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Volume 15 Issue 4 June 2009
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10 Measuring for profit
If your projected food costs have been way off base, it’s time to tip the scales in your favour.
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14 silent car Making noise
The first street legal low-speed electric car on Quebec streets is delivering pizza.
16 What’s in store?
We’ve highlighted some tips and tools to help you target the hot trends.
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20 Waiter, there’s Wine in My bread This Niagara winemaker is turning wine into flour for flavourful doughs.
23 MushrooM 23
Marsala pizza The third-placing recipe from Canadian Pizza magazine’s Chef of the Year competition.
www.canadianpizzamag.com
DEPARTMENTS 4
editor’s desk
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pizza bites
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canadian pizza online
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marketing insights
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making dough with Diane
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the pizza chef
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pizza on fire JUNE 2009 pizza 3
from the editor’s desk June 2009, Vol. 15, No. 4
Brave new world nyone can get their 15 minutes of fame now, much to the disgust of Domino’s patrons who witnessed the two YouTube bandits and their shenanigans. This is frightening on a number of levels beyond the reach of food tampering. It proved what a publicity nightmare the new social media realm can be. The two stars of the video were identified in news reports as Michael Setzer and Kristy Hammonds. Hammonds is a registered sex offender with FamilyWatchdog. us, convicted of sexual battery in June 2008. The PR crisis unfolds. Both have been charged with felony food tampering. However, the offending video went viral, reaching millions, noted Wall Street Journal blogger Raymund Flandez. He pointed to a new national study done by HCD Research that showed 65 per cent of Domino’s current customers were less likely to be patrons after viewing the video. Hopefully the punishment for Hammonds and Setzer sets a level of deterrence for all employees who might consider embarrassing their employer on a world stage, but sentencing hasn’t outright ended any crime. Ask yourself if this episode could have happened in your store. Ask yourself how much you trust those who manage your business in your absence. Now is the time to examine whether or not your business is vulnerable to going viral in a very bad way because social media is definitely here to stay. Social media is hot, and the momentum keeps building. This is clearly exemplified by Pizza Hut’s decision to hire a “Twintern.” The “twinternship” is based out of Dallas and will last 10 to 12 weeks. According to the job posting on Yum!’s website: “The intern will act as a fully integrated member of the PR team and will focus on new and emerging social media, such as Twitter, Facebook and others.”
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By all rights, the emerging new media is a valid and exciting new way to connect with customers, but it’s still in the exploration stages. Unfortunately Domino’s was granted the opportunity to set a significant precedent for how to deal with a public relations crisis resulting from it. The company tackled the medium in its own forum, apologizing on YouTube and handling it over Twitter. The aftermath has provided lessons for everyone in marketing, although much of the discussion has centred on how Domino’s has handled the crisis, little on how to prevent it. Social media, as defined by Wikipedia (which is a social media platform itself), is simply information content generated by people that creates a mass dialogue. The entry further states, in discussing the difference between traditional and new media: “Industrial media is held to account to society for the content quality and consequences of their activities, in terms of the values of public interest, social responsibility and editorial independence. Social media is so far not accountable for their publishing activities.” It seems we are in era that should revisit the work of Marshall McLuhan, the Canadian who coined the term “the medium is the message.” His writings theorized that different media forms affect people’s judgments in different ways. Fundamentally, he sought to show that each new media that came along in society had a unique ability to alter the way people viewed the world. The medium, whether it was television or newspapers, delivered the same message with different effects. I am an extremely curious witness to how social media is going to continue to change the world. Without a doubt, and for better or worse, it will.•
Editor Laura Aiken laiken@annexweb.com 416-522-1595 National Advertising Manager Christine Livingstone clivingstone@annexweb.com 519-429-5173 888-599-2228 ext. 239 Sales Assistant Ryan Culver rculver@annexweb.com 519-429-5183 888-599-2228 ext. 219 Production Artist Brooke Shaw Group Publisher Martin McAnulty mmcanulty@annexweb.com President Mike Fredericks mfredericks@annexweb.com Mailing Address P.O. Box 530, 105 Donly Dr. S., Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5 Publication Mail Agreement #40065710 Return undeliverable Canadian address to Circulation Department, P.O. Box 530, Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5 e-mail: cnowe@annexweb.com Published eight times per year (Jan/Feb, Mar, Apr/May, Jun, Jul/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov, Dec), by Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. Printed in Canada ISSN 1203-6838 Circulation e-mail: cnowe@annexweb.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 $ 19.26 (includes GST - #867172652RT0001) USA – 1 Year $ 40.00 From time to time, we at Canadian Pizza Magazine make our subscription list available to reputable companies and organizations whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you do not want your name to be made available, 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. ©2009 Annex Publishing & 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 mama rosa Hello everyone! Mama Rosa here. What a smart bunch of pizzaiolos we have in Canada! I sure hope you are staying cool in those steaming hot kitchens. So, I hope you’re ready
Sania (three years), with the help of Mom (Madiha) and sister Alaysha (five years), donate change to a collection box for Pizza Pizza’s Slices for Smiles fundraiser.
Pizza Pizza and Pizza 73 raise money for Children’s Miracle Network izza Pizza and Pizza 73 held a special fundraiser and offered a promotional recipe that benefited children’s hospitals across Canada. The Slices for Smiles campaign ran from April 27 to May 3 in more than 430 participating Pizza Pizza and Pizza 73 locations. Customers receive pizza at a discounted price with a percentage of the proceeds going to the Slices for Smiles Foundation. This is the first time Pizza Pizza and Pizza 73 have offered the program to customers in western Canada. Pizza Pizza locations, in addition to providing value menu offerings, also employed several other fundraising channels, including donation options for online and call centre orders, the sale of Children’s Miracle Network balloons in-store with bounce-back offers to consumers and coin donation boxes. As part of the week-long event, all
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traditional Pizza Pizza restaurants in Canada offered cheese slices to consumers for $1.75 and medium cheese or pepperoni pizzas to walk-in customers for $5. Twenty-five cents from the sale of each slice and 50 cents from the sale of each medium pizza were donated to Children’s Miracle Network through the Slices for Smiles Foundation. In western Canada, Pizza 73 customers could purchase nine-inch pepperoni pizzas for a special walk-in price of $4.99, with 50 cents of each sale going toward the campaign along with the option to add a donation to online orders. The Slices for Smiles Foundation has raised more than $200,000 for children’s charities since Pizza Pizza first introduced the program in October 2007. The amount of funds raised from this particular campaign was not available at press time.
for this month’s trivia contest question. Remember, it’s easy – I’ll ask the question and you find the answer somewhere in this month’s issue of Canadian Pizza magazine. Then fax, mail or e-mail your answer to me. If I pick your name from the answer bag, you win!
This month’s trivia question: What are three tips for controlling food cost?
Are you ready? This month’s trivia question is: What are three tips for controlling food cost? Deadline is June 13, 2009 e-mail: pizza@annexweb.com Fax: 519-429-3094, Attn: Mama Rosa Mail: Mama Rosa, Canadian Pizza Magazine, P.O Box 530 105 Donly Drive South Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5
did you know? A market research firm estimates that sales of gluten-free products will grow 15 to 25 per cent annually.
pizzabites
Menu labelling bill a bad move O
ntario’s restaurant industry has been working to provide more nutrition information for customers, but labelling menus with calorie counts will be a step in the wrong direction, says the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA). “Restaurant chains in particular have taken significant steps to provide more nutrition information for their customers, and the entire food industry has been working to reduce the level of trans fat in menu items,” says Stephanie Jones, CRFA vice president Ontario, in a news release. “Bill 156 is a huge step backward on both of these issues. Bill 156 is a private members bill introduced by the NDP party that affects foodser-
vice establishments grossing annual revenues over $5 million. If passed, this legislation would require these restaurants to have the number of calories per serving displayed for each food and drink menu item. This caloric information can be posted on a display board or attached as a tag to individual items. The bill will also limit the amount of trans fat content of the food. On the issue of trans fat, the CRFA has repeatedly called for federal regulations to limit trans fat in the Canadian food supply. According to the CRFA, the entire food supply chain – from farm to fork – must work together to increase the supply of healthier trans fat alternatives
Pizza Butler solves table space he Pizza Butler is a stylish way to make a pizza take up half the room it usually does on the table. This Zshaped invention stacks each half, making it easier to put two pizzas on a table or even use smaller tables to create more seating room in your restaurant. Manny Velis, inventor, merged the capabilities of his high-tech metals business in New York with his popular pizzeria in Tampa, Fla.
