Volume 21 Issue 5 September/October 2015
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12 THE RISE OF FAST-CASUAL
What you need to know to defend your slice of the market
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16 EXPERIENCING GUSTO
COVER: What’s new at the Canadian Pizza Show? Turn to page 27 for details on our Oct. 19 show, which includes a blast from the past and a nod to the next generation.
High-energy Pizzeria Gusto in Winnipeg is bringing in – and keeping – customers by creating a one-of-a-kind dining experience
20 MOVING TARGETS
What being mobile-friendly means for your pizzeria and how you can get there
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27
CANADIAN PIZZA SHOW EVENT GUIDE Check out this year’s speakers, schedule, competitions, exhibitors and more
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DEPARTMENTS 6
editor’s desk
8
pizza bites
10
the pizza chef
24
making dough
26
marketing insights
34
pizza on fire
www.canadianpizzamag.com SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 pizza 3
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from the editor’s desk September/October 2015, Vol. 21, No. 5
Fast-casual opportunity he Canadian restaurant landscape is undergoing a sea of change, but pizzerias are in a great position to ride it out. We’ve been hearing much of late about the growth and popularity of fast-casual style restaurants. In our feature story “The Rise of Fast-Casual,” Brandi Cowen talks to the experts in an effort to pin down just what this trend is, and more importantly, what it means for the pizza industry. Fast-casual restaurants may be defined as providing healthier fare than you might get at a typical quick-service restaurant, plenty of choice in items, technology options such as online ordering or free WiFi, and sometimes even table service. With such an appealing formula, the relatively new sector accounts for one per cent of the total foodservice market in Canada, and it is predicted to grow. It’s no surprise that behind the growth of fast-casual restaurants is a rising tide of millennial customers who crave a change of pace, control over their options and value for money. Is the growth of fast-casuals a threat to pizzerias? Sitting smugly on the fence between quick-service restaurants and sit-down locations, they seem to present the best of both worlds. They are cafeterias but with nicer ingredients. They are healthy dining but without pretention. They are more expensive than fast food but less expensive than sit-down dining. With traffic in both quick-service and full-service pizzerias down in Canada over the past year, it makes more sense to view fast-casual as a success story rather than a threat. Its strong, steady growth is telling us something. But what? It’s telling us people eating out may want to grab-and-go but they also want the experience to be about more than just food. A recent NPD Group CREST
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6 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
research report suggests consumers believe the top benefits to eating out involve the experience and how good it makes them feel. It’s telling us people like to have a bit of control over how much they spend when eating out and over which ingredients they consume. It’s telling us that, like Goldilocks, diners can find the “just right” option that offers value and makes them comfortable. Pizzerias make some high-quality, innovative pie, but it’s the concept of pizza itself that offers the advantage: it is designed to customize and it is designed to share. Pizza already meets important criteria for the millennial crowd. Appealing to this crowd may be more a matter of tweaking your formula than changing course altogether. If you aren’t already doing so, consider offering vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and organic options. If you’re not ready to change your menu, a pizza of the week is a great way to test the waters. Offer a range of drink choices. Encourage socializing with communal tables as Winnipeg’s Pizzeria Gusto does (see page 16). Finally, teach your staff to provide excellent customer service, a commodity that can elevate your business. Remember the well-worn adage coined by Bain & Company: “It costs six to seven times more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one.” Strong trends like this may best be taken as a consideration when making changes in your restaurant and not as a reason to rock the boat. As Pizzeria Gusto owner Bobby Mottola wisely suggests in this issue, “Focus on your own business, be open to change. And listen to your guest.”
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Editor Laura Aiken laiken@annexweb.com 416-522-1595 Associate Editor Colleen Cross ccross@annexweb.com 519-428-3471 ext. 261 Publisher Christine Livingstone clivingstone@annexweb.com 519-429-5173 888-599-2228 ext. 239 Account Coordinator Shannon Drumm sdrumm@annexweb.com 888-599-2228, ext. 219 Media Designer 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
Alcohol sales down but wine, craft beer sales up lthough alcoholic beverage servings in Canadian restaurants have declined by one per cent per year since 2010, craft beer and wine servings are up, according to the NPD Group, whose latest report offers strategies for upselling. “The beverage menu is often overlooked by consumers in an effort to minimize their cheque size,” said Robert Carter, NPD Group’s executive director. “As a result operators are constantly seeking out innovative strategies to add value to the dining experience and to encourage higher-margin beverage sales.” The NPD Group’s CREST Monitor report identified several strategies to increase consumption, including offering specials, pairings, and customized recommendations. When The NPD Group asked customers what usually triggers their alcoholic beverage choices, 20 per cent of beer drinkers said “special deals,” which often involves a discounted price. For wine customers, 23 per cent say “pairing with another item” triggered their
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purchase, adding value by elevating the dining experience. Interestingly, only three out of 10 beer customers automatically reach for their favourite brand when raising a pint, leaving 70 per cent to make a choice every time they visit. Beer has declined by six per cent this year while cocktails and other drinks were down by 10 per cent. However, not all categories are feeling the same pinch. Craft beer servings have experienced strong growth of seven per cent year over year. Furthermore, craft and microbrew beer now account for 17 per cent of all beer at casual dining restaurants. Consumers also are turning to wine much more often, as servings in this category have grown by 16 per cent year over year. “These declining consumption levels are certainly a challenge for restaurant operators,” Carter said. “Being aware of consumer trends, and then acting on them can make the difference between turning a profit and having to close your doors.”
Topper’s offers franchising incentives to military vets opper’s Pizza recently became a part of the Canadian Franchise Association’s Military Veterans Program and is using the initiative to draw new Ontario franchisees. The program, developed with the Department of National Defence, is designed to help honourably discharged Canadian Forces personnel who want to transition to work outside the Forces through opportunities in franchising. In recognition of their service to Canada, Topper’s Pizza through the program is offering Canadian military veterans substantially reduced franchise and licensing fees (up to 50 per cent) to become franchisees in the chain. Topper’s also will provide a marketing allowance to each location and develop a campaign targeting local customers, said Keith Toppazzini, Topper’s president and COO. A big part of that marketing effort is putting out a profile of the franchisee that introduces them to their community and highlights their charitable efforts for and involvement. The chain is focusing recruiting efforts in Angus, Ont., which has a high population of current and former military members and is adjacent to CFB Borden near Barrie and Wasaga Beach. “People in the military make ideal candidates because they tend to be process- and results-driven and thrive in a structured environment,” Toppazzini said.
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 pizza 9
the pizza chef
Dough know-how Diana Cline
ever underestimate the power of great dough. As little as five simple ingredients becomes the base of your pizza: good or bad, it all starts here. Most of us pizzeria operators can get the same toppings and cheese as the next guy down the block. The level of quality and freshness you each choose determines your standards for your pizza. This leaves it up to your dough to flatten or to enhance the flavours featured on your pie. Pizza dough is actually quite easy to make, once you know what you’re doing. Salt, yeast, water, olive oil and flour – sometimes sugar. It’s science, but not rocket science. Choose a flour that lends itself to the characteristics of the style of pizza crust you want to create. Some operators ask me if the added expense of olive oil over mainstream canola or vegetable oil is worth it. And my answer is always, yes, olive oil gives your crust that authentic Italian bread flavour. If you spend the extra money on better-quality toppings, cheeses and tomatoes for your sauce, then it’s only natural that you’d appreciate the flavour enhancement of a good olive oil. Be careful not to over-mix your dough. Anything more than nine minutes with an industrial mixer is too much. After your dough is mixed, allow it to rest, covered, for 15 minutes. This allows the gluten strands to realign. Then cut, weigh and gently roll your dough into balls. I’ve seen a lot of new guys work the dough over something nasty when rolling it into balls. Over-mixing or over-kneading will result in a tough, chewy crust, no matter what quality ingredients you start with.
