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January 2003
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Fine Food Australia
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By Stephen Millar
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Australian Pizza Convention a GIANT Success
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Ok, it wasn't officially a pizza convention, but it is the biggest yearly event in Australian pizza. My lovely wife Cathy and I went to the Fine Food Australia Exhibition to launch our first issue of PMQ Australia and we soon discovered that this is the one event you must put on your calendar if you're in the pizza business. Don't worry if you missed it because next year they're doing it all over again in Sydney, 9-12 September.
Attendance at the show set a new record with 622 exhibitors from 21 countries and an incredible 24,500 buyers in attendance. According to Exhibition Director Timothy Collett, "a good part of that increase was directly attributable to the increased presence of pizza," at the yearly event. "We are fortunate to be the home of the National Pizza Challenge and we have found it to be the perfect magnet for building the pizza segment," Timothy said.
Looking for Profitable Ideas
One of the things you will soon discover is that PMQ is there when you can't be. In addition to searching for marketing advice and promotions to help you be more successful in the pizza industry, we'll travel to various events when you can't looking for new and great ideas to pass along. This year, PMQ's American publishers Steve and Linda Green joined us in scouring the floor of the Jeff Shed (Melbourne Exhibition Center) looking for those ideas you might not see otherwise.
The PMQ staff paced the floor for four days looking for new ideas and products for our readers. We found some things you should know about and here they are. If you'd like to see more ideas go to www.pmq.com and visit "Pizza Theatre" to see a short video clip filmed at Fine Food Australia.
Idea 1
Time Clock That Really Recognizes Employees
It's all in the thumbprint. Now you can tell when employees are really punching in because their thumb is their time card. More than just another time and attendance or rostering system, this is a very useful and practical tool that can easily increase productivity by allowing you to view labor information in many illuminating ways. The labor information is also exportable to payroll software to finish off the job.
CAPS Hospitality
Jason Holdsworth
02 9317 2311
jason@capshospitality.com
Idea 2
Barilla Makes Pasta Easier
Barilla has a new product… Sauce in a box. It's the line of Barilla Chef Pasta Sauces. Barilla's Robert Gavagna explains that the sauce facilitates the work of chefs by cutting down on preparation time, saving on costs yet still allowing maximum chef creativity. What's really practical about the product is that it comes in a 2 kilo container.
Barilla Australia
Robert Gavagna
02 9518 4370
robert@barilla.net.au
Idea 3
Trouble-free Cleaning Solutions
Concentrated products means more room in your store. Ecolab has found a way to guarantee clean and sanitized kitchens, tables and bars without the hassle of bulk containers of concentrated cleaners. This new cleaning solution comes in pre-measured vials that are simply poured into any standard spray bottle and toped off with water. No more storing buckets of concentrated cleaner that is a mess to pour and mix.
Ecolab
Mark Battershill
07 3265 9144
mark.battershill@ecolab.com.au
Idea 4
Gelato Opportunity
What dessert more naturally goes with Italian Pizza than Italian Gelato? Oppenheimer is the Australian company that sells the ingredients and teaches their customers how to be Gelato artisans. Their booth was next to ours and the perpetual line of returning visitors was proof enough that Gelato can be a winner for pizza operations. And remember, Gelato has much less fat than ice cream.
Oppenheimer
02 9748 3111
www.oppenheimer.com.au
Idea 5
One Potato, Two Potato
When Dad wants a slice and Mum doesn't, what can you offer to satisfy her? The product allows you to offer highly profitable baked potatoes with minimum investment and huge profit margins. This new potato oven apparently doubles as a very powerful sign.The oven is a showcase for potatoes and when people see these potatoes just sitting there ready to eat, they buy them. When it costs you 30 cents to produce this menu item, your return on investment is considerable in light of the fact that you can sell them for up to $5 each topped with the same toppings you offer on your pizzas. Baked potatoes fit right in with pizza because they can be served stuffed with cheese or meats and can be eaten in your restaurant or as a carryout food. The ovens can hold baked potatoes all day and are as good in the evening as when they are first cooked.
Potato Ovens Australasia
Barry Smith
03 9571 1260
potato-ovens@bigpond.com
PMQ
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