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observed his wait staff struggling to fit two pies on a 42 inch table, and By creating the Pizza Butler, he was able to actually switch his tables to 30-inch deep and turn over 22 tables instead of 17. The Pizza Butler comes in five sizes to accommodate from 13- to 20-inch pies. All trays are made of 18-gauge stainless steel. An advertised online special prices it from $45.99 US to $55.99 US. See www. thepizzabutler.com for more information.
hot stuff
New dough press from Dutchess Bakers’ Dutchess Bakers’ Machinery Company added the DUT/DXM-SS pizza press to its line of dough make-up equipment. This is the first time the 123 year-old company has had a pizza dough press in its equipment line. This manual stainless steel machine has dual or single heated platens that allow you to warm press, cold press or par bake a pizza crust. The bottom platen swings out for loading and unloading. The Cam over-lock linkage creates a consistent diameter and thickness and reduces the work for the operator. Customers have the option of non-stick coating on the upper and lower platens and no flour is needed for easier cleanup. The DUT/DXM-SS is NSF- and ETL-certified. For further information, check out www.dutchessbakers.com.
Making us proud in Italy ellow Canadian pizzaiolos were among the judges, competitors and top ten finishers at the recent World Pizza Games in Salsomaggiore Terme, Italy. Stephen Goddard of Pomodori in New Brunswick placed eighth in the difficult Pizza Napoletana category. Goddard says out of 1,000 points they were only 50 points from first place and 25 points from third. “We were very pleased with how the competition went,” he says. “We did not expect to finish that well in that tough of a category.” Pomodori has had an outstanding month, he says, having received a lot of mileage from CBC, CTV and local news coverage of the achievement. The restaurant is just ap-
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proaching its one year anniversary. Goddard was also selected to the top three in Canadian Pizza magazine’s Chef of the Year contest. Diana Coutu of Diana’s Gourmet Pizzeria in Winnipeg, columnist for Canadian Pizza magazine and runner up for its 2008 Chef of the Year contest, was invited to judge this year’s World Pizza Games. She is the first Canadian judge in 18 years of the Games. Her husband Pierre Coutu competed in the Fastest Slap category and did very well. His time was one minute and 40 seconds, which Coutu noted was close to Michael Shepard’s, a multitime holder of the title.
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pizzabites
Kénogami champion of cheese grand prix énogami, a soft washed-rind cheese from Fromagerie Lehmann in Lac Saint-Jean, Que., was the grand champion at the sixth Canadian Cheese Grand Prix. Winners in all 16 categories were also announced: eight from Quebec, three from Alberta, two from Ontario, two from Nova Scotia, and one from Prince Edward Island. The Canadian Cheese Grand Prix is a prestigious competition held every two years by Dairy Farmers of Canada to recognize the best of the best in Canadian cheese making. Phil Bélanger, chair of the 2009 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix, Atlantic Canada Hospitality and Tourism consultant and president of the New Brunswick chapter of La Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, said this year’s finalists are wonderful examples of the world-class cheeses being produced in Canada from coast to coast. “The diversity and originality of the Canadian cheeses truly impressed the jury,” said Bélanger. “After experiencing the rich talents of our cheesemakers first-hand, it’s wonderful to bring this celebration to cheese lovers across Canada.”
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A category winner in the washed-rind division, Kénogami has an aroma of mild herbs and a creamy, buttery, nutty flavour. Made from the milk of their own herd of cows, the Lehmann family has produced cheese on their small family-owned and -operated farm in Lac Saint-Jean since 1983. “After two days of tasting dozens cheeses entered in this year’s Grand Prix, the jurors all agreed Kénogami was one of Canada’s best.” The Canadian Cheese Grand Prix is a competition celebrating the high quality and proud tradition of Canadian cheese. The competition promotes achievements and innovation in cheese making and encourages cheese makers to strive for excellence in their art. This year’s winners showcase the world-class cheeses being produced across Canada. A total of 172 cheeses from 41 different Canadian cheese makers were submitted for consideration in the competition. Winners enjoy the right to affix the Grand Prix seal to their product and benefit from the attention generated by the competition. For a complete list of all winners and category finalists please visit www.dairygoodness.ca.
Boston Pizza slows down opening new restaurants oston Pizza Royalties Income Fund may slow the pace of opening new restaurants due to “weaker economic conditions,” the fund said while posting a 24 per cent increase in first-quarter profit. The fund said its net income for the period ended March 31 was $5.2 million or 35 cents per unit. That’s up from $4.2 million or 31.6 cents per unit from the same 2008 period. Boston Pizza “believes that the pace of commercial real estate development may decelerate and access to financing may be restricted. These factors may have a negative effect on the opening of new Boston Pizza restaurants in 2009.” But the fund, which had 323 restaurants in its pool, anticipates renovations of 20 to 30 restaurants throughout the year. Boston reported a nine per cent increase on its system-wide gross sales to $209.6 million from $192.1 million. Royalty income for the quarter was up five per cent to $5.2 million from $4.2 million. Same-store sales were up 2.8 per cent compared to a year ago while distributions declared for the quarter were unchanged at $3.3 million. Canadian Press
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feature
Measuring for Profit Compiled by Laura Aiken
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f your projected food costs have been way off base, it’s time to tip the scales in your favour. From weighing cheese to counting pepperoni, the methods for controlling portions on a pizza vary from operator to operator, as do the tricks for training employees how to be your ally in the food cost business. It’s important for profits and key to making a great tasting pizza. We’ve rounded up some top industry tips to help you better manage your portions.
