Author Topic: Neapolitan: On Its Way to Chain Pizza? (Read 2140 times)

Pete-zza · « **on:** March 21, 2012, 01:53:00 PM »

http://www.restaurantnews.com/spin-neapolitan-pizzas-first-franchise-lands-in-l-a/?utm_source=March+21%2C+2012&utm_campaign=Newsletter+March+21&utm_medium=email; and http://www.spinpizza.com/.

Peter

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 21, 2012, 03:01:06 PM »

A SPIN! Margherita. Good luck guys.

flyboy4ual · « **Reply #2 on:** March 21, 2012, 03:57:45 PM »

Made in their gas Woodstone probably running at 500 degrees.

Scott D.

flyboy4ual · « **Reply #3 on:** March 21, 2012, 03:59:06 PM »

Here it is!

Mmmph · « **Reply #4 on:** March 21, 2012, 04:07:22 PM »

yawn....

Jet_deck · « **Reply #5 on:** March 21, 2012, 04:26:24 PM »

The Spin! modified 'slap' technique.

bakeshack · « **Reply #6 on:** March 21, 2012, 05:31:46 PM »

It just pisses me off when people like these use Neapolitan when it clearly is not. And of all people, of course, SoCal residents will fall for it.

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 21, 2012, 05:43:50 PM »

"its Margherita Pizza was crowned one of the nation’s best dishes of the year by Restaurant Business magazine".

OMG...

cornicione54 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 21, 2012, 05:47:07 PM »

Quote

It just pisses me off when people like these use Neapolitan when it clearly is not. And of all people, of course, SoCal residents will fall for it.

I don't hear a whole lot of complaints about Frank Pepe in New Haven, CT calling themselves a "Pizzeria Napoletana".

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 21, 2012, 05:54:37 PM »

SPIN!’s pizza dough is made fresh every day using three types of flour including one specially imported from Italy. All the toppings – such as mushrooms, caramelized onions, tomatoes, artichokes, even chicken sausage and pancetta (Italian bacon) – are roasted each morning in a stone hearth oven made especially for SPIN! http://www.examiner.com/restaurant-in-kansas-city/spin-s-margherita-pizza-named-one-of-best-dishes-of-the-year

The name fits if nothing else...

JConk007 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 21, 2012, 10:04:38 PM »

Somebody please close the garage door (not Craigs!) Gas My @&%! oh boy Not this one but yes the future will hold "VPN" chain at somepoint guaranteed.
J

Tman1 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 22, 2012, 09:39:59 AM »

Actually, right here in Minneapolis in a small 7 store VPN chain.. Punch Pizza. It was started by the same guys who started Caribou Coffee, which some will not know of, but, basically, they have plenty of money to work with.

The store closest to me averages around 250/day.. unless they offer a BOGO, or appreciation meal (usually 4-7).. then they go crazy.... 8-900!!

www.punchpizza.com

Pete-zza · « **Reply #12 on:** March 22, 2012, 09:53:46 AM »

While not quite in the same category as Spin!, here is another recent example of expanding the "authentic brick oven" market sector through franchising: http://www.restaurantnews.com/flippers-pizzeria-signs-a-multi-unit-operating-agreement-to-enter-the-tampa-market/?utm_source=March+22%2C+2012&utm_campaign=Newsletter+March+22&utm_medium=email. In Flippers' case, they are using a Marsal oven operating at 575 degrees F (http://www.flipperspizzeria.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=6P0an1C%2fF5g%3d&tabid=125). One of their featured items is the "Neapolitan thin" pizza (http://www.flipperspizzeria.com/OurMenu/BrickOvenPizza/tabid/70/Default.aspx). For that "Neapolitan thin" pizza, they no doubt are using the All Trumps flour, Saputo cheese, Escalon fresh-pack tomatoes, and Fontanini meats/sausage: http://www.flipperspizzeria.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=sHwpK9Gv9Qk%3d&tabid=125.

What I do not see is Italian proprietor names like DeMarco, Mangieri, Bianco, Paulie G, Caporuscio, Totonno's, Grimaldi's, Lombardi's, etc.

