Straw Hat Pizza is Named This Year s Leading Pizza Franchise

SAN RAMON, Calif.-- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Straw Hat Restaurants garnered PMQ’s 2009 Pizza Industry Enterprise (PIE) Award over the other finalists including Little Caesars.

“The combination of Straw Hat Pizza’s sales and unit growth—including growing beyond its own goals—teamed with its ability to stay on top of trends affecting today’s consumer, put the company out ahead of the pack,” says Liz Barrett, Editor-in Chief for PMQ’s Pizza Magazine, the #1 publication in the pizza industry.

Recently named the 5^th Fastest Growing Restaurant Chain and one of the Hottest Franchises by America’s Hottest Franchises (AHF), Straw Hat grossed more than $40 million last year and has grown to 63 units from 38 units at the end of 2007 since president Jonathan C. Fornaci came on board in January 2008.

“Our plans are to have more than 100 units open by the end of 2010,” says Fornaci. “So far we’re on target to meet—and possibly exceed—that goal.”

Once touted as California’s largest pizza chain, Straw Hat sold many of its stores, in the late 1980s, but now is aggressively ramping up again. The chain introduced a new cost-efficient “Express” is aimed at the carry-out and delivery business.

Begun in 1959, Fornaci says that the 100 percent franchised company runs only one corporate store, dedicating all of its energy to helping its franchisees.

“We hold extensive training programs and send out separate teams that help with marketing and sales,” he says. “We use a national distributor that helps guarantee that everything is fresh; our dough is made every day in the stores, vegetables are cut fresh, and because we’ve used the same recipes for 50 years, none of our menu items have ever contained trans fats.”

“Even during a recession, people will not stop having parties for their kids,” says Fornaci. “We’ve always offered a family fun place—focused on family and good food—with a party and game room. We even offer flat-screen, controllable TVs in every booth.”

Straw Hat, which has historically been in California, is embarking on a national expansion to Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Oregon, Nevada, New Jersey, Texas and beyond.

Representatives from Straw Hat Pizza will accept the PIE award at Orlando Pizza Show September 12-14, 2010 in the presence of hundreds of their industry peers.

Spinergy Group

Nina Lesowitz, 510-547-8632

nina@spinergygroup.com