Diana Coutu Diana’s Gourmet Pizzeria in Winnipeg, Man. Award-winning international judge and competitor “We have a scale on the make line to weigh base cheese on every pizza – each weight amount for each size (plus extra cheese amounts) is listed by the cheese bin. We have a ‘picture rolodex’ in a binder mounted to a wall. Each topping has a laminated page with three pictures on it showing the appropriate portion for one to three toppings, four to six toppings, and more than six of that topping. On the back of each page there’s a matrix with the appropriate weight amounts. We have another picture rolodex in a binder mounted to a wall by the make line with laminated pictures of each combination/specialty pizza at each stage of topping showing appro-
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priate portioning. “We have these picture rolodexes because it’s important that toppings are nicely spread out on the pizza We tell/ train staff that EVERYONE eats with their eyes first, then their other senses –smell, taste – kick in. Also, you can have three ounces of pepperoni on a pizza, but if it’s all in the middle (and none by the edge of the crust) then it looks like there aren’t any toppings on the pizza (even if there are plenty) and the last couple of bites are what the customer remembers most. “We also have training videos: we have dozens covering many areas of operations/training, but there are two specific to portioning. “We do a manual inventory count every week to calculate actual food cost versus ideal food cost. If anything is out of whack we either check surveillance footage (to make sure a brick of cheese or case of wings isn’t walking out the back door) and we also send a message via POS to staff to watch portioning of said item. Waste is tracked as well. “All these tools help us maintain our costs and keep numbers in line. It’s constant vigilance. At any given time we have $5,000 to $9,000 worth of food in our walk-in cooler and freezers. If you don’t have controls and training and if no one thinks you’re checking, then it’s
a free for all. Restaurants and pizzerias can have an insatiable appetite for cash, and this is the biggest financial area that most operators ignore.” Joe Leroux Amadio’s Pizza in Port Credit, Ont. Been in the pizza business full-time for 19 years “I’ve been weighing the cheese for 16 to 17 years. I started on a postal scale with 20 identical stainless steel bowls.” On spices: “A pinch of this and a pinch of that just doesn’t work anymore.” Leroux pre-portions them. He also notes it’s important to use the same ladle all the time to portion the sauce and know the mark to fill it for small, medium, large pizzas, etc. Weigh the expensive ingredients, not just for cost control, but for flavour. Too much feta or too many green olives will take over the taste of the pizza. “The goal is absolute consistency. The people that order a pizza today want the same pizza they had last week. It’s the McDonald’s principle.” Richard Ames Daddio’s Pizzeria in Grande Prairie, Alta. 21 years in the pizza industry “With cheese costing over $10 a kilogram, in my kitchen it is a condition of employment to weigh the cheese for every application whether it is for pizza or pasta. I am using a fairly inexpensive scale ($80) that paid for itself in the first week used. With the sliced meats there are counts for every meat for each size of pizza. Right now I do not use strict controls on the vegetables but I do keep a close eye on what the staff are habitually putting on and make corrections as necessary.” Ames has a good tip for how to teach staff good food cost skills. He determines in the initial employment interview if they are a left-brain or rightbrain learner by asking what his or her favourite core subjects were in school. If they favour maths and sciences, he knows to teach to count the pepperoni. If they are English or social studies, he explains how to arrange the pepperoni so the meat just touches the edge of the crust, doesn’t overlap, and so forth. He
also keeps a camera on his line, which helps make employees aware that there is management watching. “My actual food costs run within a half per cent of my actual (as projected by his POS system).” Cory Medd Two Guys And A Pizza Place in Lethbridge, Alta. 2008 Canadian Pizza magazine Chef of the Year “One thing I will let you in on is our mozzarella. Since this is the most expensive and most used topping, it is important for us to be consistent. We use a very high-quality cubed cheese. It melts fantastic! It tastes fantastic! Most importantly, cubed cheese is easier to be consistent with a cup system. Unlike shredded mozzarella, the amount of cubed cheese in our cups will be very close every time for every pizza. But I will say that we are very generous with all of our toppings, including cheese, as our top priority is quality. You just have to price your pizzas accordingly.” Sue Loveless franchisee of Domino’s Pizza in Brantford, Ont. 21 years in the business with 20 of them as a franchisee “When it’s really busy, it’s visual,” says Loveless, so it’s key to train staff with measurements in the beginning and when it’s slow so they can do it properly by eye in a rush. She keeps pictures above the make line as visual aids, and the person at the end of the assembly is usually a supervisor. Equally key is to keep a manager on the ovens. “I do notice food costs go up when new people start.” Loveless has an automatic cheeser that dispenses pre-set amounts. The automatic cheeser is used for the primary cheese, and a measuring scoop is used for all other cheeses. “We know our ideals so we know when things get out of whack. It’s not an exact science unfortunately.” The ability to accurately forecast sales, order the correct amounts of food, keep mistakes down and be an owner who’s around will all contribute to better control in food costs. “I’d rather over-portion than under-portion. If it doesn’t look right it doesn’t go out.” •
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Read these stories and more at www.canadianpizzamag.com
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS •
PIZZA HUT HIRING SUMMER TWITTER INTERN
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WHY PIZZA WANTS CUSTOMERS TO CLICK
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CRFA LOBBYING OVER SKY HIGH FEES
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SURVEYS SAYS CONSUMER OUTLOOK BRIGHTENING
Read thESE Stories AND MORE at www.canadianpizzamag.com
BOOKSTORE Being equipped with the latest inside pizza-industry information allows you to not only compete, but win in the exciting world of pizza. Go to www.annexbookstore.com to order. DIGITAL MAGAZINE Visit www.canadianpizzamag.com to sign up for a free trial of Canadian Pizza magazine – the digital version. NEW PRODUCTS
WEB EXCLUSIVES SIX STEPS TO MAKING THE CORPORATE/PERSONAL BRAND CONNECTION By Brenda Bence You may already know that defining and communicating your unique personal brand on the job is a powerful way to further your career. But have you ever thought about the connection between your personal brand and your company’s brand? What role does that “connection” – or lack of a connection – play in your career success? Compare how your corporate and personal brand measure up using these six critical barometers. For full details, go to www.canadianpizzamag.com.
BEWARE OF CONVENTIONAL WISDOM By Jan Peter Aursnes The most debilitating mindset a person can have is blindly and uncritically accepting conventional wisdom. And while there are certainly concepts and widely accepted viewpoints that are based in fact and are worthy of your consideration, you must do your own research and make informed decisions based on your own points of reference. Unfortunately, many people let others determine their path rather than take the time to lay out their own. If you want to go your own way, you might have to just create your own space. For full details, go to www.canadianpizzamag.com.
Read thESE Stories AND MORE at www.canadianpizzamag.com
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The Wood Stone Corporation has launched The Designer Series, a fully customizable stone hearth oven line dedicated to achieving the designer’s vision. BLOG Have your say on a variety of subjects pertaining to the fresh pizza market in Canada: • price points • recruiting • customer service POLL Participate in our monthly polls. How long do you think the recession will last? Visit our website to vote on this month’s question.
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Silent car making noise By Laura Aiken
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he first street legal low-speed electric car on Quebec streets was purchased by Chic Alors!, a gourmet pizzeria owned by Hugh Philippin. In February, Philippin started delivering his pizzas to neighbouring homes in a ZENN, a 100 per cent electric vehicle whose name stands for Zero Emission No Noise. “It’s really satisfying to know that you have not used a single drop of gasoline,” says Philippin, adding that it costs about a dollar to charge. So far, no one on deliveries has run out of power. The limiter taps the car out at 44 kilometres per hour, which Philippin points out is not much below the 50 kilometres per hour on most residential routes. Although he says it’s a “bit of a drag” on major streets, the benefits outweigh that and it hasn’t slowed down delivery times. “You don’t have the kids careening about in residential areas with the name of your business on the side of the car. It’s a good social image.” The car is assembled in Saint-Jerome, north of Montreal. Philippin bought his ZENN as part of a pilot project launched in 2008 by Quebec’s Ministry of Transport and the Société d’assurance automobile to test low-speed vehicles, or LSVs, on Quebec roads. Philippin had been following ZENN for years, a company who had been selling its LSVs in the U.S. because they weren’t street
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legal in Quebec, despite being assembled there. Philippin sent letters to MPs questioning why they weren’t legal and got answers back, including an invitation to participate in the pilot project. The base price of the car was $16,900, which he says came to about $18,000 plus tax after options such as battery warmers, winter tires and a radio were tacked on. The last provincial budget gave him a $4,000 tax credit back on the car. The car has proven to be practical for Philippin. It’s used after 5 p.m., which makes it simple to charge the car overnight. You can get 80 per cent of the power back from a four-hour charge, and then the last 20 per cent over four more hours. He has found that you lose charge faster in cold weather, getting about 40 kilometres of driving from one charge compared to 60 to 80 in the summer months. ZENN is low maintenance, without the need for brake pads or oil changes. Philippin used it at home first for errands, and says he found you could actually load quite a bit into it. The car is powered by an ultra capacitor built by a Texas company called EEstor. This ultra capacitor acts as an electric storage device, not a battery, and can store energy created by solar or wind, too. “With customers, a lot of them love it. They come out and want to take a look at it. Generally everybody is really happy for us,”
he says, adding that people enjoy supporting that it’s assembled locally as well. “It’s a fun car to drive. It’s really cute. I was thinking the drivers would get tired of it but they still pick the electric car first.” The car is street legal for anyone participating in the Quebec government program, as long as they follow the terms and conditions of the test project. This means the government can stop the pilot at any time and the car wouldn’t be legal on the roads anymore. The project will conclude in 2011, when it will be determined if the LSV should be street legal for good. It is not legal in Ontario, where CBC recently reported that the LSV car makers found the regulations determined by the government for a pilot program were too strict. ZENN is planning to bring a full-speed electric car to market that will hit 125 kilometres per hour, with commercial availability anticipated for 2010. Philippin runs a full-service restaurant with the majority of his business being in house dining. He grew to that stage from a take-out/delivery only store, and says Chic Alors! will be moving into a new customized location three times larger than its current home in late 2009. The restaurant was established in 1991 at 955, Jean-Gauvin St. in Quebec City. Chic Alors! is known for its quality and refined pizzas prized at culinary competitions in New York and Las Vegas in 2007. •
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Are you giving back to your community or causes that matter to you? Are you an independent owner or franchisee? Nominate yourself for the Pizza with Purpose Award sponsored by Saputo. We are looking for fundraising activity, sponsorships, participation in community events and creative contributions. Think out-of-the-box. Contributions can be local or national in scope, or both. The winner won’t be determined solely on the amount of money raised. The winner will be chosen based on a culmination of activity over the whole year. Everything you do in 2009 counts and we want to hear about it. Your entry will be evaluated by a panel of industry experts and as the sponsor, Saputo will be donating $2,500 to the winner to spend as they wish. To nominate your business please complete the application below to prequalify for consideration of this award. Track your efforts right up until December 31, 2009 and feel free to let us know how it’s going! Since everything you do this year counts, take until February 8, 2010 to submit your final application to us detailing your year of giving back. The winner will be announced in March and featured in the April/May 2010 issue of Canadian Pizza magazine. The final day to submit yourself as a candidate is December 31, 2009. Name(s) Company Name Address Phone Email Please provide us with a brief (100 words) description highlighting your charitable efforts for 2009
Submit this form via mail to: Canadian Pizza magazine Pizza with Purpose Award
Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. PO Box 530, 105 Donly Dr. S Simcoe, Ontario, N3Y 4N5 or fax to 1-888-404-1129 Or provide the above information in an email and send to laiken@annexweb.com
The Pizza with Purpose award sponsored by:
marketing insights
What’s in store? Michelle Brisebois
his is a common statement made when we find ourselves in adverse circumstances, such as the current global economy. Of course, if we were clairvoyant we would have saved for a rainy day, moved our money into secure GICs and not assumed so much debt. Our grandmothers would argue that clairvoyance be damned; most of this stuff is just common sense. They’re right (darn it). While we can’t read the future, we can anticipate our response to potential challenges and shore up our bets. Knowing the trends in your industry will help you create initiatives that drive future growth. With the help of some pizza industry experts, we’ve highlighted a few sectors worth a second look and some tips and tools to help you to target these hot trends.
