July 4, 2012 – Inspiring and informative were two common buzzwords words
attendees used to describe the first-ever Canadian Pizza Business
Forum.
July 4, 2012 – Inspiring and informative were two common buzzwords words attendees used to describe the first-ever Canadian Pizza Business Forum. Held June 26 at the Waterloo Inn Conference Hotel in Waterloo, Ont., the forum was a perfect opportunity for independent pizzeria owners to refresh their minds with new business practices and rekindle their love for what they do.
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| Attendees take in speaker presentations at the inaugural Canadian Pizza Business Forum. |
Delegates of the show took in a fantastic day of listening to and interacting with presenters. The day’s speaker program began with Diana Coutu, of Diana’s Gourmet Pizzeria in Winnipeg, sharing low-cost marketing strategies. Scott Anthony of Fox’s Pizza Den in Punxsutawney, Penn., followed with media and community relations tips. The afternoon panel of speakers – Marina Rondinelli, owner of Rondo’s Pizza Plus in Bright’s Grove, Ont., Joe Leroux, owner of Amadio’s Pizza in Mississauga, Ont., and Tom Stankiewicz, owner of Bondi’s Pizza in London, Ont. – discussed best practices for out-competing big chains. Jeff Cling of Fuller Landau Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors in Toronto rounded off the afternoon with a session on financial planning.
In between sessions, the trade show floor was alive with conversation and networking between delegates and representatives from 18 companies. Breakfast and coffee breaks were sponsored by XLT Ovens, and a delicious buffet lunch – pizza, of course! – was sponsored by Moretti Forni/Faema Canada with ingredients donated by Stanislaus Food Products and Saputo Foodservice. These breaks allowed delegates to refuel and meet some of their peers. In the days following, delegates let us know just how useful they found the show.
“It was informative, inspiring and confirmed other pizzeria owners have the same ideas as us. Lots of what we learned we have thought of, just now we know we need to act. The experience was just overall great!” – Josh and Rhonda Schlueter – Lotamecheese Pizzeria, Cambridge, Ont.
“Great event! Very informative; awesome speakers and lots of great food. I met some very nice people and can't wait to attend next year!" – Sukh Kainth – Pizza Depot, Guelph, Ont.
“What we took home from your workshop: regardless of how small we are, we can be more involved in our community . . . We will most definitely attend another Canadian Pizza Business Forum again.” – Sue and Dave Lanktree – Pizza Junction, Kitchener, Ont.
"Inspiring is one way to sum up the Canadian Pizza Magazine's first forum. We learned just how to get our message out there without going broke in the process. We have already put some rather simple things in place to get started, and the renewed energy to continue to grow our business is priceless. The vendors were very personable and all cared about our current business and helping us get to the next level. We will see you next year.” – Rich Chaplin and Trish Mock – Bo Pizza, Peterborough, Ont.
The day could not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors: Pizza Master distributed by Alfa Food Service (platinum), Stanislaus Food Products (gold), Saputo Foodservice (silver) and Santa Lucia (bronze) for their ongoing support. Many thanks to all our exhibitors. More thanks to our speakers and of course, to all who attended. Look for more coverage, photos and exclusive videos from the day in the next issue of Canadian Pizza magazine and online. We look forward to seeing you next year!
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