FOODSERVICE INNOVATIONS
A Fresh Take on Take-and-Bake
We live in a world of the DIY and semi-homemade movements. D e s p i t e t h e d o w n e c o n o m y, consumers still want restaurantquality foods—but because of the tight budgets, they have to figure out how to do it themselves. And although we are a Food Network society, not everyone knows how to whip up a gourmet pizza on a scratch crust. Consumers are more than willing to pick up and bake a premade gourmet pizza that is cheaper than a hot, delivered pizza and easy to prepare by just popping it in the oven. Papa Murphy’s Pizza could be considered the King of the take-and-bake. What sets them apart is the fresh model—all the ingredients are fresh and placed to order on the dough. Similar to a Subway restaurant, the pizza is built right before the customer’s eyes. If there’s any question that this model works, just look at the success Papa Murphy’s has seen as the largest take-and-bake pizza franchise in the country. Yo u r b a k e r y c a f é h a s a n opportunity to take advantage of the take-and-bake trend—and to do it in a similar way as Papa Murphy’s. Remember that perception is reality, and Papa Murphy’s has the fresh concept working for them. A pizza made fresh in front of a customer’s eyes speaks freshness in volumes far above a pizza that is shrinkwrapped in a case. Think of the fresh perception of pizza in the same way you would your sandwich program. Which way would your customers find more fresh and appealing? A fresh take-and-bake pizza program is also a great way to tout your scratch-made crusts and breads, as well as local produce and other ingredients. Utilize signage that says “We only use fresh ingredients from local farms” or “Our dough is made from scratch.”
JOANIE SPENCER
The Sandwich Parallel
You can draw many parallels between a fresh sandwich program and a fresh pizza program—right down to the menu. Make your pizza menu stand out with inspiration from your favorite sandwiches. Here are a few ideas: • Cheeseburger • Philly Cheese Steak • BLT • Chicken Caesar • Buffalo Chicken • Chicken Club
34 · BAKING BUYER · APRIL 11
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of bakingbuyer - April 2011