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Consumer flight to value Frugal is the new black. Neilson reports that in 2008, 20 per cent of consumer discussions online referenced strategies for managing grocery budgets. Visits to price comparison websites were up significantly this year. Value brands are enjoying a surge in popularity too. Dollar sales of Spam are up 14 per cent versus a year ago. Dry pasta dollar sales are up 25 per cent over last year. Pizza is one of the most economical menu items for patrons, since one pie will often feed several people and still leave leftovers. Roberto Vergalito, a pizza operator in St. Catharines, Ont., has leveraged some innovative tactics to address consumer budgetary constraints. “I ran an aggressive promotion recently. I offered a Recession Buster special which included two eight-slice pizzas with one topping for $12.99. It succeeded
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in attracting new customers and in keeping the existing customers in the habit of buying pizza regularly. I feel that if you can keep the volume up during the tough times, it’s easier to ride the wave when the economy turns around. This way, I don’t have to rebuild the traffic when times get better.”
expensive belly fillers. However, as the old saying goes, if you haven’t got your health, you don’t have anything. Citizens losing employer-funded health benefits may be keen to avoid costly prescriptions. Food intolerances and allergies are more prevalent than ever. A market research firm estimates that sales of gluten-free products will grow 15 to 25 per cent annually (Orlando Sentinel 2008). Ethnic flavours Traditionally, most immigrants to Canada Rich Products of Canada believes that the came from Europe. This trend slowed gluten-free sector is significant enough in the 1980s as the proportion of im- for them to launch a pizza crust to admigrants born in Asia began to outpace dress the trend. “Operators have told us they are bethose of European descent. Currently, nearly 60 per cent of immigrants to Can- ing asked for gluten-free pizza crust,” ada are born in Asia, creating new taste confirms Kevin Spratt, business develpreferences and opportunities for food opment manager for Rich Products of service operators. This impact will be felt Canada. “Our gluten-free sheeted pizza most keenly in Canada’s largest cities. It crust comes in its own pan to ensure it’s not exposed to residue is estimated that by 2017, from other baking pans in more than one in five Cathe kitchen.” nadians will be what is “I didn’t see it Developed by Rich defined as a visible minorcoming.” Products with French ity, a proportion that will Meadow Bakery, these parclimb to greater than 50 baked pizza crusts are cerper cent in cities such as tified gluten free, lactose Toronto and Vancouver. Chinese and South Asian immigrants free, and casein free. The crusts are 10 will represent the majority of these new and a half inches in diameter, 84 per cent Canadians. Marla Mitchell, food service baked, and delivered frozen. product manager for Heinz Canada, sees this trend infiltrating the pizza category. The 100-mile pizza “Our Diana sauces can be used to cre- The 100-mile diet refers to the practice ate pizzas with an interesting twist. Di- of eating only products grown within a ana’s Thai Sweet and Spicy makes a great 100-mile radius of where you are. Peobase for a Thai pizza. This sauce is very ple are keen to buy products produced popular. It’s one of our best sellers.” locally for several reasons. They aren’t transported as far and thus leave a smaller environmental footprint. They emGood and good for you In a rocky economy, it could be theorized ploy fellow Canadians and are perceived that consumers might throw healthy as being grown under safer conditions. foods out the window in favour of less First Lady Michelle Obama has planted a
vegetable garden at the White House to bring awareness to urban vegetable gardens. Co-operative gardening plots are springing up all over in North American cities. Look at your menu items. Do you use ingredients from Canadian suppliers? Are they grown in Canada? You may want to promote Canadian grown ingredients on your menu. Joan Patterson, Heinz Canada’s corporate communications manager, points out that Heinz sauces boast a very specific pedigree of origin. “All of our Canadian tomato-based products are made from tomatoes sourced from a 60 kilometre radius around our Leamington, Ont., plant. We also import some tomato sauces from Heinz USA but they are all grown from a proprietary Heinz seed. Over the past century our traditional hybriding techniques have created a tomato that’s drought and disease resistant. It’s a hardier plant and therefore requires less water and fewer chemical pesticides to thrive. It’s better for the environment,” says Patterson.
There’s market demand for artisanal, upscale pizzas with the potential to sell the product as a flatbread.
Sustainability Environmental issues have been at the top of many consumers’ minds over the last two to three years. President Obama has publicly declared green technology a frontline strategy for economic growth. Some retailers are reporting that 40 per cent of their customers are declining a bag for their purchases at the cash register and grocery retailers are promoting the use of canvas reusable bags. Consider selling a reusable thermal cup for your singleserve soft drinks. If it sports your logo and name it will also serve as a promotional strategy. Are your pizza boxes recyclable? Is it possible to deliver the pizzas in a reusable box? The Heinz plant in Leamington has exemplified sustainability through contributing energy back to the grid and establishing best practices. “We’ve also worked to make our packaging as lightweight as possible to decrease emissions during transport and throughout the product’s life cycle,” says Patterson. “Rich’s French Meadow Bakery products are all made from ingredients grown without herbicides and pesticides,” says Jeffrey Solway, associate business development
manager for Rich Products of Canada. Your customers care about these issues so consider the small or big changes your company can make. Once you layer your efforts on top of initiatives undertaken by your suppliers, they will add up to something very significant over time. Artisan/authentic tastes Starbucks built an empire successfully mimicking the authentic Seattle coffee house experience. They introduced products with exotic twists that proved to be mini-vacations in a cup. There are similar opportunities in the pizza category. After all, pizza is a romantic food and we forget that amongst all the flyer coupons and fast delivery. “We’re seeing a lot of buzz about artisan, upscale brick oven baked pizzas,” points out Solway. “If the pizza is shaped into an oblong crust, topped with a sprinkling of quality toppings with fabulous flavour then we’ll often encourage an operator to market it as flat bread instead of a pizza. Often it can command a higher price point.” Mitchell shares that Heinz is seeing many innovative operators have suc-
cess with unusual applications for their sauces normally used on pasta. “We’ve seen our Alfredo sauce used to create a white pizza. It can be topped with chicken and unusual cheeses to create an exotic taste profile.” Vergalito brings the authenticity theme closer to home. “My family’s restaurant, Espresso Passion, is positioned to truly give customers a genuine taste of Italy. We have a wood-burning pizza oven, cappuccino makers and an ambiance that welcomes and embraces you as only a warm Italian family can.” Perhaps it’s this connection to the customer that best sums up one of the most important trends of all: A superior retail experience. Every trend we’ve discussed here speaks to longevity for businesses and the planet. If we’ve learned nothing else this past year, it’s got to be that there are no shortcuts to a secure future. As Vergalito sums up beautifully: “Every customer that walks through my door gets 30 seconds of my undivided attention as I ask them, how are you doing?” They deserve that and it makes them loyal. That’s what gets you through the challenging times.” •
JUNE 2009 pizza 17
making dough with Diane
Beat the recession with 14 easy tips Diane Chiasson
he poor economy and recession is all anyone is talking about these days, and everyone seems to be struggling to keep his or her business afloat. During difficult times, businesses should not be decreasing their advertising and marketing budgets, but increasing them! Now is your golden opportunity to get ahead of your fellow competitors. They are all probably looking to cut back and save on costs right now, which means you can push yourself to the front of the line and your customer’s mind. I have compiled a list of easy and inexpensive ideas that you can apply to your pizza operation immediately to help you to increase both your sales and your visibility.
