BEATING BURNOUT
How
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6 From the Editor Pizza time machine
8 Industr y News Movers, shakers, legislation and news you can use
10 Tools of the Trade New Products to help your business
16 The Pizza Chef Social media strategies for independent pizzeria owners
20 Making Dough with Diane Six tips to boost your pizzeria sales around New Year’s Eve
ONLINE
Artisan bakers, farmers and millers gather in Moncton
The Baking Association of Canada recently hosted a gathering in Moncton for bakers and pizza makers interested in working with freshly milled flours and local farmers and millers. Learn more and read articles at canadianpizzamag.com and our sister magazine. Bakers Journal. Subscribe to our enewsletter to say in the know!
ON THE COVER
With thin margins, rising food costs and high employee turnover, running a pizzeria has its stresses Learn strategies for setting boundaries and supporting your team. See page 12.
12
Beating burnout
How to streamline operations, set boundaries and support your pizzeria team
By Andrew Hind
14
One for all, all for one!
Innovative pizza chefs bring heart and professionalism to the Toronto Pizza Summit
18 Tackling two key topics
Experts share tips on training and succession planning for the small business at the Baking Expo
By Colleen Cross
22 Thirty years of pizza stories
As we mark 30 years in the industry, Canadian Pizza looks at what’s changed and what’s stayed the same!
By Colleen Cross
FROM THE EDITOR
BY COLLEEN CROSS
Pizza time machine
This month marks the 30th anniversary of Canadian Pizza magazine! To gain perspective on the fresh pizza industry, we dive into the earliest issues of 1995-96 (see page 22) and explore topics explored in cover stories.
Canadian Pizza magazine has been digitized since 2008. Since then, our cover stories have delved into timely, relevant aimed squarely at you, the pizza operator and your team, the challenges you face and the shifts in consumer habits.
Here are a few standout articles over the last 17 years:
In 2008 “Let’s do lunch” by Timothy Twydell discusses the birth of the pizza-slice combo meal, the proliferation of DELTOs (delivery and take-out shops) and how young customers are driving that trend.
“The secret to speed is a well-organized kitchen,” wrote Jim Chliboyko in “Save time on your line” in July 2011. Chliboyko interviews Richard Ames of Daddio’s Pizza in Grande Prairie, Alta., who learned from businesses where he’d previously worked as well as his own shop. Ames found assigning positions on the line most effective, rather than having employees “hopscotch” and potentially make more mistakes. The person who opens the dough “calls the shots” and in assembly-line fashion, a pizza gets made in 60 to 90 seconds. Ames cautioned operators to be thoughtful about tweaking your operation so as not to tick off regular customers.
“Is money everything?” is a standout story from 2014 still highly relevant today as we continue to grapple with staffing challenges. The answer to this question depends on the age of your team member, writes Julie Fitz-Gerald. The location of the business, its culture, how it’s perceived by others, opportunities for advancement and enjoyment of the role and workplace all are important to young workers. Flexibility (then and now) is key to younger workers but seasoned workers still prioritize wage as they struggle to pay bills. Job satisfaction is key and consultant Hugh Johnston advises operators to “pay [employees] enough to take it off the table as an issue.” An interesting
read for operators today.
December 2017’s “Comp and circumstance” looks at the origins of and trends in tipping. Every couple of years it seems a wave of restaurants boldly decide to do away with tipping, only to find that when their competition doesn’t do the same, it’s hard to stick to the plan. Michelle Brisebois explores what going the no-tip route could mean for your pizzeria.
In September 2019, “Pondering third-party” lists the benefits and pitfalls of signing on to a third-party delivery service such as UberEats or Skip the Dishes. Since then, in talking with operators, we find they are still split on whether to use the services, with many deciding that, although their core customers order direct, these platforms are a necessary way to gain new customers. As with social media, it’s about going where your customers are. This is still a contentious issue!
Over the years we’ve profiled innovative pizzerias and chefs, written about pizza trends, credit card fees (see “The price of premium” in July 2013), the growth of pizza styles such as deep-dish, roman and contemporary, the ROI on technology, the value of using checklists, what pizzerias are doing to give back to their community and more.
We encourage you to explore our website, where are many articles, resources and ideas for pizzeria operators on our website. These will be especially helpful for entrepreneurs opening a new pizzeria, mobile or catering business.
Then, let us know which stories, comments, insights or general trend speak to you and your current pizza business. What should we write about to help your pizzeria in 2026? Drop me an email at ccross@annexubusinessmedia.com (or a DM in Instagram) and let us know what other information you’re looking for to help your business thrive. We’ll feature some of the relevant comments in an online overview of the industry and future directions.
Meanwhile, I join the Canadian Pizza team of Stephanie Jewell, Adam Szpakowski and Trish Ramsay in wishing you a prosperous and joyous holiday season and Happy New Year! | CP
December 2025, Vol. 31, No. 6
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Find your Italian inspiration
So many incredible things have happened since the Best Pizza Chef Award in Milan and one of the most meaningful has been joining the Lactalis Foodservice and Galbani family. From the very first conversation, they truly listened to my goals, my story, and where we come from. It felt natural, like when you meet someone for the first time and the connection just clicks.
At Lou Pécou, and in every pizza I make, I try to express who we are, our values, and our connection to the land, our ingredients, and our community. We share the same DNA as Galbani and Lactalis Foodservice, authenticity, craftsmanship, accessibility, and a spirit of joy and tradition. Seeing a global brand stand behind artisans, recognise real work, and support integrity and dedication at every level is something special.
This collaboration is not just about cheese, it is about celebrating identity, stayizng true to our craft, raising the bar together, and keeping that hunger to evolve. It is the start of a new chapter and we are excited to write it with them by our side.
- Cédric Toullec, Artisan Pizzaïolo, #93 Top 100 Best Pizza Chef in the World 2025
INDUSTRY NEWS
ON THE WEB
Toronto’s Café Zuzu becoming a pizzeria; Expert delivers useful training tips at the Baking Expo | FOR MORE PIZZA NEWS, check out our website, canadianpizzamag.com
PIZZA COMPETITION
Giovanni Campisi wins 2nd Pizza Chef of the Year title with dessert pizza at Canadian Pizza Summit Toronto
For the second time, Giovanni Campisi, chef at Il Fornello Ristorante and Pizzeria in Oakville, Ont., earned the title of Chef of the Year at the Canadian Pizza Summit and Chef of the Year Competitions, an exclusive event for pizzeria owners and their teams on Oct. 20 at Faema Canada in Toronto.
More than 100 members of the pizza industry came out for the annual competition, trade show and day that celebrates independent pizzerias in Canada.