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Unless you’re making your dough en- accounts for at least 30 per cent and up to tirely by hand, you need only to gently 40 per cent of our sales. tuck the dough into a ball – making sure Once you have a great recipe, you can there aren’t any bubbles in your tuck. turn your dough into another revenue This would become a thin spot when you stream. We sell our dough balls fresh and stretch it out. frozen fresh. If you wrap unproofed dough If you want, you can get fancy with balls and put them in freezer-grade bags, your dough recipe by they can stay in the freezer working with a starter and for up to four months. adding it to your regular When our customer is ready batch. This is often called to use the dough balls, they Pizza dough is a biga or poolish method. simply leave them on their actually quite It makes a much more flacounter for 2.5 hours or vourful crust, but requires leave them in their fridge easy to make. additional work to achieve overnight to use the next . . . It’s science, day. this result. Managing your dough We give out free doughbut not rocket is an art in itself. There is ball recipes in our customer science. a “sweet zone” in every area in my newsletter, indough patty’s life when it’s cluding “Simple Sticks” a breeze to stretch out and with olive oil and sea salt, bakes up the perfect goldan herb focaccia, homeen crisp brown. Over-proofed dough won’t made pizza and cinnamon rolls. Who rise as well and will have burn spots if used knew our dough recipe also made great for a pizza, but it will make excellent bread- whole-wheat cinnamon rolls? sticks. For best results, keep a well-mainThink of how much work we save a tained, clean walk-in at a consistent tem- customer by selling ready-made dough. perature (34 to 38 F) and allow your dough There are a lot of people out there who time to proof – at least 24 hours will give it love to cook even though their time is time to develop its flavours. The biga and limited. They love quick and easy recipes poolish methods take a minimum of 48 that give them delicious, hot and fresh hours to develop their flavours. results from their oven. It’s a whole difAt my shop, we specialize in dough. ferent market. • We make four styles of crust (medium, thick, thin and crispy thin) available in Diana Cline is a two-time Canadian Pizza Magazine Chef of the Year champion, internationally recognized gourmet white or whole wheat. We also make our pizzaiolo, owner of Diana’s Cucina & Lounge in Winnipeg, award-winning Moosehead Beer dough. Man., and a director for the CRFA from 2009 to 2013. Pizza crust preference is a very personal In addition to creating award-winning recipes, Diana is also a consultant to other pizzeria owner/operators in taste. A lot of people love thin, some like menu development, creating systems to run a pizzeria on it crispy, some don’t. Others like a bal- autopilot, along with marketing and positioning to help ance between crust, cheese and toppings. operators grow their business effectively and strategically. She is available for consulting on a limited basis. For more Depending on the week, whole wheat information contact her at dianaslcline@gmail.com.
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 pizza 11
feature
The rise of fast-casual
What you need to know to defend your slice of the market BY BRANDI COWEN
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ompetition for share of Canadian restaurant spending is heating up, thanks, in part, to an emerging category that’s attracting increasingly confident consumers in droves. Fast-casual restaurants let the diner to place a custom order at the counter. They promise higher quality of food made with fresher ingredients than what’s found on the menu at a typical fast-food outlet, sold at a slightly higher price point. They also usually offer a more comfortable, inviting atmosphere in which dine-in customers can enjoy the meal than a typical quick service restaurant (QSR) offers. “It’s a variation on quick-serve with higher quality ingredients – and often the ability to select ingredients – and it may or may not include having the food delivered to the table. That’s how I define it: higher quality, higher cheque average and potential delivery to the table as opposed to the customer taking it to the table,” explains Jeff Dover, principal with fsStrategy Inc. The fast-casual concept has resonated well with consumers and gained a foothold in the Canadian market. According to research from The NPD Group, fast-casual now accounts for one per cent of the total foodservice market in Canada – a figure that’s projected to grow in the future. “Fast-casual in Canada has been in dynamic growth for five years,” notes Mark Dempsey, director of client
development for foodservice with The NPD Group. “Over the course of the next three or four years we expect to see fast-casual’s share continue to grow, and certainly well ahead of the marketplace.” Dempsey says that within the next three years, the sector could account for as much as five per cent of the total commercial foodservice pie. The rise of fast-casual could spell trouble for many pizza operators. According to NPD data released in May, all of the top pizza players across the country are seeing declines, with traffic down anywhere from one to 10 per cent. These declines are seen at both QSRs and full service restaurants (FSRs). Overall, Dempsey says, year over year traffic in the pizza category is down six per cent. “This is a continued decline over the past couple of years,” he explains. “Action is required to stop the continued loss of traffic and dollars from the pizza marketplace. The fast-casual marketplace is certainly a key contributor to the decline that has been seen in QSR and FSR pizza.” “In Canada the number of occasions where people dine out has been relatively flat since we recovered from the last recession, so as the fast-casual segment is growing, the growth is coming from somewhere else,” Dover adds. He says the fast-casual segment is perfectly
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Hungry for tech-enabled conveniences Millennial customers Many Canadian consumers are already turning to fastwant ordering and casual options to purchase pizza. Technomic’s 2014 payment technology as Canadian Pizza Consumer Trend Report found that half of well as free Wi-Fi. all pizza consumers (51 per cent) purchased fast-casual pies at least once a month. Convenience was among the top three drivers of pizza purchasing occasions, along with cravings and affordability. Incorporating technology into the customer experience can go a long way toward offering the kind of convenience that many consumers find so appealing in many fast-casual restaurants. For pizzerias with well-established delivery programs and online or mobile ordering systems, these time-saving tools can help win over millennials and other busy consumers. Online ordering has proven successful for U.S. based fast-casual pizza chains such as Blaze Pizza and Pieology, which both offer customers the option to order their customized pies online for pickup in store. Pre-ordered pizzas are assembled and then set aside; the customer must check in at the counter before staff cook the pizza. Providing tablets and kiosks that customers can use to place their in-store orders and pay for their purchases can bring further convenience to the customer experience while reducing staffing requirements. However, Jeff Dover, a principal with fsStrategy Inc., cautions that despite high consumer acceptance for using technology to place orders, his experience shows tolerance is much lower when devices are used to try and upsell customers. Technomic also reports that in addition to ordering and payment technology, millennials want digital loyalty programs and free Wi-Fi from the restaurants they frequent.
positioned to attract full-service diners seeking to “trade down” their cheque average as well as quick-service customers seeking to “trade up” their dining experiences. Dover characterizes Canada’s fast-casual segment as being “in its infancy,” though he notes that the concept has already carved out a loyal following among millennials. This generation of consumer, loosely defined as those born between the early 1980s and the late 1990s, are now the largest demographic dining out. In fact, millennials recently overtook baby boomers in restaurant spending. As millennials flex this newfound economic muscle, savvy foodservice operators continue to ask, “What do millennials want?” WHAT CONSUMERS WANT The millennial generation is not nearly as bound to traditional meals eaten during traditional day parts as previous generations
have typically been. Dover sums up the millennial mindset as: “I want to eat what I want to eat when I want to eat it.” This attitude is reflected in the changing ways in which millennials – as well as many other consumers – are using restaurants. NPD data shows that QSR pizza operators in Canada have taken a five per cent hit in lunch traffic and a dramatic nine per cent hit in dinner traffic. “We’re finding consumers increasing their snacking occasions as opposed to going in for the main meal parts. Of course, when you go in for pizza for a snack, you’re only buying a slice or two as opposed to buying a whole pizza,” Dempsey says. “It’s an interesting time for QSR pizza operators because they need to try and turn around this snacking trend and bring consumers back to the traditional core part of their business – lunch and supper occasions.” But, Dover notes, these changing day
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NUMBER CRUNCHING
Fast-casual facts
Fast-casual restaurants are challenging quick-service and full-service restaurants to appeal to millennials with higher quality, higher cheque average and potential delivery to the table.
