The End of Frozen Pizza?

Pizza may well be at its best when it’s served piping hot, but it was a frozen version of the food that has been grabbing people’s attention in London thanks to Papa John’s.

The pizza delivery company, which is the third largest in the world, allowed Leicester Square passers-by to watch as a stunning giant pizza sculpted out of ice melted away – signifying the end of frozen dough being used for any product on its menus, and throwing down the gauntlet to its competitors.

The eye-catching 3m diameter pizza, was hand-made by Wimbledon based top ice-sculptor Ben Edson and was complete with individually carved toppings of tomatoes, mushrooms and pepperoni.

The event was completed by Papa John’s management demolishing the pizza and handing complimentary samples from its 100 per cent fresh dough pizza range.

Marketing director Simon Wallis said: “We wanted to really draw people’s attention to the fact that frozen pizza dough is a thing of the past for Papa John’s, and we felt that this was a great way of highlighting that we are the only major chain to make this promise.

“We have recently replaced our only frozen dough based pizza with a great new fresh Authentic Thin Crust product which now means that we never use frozen dough on the menu.

“We believe passionately in producing quality pizzas using the best ingredients, and one of those is certainly fresh dough. We think once customers compare our fresh dough pizzas to the frozen dough product offered by our larger competitors, they will be sold on Papa John’s.

“All the feedback we receive shows that customers can really taste the difference between fresh and frozen dough, and hopefully this move will really raise the bar for the entire pizza business in the UK.

“Guaranteeing that every pizza we sell has been made using fresh dough will take away any confusion for customers and we firmly believe that it will set Papa John’s apart from the rest in terms of quality.

“This is a bold move, but we want consumers in the UK to see how serious we are about providing the best delivered pizza in the country.”

Video footage of the frozen pizza’s demise is now available on www.papajohns.co.uk




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One of the UK’s fastest growing pizza chains is encouraging pizza eaters to take a fresh look at what they are purchasing – believing that many UK consumers may be unaware the pizza they purchase from some chains is not made with fresh dough.

With the launch this week of its new Authentic Thin Crust pizza, Papa John’s, which has over 100 stores in the UK, now uses fresh dough for every pizza sold in the UK unlike many competitor products which are sold in the UK with frozen dough.

Now for a limited time, Papa John’s is offering to highlight the differences in taste between fresh and frozen dough by offering a complimentary Authentic Thin Crust pizza in exchange for a receipt from the Domino’s or Pizza Hut chains showing the purchase of one of their frozen dough pizzas.

Simon Wallis, Papa John’s UK marketing director, said “We believe passionately in producing quality pizzas using the best ingredients, and one of those is certainly fresh dough. We think once customers compare our fresh dough Authentic Thin Crust pizza to the frozen dough product offered by our larger competitors, they will be sold on Papa John’s.

“All the feedback we receive shows that customers can really taste the difference between fresh and frozen dough, and hopefully this move will really raise the bar for the entire pizza business in the UK.

“Guaranteeing that every pizza we sell has been made using fresh dough will take away any confusion for customers and we firmly believe that it will set Papa John’s apart from the rest in terms of quality.

“This is a bold move, but we want consumers in the UK to see how serious we are about providing the best delivered pizza in the country.”

Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Papa John's International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) is the world's third largest pizza company. For nine years running, consumers have rated Papa John's No. 1 in customer satisfaction among all national pizza chains in the highly regarded American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Papa John's also ranks first among pizza companies in the 2008 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index and was named 2007 Pizza Today Chain of the Year. For more information about the company, visit Papa John's at www.papajohns.com.

In the UK, Papa John's was named Delivery Operator of the Year among pizza chains in 2005 and 2006 by the Pizza and Pasta Association.


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Biggest Domino's Franchisee Mike Orcutt Reveals His Secrets of Success

Mike Orcutt says his only job in life has been "making, baking and taking pizzas."

Orcutt, 51, started working at a Domino's Pizza in Ann Arbor, Mich., when he was 16 years old. He worked his way up to executive vice president of operations for the pizza chain........(Read more)



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Brazil fast Food to Acquire Largest Pizza Hut Franchise

Brazil Fast Food Corp. (OTC Bulletin Board: BOBS.OB) (“Brazil Fast Food”, or “the Company”) the second largest fast-food restaurant chain with 630 points of sale, operating under the Bob’s and KFC brands in Brazil, announced today that it has acquired 60% of Internacional Restaurantes do Brasil (“IRB”), Pizza Hut’s largest franchise in Brazil.

