Organic, eco-friendly restaurant chain to open first ever LEED and organic certified restaurant in Mesa
October 22, 2008 // Franchising.com // Mesa, Ariz., - Pizza Fusion (www.pizzafusion.com), pioneer of environmentally-friendly restaurant service and the first ever organic pizza franchise, will be opening in Mesa at 5735 E McKellips Rd., Suite 107 in December. Upon receiving certification, Pizza Fusion will be Mesa's first ever LEED and organic certified restaurant. Entrepreneur Jennifer Parks is the franchisee behind Pizza Fusion's new Mesa location.
"I was attracted to Pizza Fusion because it represents my values and passions - the Earth, health, nutrition, and trying to make the World a better place," Jennifer explains. "After tasting this amazing, healthy pizza, I realized Pizza Fusion was perfect for Mesa. The organic and socially conscious residents of the area will now have a new delicious means of supporting a healthier planet that I'm confident they'll love. Not only will we be supporting a healthier planet but also those with alternative diets. Having two wheat and dairy-free children, I feel it is vital for people to be able to eat out with their families even if they are on a restricted diet."
Pizza Fusion, whose motto is 'Saving the Earth, One Pizza at a Time,' practices a world-centric approach to their entire existence, including their restaurants' build-out, service and overall operations. Through building all of their restaurants to LEED certification standards, delivering their food in company owned hybrid cars, and offsetting 100% of their power consumption with the purchase of renewable energy certificates (among many other things), Pizza Fusion is setting the standard for sustainable restaurant practices as the most eco-friendly restaurant in America.
Pizza Fusion is the first and only restaurant chain to mandate third-party organic restaurant certification at all its locations. Beyond its organic menu offerings, Pizza Fusion also offers a number of options for people with selective diets. Pizza Fusion was recently recognized by PETA as a top-10 vegan-friendly pizzeria in America for their variety of vegan menu items, including casein-free soy cheese, breadsticks, brownies, sandwiches, and more. Furthermore, Pizza Fusion has quickly become a popular restaurant among the celiac community for their extensive selection of gluten-free pizza, brownies, and beer.
"We're very excited to expand into Mesa," Vaughan Lazar, president and co-founder of Pizza Fusion, states. "We know that Jennifer and her family will represent Pizza Fusion well while upholding our socially conscious values. Their demonstrated commitment and passion for Pizza Fusion will be an asset to accomplishing our collective vision in pioneering the organic and environmental restaurant movements. We're proud to welcome them into our dedicated family of franchisees."
In the United States, restaurants are the top electricity consumer among retail businesses, accounting for 33% of the total consumption. Each restaurant produces an average of 50,000 pounds of waste per year. Pizza Fusion's LEED certified restaurants reduce water waste by 40 percent and electricity consumption by 20 percent annually.
Pizza Fusion's restaurants feature a number of unique, eco-efficient products, techniques and designs. Pizza Fusion restaurants' eco-elements include using a cradle-to-cradle approach to manufacture countertops from re-used glass bottles from other Pizza Fusions, soy based stain concrete flooring, 30% recaptured industrial concrete, ceiling panels made from 74% recycled aluminum cans and 24% post industrial metals, non-VOC paints, insulation made from recycled blue jeans, ceiling baffles made from recycled composite board, low voltage and low heat lighting, tankless water heater, furniture made from reclaimed wood and much more – all the way down to the 100 percent post consumer toilet paper in their bathrooms.
Jennifer brings nine years of demonstrated business management expertise as co-owner and operator of BSJ Plumbing & Appliance Installs, Inc. in Mesa. Jennifer is a native to Mesa and is the proud mom of two gorgeous daughters with her husband, Brad. She graduated from Mountain View High School before attending college at Arizona State University where she earned her Finance degree. Jennifer has always been extremely conscientious about the environment and about the health and well-being of children. That passion was fueled when her oldest daughter was born healthy but became extremely sick. It is because of that journey of healing and education that Jennifer now wants to share those seeds of knowledge and health to her Mesa community and beyond.
Pizza Fusion is considering likeminded franchisee candidates to open 40 planned locations throughout Arizona over the next five years. Currently, the company has over 75 restaurants opening in 15 states across the U.S.
About Pizza Fusion
Founded in the best interest of the individual and the environment, Pizza Fusion combines a fresh, organic menu with an industry-leading environmental approach to restaurant service in chic dining destinations built to LEED certification standards. Pizza Fusion specializes in a full-service approach to gourmet pizza, ciabatta sandwiches, salads, desserts, and organic beers and wines, all in their purest form - untainted by artificial additives, such as pesticides, preservatives, antibiotics and hormones. With numerous franchises opening across the U.S., Pizza Fusion is pioneering the organic and environmental restaurant movement as the most eco-friendly restaurant in America. For additional information, visit: www.pizzafusion.com.
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