PizzaForno, an automated artisanal pizza oven company based in Toronto, has announced plans to bring licensing opportunities to the United States, with the first units coming to Michigan, after seeing continued success in Canada with independent and corporate licensees.
The brand states it will launch multiple units in Michigan starting in March, along with plans to expand further south this spring. The first two units scheduled to open are in Jackson — one will be for the public and another tentatively located within the Henry Ford Allegiance Hospital. A third location is in the works for Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
Founded in 2018 by William Moyer and Les Tomlin, who discovered the technology in a small French town, the pair determined North America would be a prime location to build a brand that blends artisanal pizza with the convenience of 24/7 availability and a less than three-minute wait.
In late 2017, they obtained exclusive distribution rights for the technology from SAS Adial, based in Liseux, France.
Since the first oven launched less than three years ago, PizzaForno has grown to include 25 units throughout Canada. During this time they also secured a multi-year, multi-unit partnership with Aramark Canada, North America’s leading food service provider, to supply the machines.
As a licensing opportunity, PizzaForno states it offers a high return on investment due to the 24/7 operation and zero on-site labor costs. The ovens and automated equipment are housed in an 80-square-foot booth, and can be up and running within four to six hours of installation.
In addition, indoor, outdoor, and ATM Style pizza booths, or kiosks, require as little as 60 square feet of space. The menu includes a number of pizzas, including BBQ Chicken, Pepperoni, Honey Chevre, Cheeseburger, Four Cheese Blend, Vegetarian, Hawaiian, and Meat Lovers. Prices for a 12-inch pizza range from $11 to $14.
Customers also have the option of ordering a pizza cold to take home and warm up in a conventional oven.
According to PizzaForno’s website, the inside of the machine never comes into contact with the pizza, ensuring a sanitary process and the freshest possible product.
“The PizzaForno license opportunity provides spirited entrepreneurs with an option to serve quality artisanal pizza without the stress of the usual restaurant operations including labor, food waste, and high rent. It also gives them the chance to add on a substantial income to their existing businesses and continue to build their extensive portfolios,” says Moyer, co-founder and CEO of PizzaForno.
“From gas stations to golf courses and hospitals, licensees can place their units in a space the size of a parking spot and alternatively, easily relocate it on the back of a truck. The automated pizza oven is full of endless possibilities.”
The pizzas are handmade at a local pizza topping operation — such as a local restaurant or grocery store — and delivered to the units daily, which ensures freshness and quality. Each pizza loaded into the machine is assigned a sell by date, that once passed, triggers technology that locks the pizza in the machine until an employee picks it up the following day.
The rotation schedule ensures a constant supply of pizza for the consumer, who makes orders via a touchscreen.
“PizzaForno was created to meet consumers’ immediate needs for a quick, gourmet food option, whenever they want it,” says Tomlin, co-founder and president of PizzaForno. “The quick and interactive process consists of choosing from a variety of unique varieties, swiping a card, and your pizza is ready in under three minutes. With established success in Canada and the pizza industry booming, PizzaForno is ready to innovate and bring the heat to the United States.”
Each automated pizza oven is fully equipped with web-enabled and real-time sales data, inventory management, and mechanical trouble shooting all available through a smart phone or a tablet.
Additionally, PizzaForno has implemented an in-depth onboarding process for licensees through an interactive app that ensures that each customer experience is seamless. It shares a step-by-step guide on how to assemble and operate their unit(s). The technology that PizzaForno provides its licensees also allows easy access to measuring temperature, inventory list, barcode systems, gross revenue, net revenue, technical issues, and more data from anywhere in the world.
The market for fresh-made, on-demand pizza is a fast growing market within the $134 billion pizza industry. PizzaForno offers licensees cutting-edge technology, training, and fully online business reporting statistics, mechanical trouble-shooting, and inventory management available on smartphones and tablets.
For licensing information, visit here.