>15%
Growth of fast-casual restaurants compared to flat or declining numbers in quick-service and full-service restaurants
ONE PER CENT Percentage of the total foodservice market in Canada accounted for by fast-casual
45%
of Canadians expect an upscale ambiance at fast-casual restaurants
⁄2
1 to10% 1
Traffic declines seen by top pizza players in Canada
63%
of pizza consumers say they purchase fast-casual pizza at least monthly
AMBIENCE ELEMENTS
86%
of consumers say fresh toppings are important in creating a good pizza
of consumers typically order pizza by phone versus 75% in 2012
32%
of Canadians expect upscale ambiance at fast-food concepts
Consumers are now more open to less traditional pizza ingredients
• streamlined décor • better lighting • more-contemporary music
5%
Percentage of the total commercial foodservice pie the sector could account for within the next three years
3.2 The average number of times per month Canadian pizza consumers report eating pizza
Source: The NPD Group, Technomic
part visits aren’t the only challenges posed by the habits of mil- diners like to be able to say they tried something new. Restaulennial consumers. “They want to be able to customize and they rants that recognize this and adapt their menus, even if it’s with a limited time offer, are more successful than a want to have authentic ingredients, authentic flarestaurant or restaurant chain that isn’t doing any vours and authentic preparation.” menu innovation.” This appetite for authenticity has helped drive “No one is really Many pizza chains have already rolled out the success of the fast-casual powerhouse Chipospecialty pies to cater to this craving for authentle Mexican Grill. The chain’s 1,700-plus locaowning fasttic flavours. Boston Pizza’s offerings include a tions serve burritos, tacos, and salads made from casual pizza, Sriracha Chicken pie topped with Sriracha pizza ingredients such as steak marinated in chipotle sauce, Sriracha chicken and sesame seeds, and a pepper adobo and hot tomatillo red-chili salsa. today. There’s Butter Chicken pizza topped with creamy butter Authentic flavours are also driving the success of an opportunity chicken sauce and diced butter chicken. Pizza ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, Chipotle’s Asian-inspired fast-casual concept. ShopHouse for someone to Hut offers its own take on this Indian-inspired flavour combination. Meanwhile the Thai Sensaallows customers to pair rice, noodles, or salad with ingredients such as chicken marinated in come in and own tion from Topper’s Pizza features chicken strips, green peppers, roasted red peppers, and sweet coconut milk, charred corn and tamarind vinaithat space.” – and spicy Thai sauce. The chain’s Mexican pie grette to create a customized taste experience. Mark Dempsey, is made with salsa in place of tomato sauce and Sustained, strong performances by brands like with Mexican beef, onions, tomatoes and Chipotle and ShopHouse have inspired other foodThe NPD Group topped jalapeño peppers. Pizza Pizza has also responded service operators to take a look at their menus to demand for menu innovation, creating an and identify opportunities to innovate. “international” line up of small, gourmet pies “If you watch what’s happening on menus, topped with ingredients associated with couna lot of restaurants that have been successful in maintaining their share or growing their share of visits are doing tries such as Greece, Thailand, Mexico and Argentina. All of these offerings hint at one advantage that gives pizza a it with authentic foods or new flavours,” Dover says. “Younger
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leg up when competing with fast-casuals. “We already allow for customization in a full-service pizzeria: you’ve got your staple pre-topped pizzas, but you can always order a custom pizza,” Dover says. “In that way, pizzerias have been innovators in allowing customization to do what you want on a pizza.” Another factor that works in pizza’s favour is the growing trend of sharing. There is a growing consumer demand for tapas-style group meals that can be easily shared. “Sharing of meals is in significant growth and has been for the last several years. We expect to see that trend continue,” Dempsey says. “Sharing fits perfectly with fast-casual pizza; it’s aimed at groups who are looking for higher quality products in fun, casual environments.” THE FUTURE OF FAST-CASUAL IN CANADA Fast-casual is here to stay, but how the market shapes up – particularly with respect to pizza – remains to be seen. “No one is really owning fast-casual pizza, today. There’s an opportunity for someone to come in and own that space,” Dempsey says. “The time is right for pizza operators to move towards encouraging dine-in occasions and to drive up the cheque by offering innovative sharing options for large groups and by providing high-quality beverages and desserts that aren’t available at traditional pizza outlets.” The fast-casual segment seems set to make some serious
inroads across the country. This year Blaze Pizza plans to open the first of at least 60 franchise units here in Canada, joining a number of home-grown operators already making a go of fast-casual pizza. The build-your-own pizza chain is set to open units in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan beginning this fall. And it’s not just new players who are experimenting with fast-casual pizza in the Canadian market. Boston Pizza launched its first fast-casual location at Calgary’s Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) back in 2012, offering pizza by the slice and medium and large pies in addition to pastas, salads, soups and wings. Topper’s Pizza launched its first fast-casual location last year in Chelmsford, Ont. These examples offer up one possible future of fast-casual pizza in Canada: established brands turning to new channels to reclaim and grow their share of the market. One thing is for certain: the fast-casual concept is here to stay and pizza is perfectly positioned to become a competitive offering in the foodservice market. •
For more on trends, visit www.canadianpizzamag.com
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Experiencing Gusto High-energy, friendly Pizzeria Gusto in Winnipeg is bringing in customers with a one-of-a-kind dining experience BY COLLEEN CROSS
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ou couldn’t blame Bobby Mottola for being a little distracted while talking with Canadian Pizza. The busy entrepreneur not only was in the midst of getting a six-week-old second restaurant off the ground but also was waiting for an important phone call from his wife, who was expecting their second child the day of our interview. “My leg is tapping, waiting . . . but it’s good,” he says with a laugh, before graciously giving us his full attention to share the success story of Pizzeria Gusto. At least he didn’t mind staying close to the phone. Bobby Mottola and his father, Don, together run Gusto, a bustling 110-seat restaurant on Academy Road in Winnipeg that is known for its friendly, welcoming atmosphere. The father-and-son pair started the business as a pizza-only restaurant in 2008 and steadily added other Italian dishes, asking for feedback as they went. The menu reads like an Italian film festival, with such pizza names as The Don, Sophia and Sinatra. Some pies throw local ingredients into the mix: on the Pancetta e Salame, for example, Manitoba bacon shares billing with chillies, Calabrese salami and Fontina cheese. One of their specialties, the Romesco, serves an even higher purpose than satisfying loyal customers. The pie features spicy red pepper sauce, caramelized onions, cacciatore sausage, pecorino, arugula and pine nuts, and the Mottolas donate a portion of the Romesco’s sales receipts to the Cool 2Be Kind Campaign, which aims to empower kids in the face of bullying. This sense of caring seems in keeping with Bobby’s desire to create a unique,
