hundreds of dollars for an environmental company to check how deep the spill was. It was pure luck for us that the inspector had looked at everything just a few days earlier and understood that the cleaning company was at fault. He gave us a few days to deal with the company ourselves and ensure they cleaned up the mess. I filed a complaint with the company and was notified that it takes a lot longer than a few days for them to review the complaint and then act on it. We had a business to run and couldn’t wait for the company to clean up the spill. Based on that update, the inspector offered assistance by letting us know exactly how it should be cleaned, and we ended up doing it ourselves. In short, we had to use the same cleaning product that automobile
30 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
We had a business to run and couldn’t wait for the company we hired to clean our grease bin to clean up their spill.
mechanics use for oil spills. The product acts like a sponge that soaks the oil out of the ground. Then we had to use a power washer and commercial vacuum to suck the rest of the grease out of the ground to prevent further contamination. The process had to be repeated a few times. This was definitely an eye-opener for us. First of all, we now understand what is involved in the clean-up process. Second, we realized that we hadn’t properly researched the background of the company we hired to take care of the grease trap for us. We never thought to question their procedures when problems arise, what their service level agreement is, how long it takes to review a complaint, or how they have handled complaints in the past. We failed to ask these very important questions and had to do the job ourselves. It was a lesson learned for us the hard way, but it should motivate you to ask questions. • Tom Stankiewicz has been in the pizza business for more than 15 years. He has been the proprietor of Bondi’s Pizza in London, Ont., since 2000, and is president of the Canadian Pizza Team.
Own the bragging rights of being Canada’s favourite pizzeria! Registration:
You could Win $10,000 worth of free Saputo Pizza Mozzarella!
Closes October 12, 2012
Voting: Begins October 22, 2012 Closes November 30, 2012
Winners will be announced: January 15, 2013
For more information about how to participate, contact your Saputo Sales representative or your local Saputo branch office: Visit www.pizzahalloffame.ca for the complete rules and regulations. One (1) grand prize consisting of a one year supply of pizza mozzarella cheese (value of $10,000 CDN) three (3) secondary prizes consisting of free pizza mozzarella cheese (value of $3,000 CDN each) and three (3) participation prizes consisting of free pizza mozzarella cheese (value of $1,500 CDN each). The chances of winning depend on the number of participating pizzerias and the number of votes received by each of them from customers.
VANCOUVER ........... (604) 946-5611 EDMONTON ............. (780) 468-5811 SASKATOON ............ (306) 931-0040 WINNIPEG ................ (204) 987-6345 TORONTO ................ (905) 264-7600 OTTAWA ................... (613) 741-9718
MONTRÉAL .............. (514) 328-3605 QUÉBEC .................... (418) 651-5220 DARTMOUTH ........... (902) 468-5700 MONCTON ................ (506) 859-8888 ST. JOHN’S................ (709) 753-3943