Eighteen pizza chefs from independent pizzerias made innovative pizzas to vie for the prestigious title, which has been awarded annually to outstanding pizza chefs by Canadian Pizza magazine for 21 years.
The newest Chef of the Year, Campisi wowed the judges with his dessert pizza, “Il Dolce Nido” (“The Sweet Nest”), which featured a millefoglie pastry crust made with
strawberry-infused double-zero flour topped with strawberries, mint, basil and caramel sugar nests containing white chocolate cream candy-coated eggs. He wins a trip to compete at Las Vegas Pizza Expo and a cover story in Canadian Pizza.
Second-place honours went to Adam Ward, co-owner of Hooray For Pizza Day in Toronto for his innovative panstyle take on Hawaiian pizza featuring eight-hour roasted confit pork shoulder.
Robert Rubino, owner of Ruby’s Pizza and Catering in Toronto, with his potato pizza featuring pancetta, nduja sausage, provolone among other ingredients.
Frank Mazzuca, principle of Mazzuca Design, Photography & Ideas; Rocco Agostino, Pizzeria Libretto, Enoteca Sociale and Chef of the Year in 2013; and award-winning journalist, editor and writer Rita DeMontis had the difficult task of judging the pizzas.
Thank you to Host and Platinum Sponsor Faema Canada, Gold Sponsor Lactalis Canada Foodservice, Bronze Sponsor Handtmann Canada and our dedicated exhibitors for supporting the Summit.
The next Summits are planned for June 1 at Sysco in Port Coquitlam, B.C., and Oct. 19 at Faema in Toronto.
FORECASTS
Food-service sales expected to grow by 5.4% in 2025, outperforming previous forecast: Restaurants Canada
Food-service sales expected to grow by 5.4% in 2025, outperforming previous forecast: Restaurants Canada
The industry outperformed early forecasts, thanks to strong domestic tourism and the GST/
HST holiday at the start of the year, according to Restaurants Canada’s third-quarter report.
Commercial food-service revenue was up almost 6.9% in the first seven months of 2025, but after adjusting for inflation, the association said in a news release it expects real commercial food-service sales to grow by 2.1% in 2025 and decline by 0.7 per cent in 2026.
The report highlights statistics that paint a picture of the industry:
• Commercial food-service sales are expected to grow by 5.4% in 2025 before adjusting for inflation, outperforming the previous quarter’s forecast (of 2.7% to 3.7% growth).
Giovanni Campisi, left, receives the Chef of the Year award from Chef Pasquale Ponticello at the Canadian Pizza Summit Toronto.
• Canada’s restaurant industry added 23,600 jobs in the first nine months of 2025, more than the 21,200 jobs created across the broader private sector.
• 74% of Canadians say they are cutting discretionary spending because of cost-ofliving increases, with eating out (56%) and take-out or delivery (50%) being the most common types of expenses they are cutting.
• Food-service businesses continue to face significant operating cost increases that challenge their profitability. Over the past two years, insurance costs have increased 14%, food costs 13% and labour costs 11%.
• Commercial food-service sales are projected to decelerate to 1.6% growth in Q2 2026. Growth is expected to gradually recover thereafter, plateauing at an average of 3.6% in 2027, indicating a return to more sustainable, pre-pandemic trends.
• While technology could help food-service businesses improve productivity and streamline operations, many remain cautious. Barriers to adoption are high upfront costs, uncertainty about ROIt and concerns about long-term stability in the business environment.
For more information, visit restaurantscanada.org.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Pizza Hut parent company considering selling the chain
Yum Brands, Pizza Hut’s parent company, said it’s conducting a
thorough review of options for the brand, which has struggled to compete in a crowded pizza market.
“Pizza Hut has many strengths – including deep consumer love, a global footprint, strong growth in many markets, a talented team, and an increasingly powerful technology platform,” said Chris Turner, chief executive officer of Yum! Brands Inc., in a statement.
“The Pizza Hut team has been working hard to address business and category challenges; however, Pizza Hut’s performance indicates the need to take additional action to help the brand realize its full value, which may be better executed outside of Yum! Brands.”
EXPANSION
Quebec franchise Enoteca Monza opens Calgary location
Enoteca Monza Pizzeria Moderna, a franchise operating nine locations in Quebec, has opened a 10th location in Calgary offering a mix of traditional and contemporary dishes.
“Calgary is a growing city with a growing appetite,” said Chad Huff of Pacific Rose Hospitality Group, which partnered with Foodtastic to bring the brand to western Canada. “We were impressed by the concept in Montreal and knew it would work here.”
According to a news release, the menu includes antipasti like arancini and burrata, wood-fired pizzas starting at $18, pastas, seafood and steaks. Calgary-specific items include pistachio-crusted cod and prosciutto-wrapped filet mignon, alongside a wine list and dessert options.
The restaurant is located at 3625 Shaganappi Trail Northwest in Calgary.
CHEESE PRICES
Farmgate milk price to increase by 2.3255%
The Canadian Dairy Commission announced it will increase the farmgate milk price by 2.3255 per cent on Feb. 1, 2026. This increase translates to just over two cents per litre of milk sold to processors to produce finished dairy products.
In October 2025, the commission conducted the annual review of Canadian farmgate milk prices.
The combined effect of the National Pricing Formula, a pricing mechanism determined by the industry that considers dairy farmers’ costs of production as well as the consumer price index, and the adjustment to carrying charges will result in an increase in the cost of milk used to make dairy products such as milk, cream, yogurt, cheese and butter for the retail and restaurant sectors of 2.3750 per cent, the CDC said. This translates to just over two cents per litre of milk sold to processors to produce finished dairy products.
The commission said this increase reflects a balanced
approach that aligns with recent inflation, which rose to 2.4 per cent, and food price trends, which rose to four per cent in September. The increase supports dairy producers in managing rising input costs while maintaining affordability and stability for Canadian consumers, the CDC said.
The net impact of these increases on the final cost of dairy products is unknown since prices are also influenced by other factors. A change in price paid to farmers for their milk does not necessarily translate to a similar consumer price change.
TRENDS
Fastest-growing pasta noodles in entrées: Technomic
Rigatoni and ziti are among the noodles Canadian operators are adding to their pasta menus, Technomic reports based on its latest research.
The fastest-growing noodles in entrees are wholesome Italian feel-good pastas, Technomic reports. Among these are rigatoni, a tube-shaped Roman noodle with ridges meant for better holding sauce. Operators are baking this noodle with meat sauce and mozzarella cheese or plating it with beef in Bolognese or braised beef form, the research suggests.
Ziti, a tubular noodle both longer and straighter than rigatoni, is also on the rise across menus.