T
Attack your database Send information in an e-newsletter or a printed newsletter with photos of yourself and your staff. You can also send a thankyou card or a personalized, hand-signed customer appreciation letter to your best customers, or a postcard at least every 21 days to contacts in your database. If you haven’t collected any names, start today. Leave a guest book or a fish bowl for dropping business cards next to your cash register, and encourage customers to leave their information. You can also collect e-mail addresses via your own website. Make sure you ask permission to add them to your mailing list. Make plans and stick to them Create a marketing plan and include a monthly calendar of activities with upcoming events such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, etc. Include your monthly budget and deadline for these promo-
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Create a marketing plan and include a monthly calendar of activities with upcoming events such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, etc.
tions, as well as who is responsible. Remember that having an ultimate plan is the key to any successful campaign. Invite customers to come in Send a postcard or an invitation to announce your special events and promotions such as a wine appreciation night, chef demo, or cooking classes. Create a buzz and excitement in your community while giving your customers something to look forward to. Involve your vendors in sharing your advertising and promotional expenses. They could provide you with co-op dollars to help defray the cost of mailings, food samples and giveaways.
Use your car to advertise Have your restaurant name and logo professionally painted on the side of car. When you drive around town you will be a moving billboard to advertise your establishment. Call on everyone you know Make personal phone calls to your friends, family, regular customers, and/ or old business acquaintances to see how they are doing, and remind them of upcoming specials and promotions. Telephone calls are a great way to let your customers know that they are valued, and also serve as a great reminder of your establishment.
Show your face around town Build your business by networking and attending your local Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club or local association meetings to meet potential customers. Check online to see what conventions are coming to your area.
Free press Take advantage of your local paper by sending them press releases or brochures, or write an article to gain greater exposure. Invite a local radio or TV host in for a free meal, and hope that he or she will talk about your establishment on their show.
to local offices. You could also compile a list of fax numbers to send them your weekly menu specials.
Barter with your suppliers Exchange services with your suppliers. For example, barter some of your printing costs in exchange for a few free meals.
Motivate your staff Train your staff on suggestive selling and upselling, from wine to dessert for two. Always reward your staff members by organizing special celebrations for them, and inviting your local community and regular customers as well. You should always recognize a job well done.
Add-on and to-go items Find ways to create the opportunity to add or sell something extra to customers in the dining room, as well as for customers to take home, such as homemade specialty desserts, sauces, etc. Make sure you train your cashiers and servers to mention these items. •
Get other businesses involved Do cross-promotions and co-op advertising with non-competitive businesses. For example, work with your local movie theatre for a Dinner and a Movie promotion. You could also sponsor a sports team from the local high school or an adult league. Print in your name and logo on their team shirts.
Give out free samples Use food samplings to highlight new menu items and create excitement. Attract local businesses Get in touch with local businesses and offices in your area, and deliver mini-menus
Run a contest Give your customers an opportunity to win a bottle of wine, a pizza, dessert for the entire table or a gift basket.
Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping food service, hospitality and retail operators increase salwes for over 25 years. She provides innovative food and retail merchandising programs, interior design, marketing and promotional campaigns, and much more. Contact her at 416-926-1338, toll-free at 1-888-9266655, chiasson@chiassonconsultants.com, or visit www.chiassonconsultants.com.
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JUNE 2009 pizza 19
feature
Waiter, there’s wine in my bread A Niagara winery makes the most of grape waste by turning it into flour By Brian Hartz
Y
ou may be familiar with the Bible story about Jesus turning water into wine, but a winemaker in Niagara is taking the next step and turning wine into bread. Nothing goes better with a freshly baked baguette and block of brie than a nice, smooth Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon, but what becomes of the thousands of tons of pomace – grape skins and seeds – that are discarded during the winemaking process? Is this material just thrown out or composted? Far from it. Dr. Joseph Pohorly, founder of Joseph’s Estate Wines and Joseph’s Natural Products in Niagara-on-the-Lake, has found several uses for these byproducts, and one of them stands to significantly affect the baking industry. Pohorly, who is also the president of Vintage Flour Niagara, has begun milling grape skins and seeds into flour for use in breads, rolls, pretzel-style snacks and pizza crusts. He started researching the “wine flour,” as he calls it, in 1998, but didn’t get serious with it until 2004, when he earned the Christopher Newton Award for Extraordinary Vision in Business, awarded to the Niagara-on-the-
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Lake Businessperson of the Year. Around that time, another Ontarian, Mark Walpole of Vinifera for Life – who used to work for Pohorly – began to find success with wine-flour bread products, as reported in Bakers Journal’s December 2006 cover story. Pohorly doesn’t seem to mind the competition. He and Stephen Lukawski, vicepresident of marketing and sales for Joseph’s Natural Products, are collaborating with Richard Crossman of Artisano Bakery Café on perfecting grape-skin flour formulations for commercial bakery products. In late January, the trio, along with Caroline Pohorly, Joseph’s daughter and executive vice-president of Joseph’s Estate Wines, unveiled their range of products, inviting Bakers Journal to the winery to sample the goods. Available for tasting were loaves and baguettes of sun-dried chili pepper, threecheese and whole-grain grape-skin flour bread, as well as four different kinds of pizza – prosciutto Portobello, very veggie, Philly steak and cheese, and meat lover’s – made Dr. Joseph Pohorly showcasing bread and pizza products made with grape flour.
Grape-skin Harvest Bread recipe Yeast:
¾ cup warm water 2 tsp sugar 8 tsp yeast Dissolve and let fluff
2 ¾ cups water ¼ cup shortening 5 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp salt
Flour:
1 ½ cup grape-skin flour 4 cups whole-wheat flour
3 ½ cups white flour
Method: Start yeast mixture and let rise in a warm place. Combine water, shortening, sugar and salt. Stir in white flour. Mix well. Add yeast mixture, then rest of flour. Knead well. Let rise in a large bowl. Knead again, then place in loaf pans. Let rise again. Bake at 350 (convection setting) for 45 minutes.
