Industry Headlines
March 7, 2012

Win an iPad 2!

International Pizza Expo organizers have announced a social media contest for pizzeria owners and employees. Leading up to International Pizza Expo 2012 in Las Vegas, March 13-15, show organizers say they will give away three iPad 2 tablet devices. Entrants are not required to be present at the industry tradeshow to win. (A fourth device will be given away during the show, however).

Entering the contest couldn’t be easier. Simply “Like” Pizza Expo on Facebook and then share its current status for your chance to win. Also, for another chance, Follow Pizza Expo on Twitter (@pizzaexpo) and retweet one of its Tweets.

For more information, visit the Expo’s Facebook page here.

World’s Largest Pizza Show is Next Week

The stage is set for the “Show of Shows.” International Pizza Expo 2012 is the pizza industry’s Super Bowl, a three-day extravaganza where more than 10,000 pizza professionals gather under one roof to work towards a common goal: growth. This year the tradeshow runs from March 13-15, with bonus seminars geared solely for new operators on Monday, March 12.

Bill Oakley, Executive Vice President of Macfadden Protech LLC, parent company of Pizza Today and International Pizza Expo, says show attendees need to prioritize and have a gameplan in place prior to arriving in Vegas. Time is at a premium, he says.

“Come prepared with a plan of attack. Schedule appointments with key contacts. Make a list of what you want to learn and see,” says Oakley. “Pay particular attention to new products being offered at the show, as well as any new exhibitors.”

Click here to read Oakley’s “10 Steps to a Profitable Expo.”

Which ‘Wich?

For years now, the sandwich category has grown as rapidly as any segment of foodservice. Like pizza, sandwiches are delicious, portable and inexpensive. And you already have most of the ingredients on hand that are necessary to make a killer sandwich.

Whether you call them hoagies, grinders, subs … it doesn’t matter. The key is to utilize what you have on hand to expand your menu into this profitable territory.

“They’re practically a must-have on menus today,” says Pizza Today editor-in-chief Jeremy White. “A number of companies have had tremendous success with expanding their product offerings through sandwich launches. Perhaps the most prominent is Domino’s Pizza. For a cost of only a few hundred dollars per franchisee, Domino’s Pizza stores across America used sandwiches to transform a dead lunch period into a gigantic stream of new revenue. Sometimes it seems nothing is easy in the world of business … but sandwich sales are really pretty darn easy!”

Of course, it takes a killer sandwich lineup to inspire customers. That’s where Pat Bruno comes in. Click here to see five sandwiches that Bruno says will differentiate your pizzeria from the competition.

Bracket Time!

Now that March has arrived, that means one thing to hoops fans everywhere — the NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament. It’s called March Madness for a reason. Take part in the hysterics by positioning your pizzeria as the go-to establishment for viewing tournament games.

As 65 teams are whittled down to one national champion, pizza and beer sales surge. Take advantage of it through specials and combo deals to entice customers. If you are a delco unit, try packing together an appetizer, pizza and two-liter soda at an attractive price.

For more on bringing the madness to your pizzeria, click here.

Featured Recipe — Herb Focaccia

With the rustic and artisan trend well entrenched, a plethora of pizzerias and Italian restaurants are turning to house-made breads as a way to keep customers happy while they wait for food. Focaccia is a favorite in pizzerias due to its simplicity and diversity. It can be customized in so many ways, but we prefer the basic herb-focused variety.

Herb Focaccia

¼ ounce active dry yeast or
½ ounce fresh yeast
1 cup warm water
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons salt

For the rest of this delicious recipe, click here.