Other pastas increasingly on entrée menus include angel hair, orzo and spaghetti, which is now showing up with mushroom cream sauce and pork souvlaki.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE
HEALTH & SAFETY
Glove2Go aims to speed up workflow
At the Baking Expo in Las Vegas in September, we discovered Glove2Go, a polypropylene glove with a special magnetic wristband that always keeps the glove open, allowing staff to put it on without using the other hand, making it easier to handle food and reducing the time it takes to wear and remove the glove.
In this way the operator will always have the best protection against germs and bacteria, representatives told us.
Benefits include compliance with the current hygiene regulations, and the ability for your team to work rapidly, comfortably and move freely.
The environmental impact is significantly reduced because the glove can be used only when you handle the food and it does not have to be replaced every single time like any other disposable glove.Made in Italy, the system relies on a unique distribution network which has been providing a fast and efficient service for 20 years.
Each kit includes a Plexiglas or steel magnetic base, a
ON THE WEB
When it comes to new ingredients, equipment, technology and services, Canadian Pizza keeps you in the know | FOR MORE ON NEW PRODUCTS FOR THE PIZZA INDUSTRY, check out our website, canadianpizzamag.com
measuring 1.6 centimetres thick, the Square Handheld is lightweight, durable, and built to last a full shift, helping staff take orders and payments faster tableside, on patios or behind the bar.
The device allows servers to take orders and payments tableside, cut down on lineups, and keep service running smoothly, potentially helping businesses increase customer satisfaction and turn tables faster, the company said in a press release.
designed to help restaurants grow repeat business, boost customer engagement and increase lifetime customer value.
polypropylene magnetic wristband and spare gloves.
The Base Model is suitable for wide professional counters, worktops and sales counters. Its ergonomic shape allows to put on and take off your glove easily and quickly. It is equipped with the dual-lock fixing system, which ensures stability on worktops, and with the magnetic system which secures the wristband and the glove to its base. It comes either in Plexiglas and steel.
glove2go.com POS
Square has come out with a handheld POS device built specifically for the realities of busy restaurants.
Weighing 0.34 kilograms and
Square Handheld also includes three useful features: all-day battery life with Wi-Fi and offline payment capability, durable design with water/ dust resistance and an optional Belkin drop-protection case and a built-in camera with barcode scanning for merchandise or wine sales.
In addition to Square Handheld, Square also recently introduced new features and integrations for restaurants. These include item splitting that makes it easier and faster for staff to check out larger groups by reducing time spent calculating totals and waiting on guests to discuss shared costs, and integration with DoorDash and QR codes on receipts that let customers scan and settle up without having to wait for busy servers.
Teams can use Square to edit and update menus across all locations and channels, both online and offline, in one centralized dashboard. squareup.com
Rewards program helps drive repeat sales
SpeedLine Solutions has launched SpeedLine Loyalty, an integrated rewards program
The program integrates with SpeedLine POS and SpeedDine and includes a flexible set of features that help make it easy to launch, manage and grow your rewards program. The loyalty program aims to make it easy for pizzerias and franchises to manage customer rewards and track the performance of their loyalty program efforts.
Features include full integration, meaning no third-party apps or additional hardware are needed, easy signup via a QR code on receipts that lets customers earn points from their order and real-time enrolment and recognition that motivates customers to purchase instantly and lets pizzerias track engagement.
Points, punches, perks and more are tailored to your customers, and you can reward them across in-store, online and mobile orders.
Owners and managers can access insights into loyalty program performance and customer behaviour.
There are two options: basic and enhanced loyalty programs. Any number of stores can participate in the programs. The main difference between the two options is the addition of your own branded mobile app with the enhanced loyalty tier. speedlinesolutions.com
Lightweight handheld POS device helps turn tables faster
BEATING BURNOUT
How to streamline operations, set boundaries and support your pizzeria team
BY ANDREW HIND
Owning a pizzeria is extremely challenging. Managing employees, implementing marketing campaigns, performing myriad administrative tasks and maintaining a high level of customer service all compete for one’s attention. With razor-thin margins hovering around three to five per cent, rising food costs and high employee turnover, profitability often feels far from certain. Stress is an inherent part of a pizzeria owner’s life.
Employees have it only slightly better. The restaurant industry is known for its brisk pace, low wages and demanding customers.
A study published by the Canadian National Institute of Health found that restaurant workers’ levels of the stress hormone cortisol are three times higher during normal work than those of the average adult. In other words, the restaurant industry is extremely stressful.
Too much stress can lead to burnout. Burnout decreases job performance, increases workplace injuries and leads workers to quit the industry entirely, leading to a skyhigh restaurant industry turnover rate.
How does one identify burnout? Like any mental health concern, it can take many troubling forms. Some common signs include:
• Lack of passion: Most people find some enjoyment in their work. People who become unmotivated and unable to find pleasure in tasks they once enjoyed are likely stressed.
• Poor attendance: This is often a direct result of the of the above – normally punctual staff who are now late or fail to show up.
• Irritability: People who are normally even keeled who suddenly become short tempered may be burned out.
• Insomnia: If a person isn’t sleeping and is constantly exhausted it could be a sign of mental fatigue.
There are of course many other signs to watch for. The important thing is to take note of changes of behaviour in yourself or your staff.
Causes
What are the causes for burnout in the industry? They are many, and what stresses ownership is often very different than what stresses staff.
Financials, as one might expect, are a primary source of anxiety among owners, according to Jeff Dover, principal of fsSTRATEGY Inc.
“It is a tough business,” Dover says of running a pizzeria. “The average quick-service restaurant in Ontario generates a pre-tax profit of 2.8 per cent of sales (Restaurants Canada 2025 Operations Report). Financial pressures are challenging.”
“If the sales are not enough to pay the occupancy costs (that is, a bad lease), the restaurant will not be profitable. As a rule of thumb, occupancy costs (including utilities) cannot exceed 12 per cent of sales for the restaurant to be profitable,” he continues. “Labour costs, along with cost sales, are, by far, the greatest
The primary thing restaurants do poorly that impacts turnover is not being flexible with scheduling, according to restaurant expert Jeff Dover.
expenses in a restaurant. These must be controlled. As a rule of thumb, combined cost of sales and labour costs should not exceed 65 per cent of revenues (and we recommend 60 per cent). If greater, you won’t be profitable.”
Burnout causes staff to leave the industry, and concerns over stressful work environments prevent people from entering the field. This unfortunate cycle causes additional anxiety for owners and managers.
“Finding and retaining people, especially cooks, is a challenge that can cause stress,” Dover explains. “And, in the restaurant industry, you are working when most people are off and relaxing, which impacts quality of life and can result in people burning out.”
they play an essential role in maintaining productivity, fostering a healthy culture and boosting job satisfaction. Breaks should be hard-scheduled – cast in stone and unable to be altered. The benefits of hard-scheduled breaks are manyfold. From the management perspective, it ensures there is no gap in coverage, thereby ensuring customer service and profitability don’t suffer. And, circling back to employee retention, people tend to leave workplaces where breaks are not prioritized.