with multigrain grape-skin flour crust. Joseph Pohorly has been in the winemaking business since the early 1970s, but he has balanced his commercial success with a healthy appetite for scientific research, earning a PhD in Environmental Engineering Management from Columbus University in the United States in 2002. He also is no stranger to introducing new, healthful products made from pomace: Dr. Joseph’s All Natural Cold Pressed Grape Seed Oil, which debuted in 2003, continues to be a strong seller and earn high praise for its ability to combat ailments such as hypertension, arthritis, varicose veins and high cholesterol. “The flour is still in the experimental phase, but we progressed a lot with it in 2008 and now in 2009 you see what we’ve got here. Doing these new projects is really exciting, and best of all, it keeps me young,” Pohorly says with a smile. Crossman clearly shares the excitement and enthusiasm, saying he and his head pizza maker at Artisano have “gone nuts” with the grape-skin flour. “I got a phone call from Stephen saying we’ve got this new product and we’d like you to try it. I said sure, I’m game, and we came up with all these different pizza and bread recipes. We will also be looking at using Joseph’s flour in pastas and muffins.” Lukawski says grape-skin flour cereals and granola bars are also on the horizon. Crossman says the grape-skin flour usually comprises only about five to six per cent of the formulation, and no more than 10 per cent, but its presence produces a hearty
purple colour in addition to providing a multitude of beneficial nutrients including resveratrol, a super antioxidant, as well as Vitamin A, potassium, calcium, iron and healthful fatty acids omega-3 and -6. “The grape flour is gluten-free, so if you put too much in it will affect the binding – you have to combine it with another flour to produce the necessary structure,” Crossman says. “I’ve found that six per cent wine flour combined with a strong baker’s flour works well for the breads and pizza crusts. Joseph has been selling the wine flour to the public for a while now and we have heard of people not being able to bind the wine flour to their own flour – if the protein content of your flour is too low it won’t work because there’s no gluten at all in the wine flour.” Crossman says although the wine flour brings many benefits to baked goods, more testing is needed to determine the full range of qualities it will bring to the commercial baker. “We will be incorporating some of these items into the menu at Artisano over the next couple of months,” he says. “We don’t yet know how it will extend shelf life; however, there is a slight difference in texture and the crumb is very nice. When it comes out of the oven, it just exudes aroma, a wonderful grape smell. I used overnight fermentation for a higher rise in the dough and development of flavour, and as you can see you get a little more open crumb and spongy texture.” Sounds like a vintage worth savouring.•
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guest column
Four key customer turn-offs Jeff Mowatt
hether it’s fair or not, we are often judged on first impressions. This harsh reality is nowhere better seen than in today’s ultra-fast business world where customers size-you-up in a nano-second based on your personal image. Since their impression of you will determine whether or not they want to do business with you, the impact on your career and on your organization’s bottom line can be staggering. Since it’s often awkward to confront employees on these sensitive issues, you need some ammunition to make the task easier. Here are four image-related reasons that customers may not like you or your employees. Incidentally, customers will never tell you these reasons to your face – they’ll simply do business elsewhere.
W
1
You look different than expected. Customers prefer conducting business with individuals who meet their visual expectations. So if you want to keep customers, dress in a manner that customers expect. A plumber dressed in an Armani suite makes the client uncomfortable. An alderman in khaki shorts would shock the council members of City Hall. A waitress with too much makeup, sporting tattoos and body piercing would likely put off a patron in an upscale restaurant. On the other hand, a bartender in a conservative suit and tie may appall a customer in an alternative nightclub. “But that’s not fair!” decry so many employees at the thought of being told what to wear. Again, first impressions may not be fair, but they are the realities of the business world. You hire employees to take care of customers, not for the sake of expressing their sartorial individuality. They can do that on their own time. Your job as a busi-
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ness owner or manager is to create an environment, including staff wardrobe, where your customers feel comfortable.
2
You’re hard to understand. Customers don’t want to strain themselves to understand frontline staff. If you or other employees don’t speak the local language clearly, then customers will generally go to your competitors where they won’t have to work so hard to communicate or to spend their money. This is doubly important when speaking on the telephone, where customers don’t have the benefit of non-verbal communication to help them interpret what’s being said. This concept has nothing to do with discrimination based on ethnic differences or nationality. It has to do with basic communication skills that are essential to do the job. If it’s a question of improving your knowledge of the local language, then take courses until you’re fluent and easy to understand – not just enough to get by.
3
You exaggerate. Don’t exaggerate to tell customers what they want to hear. If a task will take 15 minutes to complete, don’t say, “It’ll only be five or 10 minutes.” This is called lying. Customers hate that. Organizations that stay in business over the long term adhere to the ageold adage, underpromise and overdeliver.
4
You’re indiscreet. Indiscreet describes the cashier at a self-serve gas station who chatted with his friends while I entered to pay. He barely stopped his conversation with his buddies to take my money. I felt like I was crashing a private party. I never went back. While this obvious display of rudeness is relatively rare, a much more com-
mon example is when employees converse amongst themselves in front of the customer. Numerous times I’ve been on airplanes when the flight attendants, while rolling food carts down the aisles, are so engaged in their personal conversations that they barely stop long enough to take the dinner orders. Meanwhile every passenger has to listen to their private conversations, whether they want to or not. To top-off the indiscretion list, far too many employees inadvertently tell customers more than they want to hear. For example, when a customer asks a frontline employee “How are you?”, they really don’t want to hear complaints. It’s just a greeting. Yet some employees take this as an excuse to complain with, “Oh, I’m 60-40,” or as a security guard once told me, “I’m vertical.” Yikes! Some employees respond with “I’ll be great when my break starts.” In other words, the employee will be happy as soon as he or she can get away from their job and us, the customers. All of these indiscretions make customers wish they were dealing with professionals. There is hope. Awareness of these problems is half the battle. A lot of employees simply don’t realize they’re committing these offences. Another part of the solution is training. Bringing in a professional trainer to address the employees as a group provides the advantage of third-party objectivity, in a fun non-threatening manner. One thing is clear though, if you do nothing about these issues, your business will continue to suffer without anyone else telling you why. • This article is based on the critically acclaimed book Becoming a Service Icon in 90 Minutes a Month, by customer service strategist and professional speaker Jeff Mowatt. To obtain your own copy of his book or to inquire about engaging Jeff for your team, visit www.jeffmowatt.com or call 1.800.JMowatt (566.9288).
recipe
Canadian Pizza magazine’s Chef of the Year competition THIRD PLACE Mushroom Marsala Pizza Topping: 1 cup of butter 1 cup finely chopped shallots 3 pounds (approx.) of flavourful mushrooms (prefer shitake and cremini) 3/4 sweet Marsala wine 1 1/4 cups of whipping cream Season with salt Sauté shallots in butter until they start to soften (about five minutes), add
Stephen Goddard, Pomodori mushrooms and continue to cook until mushrooms are near tender (about five to eight minutes). Pour in Marsala and cook down for two to three minutes then add one cup of cream and cook for at least four minutes until it thickens (add more cream if necessary to balance flavour or thicken). Let cool. Mixture will thicken further when cooled. Prepare pizza dough (Pomodori makes a traditional wood-fired thin-crust), top
with layer of Mushroom Marsala topping (about 6-8 oz on a 12-inch) and cook. After it is cooked, dress with a few enoki mushrooms on top, liberally crack fresh black pepper over pizza and serve. Pomodori cooks its pizza at over 850 C. If cooking in a traditional deck or commercial oven, par bake the dough before the topping goes on. The topping only needs to be heated for serving and should not be left in the oven to dry out.