IRB owns 14 Pizza Hut restaurants in São Paulo and 4 café stores with the brand “In Boca al Lupo” also acquired by Brazil Fast Food. IRB recorded annual revenue of around R$ 50.0 million, EBITDA of R$ 3.65 million and net profit of R$ 1.14 million in 2007. This transaction is expected to increase Brazil Fast Food consolidated revenue by 20% in 2008 and 40 to 50% in 2009 relative to 2007.

Brasil Fast Food will retain a 60% stake with the remaining 40% to be owned by POGO Participações, a company controlled by Jorge Aguirre who has been for many years the CEO of IRB. Mr. Aguirre will remain in charge of IRB and has as a partner in POGO a Brazilian financial company, ROSENBERG & PARTNERS.

“This transaction is an important milestone in the execution of our strategy to become a leading multi-brand fast food chain in Brazil. In addition to being a good fit with our existing brands, it positions the company well to take advantage of the casual dining opportunity targeting more affluent segments of the population,” said Mr. Ricardo Bomeny, CEO of Brazil Fast Food. “We are also very pleased to welcome Jorge Aguirre to our team. Mr. Aguirre has been responsible for the excellent performance of the Pizza Hut franchise in Brazil in recent years and we are glad that with his proven experience and leadership skills he will continue to make a valuable contribution to the success of our business.”

KPMG conducted due diligence that identified the need to write-off R$ 4.6 million in assets to shareholder equity but which will not impact Brazil Fast Food consolidated results for 2008. The transaction was closed yesterday but the closing balance sheets were established as of July 31, 2008.

About Brazil Fast Food.

Brazil Fast Food Corp. owns and operates, both directly or through franchisees, the second largest fast-food restaurant chain in Brazil. The Bob’s trade name is used by Venbo Comércio de Alimentos Ltda., a subsidiary of Brazil /Fast Food holding company, BFFC do Brasil Participações Ltda (formerly 22N Participações Ltda.). The “KFC” trade name is used by CFK Comércio de Alimentos Ltda. (formerly Clematis Indústria e Comércio de alimentos e Participações Ltda.), also a holding company subsidiary. As of Mar. 31, 2008, the Company had 598 points of sale, which includes traditional restaurants, kiosks and re-locatable trailers.



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Pizza Delivery Business Take Extra Precautions After Driver Killing

Food-delivery businesses in some areas are taking precautions and rewriting policies to ensure the safety of their deliverers following the abduction and killing of a deliveryman in Fredericksburg.

Yong Hui Zhang, 24, was declared missing last week when he didn't return from making deliveries for his parents' restaurant, China Express.

His body was found in Sussex County days later. Officials said he died from a stab wound to the chest. Authorities think that Zhang was attacked at a vacant apartment after going to make a delivery there. Suspects Jermaine Montgomery, 34, and Marcey White, 36, are charged with abduction, carjacking, credit-card theft and conspiracy and prosecutors are considering how to charge the suspects in the slaying.

The Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office said it has documented five delivery robberies since July 1, 2007, all of which stemmed from deliveries called in to a fictitious address. Fredericksburg police say the recent incident is the only delivery robbery there in the past year. Richmond police say out of 293 reported robberies of individuals this year, about nine involved a food-delivery person.

Though attacks on food deliverers aren't widespread, businesses in Richmond and Fredericksburg aren't taking any chances. "The day we found out about what happened, my mom said we're not delivering past 9 p.m.," said 16-year-old Wo Chan, who runs errands and makes deliveries for family-owned Fortune Gourmet, a Chinese restaurant in downtown Fredericksburg. Others are limiting delivery areas, telling drivers not to carry more than $20 on deliveries and talking about having deliverers carry pepper spray for protection.

Domino's Pizza drivers must make a safety callback to any new customers or people placing a call by cell phone. They have to get an answer and a confirmation that it is a legitimate order before they can leave the building, said John Minick, who oversees safety for Domino's.

If a deliverer finds himself or herself in a situation where they are being asked to hand over their money, Domino's policy is no resistance. "It's a simple policy; they honor the demands of the robber," Minick said.