Another avenue for creating a positive workplace culture that encourages retention is to meaningfully engage employees. An overwhelming majority (74 per cent) of employees
High staff turnover is both a cause and a symptom of workplace stress.
Employee retention
High staff turnover is both a cause and a symptom of workplace stress: people leave because of burnout and remaining staff may become overtaxed filling vacated roles. It therefore truly behooves management to find ways to retain good employees.
“‘But I don’t have the finances to offer large raises!’ It’s a common refrain among owners-operators whenever the topic of retention comes up. There are other things you can do – perhaps more important things – to ensure staff remain.
“The primary thing I find that restaurants do poorly that impacts turnover is not being flexible with scheduling,” offers Dover. “Staff are pressured to work (and not request time off) during busy periods, such as Friday evenings and weekends. Most people want to work when it is busy, but when they have a personal event to attend and can’t get the time off, they start to disengage. Flexibility is key.”
To ensure staff and owners alike can step away from work, many successful restaurants schedule downtime for their entire team by closing for a day or a week.
Downtime during a workday is equally important. The fast-paced restaurant culture often comes at the cost of taking breaks. It shouldn’t. Breaks are important for reducing stress and mental fatigue, but equally
say that they are more invested in their workplace when they feel heard. Encourage your team to raise concerns about workplace stress and to offer ideas for making the restaurant less pressure-filled and more efficient. Not only does this make for a happier workforce but you may be surprised by the ideas they bring forth for streamlining your operational processes.
Streamlining operations
Streamlining a restaurant – making it run more efficiently and more profitably – is key to reducing the chance of burnout.
What are some ways of achieving that? Jeff Dover has some thoughts.
“Many restaurants would benefit from implementing food cost controls, which most managers know how to do but nonetheless often gets ignored when dealing with the daily challenges of running a restaurant,” he says. “Implementing cost controls in purchasing, receiving, storage, production and service will reduce costs and increase profits.”
“From a labour perspective, the focus should not be minimizing costs but making sure the right number of staff are scheduled to operate the restaurant smoothly,” Dover continues. “This comes down to forecasting hourly sales. At what level of sales do you add a second pizza cook? When do you add a second
driver? What time should people start? These are important decisions to make.”
Reducing food preparation tasks can help to reduce kitchen staff workload. Assess recipes to see if there are ways to pre-prep ingredients and alter offerings with an eye toward dishes that are easy to prepare.
Technology can be used to streamline operations. This begins with reviewing your point-of-sale systems to ensure you are leveraging all the available tools, which might include scheduling, email marketing and online order organizing.
Maximizing profits
A profitable restaurant is generally a happy one. Here are practical strategies that have helped pizzerias transform their bottom lines.
One easy strategy for increasing your profit margin is to focus on reducing food waste. Use restaurant inventory software to track every ingredient and restaurant supply used and then review for wastage. Inventory software can also keep an eye on expiration dates. You can also cut down on food waste by redesigning your menu with fewer options, focusing on those that sell the most, offer the highest profit margin and are the easiest to prepare.
Upping your digital presence will help maximize profits because customers visit restaurant websites to get business hours, digital menus and contact information. In addition to a website, restaurants should create a social media presence to engage customers and promote themselves. Best of all, social media is virtually free.
“For pizza restaurants, marketing in the area is important,” Dover says. “However, you must make sure you are tracking the success of programs. If you mail coupons, track the sales against the cost. Same for social media coupons. People are pulling back on restaurant spending, given the current costof-living crisis. Loyalty programs work; you should have one.”
Taking measures to reduce workplace stress is one of the most important things you can do to optimizing yourself and your staff, maximize value, delighting guests, and, ultimately, ensure your pizzeria’s financial health and long-term viability. | CP
Andrew Hind is a freelance writer from Bradford, Ont., specializing in food, history and travel. He is the author of 25 books and the proud father of one.
PIZZA CAMARADERIE
Innovative
pizza chefs bring heart and professionalism to the Toronto Pizza Summit
BY CANADIAN PIZZA STAFF
The name of the game this year was teamwork as members of the pizza industry came out for the Canadian Pizza Summit and Chef of the Year Competitions, an exclusive annual event for pizzeria owners and their teams. The long-running event, held on Oct. 20 at Faema Canada in Toronto, saw many pizzerias send two entries in a show of camaraderie.
Eighteen pizza chefs from independent pizzerias made innovative pizzas to vie for the prestigious title, awarded annually to talented pizza chefs by Canadian Pizza for 21 years.
The newest Chef of the Year, Giovanni Campisi, chef at Il Fornello Ristorante and Pizzeria in Oakville, Ont., wowed the judges with his dessert pizza, “Il Dolce Nido” (“The Sweet Nest”), which featured a millefoglie pastry crust. Campisi wins a trip to compete at Las Vegas Pizza Expo and a cover story in Canadian Pizza.
Second-place honours went to Adam Ward, co-owner of Hooray For Pizza Day in Toronto for his innovative pan-style take on Hawaiian pizza
featuring eight-hour roasted confit pork shoulder, house-made pineapple honey chili glaze and grana Padano cheese. Robert Rubino, owner of Ruby’s Pizza and Catering in Toronto, with his potato pizza featuring pancetta, nduja sausage, provolone among other ingredients. Ward and Rubino won cash prizes of $300 and $200, respectively, for their strong finishes.
Many pizzerias brought two members to compete. Some worked together on their pizza recipes; others kept them secret from one another.
Lisa Bottone of Armando’s Leamington and Dean Litster, Armando’s Amherstburg, trucked their pizzas more than four hours with a roadside dough check at the halfway mark to be first up on the competition schedule. Bottone made “The Spin Dip,” her answer to the question of “What if artichoke
dip became a pizza?” featuring a very wet 75 per cent hydration, spinach, seasoned artichoke hearts, caramelized onions, asiago cheese and more. Litster, known as Professor Zaa and our champ in 2019, made “El Diablo,” featuring cornmeal under the dough for “extra texture and crunch,” slow-braised birria beef (a stew that is a variation of Mexican goat or lamb birria), mozzarella and finished post bake with pickled red onion and red Fresno peppers to bring the heat!
Marco Caveglia, owner and operator of Tuscan Wolf Pizzeria Inc. in Cobourg and Whitby, Ont., and Moh Singh who operates the Whitby location, brought their friendly competition to Toronto. Caveglia made “L’Oceano d’Oro” (“The Golden Ocean”) featuring a combination of saffron, sauteéd shrimp and speck, and
First-time competitor Jie Yan presents “The Burlingtonian” to judges as cameras flash.