exciting, yet familiar, experience for worry about bringing them in,” he says. It’s customers. Having grown up with an more about introducing them to new dishes emotional attachment to food, he loves to and having them appreciate the experience. “It’s rewarding,” he says. The desire to share it with others. “In our house, you came home at 5:30 combine an exciting food experience with and had dinner with the family, and if you the familiar was born of his earlier world had three friends with you, they came, and tour Bobby took with his brother. “We got on a plane, flew out east, then if you had a girlfriend with you, she came,” he says. “Oftentimes it was loud but it was worked our way back,” he says. “It was a always a place where conversation and magical experience and I have an emotional emotions were cultivated, and it bound you attachment to all of those memories, rememtogether. The memories of those nights are bering the places visited and what you saw. You invariably try to find familiarity, and ofirreplaceable.” His grandmother’s pizza and his mom’s tentimes that familiarity comes with a meal. pasta held a special place in his life, when I love those experiences and wanted to try to replicate them a little.” he moved away to VancouHe views the mark of ver and travelled beyond, the restaurant’s success as he turned to those dishes “I think of the the retention of customers for a sense of familiarity. “It’s a comfort thing, and as I got whole restaurant and how many regulars they can build. “That’s a really older, I realized how dynamas one big good indicator of a place ic and unique each of those that’s doing well. We have a items could be,” he says. table.” lot of recurring customers. After travelling the world – Bobby Mottola Our guests become friends with his brother at age 19, – they become family. We owner and president Bobby have opportunities to talk had a stint running a small outside the building. And bar and lounge in Winnipeg, eventually setting out on what he calls a that’s just like my parents’ house.” Bobby is quick to credit staff with pro“food-first” venture. Don’s talents are complementary. With viding a positive customer experience that more than 30 years in sales and marketing keeps customers coming back. Gusto has 25 roles in the garment and insurance indus- employees, many of whom have been with tries, Don serves as chief financial officer, the restaurant from the get-go and some of and is known affectionately as “the kite whom have moved up from server to manstring” that keeps his son reeled in. Bobby ager, for example, Suzy Afifi, his operations spends more time than he’d like to on pay- manager for both restaurants. We asked him the secret to hiring and roll and business matters, but his father’s expertise frees up his time for other activities retaining great staff. “It just comes down to being honest such as talking with customers. Happily, bringing in new customers is with what we’re doing, he says. My serving not a hurdle at the moment. “I don’t need to staff is as good as any in the world. They are
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genuinely happy when people walk into the building and sit down because they have this opportunity to be a part of someone’s night and they take ownership of that. They make sure that everybody is looking outside of the regular menu items and try to create an evening. That’s a big part of it. “It’s not an industry where people necessarily want to be forever, but as long as they are passionate about this while they are here and they represent themselves in an honest way, that’s important,” he says. “All the little intricacies of serving can be taught, but it’s that intangible, positive, hard-working person we look for. When a new staff member comes on, the more experienced staff quickly get them up to speed, he says. “They set the bar themselves.” “Every time you hire, you take a risk, he says. “You have to learn to find the best people and to trust them.” Another element of the restaurant’s atmosphere is the layout, which includes seating for 60 guests inside and 50 on the patio. The
space incorporates long communal tables to encourage socializing. The energy is high, with people table-hopping. He likes that. “People want ambience, music and to be part of something bigger,” he says. “I think of the whole restaurant as one big table.” Staff take delight in filling those seats for special events that they turn into intimate occasions through magical touches such as chandeliers, a dance floor and lots and lots of white tulle. “It’s a lucrative part of the business, he says of the birthday parties, weddings, business meetings – even a boxing match! – Gusto has hosted. They try to recreate the look, feel and mood of the restaurant while making the event memorable. It’s important to do your initial research and price yourself within an established range, he adds. There are always more hours involved than anticipated but the process gets smoother each time: “The more you do, the more confident you get.”
There seems no better indication that business is good than the opening of a second restaurant, but Bobby’s second venture – The Merchant Kitchen – is not another branch of Pizzeria Gusto, but a completely different restaurant adjacent to Winnipeg’s Alt Hotel and featuring Asian fusion cuisine, a favourite of Bobby’s. “I didn’t want to jeopardize Gusto,” he says, adding that they’ve kept almost all staff at the first restaurant to help maintain the positive, familiar experience for loyal customers. The busy owner has some deceptively simply advice for those in the pizza business enduring the ups and downs of running a business. “Focus on your own business, be open to change and listen to your guest,” he says. With the restaurant’s tables always full, it seems the guests have spoken, and they’re saying they like what Pizzeria Gusto is serving. •
2014 Winner The Kitchens of The Pizza Mill
Put Your
on our cover
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.
PIZZAAPRMAY15.indd
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2015-04-22
12:00 PM
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
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 pizza 17 2015-05-07 11:01 AM
Less gimmicky, more Vicinity. We make it easier to retain your customer base. Vicinity is a simple, effective loyalty marketing platform that keeps your business on peoples’ radar. Use Vicinity to reward your customers with incentives that bring them back to spend more money, more often. • Easy to install and customize • Target customers with the right message at the right time • Features to automate data collection and text message campaigns
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Big Data on a Small Budget
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Use your POS system to launch a loyalty marketing program in four easy steps By Tina Kalogeropoulos, Marketing Manager, Vicinity
I
t’s simpler than you think to gather valuable data about the people who shop at your restaurant and turn them into loyal customers. And you don’t need a massive marketing budget to do it— you just need Vicinity.
Here’s how we help you get up and running in four easy steps:
STEP 1: BUILD A SMART DATABASE BY REWARDING CUSTOMERS
Vicinity is a cloud-based software that sits on your point of sale terminal, or on a standalone tablet, and allows you to enroll customers plus collect purchase behavior information. For every transaction, customers simply tap their Vicinity card on the card reader to collect or redeem points. If they’ve forgotten or lost their card, you can access their account using their phone number.
Issuing rewards points for purchase behaviour gives customers more incentive to come back and use the points – whether you offer points for free gourmet toppings, free slices, cash discounts or something else.
Each time a customer makes a purchase, you can enter product or demographic information onscreen during the transaction. From favourite toppings, add on items, or student status. This data is stored and accessable online, through the Vicinity Dashboard.
STEP 2: SEGMENT CUSTOMERS TO SEND THE RIGHT MESSAGE The more you can segment customers into groups based on their demographics and purchase behaviour, the easier it is to send them appealing offers (using details you’ve collected in your smart CRM-Customer Relationship Manager database) that they want to redeem. You can use Vicinity to segment customers into groups based on purchasing history or status—new, at risk, inactive, or VIP.
STEP 3: POST-SALES ENGAGEMENT
Vicinity makes it easy to focus beyond the sale to retain more customers by sending them the right message at the right time. Just use the Vicinity Dashboard to send out email or text messages after the sale, to engage customers with specials and discount offers, product review requests, or upsell promotions.
You can also use Vicinity AutoPilot to message customers, automatically, when certain purchase thresholds are met. AutoPilot segments your customer data for you—just set it up and let it do the work. It sends out targeted messages to different customer groups (for example, sending birthday offers to your most loyal customers).
STEP 4: MEASURE AND MONITOR YOUR RESULTS
The Vicinity Dashboard is an analytics portal that helps you monitor, extract
and “marketize” customer data. It allows you to see how much revenue each customer generates for your business and displays useful graphs that help you track customer visits, loyalty program sign-ups, and reward points or promotional redemptions.
All this information is actionable because you can log in and launch campaigns to improve your results. So if you want to attract more business on Tuesdays, or you want to win back customers who haven’t visited in awhile, it’s easy to send a targeted promotion.