JUNE 2009 pizza 23
Inside Italy’s Friuli Grave wine region By Laura Aiken
C
astles, Venetian villas and medieval towns and villages dot the land of Friuli Grave wines, where tradition has cultivated a vast viticulture. The Grave is a DOC region (controlled origin denomination) that covers an area of about 17,290 acres, reaching on either side of the Tagliamento River in the Italian provinces of Pordenone and Udine. Here, the soil is sheltered by the arc of the Alpine foothills and is characteristically gravelly. The mountains protect the valley from cold northern wind, which combined with the pressure of the Adriatic Sea has created an area well-adapted to wine production. The abundance of stones in the soil reflects the sun by day and heats by night to help ripen the grapes to their most succulent, explains literature from the Friuli Grave region. There are 53 wineries, of which a selection presented a sample of their products at a recent tasting event hosted by the Italian Trade Commission in honour of the Friuli Grave region. The tasting took place at the Grano restaurant in Toronto. Here is the story and a professional recommendation behind one estate, The Cantina San Martino-Pitars. The Cantina San Martino was established in 1968 by Angelo Pittaro, and is now run by his four sons, the Pitar brothers, who maintain the family’s tradition of viticulture. Romano, Pittaro’s father, was a self-taught man who began growing grapes and producing wine between WWI and WWII. Pittaro consolidated his father’s work into the Cantina San Martino, now a family legacy. The land stretches for 140 hectares, of which 100 are devoted to vineyards in the area called Grave Del Friuli in northeastern Italy. “Although red wines were historically favoured in the region, the last 10 years has seen this trend reverse, due to a microclimate and terrain more suited for white wines. The white wines are fresh, fruity and elegant to the palate, with intense flavours and aromas. The red are harmonious, full bodied with intense aromas when young and well-structured if aged,” explains Nicholas Pearce, the Ontario sales manager for Tannin Fine Wines, who import from the Grave. After completing his first designations with the International
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Sommelier Guild, Pearce went to Bordeaux, France to pursue his MBA specializing in wine marketing and management at the Bordeaux International Wine Institute, INSEEC. A top graduate, Pearce has worked with the famous Bordeaux Negociants, Maison Sichel, as well as the cellars of Chateau d’Argadens and Cave BelAir during the 2008 vinifications. Here, he offers specific bottle and pairing recommendations from the Cantina San Martino estate: Refosco Dal Peduncolo Rosso “It is a full-bodied red with bouquets of intense dark fruit and fresh herbs, complemented by firm tannins and a pleasant finish. This underrated grape variety is unique to the Friuli region. Already famous in 1700, it has become very popular in the last 10 years. It is garnet red with streaks of violet, and an intense pleasant aroma with scents of berry and herbs. It’s slightly tannic, full bodied and persistent on the palate. When young, it is fragrant with a slight herbal touch. It may be aged for one or two years, especially in good vintages. An ideal companion to red meats, poultry, stews (except spicy games), and well-suited for typical Italian dishes. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees celsius.” Pinot Grigio “Their bone-dry Pinot Grigio has a complex nose of fruit, flowers, and an intriguing minerality. It has a medium-full body, smooth and round with an almost mouth-watering acidity. It pairs well with Antipasto platters, salads and seafood dishes. The grape is considered a colour variation of Pinot Nero, which originated as a mutation of that grape. Pinot Grigio has found in Friuli the best environmental conditions for growth. Wine of great character fermented strictly “in white”, its refined and marked bouquet reminds one of an acacia flower. Dry, suave, full bodied with a strong scent of Artemisia. This wine goes well with hors d’oeuvres, in particular with ham, soups, seafood and white meats and is pleasant even before meals. Serve at eight to 10 degrees celsius.” The wines of Cantina San Martino-Pitars may be ordered through Tannin Fine Wines.•
feature
U.S. restaurant outlook up as RPI rises T
he outlook for the restaurant industry improved in March, as the National Restaurant Association’s comprehensive index of restaurant activity rose for the third consecutive month. The Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) – a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry – stood at 97.7 in March, up 0.2 per cent from February and 1.3 per cent during the last three months. “Although the RPI remained below 100 for the 17th consecutive month, which signals contraction, there are clear signs of improvement,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of Research and Information Services for the Association, in a news release. “Restaurant operators reported a positive six month economic outlook for the first time in 18 months, and capital spending plans rose to a nine month high.” The RPI is based on the responses to the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey, which is fielded monthly among restaurant operators nationwide on a variety of indicators including sales, traffic, labour and capital expenditures. The RPI consists of two components – the Current Situation Index and the Expectations Index. The RPI is constructed so that the health of the restaurant industry is measured in relation to a steady-state level of 100. Index values above 100 indicate that key industry indicators are in a period of expansion, while index values below 100 represent a period of contraction for key industry indicators. The Current Situation Index, which measures current trends in four industry indicators (same-store sales, traffic, labour and capital expenditures), stood at 96.1 in March – down 0.4 per cent from February and the first decline in three months.
In addition, March represented the 19th consecutive month below 100, which signifies contraction in the current situation indicators. Capital spending activity in the restaurant industry held relatively steady in recent months. Thirty-five per cent of operators said they made a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodelling during the last three months, roughly on par with the levels reported by operators in the previous three months. The growth in the Expectations Index was buoyed by restaurant operators’ out-
look for the economy. In fact, for the first time in 18 months, a higher proportion of restaurant operators said they expect the economy to improve in six months, as compared to the percentage who expect economic conditions to worsen. Thirty per cent of restaurant operators said they expect economic conditions to improve in six months, up from 22 per cent who reported similarly last month and the highest level in 21 months. In comparison, only 21 per cent of operators expect economic conditions to worsen in six months, down sharply from 36 per cent last month.•
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JUNE 2009 pizza 25
the pizza chef
Joining the CRFA board of directors Diana Coutu
was recently nominated to the board of directors for the Canadian Restaurant and Food Association (CRFA). I had to ask what accepting the nomination would require of me. As it turns out, it’s not all that different than last year, when I was invited to represent independent pizzerias across Canada at the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC) offices about the price of industrial milk. I and several others succeeded in making an impassioned presentation to the CDC and in February we saw the lowest increase to dairy (one per cent) in more than 15 years. This is the kind of project that a board of directors devotes their time to. A board director serves for four years, and there are three meetings each year to attend. Important provincial and federal issues such as labour legislation, employment standards, health and safety regulations, workers compensation, minimum wage, PST, GST, environmental regulations, gaming and smoking, the food supply management system, payroll taxes, food labelling and disclosure, and a variety of other issues are discussed. These talks lead to collaborated presentations that are presented to elected and appointed government officials who make decisions on the policies, laws and raw costs that affect all of our businesses. It’s hardly a glamorous job, but a necessity of our society. It’s important to communicate with our elected and appointed government officials, otherwise how will they know what we think? I had the opportunity to join a small presentation made to my local NDP caucus in March. We discussed several topics, including the two increases to minimum wage for Manitoba this year, the new Louis Riel holiday and the five per cent holiday bonus pay that’s added about $1,000 to the average restaurant’s payroll. We also discussed
I
26 pizza JUNE 2009
the good work that the NDP government has done since being elected and the realities of the current economy and its impact on restaurants. We proposed a training wage and tipped employee consideration wages. I spoke about my personal experience with staff morale when a newly hired staff member is paid the same as the trainer. Another delegate expressed outrage about an employee theft incident, where the later convicted employee used their alarm and safe code along with their store key to steal $3,000, but because of current employment laws was entitled to his last paycheque and two-week severance. The only recourse he has to his $3,000 is to take the former employee to small claims court, further taking time away from his business. To top it off, even if he invests more time and money to pursue the individual and he does get a ruling in his favour, there’s no body or agency in place to collect the stolen $3,000 from the former employee. So what’s the point then? He pointed out how the laws didn’t used to be so one-sided. It used to be that employees had some responsibility to the company that employs them. One honourable NDP member later dismissed his story as an isolated incident. Each and every pizzeria owner and restaurateur on the planet can identify with employee theft. It’s unfortunate that it occurs, but the fact is that not everyone we hire is honest and hard working or makes a loyal employee. While restaurant and pizzeria owners know this first hand, what’s most unfortunate is that this elected official doesn’t believe it to be a common experience and is voting on policies and laws that greatly affect our ability to operate. I had to wonder, how many other elected officials truly have no idea about the realities of our industry?