PHOTO: CANADIAN PIZZA
stracciatella cheese to add creaminess to the pizza. There is a lot of respect between these two: Singh said in his pizza description “Fate, or perhaps the aroma of delicious pizza, led me to Marco. . . a maestro of pizza with multiple degrees from Italy and 17 years running his family’s restaurant.”
Robert Federici, owner-operator of Ciao Roma in Woodbridge, Ont., made his signature Roman pizza al taglio (by the cut) with a sauce of mushroom, pancetta, white wine and rosemary cream, mozzarella, parmigiano Reggiano and topped with sweet onion jam and “frizzled” onions. Stefano Zummo, also of Ciao Roma, joined him, making a different take on mushroom pizza: a crème fraiche base topped with wild and porcini mushrooms, mushroom conserva, whipped mascarpone and a garnish of porcini-cured egg yolk.
Jeremy and Josh Paone, two energetic brothers working with their father Tony at The Lock Wood Fired Pizzeria in Port Colborne, Ont., love to come to the Summit and have made memorable pizzas over the years. This year the creative chefs worked independently on their pizzas, with a bit of consultation. Jeremy’s “Burrata Royale” featured a slow-braised veal-tenderloin ragu, burrata cheese, lemon zest arugula and chili oil and employed a technique of layering the dough with mozzarella slices “to absorb moisture before adding the ragu.” Josh made “Meatball Mushroom Parm Crisp,” a pan pizza featuring an in-house meatball mixture of ground pork and veal, sliced mozzarella and vodka sauce of alfredo base, red sauce and vodka.
Besides Ward, Singh and Zummo, several other first-time competitors: Michael Cosentino, also of Il Fornello, was there to give moral support to colleague Campisi and also compete for the first time with his pizza, “Fichi Alla Cozzy” featuring gruyere, fior di latte, figs, red pepper jam and broccoli among other ingredients. Justin Roth of Acute Pizzeria and Emilio Romanino of Vero Pizzeria, both in Toronto, turned out to the annual competition. Roth’s “Baa Baa Berry Lamb” was another flavourful dessert pizza featuring lamb, blueberry, a provolone-mozzarella mix, mint, rosemary and more. Romanino’s pizza featured sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami flavours and “kokumi,” best described by the chef as “a feeling of roundness, fullness and depth” that can be achieved through fermented sauces such as miso and soy sauce.
Dedicated judges were Frank Mazzuca, principle of Mazzuca Design, Photography & Ideas, video maker and influencer; Rocco Agostino, executive chef and partner for Pizzeria Libretto, partner of Enoteca Sociale and Chef of the Year in 2013; and award-winning journalist, editor and writer Rita DeMontis.
While scores were tabulated, the Faema Canada team held an exciting margherita pizza eating contest. Master chef Pasquale Ponticello made irresistible pizzas. Bart Nadherny, co-owner of Son of a Peach Pizzeria, Burlington, Ont., scarfed the most pizza of five competitors to take
home a metal pizza peel from GI Metals courtesy of Faema. Nadherny, crowned Chef of the Year at our Montreal competition in April, was there supporting his head chef Jie Yan, who competed with their signature “The Burlingtonian” featuring tomato, bacon, roasted wild mushrooms and virgin mozzarella.
Patrick Pacella, who owned a pizzeria for over 10 years, is a certified chef/manager with a large caterer and has more than 35 years in the industry, said he got a lot out of the day.
“I believe this presents an excellent opportunity for collaboration within our industry. . . . We have witnessed the rise of Detroit-style, Roman-style, focaccia, various interpretations of Neapolitan, and even dessert pizzas, which was the highlight of this year’s summit! The incredible array of toppings truly offers a multicultural culinary experience.”
Thank you to Host and Platinum Sponsor Faema Canada, Gold Sponsor Lactalis Canada Foodservice, Bronze Sponsor Handtmann Canada, and our dedicated exhibitors, judges and pizza chefs for supporting pizza innovation!
Watch for profile stories of our winners along with their tantalizing recipes. | CP
The team from Lefty’s Pizzeria and Lounge came all the way from Grand Falls-Windsor, N.L., to check out the show and pizza trends. Lefty’s has been in business for an impressive 44 years!
Christian Donath of Handtmann Canada, JC Madour of Lallemand and Giovanni Campisi of Il Fornello chat at the Summit.
THE PIZZA CHEF
BY DIANA CLINE
Diana Cline is a two-time Canadian Pizza Magazine chef of the year champion, three- time winner of “Canada’s Best Pizza Chef” at international pizza competitions, judge for international pizza culinary competitions in Las Vegas, Italy and France, and CEO of Diana’s Gourmet Pizzeria. In addition to creating award-winning recipes, Diana is a consultant to other pizzeria owner/operators in menu development, creating systems to run a pizzeria on autopilot and marketing to help operators grow their businesses effectively and strategically. She is available for consulting on a limited basis. Contact her at diana@dianascucinaandlounge.com.
Easy-to-implement social media strategies for independent pizzeria owners
Running an independent pizzeria is a full-time balancing act. Between managing staff, sourcing ingredients, handling deliveries and making sure every slice leaves the oven perfectly crisp, marketing often becomes an afterthought.
Yet in today’s digital-first world, social media isn’t just a nice-to-have –it’s an essential tool for driving traffic, building loyalty and keeping your brand top of mind.
The good news? You don’t need a marketing background, fancy equipment or a big budget to succeed online. With a few easy-to-implement strategies – and a willingness to step a little outside your comfort zone – you can create a strong social media presence that truly reflects your passion and your pizza.
1. Start small: Pick one or two platforms
You don’t need to be everywhere at once. Managing too many social media accounts can quickly become overwhelming and inconsistent. Instead, focus on one or two platforms where your customers already spend their time.
For most independent pizzerias, Facebook and Instagram are ideal starting points. Instagram is built for visual storytelling – perfect for those irresistible cheese pulls – while Facebook excels at building community engagement through local events, specials and reviews.
Once you’ve chosen your platforms, aim for consistency over frequency. Three or four thoughtful posts per week, plus a few minutes a day responding to comments or messages, can make a lasting impression without stretching your time or energy.
High-quality visuals are key, but you don’t need a professional photographer – just good lighting and an eye for detail as in this photo of the Rebellious Tomato’s entry in the 2025 Calgary chef competition.
2. Let your pizza (and your personality) shine
3. Overcome shyness and ‘toot your own Horn’
Example of simple weekly structure:
Monday: Photo of the “Pizza of the Week”
Wednesday: Behind-the-scenes kitchen post
Friday: Customer spotlight or weekend special
Your food is your best marketing tool. High-quality visuals are key, but you don’t need a professional photographer – just good lighting and an eye for detail. Natural daylight by a window is perfect for capturing the steam, colour and texture that make your pizzas irresistible.