GET MORE MARKETING TIPS FROM VICINITY Download our free Loyalty Marketing Playbook today at www.vicinitywelcome.ca . Tina Kalogeropoulos is Marketing Manager at Vicinity, a complete, customizable loyalty program for small and medium-sized businesses. Vicinity provides an easy, cost-effective way to recognize, communicate with and reward customers to help drive repeat business. Launched in 2013, Vicinity is a division of Rogers Communications. More than 1,500 Canadian small businesses are part of the Vicinity loyalty program, which has more than 900,000 cardholders across Canada. To learn more, call 1-844-284-2464.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 pizza 19
feature
Moving targets What being mobile-friendly means for your pizzeria and how you can get there BY MICHELLE BRISEBOIS
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y now we understand and accept the demise of the search volumes are twice as big as tablet search volumes. Given phone book and accept that consumers search for in- that there are many more smartphones on the market than there formation first on the Internet. We also understand that are tablets, this statistic passes muster. Mobile devices are used if your pizzeria is not listed within the top two or three 60 per cent of the time to consume digital media versus 40 sites the search query returns, your chances of capturing that per cent for the desktop computer. Cisco Systems reports that customer are low. Companies spend lots of time, money and en- in 2014 watching videos online represented 55 per cent of the ergy on search engine optimization in an attempt to ensure their total mobile data traffic. The IT company also projects that this website is favoured by search engines . . . which is why Google’s number will rise to 72 per cent by the end of 2019. The length announcement last spring has game-changing implications for of mobile device time spent on YouTube is increasing. “On mobile, YouTube is now seeing average session times of over 40 any business with a website. On April 21, 2015, Google announced it was changing minutes, which is up more than 50 per cent over last year,” said its search engine algorithms to favour websites that are mo- Google chief business officer Omid Kordestani. This might be a bile-friendly. This is big. Really big. A mobile-friendly website is good time to point out that the CBO of Google is reporting on one that is programmed to show up nicely on mobile devices such YouTube viewership because Google owns YouTube. It’s clear as smartphones and tablets. The sites are typically less cluttered that Google’s decision to favour mobile-friendly sites is meant to ensure it rides the wave of mobile search. with images and the text is well edited to feature E-commerce transactions are increasingly moonly the most important information. bile as well. Mobile has been more dominant in “Starting April 21, we will be expanding our It will likely paid search spending gains. According to Ignitiouse of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. take months, nOne, paid search purchases on tablets increased This change will affect mobile searches in all by 22 per cent in 2015 over 2014 and smartphone languages worldwide and will have a significant but it will spending grew by 71 per cent. To further sweetimpact in our search results. Consequently, ushappen and it en the deal for those who readily convert, Google ers will find it easier to get relevant, high quality will be offering a “buy” button, which will display search results that are optimized for their dedoes matter. on the mobile-friendly search result and allow the vices,” reported Google when it announced the customer to order items directly through sponchange. That’s a nice way of saying “For the X sored results on Google Search from their smartper cent of you who don’t have a mobile-friendly phone. The new feature is called “Purchases on website, prepare to fall down the list.” This issue has been branded “Mobilegeddon” by some industry watchers Google.” The consumer’s payment information is stored directly to convey the seismic shift in search engine optimization this with Google. Google also will host the checkout pages that apwill cause. This shift is about Google forcing a change that pro- pear when a product ad is tapped. Google is working with 12 retailers to test the feature and currently has plans to roll out foundly impacts Internet searches. Purchases on Google between late 2015 and early 2016. WEB SEARCH HABITS CHANGING A change in how we search the Internet for information is driv- HOW TO GET MOBILE-FRIENDLY ing this step. Google is king of the hill when it comes to con- The switch to favour mobile-friendly sites was flipped on April trolling the Internet search category, and it holds nearly 71 per 21, but like a plane whose engines have cut out, the crash cent of search engine market share worldwide, according to doesn’t happen immediately. Those pizzerias who don’t invest NetMarketShare. Mobile search queries, including those made in a mobile-friendly website will slowly see their business deon smartphones and tablets, made up approximately 29 per cent scend down the list of Google search results. It will likely take of total search volume as reported by ComScore. Smartphone months, but it will happen and it does matter. Get your site set
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A mobile-friendly website is one that is programmed to show up nicely on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. The sites are typically less cluttered with images and the text is well edited to feature only the most important information.
up on Google Analytics and monitor the health of your web traffic. According to online advertising network Chitika, the website landing at number 1 in the search results gets a whopping 33 per cent of the traffic from that search. The site coming in at number 2 gets 18 per cent of what’s left, leaving less than half of the traffic for everybody else. By the time we look at a site sitting at number 5 of the search results, only 6.1 per cent of web searchers doing that search click through to the website. Heaven help everybody else lower down on the list. There are a couple of options to consider should you decide to make your site mobile-friendly. Begin by doing a quick audit of your existing site’s mobile-friendliness. Google has actually created an online tool where a website’s address can be entered to allow a scan of the site. A dashboard is presented to show how mobile-friendly your site rates on several metrics. The tool can be found at https://www. google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/. You can have your webmaster create a new mobile-friendly site that will show nicely on mobile devices and appeal to the Google search spiders, but that solution has its downside. A mobile site is a second website, so your web traffic will be split between two sites. You’ll have to update them separately as well. It’s perhaps a less expensive option in the short term but it can
create more cost in the long term. Another option is to make your existing website responsive. A responsive website is able to detect what kind of device it’s being viewed on and to adapt its presentation to suit the device, be it PC, tablet or smartphone. Costs can vary widely but a good rule of thumb is to assume a responsive design will cost 20 to 30 per cent more than a traditional site to be viewed on a desktop computer. The extra cost is related to the extra work the interface designer must do to design the website’s look and function on the different types of devices. Then there is extra programming and testing before you can launch. You will likely recoup this extra cost through increased efficiencies to maintain one site and your customers will not be split between two sites. Technology is always changing and therefore it is an ongoing expense. The cost to make your website mobile-friendly will be returned to you many times over through solid new customer acquisition. • For more on technology, visit www.canadianpizzamag.com
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making dough
Six tips to take advantage of fall Diane Chiasson
o celebrate the change in seasons, why not kick off the celebrations with an Autumn Harvest theme? Tied in with the ongoing trend to promote healthier lifestyles and eating habits, the new crop of fall-season vegetables would be a welcome addition to your pizza menu. According to Infographic in 2015 pepperoni still leads the way as the most popular pizza topping, but onions came in at number 3! More significantly, while most statistics still show less than 10 per cent of Canadians are vegetarian, 20 to 25 per cent of adults in the U.S. report that they eat four or more meatless meals weekly. The market is there in Canada for creative and innovative pizzas that use the best autumn vegetables. Here are six tips you can try to welcome in the new season.