. Just slick marketing and advertising, media tie ins like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/Theflipperspizza), catering, and free wi-fi offerings. If John is right and a "VPN" chain of size is on its way, particularly through franchising, it will be interesting to see what kind of business model will be used to promote such a chain.

Peter

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 22, 2012, 11:19:20 AM »

Punch is technically chain VPN, right? tutta bella too, albeit with only 4 locations. I’ve been to a tutta bella, and it was OK. I have not been to punch, but their pies look a lot better than SPIN! or Flippers.

Maybe SPIN! and Flippers can get together and form a new organization: CPN (Chain Pizza Napoletana). To be a member of CPN, it is reccomended that you try to adhere to these strict requirements if convenient:

Use the word Neapolitan somewhere on your menu or in the name of your restaurant.
Promote that your pies are “authentic brick-oven baked pizzas” or “baked in a stone hearth oven” or some other meaningless marketing fluff. Actual wood fired ovens are not recommended.
Have something called a “Margherita” on your menu.
The pizza maker should not be over the age of 19 and should never have seen or tasted any pizza other than that from a chain.

Tman1 · « **Reply #14 on:** March 22, 2012, 02:49:38 PM »

I can confirm what Pete is saying about social media advertising. That's all Punch does and they get PLENTY of response. The guys who started Punch, started Caribou Coffee (over 500 stores in 16 state) so they have plenty of franchising knowledge. While hugely popular here, I'm still amazed how many haven't heard of it (Punch). Punch makes the dough at a central location and then ships it out... hand made brick ovens in each store but I'm unaware of the builder. They do have signs (and on their pop cups) stating they are VPN, but I don't think too many really know what that means.

Tx- I got an empty room for you to stay if you get this way and are trying to save some $$. There is another single spot place that I think has really good pie, even better than Punch but he doesn't embrace social media.

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #15 on:** March 22, 2012, 03:57:18 PM »

Quote from: Tman1 on March 22, 2012, 02:49:38 PM

hand made brick ovens in each store but I'm unaware of the builder.

Thanks for the offer Tman!

From the video and pics on on the web, the ovens appear to be cast.

BrickStoneOven · « **Reply #16 on:** March 22, 2012, 03:58:04 PM »

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DafwbFbhV3U&feature=plcp&context=C4021a3aVDvjVQa1PpcFMuS9aS395hLx46FvVQOLI5pMqQar7fMCk%3D" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DafwbFbhV3U&feature=plcp&context=C4021a3aVDvjVQa1PpcFMuS9aS395hLx46FvVQOLI5pMqQar7fMCk%3D</a>

Tman1 · « **Reply #17 on:** March 23, 2012, 12:04:19 AM »

I don't know which store that is, but they I can tell you they are not all decorated the same. I do know the first one was a sit down style. I was thinking I had seen all their videos, but the more recent date on that one confirms that it came after I watched them all. Thanks.

pizzablogger · « **Reply #18 on:** March 23, 2012, 05:35:11 AM »

I'm not on a desktop to see easier, but I clearly remember that one of the Punch locations has a different oven than the other locations.....and that one oven is a Woodstone (Mt Rainier series).

The others are difficult to tell as there is no name on the arch of the oven oven opening. The slightly higher arch had me thinking Renato, but I don't think that's right.

Would love to learn what ovens are used at most of the Punch locations. -k

pizzablogger · « **Reply #19 on:** March 23, 2012, 05:47:05 AM »

In Baltimore, a place called Harbor East Delicatessen & Pizzeria advertises "Brick Oven Pizza". They use a Marsal MB series covered by a brick facade.

Just a block away Bagby Pizza Company touts Brick Oven Pizza out of their Bakers Pride forno classico oven.

I first saw "Stone Oven Pizza" in several places in North Carolina's Outer Banks several years ago. Of course all of these places used deck ovens with cordierite or firebrick on the floor and/or ceiling

The public at large are suckers for advertising ploys. The pizza fan in me wants to puke and rages over such bullocks, but from a business perspective it does seem to create interest and generate a buzz. -k

Author Topic: Neapolitan: On Its Way to Chain Pizza? (Read 2140 times)

cornicione54