Beyond the product, people love getting a glimpse behind the scenes. Share short videos of dough being tossed, staff working together during a rush or a quick story about how your signature sauce came to be. These personal touches humanize your brand and make customers feel like they’re part of your story.
Many independent operators are humble by nature. You’re proud of your work but prefer to let the food speak for itself. While that humility is admirable, it can also hold you back on social media. Remember: if you don’t tell your story, no one else will.
Promoting your pizzeria isn’t about bragging: it’s about sharing your passion. If self-promotion feels uncomfortable, try these small mindset shifts:
• Think connection, not promotion. You’re not selling: you’re inviting people to be part of your community.
• Celebrate others. If it feels awkward to spotlight yourself, highlight your
PHOTO: CANADIAN PIZZA
Humility can hold you back on social media.
Remember: if you don’t tell your story, no one else will.
team members, your customers or your suppliers. Showing gratitude and pride in your crew still reflects well on you.
• Share milestones. Announce your anniversaries, thank your followers when you hit 1,000 likes or post about local recognition you’ve received. These posts are natural, positive ways to share success. Confidence grows with practice. Each post makes it easier to share your story authentically and proudly.
4. Encourage and reward customer posts
Word-of-mouth is powerful. On social media, that means user-generated content. When customers post about their pizza nights and tag your shop, it gives you free exposure and builds trust among potential new diners.
Make it fun and easy for customers to participate:
• Run a monthly photo contest where customers tag your business for a chance to win a free pizza.
• Create a catchy, unique hashtag like #SliceOfSam’s or #PizzaFromPiazza to organize community posts.
• Regularly repost and thank customers for their photos and reviews. This approach not only boosts visibility but also builds a sense of community and appreciation.
5. Use stories and reels to stay visible
Short-form videos like Instagram Reels and Facebook Stories can dramatically increase your reach. You don’t need complicated editing: just short, engaging moments that show off your product or your process. Consider sharing:
• A pizza being sliced or boxed fresh out of the oven.
• A time -lapse of dough prep.
• A fun “behind-the -counter” clip featuring your team.
These formats perform well because they’re quick, authentic and easy for customers to engage with.
6. Strengthen local connections
Independent pizzerias thrive when they’re deeply connected to their communities. Use social media to highlight those relationships. Partner with local breweries, schools or charities and tag them in your posts. For example, promote a “Pizza and Pint Night” with a local brewery, or donate pizzas to a community event and post photos from the day. Collaborations like these show that your business is about more
than sales: it’s about local pride and support.
7. Plan ahead with simple tools
Running a pizzeria is demanding, so staying organized is key. Free or low-cost tools such as Meta Business Suite, Canva or Later allow you to create, schedule and monitor posts in advance.
Try setting up a simple weekly structure. For example:
• Monday: Photo of the “Pizza of the Week”
• Wednesday: Behind-the-scenes kitchen post
• Friday: Customer spotlight or weekend special
A little planning can help you stay consistent, reduce stress and ensure your social media remains active even during your busiest nights.
The final slice
You don’t need to be a marketing expert – or an extrovert – to make social media work for your pizzeria. Start small, be genuine and let your passion for great pizza and community shine through.
Remember: self-promotion isn’t arrogance – it’s storytelling. Every post is an opportunity to share your craft, celebrate your team and remind people why your pizza is special. With steady effort and a touch of confidence, your online presence can become as warm, authentic and inviting as the aroma from your oven. | CP
TACKLING TWO KEY BUSINESS TOPICS
Experts share tips on training, succession planning at the Baking Expo
BY COLLEEN CROSS
Two learning sessions we attended at September’s Baking Expo helped break down two processes all pizzerias could use some guidance: training and succession planning.
TRAINING YOUR STAFF TO SUCCEED
The best training is all about learning. Pizzeria and bakery owners and managers at the Baking Expo in Las Vegas in September showed they were hungry to learn effective ways to train their staff by engaging with a baking industry expert who detailed “Five Steps to Effective On-Shift Training.”
Elnian Gilbert, a trainer with Zingerman’s Delicatessen and “Community of Businesses” in Ann Arbor, Mich., loves to train and it showed in her stimulating education session. Gilbert started as a seasonal holiday employee at Zingerman’s Mail Order then became a trainer with the company’s ZingTrain program in 2007.
ZingTrain is built on a compact in which “the trainer agrees to document clear performance expectations, provide training resources, recognize
performance and reward performance” and the trainee agrees to “take responsibility for the effectiveness of their training.”
Gilbert demonstrated her training skills by showing attendees how to identify four stages of learning: unconsciously incompetent, consciously incompetent, consciously competent and unconsciously competent.
The goal is to be unconsciously competent, a stage in which the employee has had so much practice with a skill that it has become second nature, they can perform it easily and they can even teach it to others. Think about taking a phone order or rolling a croissant. But, although an unconsciously competent person may be fastest and most efficient, there is a potential to develop bad habits,
slip into complacency or fail to adopt and adapt new concepts. These labels encompass both trainees and trainers. For example, a consciously competent person may make the most effective trainer.
It’s a deceptively simple framework that helps get to the heart of training issues. However, it takes some practice to get the hang of identifying these stages, as the audience showed by working through a pop quiz that asked them to link commonly seen behaviour to the different stages; for example, a new employee who asks a lot of questions on the first day might be labelled consciously incompetent: they recognize they don’t know everything and need to learn and build their confidence.
The speaker, who has a business
Elnian Gilbert, a trainer with Zingerman’s Delicatessen and Community of Businesses in Ann Arbor, Mich., shared five steps to effective on-shift training at IBIE in September.
degree and customer-service experience, walked owners and managers through five steps of effective training: prepare, tell, show, do and review.
FIVE TAKEAWAYS
Here are takeaways from each of the five steps:
Prepare: Have answers to the four training plan questions for a shift learning to answer the phone:
1. By the end of this two-hour training, trainee will be able to: answer the phone using the standard script, put a customer on hold and take a phone order.
2. Phone standard operating procedure, co-worker.
3. Observation and feedback for answering the phone and performance test / role play for hold and phone order.
4. Signed off on training plan and available to be scheduled for shifts covering the phone.
Tell: Explain to your trainee why it’s important the task be done the way you’re teaching them to do it. Tell them what to do if you get pulled away.
Show: Have the trainee walk you through the steps. Have them tell you each step and you do it. Lift your hands up if they get it wrong.
Do: Don’t walk away! You don’t want trainees to spend their time practising the wrong thing. Give them some space.