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1. ROAST ROOT VEGETABLES Root vegetables are the stars of autumn’s fresh produce, and when roasted, the sweetness that exudes from the flesh of the vegetables is sublime. You probably already offer a few roasted vegetable items like eggplant and peppers, but why not add root vegetables to your toppings list? Parsnips, rutabagas, zucchini, beets and squash would make a colourful and healthful addition to your menu. Combining these with goat or Parmesan cheese will give you a real winner. 2. GIVE SPROUTS A CHANCE Most people have Brussels sprouts on their least-favourite foods list, but what many people do not realize is that once Brussels sprouts are roasted, they take on a whole new flavour that is much more appealing than that of a bowl of boiled Brussels sprouts. Try pairing roasted, sliced
Brussels sprouts with bacon and cheese on a pizza. A key selling factor for Brussels sprouts is that they are highly nutritious. Plant phytonutrients found in the underutilized vegetable enhance the activity of the body’s natural defense systems to protect against diseases, including cancer. To encourage your customers to try your roasted Brussels sprout pizza, offer free samples. And really, what doesn’t taste good with bacon? 3. APPEAL TO GOURMET PALATES Artichokes are now considered a common topping for pizzas, but most usually come marinated in a jar or out of a can. A fresh artichoke tastes entirely different. Because of their smaller size, baby artichokes would be perfect for a pizza topping. Although the preparation of fresh artichokes is somewhat labour-intensive, customers who appreciate good food would be willing to pay a little extra for something special. Combine roasted baby artichokes with capers and anchovies on a pizza, and you’ll have gourmets knocking down your door. For lovers of French onion soup, the combination of oven-roasted onions with a hint of sherry and Swiss cheese would make for an intriguing pizza. 4. DON’T FORGET AUTUMN FRUITS Figs are a wonderful autumn fruit that go hand in hand with blue cheese, so why not create a thin-crust pizza with a light layer of tomato sauce, topped with blue cheese, prosciutto and figs? Grilled pears also complement many cheeses, greens and nuts. Reinvent a popular salad combination by creating a white pizza with grilled pears, Roquefort cheese, toasted walnuts and arugula drizzled with walnut or olive oil. For fun, do a twist on apple pie with
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cheddar cheese by creating an apple and aged cheddar pizza dusted with cinnamon sugar that can be sold as a dessert. 5. CREATE A PUMPKIN PIZZA Halloween is such a huge event that we are inundated with recipes for black and orange foods every year. How about offering an orange pizza shaped like a pumpkin – made of pumpkin? A popular pasta dish is ravioli filled with pumpkin, drizzled with sage butter, which can easily be parlayed into a pizza. Roast slices of butternut squash or pumpkin, and layer them on a pizza crust to make it look like a pumpkin. To appeal to kids, for dessert, offer small, sweet-crust pizzas dotted with colourful candies and chocolates. (But tell parents kids can only have the candy pizza if they try the Brussels sprout one first!) 6. PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE To kick off your Autumn Harvest, throw open your doors, cover your website and Facebook page with autumn colours and lots of photos of your tantalizing pizzas and autumn produce. Send out flyers to your neighbours inviting them to try your new line of pizzas. Offer a coupon with a discount for the purchase of one of your new seasonal pies. Prepare a large cauldron of hot apple cider to get people in the mood. Offering free samples of your new seasonal pizzas is the only way to get the pepperoni-and-cheese stalwarts to even consider ordering anything else. • Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping foodservice, hospitality and retail operators increase sales for over 25 years. She is recognized as the industry leader in providing 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 1-888-9266655 or chiasson@chiassonconsultants.com, or visit www. chiassonconsultants.com.
RestauRant MaRketing foR owneRs and ManageRs The complete guide to marketing for restaurant managers. By providing specific tools and methods tying marketing theory to practice, this concise, easy-to-use book provides restaurant and foodservice managers with answers to these marketing questions and many more. This hands-on resource offers a variety of material that is applicable to the day-to-day operation of a foodservice business, including strategies linking the location and design of a restaurant with its menu and pricing, as well as guidance on how to implement a marketing plan and budget.
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marketing insights
How to catch a star Michelle Brisebois
e’ve all done it. We’ve all hired someone we thought would be a superstar only to discover they weren’t all they purported to be. The hospitality industry has high turnover of staff, coupled with seasonal fluctuations. This can create pressure to get someone in place quickly just to keep up with the onslaught of restaurant traffic. But remember the adage: decide in haste, repent in leisure. It’s hard to know who the right candidate is based on an interview but your chances of finding that person increase if you ask the right questions. According to the National Business Research Institute (NBRI), a bad hire can cost a company tens of thousands of dollars. This observation is based on research indicating that “66% of employers said they’d experienced negative effects of bad hires in 2012. Of these employers, 37% said the bad hire negatively affected employee morale. Another 18% said the bad hire negatively impacted client relationships. And 10% said the bad hire caused a decrease in sales.” The stakes are even higher if that bad hire is in a leadership role. You can end up squarely in the pot with the labour board or the victim of criminal activity such as theft. Getting the right people in positions is the most important thing you can do for the health of your business. Behaviour-based interviewing is different from traditional methods of interviewing, which are largely predicated on asking someone about facets of the job they have expertise in. When we get someone in the chair across from us, it’s natural to worry if they can perform the duties of the position but there’s an even more important concern: will they fit in? The traditional interview asks open-ended questions: “What can you tell us about yourself?” and “What were your
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duties and accomplishments at your last job?” The behavioural interview is structured to ask much more direct questions designed to verify the candidate has the qualifications you have already determined are important to being successful in the role. The best place to start is to imagine your ideal candidate. Your list might include the following: ability to collaborate, receive feedback graciously and adjust performance accordingly; even tempered; must multitask and handle stress well; industry experience; self-leadership; and self-awareness. This style of interviewing often takes people by surprise but it cuts to the core of the issues at hand and lets you delve into the traits most important to you. It’s natural for the candidate to become a bit nervous at the line of questioning as it will make them really think and they may need a moment to come up with an example. Reassure them they can take the time they need. Once they are relaxed, you’re more likely to get a helpful answer. If the candidate glosses over the answer or can’t think of one, it may be a sign there’s a lack of self-awareness on those topics. You want teams built of people who lead themselves as well as others, and a bit of navel-gazing helps us all know where we need to improve and to make those adjustments. Here are some great questions to ask and the answers you might wish to receive: “Describe a stressful situation at work and how you handled it.” Do they know what things stress them out and are they able to keep themselves under control? You’re not looking for perfection but you do want someone who looks for the silver lining and seeks a solution that honours all parties. “Tell me about how you worked effectively under pressure.” This is an important skill in hospitality. Do they have a strategy
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for dealing with the pressure and for continuing to perform at their best? “Have you been in a situation where you didn’t have enough work to do?” Are they able to see a need and fill it? “Describe a decision you made that was unpopular and how you implemented it.” If you’re hiring a manager this is crucial: you want to know they aren’t going to lead by being everyone’s buddy. Conversely, if the list of the unpopular decisions goes on for hours, you may be dealing with a troublemaker. “Give an example of how you worked on a team.” Do they seem to highlight the positive aspects of collaborating or do they seem to speak about the challenges? You’ll likely want someone who enjoys working with others. “Have you handled a difficult situation with a co-worker? How?” Conflict with co-workers is part of being employed. Did they take responsibility, participate in finding a solution and attempt to see all points of view or do they wax poetic about running to the boss to complain? This question can reveal a lot. “Think of a time recently when you experienced outstanding customer service and tell me what about that experience stood out for you?” If they can’t recognize great service, how can they expect to deliver it themselves? You want to hear them talk about how great it made them feel. Hiring the best people is really about hiring good human beings. This was summed up best by Bruce Nordstrom of Nordstrom’s department store chain. When asked who trained his team – renowned worldwide for amazing customer service – he replied, “Their parents.” • Michelle Brisebois is a marketing professional with experience in the food, pharmaceutical and financial services
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Welcome to your show! It really is all about you, the Canadian pizza industry. And that’s what makes it fun for us.