We asked that they increase the personal exemption tax rate like Saskatchewan did as a means to help both the economy and the low wage earners. The increases to minimum wages and input costs will require most of us to raise our prices, which may negatively impact customer counts. There was a lot of discussion in that overheated room at the Manitoba legislature that day and the hour went by very quickly. It’s tough to say whether our presentation had a positive effect on the elected officials, but I was glad to be present and to have a chance to speak on behalf of independent pizzeria owners across the country. At the very least, it sparked some debate among them. Although these same elected officials patronize our pizzerias, our daily worlds couldn’t be further apart. I feel that it’s part of my job, as a newly elected CRFA board member, to peel back the curtain and let them have a look at the good, the bad and the ugly. It’s the best way for any reasonable person to make informed decisions on all our behalf. So how can you get involved and have your say? E-mail or write your elected officials, send them your “employee from hell” stories and ask them to restore balance between employer and employee. Ask them to consider implementing a training wage, or a tipped employee wage, if there isn’t one already available in your province. If we don’t speak up for ourselves, who will?• Diana Coutu is a two-time Canadian Pizza magazine Chef of the Year champion, an internationally recognized gourmet pizzaiolo, co-owner of Diana’s Gourmet Pizzeria in Winnipeg and a director of the board for the CRFA. In addition to creating award-winning recipes, Diana is also a consultant to other independent pizzeria owner/operators in menu development, creating systems to run a pizzeria on autopilot, along with marketing and positioning to help operators grow their business effectively and strategically. She is available for consulting on a limited basis: for more information contact her at Diana@dianasgourmetpizzeria.ca.
feature
Tax complexity hurts Canadian businesses A
ccording to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ (PwC) total tax contribution study; Canadian businesses are subject to the second highest number of taxing points at 295, behind only the U.S. Canada also has the second highest number of taxes borne and collected with 72. “The survey results emphasize the critical role of large enterprises in generating tax revenue for Canadian governments. Indeed, the results show that 37 per cent of the annual cash value created by large businesses goes to governments,” says Tom O’Brien, PwC Canada tax partner and author of the study. “The complexity and the cost of compliance affect competitiveness, and Canada faces a major challenge on this front. In this year’s survey, Canada’s mix of federal, provincial and territorial taxes ranks as the second most complex among the major countries worldwide in which total tax
contribution studies were conducted. This excessive complexity hurts large and small businesses alike.” The 2008 study carried out in co-operation with the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE), encompasses all taxes paid by a company as well as all taxes collected by the company from its employees and customers on behalf of governments. A company’s total tax contribution is therefore a measure of its total impact on government revenues. “Canada’s multiple jurisdictions mean that a company operating from coast to coast has 295 potential tax obligations,” says David Stewart-Patterson, executive vice-president of the CCCE. “The sheer number of forms to be filed creates huge compliance costs for businesses and an expensive administrative and enforcement burden for governments. This complexity hurts the competitiveness of large and small businesses alike.” •
JUNE 2009 pizza 27
EQUIPMENT
Company
Advertisers’ Index
Page #
Burke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Crown Custom Cookware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Dairy Farmers of Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Dutchess Bakery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Faema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Middleby Marshall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Ricco Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Salerno Dairy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Saputo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 32 Springer's Meats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Thunderbird Machinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Viau Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 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.
classifieds
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28 pizza JUNE 2009
REAL PEPPERONI... Never compromise when it comes to your pepperoni toppings. What would your pizza be without great tasting pepperoni? Sila believes in traditional values. These values are supported by quality – quality you can feel, taste and smell. We never compromise on the rich flavour of real pepperoni. For more info, call Viau Foods, Inc. 1-514-321-8260 or fax 1-514-321-8770. ITALIAN SPECIALTY CHEESE... Salerno Dairy Products Ltd. Manufacturers and distributors of great tasting Italian cheeses and food products, invite you to contact their sales professionals. Each representative is motivated to ensure quality dairy products backed by service second to none. For more information and quality products, call 1-800-263-6536 or 1-905-544-6281. FOR ALL YOUR PIZZA NEEDS... Ricco Food Distributor Your complete pizza supply distributor, serving southwestern Ontario. For further information and pricing details, call Don Windsor at 1-519-245-7081 or fax 1-519-245-7126. THE OVEN THAT CONSERVES ENERGY... Middleby Marshall’s PS 200 Direct Gas Fired Conveyor Ovens. Middleby’s ovens provide very efficient heat transfer to products. Energy is conserved as air is recycled from heater to product, with minimum flue or vent loss. For details Call Middelby Marshall 1-905-696-8252. SPRINGER’S MEATS INC... Processors of quality fresh, smoked and cooked meats. We specialize in pepperoni, ham, back bacon, bacon ends, over 150 items. Serving the food service industry of southwestern Ontario. For details call 1-905-544-0782 or fax 1-905-547-3107.
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MARKETING “Thirteen Cost Effective Ways Savvy Pizzeria Owners Increase Sales & Profits” Are you pouring money down the drain? Has it been years since you saw any real profits from your pizzeria? Get your copy of this FREE report at www.CanadianPizzaChampions.com and find out how savvy pizzeria owners increase sales & profits.
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JUNE 2009 pizza 29
BUR 19618 Canad
pizza on fire
Should you stay or are you ready to go? Tom Stankiewicz
ost of us have been faced with a tough decision about taking time off from our business. The choice to take a few days off to spend with family or attend a business trip always seems to create more stress for us. You ask yourself: Who will run the business for me when I’m away? Do I have employees that I can trust to leave everything in their hands? If you haven’t already, there will come a day when you will need to have answers to those questions. Even if you decide to make the ultimate sacrifice and dedicate all your time to look after your store, one day a business trip will come up and declining to participate in it won’t be an option. Even though it will be stressful, it is good to remember that you are no exception to the rule. Many other business owners are forced to leave for extended periods of time, usually for work trips that will benefit their companies in the long run. This is why it is very important to evaluate carefully whom you hire as you will need to depend on them. Always ask for references from previous employers to get an idea about your new potential worker. You always want to know if they are dependable and trustworthy. I have two longtime employees, Kayla and Ben, who have worked for me for over three years. In many respects, they will remind you of someone who is currently working for you. They started working for me with a very basic knowledge about making pizzas. With a good eye for detail, each learned very quickly what the process of making a pizza involves before you put it in a box and offer it to a customer. As many of us can attest to, it is difficult to find employees who are dependable. I consider myself
M
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very lucky, as dependability is definitely one of the strong characteristics that Kayla and Ben both have. Over the last few years, I have slowly added new responsibilities to their list of tasks – taking orders over the phone, using pizza ovens, serving customers at the front counter, etc. I have always kept in mind that one day they will have to run the store on their own. It is essential to know how your employees interact with and treat customers. Many of us believe in different versions of good customer service and that is the reason why it isn’t consistent from business to business. It is best to lead by example and not just tell your employees what your expectations are. It will definitely give you peace of mind when you are away to know that the quality of your customer service will remain the same. How your employees deal with and resolve customer concerns is another thing that you need to consider. Again, it is an opportunity that allows you to train your staff by providing the right guidance and direction. It isn’t a skill that can be mastered in one day. It sometimes takes years of practice, hopefully because you don’t have that many concerns to resolve. However, if you leave someone in charge who hasn’t experienced that type of interaction before, it may lead to unnecessary complaints in the future. One way to avoid it is to let everyone know ahead of time how you would like to have those situations handled. For me, the ultimate test came in March when I left for one week to attend the International Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas. Over the years, I learned that I can trust Kayla and Ben. However, being
thousands of kilometres away for a week didn’t make it a comfortable experience at first. My number 1 communication method was my cellphone. It is important to let your employees know how they can reach you at any time. It is quick and easy to use and I find it to be the most efficient in case of emergencies. For example, your manager needs advice on how to deal with a specific order that she is dealing with at that particular moment. One phone call resolves the issue on the spot without any delays. Instant messaging or e-mails is another way to communicate what I would classify as non-urgent issues. For example, end of day shift reports or a quick summary of what happened throughout the day. I preferred to use this format for anything that did not need my immediate attention. It kept me up –to date, but at the same time my cellphone didn’t ring all day. It freed my time to concentrate on the business trip itself. The third thing on my to-do list was to ensure that my manager knew exactly whom to contact for any type of maintenance. The instructions could be as simple as listing all names and phone numbers and posting the list in a clearly visible place. Letting your maintenance contacts know that you will be away and someone else might call isn’t a bad idea either. It eliminates the surprise in case the phone call does need to be made. From my own experience, my advice is to plan ahead before your scheduled leave. Ensure that all details are covered but also remember that sometimes things will happen that you have no control over and the best you can do is to deal with them once you return.•
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BUR 19618 Canadian Pizza Mag-Update:Layout 1
4/22/09
3:10 PM
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MEATS MAKE YOUR JOB EASIER
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When you partner with Burke on a custom meat solution, you get the fully cooked pizza toppings your operation needs to maintain quality and consistency as you grow. And, you’ll get the responsive service you need to worry less. Burke fully cooked meats are the key ingredients for consistent success, flavor, appearance and safety.
TAKING A BITE OUT OF YOUR WORRIES.
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NOW THAT’S IRRESISTIBLE. BUT PLEASE STOP BITING THE MAGAZINE.
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