"Statistics show there is less of a chance of injury that way." Police and restaurant managers make many of the same recommendations on how to reduce the odds of being robbed. Sgt. John Garcia, who runs the detective squad at a south Richmond precinct, recommends that businesses make sure they get a phone number, a complete name and a correct address when taking orders, and refuse to deliver food to intersections or other outdoor areas.

"Typically, what we see is they will demand whatever the product is and whatever money they're carrying," Garcia said. Nine out of 10 times, he said, a robber brandishes a weapon or implies that there is one. If a driver arrives at a house that looks abandoned or run-down, Garcia said, they should obey their instincts and drive to a safe place and try calling the customer again.

A would-be robber probably won't answer the phone. Joy Garden has operated for 50 years on Broad Street in Richmond as a dine-in Chinese restaurant. Manager Mark Sin said drivers there deliver an average of seven or eight orders a night in midtown and downtown neighborhoods.

"We always recommend the driver observe before you get out of the car. If it doesn't feel right, don't deliver. Just take off. ... It can happen anywhere, in a safe place or dangerous place."

Melbourne Pizza Mogul Avoids Jail After Neighbour Dispute

The founder of a Melbourne pizza chain has avoided jail after pleading guilty to assaulting his neighbours.

Milan Mandic, the 50-year-old founder of Pinky's Pizza, was today handed a 12-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, in the Victorian County Court.

He had pleaded guilty to charges of recklessly causing serious injury, and of common law assault. Judge Barbara Cotterell said on December 29, 2004, Mandic's Endeavour Hills' neighbour Kathleen Miller and her daughter called Mandic's teenage daughters sluts and prostitutes, and accused them of giving "head jobs".

Mandic observed the altercation from the balcony of his home, before going next door and arming himself with a piece of aluminium, where Ms Miller's son was armed with a baseball bat,

Judge Cotterell said. Ms Miller was then struck on the head with the piece of aluminium, causing a gash that required 14 stitches. Jason Miller was also struck by Mandic, the judge said, but noted that Mandic received the most serious injury - a deep laceration to the head which exposed bone and caused a mild concussion - when Mr Miller hit him with the baseball bat.

Judge Cotterell said the incident was a culmination of two years of harassment, of which Mandic's family was not the instigator.

In sentencing, Judge Cotterell noted Mandic's contribution to the community as a successful businessman who was dedicated to his family. "On the evidence, you have reacted to a situation which at times has been intolerable,'' Judge Cotterell said. She said Mandic had armed himself spontaneously, because he believed there was a threat to his personal safety.

First Winner of Domino's Pizza $10k Gotham City Pizza Comp

On July 8, Jason Nicodemus, a Port St. Lucie, Fla. resident, went to his local Domino's Pizza store to place a carry-out order. He walked out with a Gotham City(TM) Pizza and a check for $10,000, thanks to the ultimate The Dark Knight experience, delivered by Domino's Pizza.

"I was shocked," said Nicodemus. "I couldn't believe that I had won $10,000 let alone the fact that Domino's had given me the check right on the spot. All I did was order Domino's new Gotham City Pizza. I originally was going to order the 2X Tuesday deal, but saw the sign for the Gotham City Pizza and decided to give it a try."

Every day for 21 days (July 7 - July 27), Domino's customers will have the chance to win $10,000 delivered to their door when they order the Gotham City(TM) Pizza.

Now through July 27, customers can order Domino's new Gotham City(TM) Pizza-a large, hand-tossed pizza, cloaked with 1.5 times the amount of pepperoni than a standard order for $9.99 delivered in a specially-designed Gotham City(TM) Pizza Box. For complete Official Rules and to play without purchase, visit www.dominos.com .

With any Domino's purchase, customers will also gain access to Domino's exclusive Dark Knight Vault, an interactive online experience that features: -- The Dark Knight movie content
-- Movie trailers and exclusive footage from the movie
-- Cast interviews
-- Exclusive downloadable wallpapers
-- Exclusive preview of the soon to be released book The Art of the Dark Knight
-- An instant win "The Cards Tell the Tale" game

"The Cards Tell the Tale" game gives players the chance to take on the Joker to win a limited edition The Dark Knight-themed Xbox 360(R) game system. Through Domino's Dark Knight Vault, customers have the chance to win one of 110 out of 150 The Dark Knight-themed Xbox 360(R) game systems created for the film.