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Photo by Malcolm Brown
hen the team starts planning the Canadian Pizza Show, we try to think big – bigger than the year before. We love getting feedback from you. It drives us to improve and to offer better and more targeted content relevant to you, the passionate movers and shakers who bring the pizza business to life every day. What can we do to make the show better for you? This is a question we ask ourselves at every stage of planning and execution. We hope to have hit on a combination as winning as your favourite pie and vino, and one that covers all the bases. Does your pizzeria suffer from costing, portioning, labour, scheduling or marketing problems? We aim to cure whatever may ail your business with a visit from Pizza Doctor Dave Ostrander. We are excited to give you access to “Big Dave,” a larger than life, accomplished speaker who regularly fills rooms for his sessions at Pizza Expo. Wondering how social media can help grow your customer list? Giorgio Taverniti will show you what going social has done for his Toronto pizzeria. Jeff Dover is here to help everyone from manager to line staff to delivery person polish their customer service skills. In the afternoon, join us for what’s sure to be a fun panel as Dave, Giorgio, and one of Canada’s stars, chef and consultant Marina Rondinelli, recount what marketing strategies have worked – and not worked – for them, in the hopes of smoothing the way for other operators. Everyone seemed to agree that the marriage of the Chef of the Year competition with the show in 2014 was a match made in Canadian pizza heaven. This year, we bring you more great competitive
Last year's Chef of the Year, Carlo Raillo, presents his winning pie to the judges. In 2014, the chef competition joined the Canadian Pizza Show for the first time.
moments by expanding our open category to 25 competitors and looking both back and forward with three very special new contests. First, a look back. We’ve had some illustrious Chefs of the Year grace our contest and our pages with their creative and determined presence (turn to page 32 to find out what they’ve been up to since winning). The Champion of Champions Challenge will see past Chefs of the Year alumni compete for pizza glory and show the rest of us how it’s done. Then, a look to the future. The next generation is critical to the pizza industry, and to highlight the up-and-comers, we present a Junior Chef of the Year competition for young chefs aged 16 to 20. It’s our hope the contest will give juniors a taste of what competition is like and spur them on to compete for Chef of the Year in years to come. Just for fun we are pulling out all the stops – and stopwatches – to determine who is the fastest pizza box folder on the floor. From 9 to 2 at the Canadian Pizza/
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Annex Bookstore booth, folders will be timed to see who has the winning technique. Swing by the booth to see what’s unfolding and bring your healthy pizza related questions to registered dietician Jane Dummer, who is always brimming with ideas to enhance the product we all love. We’d like to thank our wonderful sponsors, exhibitors and speakers – who make this show the relevant and energized show it is. We want to extend a very special thank-you to our great sponsors, exhibitors and speakers for their participation. It is their enthusiasm and support that make this an event of which our entire industry can be proud. And we thank you for giving us a day during one of your busiest months. May you discover at least one product that will save you time, encounter one idea that will grow your bottom line or meet one person whose attitude inspires you to take your pizzeria to the next level.Enjoy your show! – Canadian Pizza magazine
Better Ideas. Better Pizza. Better Business. It’s that Simple. SCHEDULE OF SPEAKERS AND EVENTS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 pizza 29
8:30 a.m.
Registration and trade show open
9 – 9:45 a.m.
Dave Ostrander: The Pizza Doctor Rock Your Profits
LOCATION: PHOENIX ROOM A Our very special guest,“Big Dave” Ostrander, also known as “The Pizza Doctor” and a perennial favourite speaker at Pizza Expo, will open the Canadian Pizza Show by sharing his best tips. Owner and operator of Big Dave’s Pizza & Subs in Oscoda, Michigan, for 25 years, Dave now uses his in-the-trenches experience to help other pizzeria operators by diagnosing, prescribing, treating and curing almost any pizzeria business problem. A co-founder of The School of Pizzeria Management, Dave has judged events for the Food Network and The International Pizza Challenge. He shares his secrets to success through seminars, workshops, consulting work and publications.
9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
The Great Pizza Box Fold-off LOCATION: CANADIAN PIZZA/ANNEX BOOKSTORE BOOTH How long does it take you to fold five pizza boxes? Competitors will be timed at the Canadian Pizza/Annex Bookstore booth. With finalists going head to head in the afternoon.
9 a.m. – 12 noon
Jane Dummer Your Healthy Pizza Questions Answered LOCATION: CANADIAN PIZZA/ANNEX BOOKSTORE BOOTH Are you looking to make healthier pizza that still tastes great? Interested in unique and specialty healthy ingredients? Stop by the Canadian Pizza/Annex Bookstore booth in the morning to have your healthy pizza questions answered by registered dietitian Jane Dummer, known as the “Pod to Plate” food consultant. Don’t miss this opportunity to chat with an expert about all things pizza.
9:45 – 10:30 a.m.
10 – 11:00 a.m.
Giorgio Taverniti What Social Networking Can Do for Your Pizzeria LOCATION: PHOENIX ROOM A Giorgio Taverniti, owner of Frank’s Pizza House for 25 years and founder of a popular pizza-making workshop at George Brown College, is eager to share how he has learned to innovate-or-die as a long-thriving independent in the competitive Toronto market in his session What Social Networking Can Do for Your Pizzeria. Discover the benefits of promoting your pizzeria brand on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and enjoy a one-of-a-kind opportunity to ask questions in this fun, dynamic session. You’ll get another chance to hear about Giorgio’s adventures in “social” at our Interactive Pizza Panel: Marketing Hits and Misses. Junior Chef of the Year
LOCATION: SHOW FLOOR (ORION ABC) Budding pizza chefs aged 16 to 20 will compete for this exciting new title. Come cheer on the next generation of pizza stars!
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‘Big Dave’ Ostrander
Jane Dummer
Giorgio Taverniti
Better Ideas. Better Pizza. Better Business. It’s that Simple. SCHEDULE OF SPEAKERS AND EVENTS
10:30 – 11:15 a.m.
Jeff Dover Get the Jump on Service Excellence
LOCATION: PHOENIX ROOM A Good service can drive customer loyalty. Poor service can result in a lost customer. Complicating matters is the fact that people are more likely to share poor than excellent experiences. In Get the Jump on Service Excellence, fsSTRATEGY consultant Jeff Dover will define service excellence and how employers and staff alike can use it to differentiate their pizzeria from competitors. Don’t miss this chance to gain a customer-service edge in a competitive industry.
11:15 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Jeff Dover
Canadian Pizza Chef of the Year
LOCATION: SHOW FLOOR (ORION ABC) Come cheer on our chefs and sample their pies. (Please see page 32 for more details on the contest.)
12 noon – 1 p.m.
Lunch Lunch for attendees is not included but available to purchase at the Craft Eatery located in The International Centre.
2:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Champion of Champions Challenge LOCATION: SHOW FLOOR (ORION ABC) Catch up with past winners of the Canadian Pizza Chef of the Year as they demonstrate why they have what it takes and compete for ultimate bragging rights in our very special Champion of Champions Challenge!
3 – 4:00 p.m.
Interactive Pizza Panel: Marketing Hits and Misses LOCATION: PHOENIX ROOM A Want to hear about marketing tactics that are working at other pizzerias or get feedback on plans of your own? This informal panel, moderated by Canadian Pizza, and featuring Marina Rondinelli, Giorgio Taverniti and “Big Dave” Ostrander, will give the audience a chance to share marketing stories and ideas while socializing with fellow operators. Marina Rondinelli An award-winning pizza maker with a business marketing degree, Marina Rondinelli used her skills to grow her pizzeria/bar, Rondo’s Pizza Plus, in Bright’s Grove, Ont., into a successful business of 26 years. Marina now consults for the industry, sharing her marketing skills with other operators. Her knack for using unconventional ingredients like whiskey, beer and wine in her pizzas has won her accolades as twice runner-up to the Canadian Pizza Chef of the Year and finalist of the International Pizza Challenge.
4:15 p.m.
Competition winners announced LOCATION: SHOW FLOOR (ORION ABC) • Great Pizza Box Fold-off • Champion of Champions Challenge • Junior Chef of the Year • Chef of the Year
4:30 p.m.