Review: Try the positive, future-focused “Liked Best, Next Time” approach to feedback. Ask your trainee to describe what they liked best about their performance. Describe what you liked best about the trainee’s performance. Ask the trainee what they would do differently the next time. Finally, give specific suggestions for what the trainee might do to improve the next time.
Perhaps the most powerful and easily applicable tip Gilbert shared was to tweak your phrasing from the open-ended “Any questions?” to the more effective “What questions do
you have?” This signals to trainees that questions are normal, expected and, in fact, an important way to absorb material. It also helps make your business a safe space in which to make mistakes, creates a positive atmosphere and gives gentle redirection when needed.
Gilbert applied this at the end of the session by asking not “Did you learn anything from this session?” but instead “What is one thing you’ll do differently the next time you are training someone on-shift?” They were eager to share their a-ha moments. These included the concept of demonstrating a task, such as rolling a croissant, at full speed before slowing down the steps to help staff master the process.
TRANSITIONING YOUR BUSINESS TO FAMILY
Marc Anderson, president of Linda’s Bakery in Salem, Wis., shared his experiences and hard-won wisdom transitioning his successful bakery business in “Succession Planning Basics for Family Bakeries,” a well-attended talk at the Bakery Expo.
In 1980, Anderson became partners with sister Linda in her business, established in 1973. In 2008 Anderson and his wife Sue became sole owners and today have 70 full-time, part-time and seasonal employees who serve some 1,000 customers on busy days.
In 2018 they started planning to exit the business.
When owners make that decision to start transitioning the business to family members, key decisions are how the business will be structured and who will lead it. It’s important to put people in roles that suit their skillsets, Anderson told the audience of baking professionals. “Equal is not always fair and fair is not always equal,” he cautioned, explaining that not everyone is cut out to be a manager.
Anderson suggests the ideal time to start planning for your transition falls somewhere between the owner being ready to retire and the successor
having gained enough skills to take over operations: a sweet spot. In other words, if these two things overlap, this will give current owners time to teach and successors time to learn from them while current owners are still available for advice.
It’s important to have standard operating procedures for recipe consistency, efficiency and training materials written down and illustrated so that anyone can follow them. And of course, work with trusted attorneys and accountants, prepare financial statements, establish wills, trusts and buy/sell agreements, and buy appropriate insurance
STEPS TO GET STARTED
Getting started can be as simple as letting your family members know what you’re thinking, asking for their input and discussing your long-term goals.
Anderson suggests starting with an emergency plan. This may include writing a buy/sell agreement funded with term life insurance, having an attorney create trust documents, adding future owners to bank accounts, insurance policies and government documents, and having your passwords safe and accessible.
Anderson recommended starting a management committee to oversee the transition and start making decisions – then give them real authority to make decisions. Prepare your business as if you are selling it, involve all your staff, let multiple people know all critical jobs and assign priority projects to managers.
He had advice for retiring owners. “Make yourself dispensable, start with small steps and it’s OK if your successors don’t do it like you would have.”
He recommended successors get formal and/or on-the-job training, be willing to start with small steps, be open to advice and find ways to add your own ideas on to practices that are tried and true, adding, “it’s a process, not a one-time event.” | CP
MAKING DOUGH WITH DIANE
BY DIANE CHIASSON
Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping foodservice, hospitality, and retail operators increase sales for more than 35 years by providing innovative and revenue-increasing foodservice and retail merchandising programs, interior design, branding, menu engineering, marketing and promotional campaigns. Contact her at 416-926-1338, send her an email at chiasson@chiassonconsultlants.com or visit www.chiassonconsultants.com.
Six tips to boost your pizzeria sales around New Year’s Eve
Holidays bring a rush of people to restaurants. Offices celebrate, families and friends get together, and everyone craves comfort food. Diners look for festive experiences and special menus. People want to celebrate and they are loosening their wallets. It’s the perfect time for your pizzeria to capitalize as the go-to place for customers to relax and celebrate.
Here are six tips to boost your pizzeria sales around New Year’s Eve.
1. Re-evaluate and organize your existing decoration
Before the New Year’s celebration, check your holiday decorations and make sure everything is in perfect working order. Then assess what you have. Do your decorations look like they came from 1980? Do they look like they came from your neighbour’s garage sale? Do they match your restaurant’s brand identity? Do you have enough products to make a statement? If not, it might be time to dump these decorations and start fresh before the new year.
By incorporating holiday d<1>cor ideas into your restaurant, you will attract walk-in business and create a memorable experience for your customers throughout the holiday season.
2. Clean before updating your New Year’s decorations
Make sure your pizzeria sparkles before you start changing your holiday decorations. Dust all your fixtures, clean the windows, and make sure all your walls, ceilings and floors are spotless. Assign each staff member a section of the restaurant to speed up the process.
3. Select a theme that matches your pizzeria brand
For New Year’s Day, offer a special brunch menu to attract customers who are recovering from the night before.
Create a captivating first impression with eye-catching exterior decorations. Why not add a colourful wreath to the front door, along with string lights? Use your restaurant’s windows to showcase holiday-themed displays that will entice passersby and draw them inside your pizzeria. Don’t forget to enhance the ambiance with holiday music playing softly in the background. Use seasonal scents like cinnamon, pine or peppermint to waft through the air.
Before you continue decorating to create an inviting atmosphere in your pizzeria, make a plan for your restaurant. While red and green are most common for the holidays, and blue and silver for Hanukkah, these
colours might clash with your operation’s existing colours. Look online for different themes or visit your local arts and crafts store for more ideas. Choose a theme and colour scheme that aligns with your restaurant’s brand and ambiance. All your decorations should flow cohesively, matching the themes and colours of your pizzeria.
There is no need to spend thousands of dollars on new, fancy decorations. Use natural elements such as evergreen branches, pinecones, garlands or berries with fake candles. Spray-paint these items according to the colours and themes you selected. It’s still time to get a real Christmas tree so its natural fragrance can alert your customers’ senses.
Wrap empty boxes, soup and tomato cans, and other kitchen items in colourful wrapping paper, and place them in different areas of your restaurant, as well as under the tree. Place the wrapped packages at various heights to create more depth.
If your pizzeria looks especially fun and festive, your guests will encourage others to visit through word-of-mouth marketing. Arrange your seasonal décor so guests take pictures they will share online.
4. Dress up lighting fixtures
For the holiday season, you should bring a complete change to your lighting arrangements. To create an absolute festive mood, add a few brighter lights to make the entrance more inviting. And by stringing Christmas lights throughout your pizzeria, you immediately add a festive touch.
5. Add Holiday specials to your restaurant menu
The holidays are a perfect time to incorporate festive specials into your pizzeria menu, which can be a lucrative strategy for attracting customers and increasing sales. Add some drink
specials like white chocolate peppermint mochas and other popular winter flavours.