Show closes
Marina Rondinelli
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 pizza 31
A
Catching up with our champs
t this year’s Canadian Pizza Show, former champs Dave Housman, Carlo Raillo and Rocco Agostino will compete for the new Champion of Champions Challenge crown for the ultimate in bragging rights! Here at Canadian Pizzawe have seen more than a decade of pizza greatness wear the Chef of the Year laurels. We pause to catch up with Carlo, Dave, Rocco and other past winners. Carlo Raillo, our most recent winner for 2014 and 2015, is head pizza maker at Buco Pizzeria and Vino in St. Albert, Alta., just northwest of Edmonton. Before going to Italy to help with his parents’ pizzeria in Italy in August, as he and his young family do every year, Carlo helped Sorrentino’s Restaurant Group open up the pizzeria, which specializes in Neapolitan pizza. After a stint at Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria’s head office helping to open 10 more locations, Dave Housman, our 2010 winner, has returned to his roots as a franchisee for the company in Edmonton. “I have also got two more locations that I own and operate, Dave says. “In the last year I left head office and have gone back to helping run my three locations.” Rocco Agostino, our 2013 champ, has helped parlay Pizzeria Libretto into a second location and spawned a sister restaurant, Enoteca Sociale. Rocco, one of four partners in the restaurant group splits his time between the pizzerias and developed the menu at Pearson airport trattoria Corso. Cory Medd of Two Guys and a Pizza Place in Lethbridge, Alta., two-time champ famous for his sandwich-inspired pie, The Roadhouse, expanded his pizzeria to a larger location with a dining room in 2013. Last March, Cory did a bit of a star turn with his appearance on You Gotta Eat Here!.
Pasqualino Oliveri lives in Ottawa, where he has opened up a café called Cafe Lino in downtown Ottawa. “We do breakfast, lunch and pizza!” Pasqualino says. He also acts as a consultant through Authentic Italian Food Catering and Consulting. Readers have been able to keep up with Tom Stankiewicz through his back-page column in Canadian Pizza. The column is full of “inthe-trenches” wisdom and tips for hard-working operators. Tom has run Bondi’s Pizza in London since 2000 and is president of the Canadian Pizza Team. This summer Tom took a European trip – a foodie’s dream – to be refreshed and inspired by international cuisine. Liliane Sibonney followed up her 2007 Chef of the Year win with by winning the Italian Chef Wars in Las Vegas. Liliane has operated Kensingtons in Toronto for 10 years. She and her family moved to Paris, France, five years ago and have since divided their time between the two cities. “I have been working as a restaurant consultant helping to train chefs and inspire new menus, and launching new restaurants and catering companies alike,” she says. Diana Cline, who writes our Pizza Chef column, opened Diana’s Cucina & Lounge in Winnipeg in 2014, where she continues to push the pizza envelope. In addition to her double Chef of the Year crowns, our first Chef of the Year competed in the World Pizza Championships in Italy multiple times, as well as at Expo in Las Vegas from 2005 to 2009. She judged at Expo several times and at both competitions. “I really enjoyed competing in pizza games around the world. I made some amazing pizziolo friends who share my passion for the art of pizza, and the awards that I won helped to set me and my business apart from the low-priced pizza chains,” she says. Dave, Carlo and Rocco will compete in the Champion of Champions Challenge at 2 p.m. Don’t miss the chance to see two of the best in action!
Chef of the Year gallery
2014/15
Carlo Raillo
2013
Rocco Agostino
2008, 2012 Cory Medd
32 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
2011
Pasqualino Oliveri
2010
Dave Housman
2009
Tom Stankiewicz
2007
Liliane Sibonney
2005/06
Diana Cline (Coutu)
marketing
Learn tips & tricks from a Master Pizziolo. Order your copy of Canadian Pizza Baking Champion Diana Coutu’s cookbook Passionate About Pizza at www.Amazon.ca
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Page #
Annex Bookstore ...................................................25 Annex Circulation ..................................................15 Ardent Mills ............................................................7 Burke.....................................................................11 Canadian Pizza Show/Chef .............................. 22-23 Canadian Pizza Show Guide ............................ 27-32 Middleby Marshall………………………..……9 Moretti Forni .........................................................35 Pizza with a Purpose .............................................17 Ricco Food Distributor ..........................................25 Salerno..................................................................25 Saputo ..................................................................36 Springer’s Meats ...................................................15 Stanislaus ........................................................4 & 5 Viau Food ................................................................2 Vicinity ............................................................ 18-19 Use these advertiser contact numbers to find out more about a product advertised in this issue or to place an order. This index is provided as a service. Canadian Pizza Magazine is not liable for errors or omissions.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 pizza 33
1
pizza on fire
How to beat stress Tom Stankiewicz
unning your own business is very rewarding but it can be very stressful as well. It is easy to get buried in paperwork and all of the other things that need to be done from day to day. Do you feel like we’re constantly working with no breaks? It is important to take time to recharge your energy to stay focused on the goals you have set for your business. One of the phrases I keep hearing is “Work smarter, not harder.” Below are a few suggestions that will help you implement this philosophy and take the s My favourite advice that someone gave me a long time ago is simply to take some time off. It’s difficult to do, but it works exceptionally well to relieve the stress. Each year, plan to take at least one week away from work and enjoy yourself. Plan it in advance and let others take care of the business in your absence. At first, it sounds impossible, but if you put your management skills to good use it will work out just fine. Weekend getaways can help you recharge and stay focused on what’s important. The trick is to completely disconnect during that time and let your mind and body regroup. With access to instant communication, it is important to set boundaries for yourself and for others. This could be as simple as receiving and accepting only emergency phone calls on Sundays. It is up to you to decide that, for example, Sunday is your designated family day. If you train your management team properly, this approach will contribute to a less stressful work week. Most established business owners I know pick at least one day a week to concentrate on something other than work. I don’t recommend keeping a long todo-list. You will do your mind and body a great favour by keeping it short and realistic.
R
Most established business owners I know pick at least one day a week to concentrate on something other than work.
I know from experience that the list can get very long to the point that just thinking about it is overwhelming. And let’s face it, the 20 things we add to the list will not get done in one day. It is better to focus on a few each day rather than start all of them and have none completed. First thing in the morning is a perfect time to prioritize tasks in order of importance and required time to complete. It will give you a clear picture of which ones need to be started immediately and which ones can be started at the same time. This exercise is a great time-saver. Hobbies are another awesome way to reduce stress at work. Taking a few hours a week to play sports or do anything else you like for fun will help decrease your stress level as well. The suggestion may seem strange as most of us are already running around on our feet all day. However, this is a good opportunity to get your mind thinking about something else other than your everyday business concerns. Along with taking care of yourself mentally and physically, it is important to know when to say no when someone is asking you to do something for them. As a small business owner, you need to analyze the options and consider what’s best for your business. Saying yes to every request you receive may
34 pizza SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
hurt your business and add unnecessary stress to your work life and your personal life. In fact, making outside commitments may prove too difficult to manage if not properly assessed. It makes total sense to focus on business needs first before lending your support to other initiatives. Operating and managing a successful business also means looking after yourself properly. Corporate businesses recognize the importance of this health trend. Smaller independent businesses have slowly started to pay attention but we have a long way to go. A lot of the focus is put on the sales side, which is important, but not enough is being said about the well-being of the people who run the businesses. It is the people who make the business successful – not the other way around. If they don’t have enough strength and motivation to get through every day, the business will most likely fail. Businesses need people who can stay sharp and focused and contribute in a positive way. Stress is part of our lives, business or personal; however, each of us has the power to decide what we will do with it. 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.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 pizza 35
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