Most people today are searching for places to eat and particular menu items before even leaving their couch. A few surveys conclude that 93 per cent of people view menus online before dining out. You should always have your menus posted online to help those people decide to celebrate these holidays with you.
Create buzz with exclusive holiday flavours like cranberry barbecue chicken pizza, brie, ham, and Cranberry pizza, truffle and fior di latte pizza, roasted mushrooms and chestnuts pizza, pancetta and brussels sprouts pizza, and turkey and brie flatbread.
Create a special children’s menu featuring holiday-themed dishes to attract families and enhance their dining experience. It will not only delight young diners but also encourage families to choose your restaurant for their holiday outings.
A fun Christmas idea for pizza shops is to host in-store events. Organize a small New Year’s party or offer a limited-time tasting of new holiday-themed pizzas.
What about offering a hangover brunch? For New Year’s
POP-UP BAR OPTIONS:
Inventive and outrageous holiday cocktails
Smooth, hot drinks
Mocktails with melted marshmallows
Hot chocolate
Spiced apple fizzes
Alcohol-free margaritas and mojitos
Day, offer a special brunch menu to attract customers who are recovering from the night before.
Create special takeout holiday packaging with festive branding. Include coupons for a future order to drive repeat business in the new year. Add small touches like offering free candy canes with orders. You can also print or handwrite holiday greetings on pizza boxes to show appreciation.
6. Put up a temporary pop-up bar
You should put up a temporary bar to celebrate the new year and provide your customers with a memorable seasonal experience. You can create your own or partner with an existing organizer to bring this concept to life.
What could be your drink menu? What about inventive and outrageous holiday cocktails, mocktails, and cozy, smooth hot drinks? Your temporary bar should feature colourful, twinkling lights, cozy seating, tasty treats, festive music, over-the-top, charming winter d<1>cor, and plenty of special new year’s cocktails.
Transform your pizzeria with festive holiday decorations to create a warm, inviting atmosphere that attracts customers. | CP
PROFITS IN THE PIE
Profits in the Pie: Effective Marketing Tactics to Seize Your Slice of the $38.1 Billion Pizza Pie!
• Learn marketing ideas that are tried and true – not wasting money, but making thousands of dollars
• Learn to easily implement marketing tactics – have an action plan you can act on, making you a local celebrity
• Tweak ideas and make them your own – be the talk of your town with innovative ideas that generate free press “Turn YOUR Passion into Profits” $14.95
BY CANADIAN PIZZA STAFF
Thirty years of pizza stories
A look back at the first year of Canadian Pizza was published helps us benchmark how much the industry has changed in three decades
This month marks the 30th anniversary of Canadian Pizza! To gain perspective on the industry, we dove into the earliest issues of 1995-96.
We found lots of insights and gems.
Our first profile story was about Il Fornello, a Toronto Italian restaurant opened by Ian Sorbie that was seeing great success and expanding. The forward-thinking Sorbie, president of the franchise, who grew the business with partners Stacey Patterson and Sean Fleming, commented on the growth and popularity of “gourmet” pizza: “There are not many gourmet restaurants in Toronto now without pizzas on the menu. It’s a low-end, high-end, middle-range offering. It’s McDonald’s, it’s 3-for-1, soon 4-for-1, and it’s everywhere.”
The savvy restaurateur got great exposure for his pizzerias by sponsoring the Toronto Film Festival, which included catering three major parties and transporting a wood-burning oven to the parking lot at City-TV and staging the Festival Schmooze. They got lots of coverage by the press that included their logo in the background. Although, sadly, Ian Sorbie passed away in 2023, Il Fornello restaurants, with their thin-crust pizza made in wood-burning ovens, have endured. Giovanni Campisi, a chef at Il Fornello in Oakville, won the Chef of the Year competition in Toronto this past October. How’s that for a full-circle moment!
Besides the meaty profiles, those early issues featured roundups of ovens, surveys of chefs on favourite toppings they use, advice on how to make a signature sauce and the art of cheese blending and “Dealing with dissatisfied customers.”
In the mid-1990s, when Canadian Pizza launched and Brian Fray’s Pete the Pizza Man made his first appearance, the pizza scene was expanding rapidly.
Below are some highlights that will be will be new to many readers. We hope you take inspiration from this moment in time when the industry was exploding with possibility, regional chains such as Pizza Delight, Greco and Pizza Nova, and national chains like Domino’s and Pizza Hut, were expanding rapidly and independents were learning to stand out by keeping quality high and getting involved in their neighbourhoods through causes and events.
Highlights of the first year
The Little Pizzeria Network launched in Ontario to share in volume purchasing, exclusive products and marketing strategies, and new pizza markets, among other advantages of banding together. An advertisement told readers, “Volume purchasing with other independents will save you far more than the costs of membership.”
We reported that less than 15 per cent of Canadians support smoking bans in restaurants, according to a poll, and about half of those surveyed
thought restaurants should continue with designated smoking areas, while about one-quarter preferred the establishment of designated restaurants. A strong majority of people said if they had their own restaurant, they’d allow smoking there. By 2006, when Ontario and Quebec banned the practice, smoking was banned in restaurants and public places across Canada. How times changed in about a decade.
What were pizza prices like in the mid-1990s? West End Convenience in Carnduff, Sask., had lineups to buy its pizza slices at $2. At the other end of the scale, for a full-size pizza, Il Fornello in Toronto offered 17 fixed combinations ranging from $6.30 to $13.75 and more than 50 possible toppings.
An overview of the pizza industry citing Canadian Restaurant and Foodservice Association statistics indicated the majority of diners across Canada preferred white dough. A notable exception was B.C., where 47 per cent of diners preferred whole-wheat dough. The Maritimes and Quebec showed strong interest in whole-wheat dough. Amusingly, smaller but significant numbers of diners chose the option “Whatever.” Do these geographic preferences still hold true? What type of dough do YOUR customers like?
That same overview predicted “Natural-food trends are not likely to decrease, and pizza-makers are exploiting them in their menus.”
The most popular topping was mozzarella, followed by mushrooms, pepperoni, green pepper, bacon, ham, pineapple, ground beef, olives, onions, salami and anchovies. Compare that list with one from our 2019 operator survey, where pepperoni was the bestseller, followed by bacon, mushrooms, ham, extra cheese, pineapple, other, peppers, sausage, onions and spinach. Although the appearance of peppers and spinach hints at healthier lifestyles, these lists are strikingly similar. The more things change, the more they stay the same! | CP
PHOTO: CANADIAN PIZZA
Round pizza, Roman-style, Neapolitan? Modern bakery or traditional pastry? Multi production or single product? The possibilities are many.
