Toppers News http://toppers.com Toppers to Reward Free Food for a Year to First 50 Guests at Grand Opening of its Downers Grove Location WHITEWATER, WI – Many brands say they are expanding in Chicagoland, yet very few actually follow through. Don’t put Toppers in that corner. In fact, the hot franchise brand that targets the young and the young at heart is opening its third Chicagoland location in just four months, not to mention its 40th unit, in Downers Grove on April 21. Toppers will add its fourth Illinois location in Downers Grove at 336 Ogden Ave. The revolt against mediocrity in the fast casual pizza category is led by long-time Chicagoan Robin Pearce, who is known for her ability to quickly connect communities with flavor during her time at restaurant groups like Corner Bakery and Flat Top Stir-Fry Grill. “Toppers Pizza has been on my radar for a long-time. Their unique approach to the pizza category really excites me because this is not just another pizza delivery chain,” Pearce said. No, Toppers is not just another pizza chain. In fact, its “off-beat marketing voice typically resonates well with its fanatics because it talks with the customer, not at them,” she adds. To celebrate the opening, Toppers will continue its fanatical opening model by rewarding the first 50 guests in line free food for a year and reward fans that day with prizes and giveaway rewards (fanatics should watch facebook.com/toppersrocks for details). “When we open a location, it truly is a celebration. No fake grand openings with boring ribbon cuttings. We go for the grand slam with the way we open, the way we connect with our customers, and the tastes we offer on our menu,” said Scott Gittrich, CEO of the emerging chain and former Domino’s Pizza delivery driver. “Trust me; I quickly learned what not to do with our customer bonds. This is their party, not ours.” When Gittrich decided to rebel against big box pizza chains, he did so with a methodical vision to test and test again every aspect of his pizza-concept. Starting off with the simple goal of recapturing the magic of a made-from-scratch pizza in a sea of cookie cutter chains, Gittrich laid the foundation for his vision. Nearly 20 years later, his Whitewater-based pizza brand is showcasing its growth potential, as it now comes armed with 30 locations and an incredible average unit volume ($941,591) plus average per unit net profit ($161,998). Along with its ability to tap into the most influential demographic, young and young at heart, Toppers has made a name for itself as innovators of unique menu items. Toppers was the first delivery brand to capture the cheesy bread marketplace with its famous TopperstixTM. Toppers has never shied away from innovation with its Mac ‘N Cheese, Potato Topper, Cool C-B-R (Chicken-Bacon-Ranch), and Hangover Helper House Pizzas, Buffalo Wings, Quesadillas, Grinders, and dozens of other menu items. Differentiating itself from the competition, 70 percent of Toppers’ sales come from items not traditionally found on competitors’ menus. The new Downers Grove location is part of a larger growth strategy for Toppers Pizza’s saturation of the Midwest. Beyond Downers Grove, Toppers’ 2012 footsteps are focused on its exponential growth plan to reach 150 restaurants by the end of 2015 and 500 by 2020. The company already has 30 new locations under contract to be built by 2013. Currently, Toppers has 39 locations in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina, Indiana and Nebraska. Upcoming openings include locations in Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Texas. “As we grow, like a balloon, out of Wisconsin and into surrounding states and then nationwide, we want to maintain a stronghold on top-tier franchisees. By doing so, we can maintain our core culture, our brand evolution, and our methodical growth pattern,” said Scott Iversen, Toppers Pizza Director of Marketing , noting that the new Downers Grove Toppers features the brand’s newest blueprint with an updated, vibrant, “chill”-friendly atmosphere. When the big chains are down, Toppers has remained up, taking names and gripping its share of the $40-plus-billlion pizza industry. In 2011, Toppers increased average unit volumes and system-wide sales, opening four stores with 30 more under contract. Why the upswing? “The reason for our success is simple, meaning that we are not one of the ‘Wal-Marts’ of the industry. The big chains have lost identity and brand connection,” Gittrich said. “Our customers are fanatical about our brand. Our quirkiness and edginess has given our brand character, so we have been able to continue our growth and bonding with an untapped national demographic: the 18-34-year olds.” ABOUT TOPPERS: Ranked in Entrepreneur Magazine’s top 500 franchises in 2011, Toppers Pizza, a 40-unit eclectic pizza delivery franchise brand, headquartered in Whitewater, WI, takes a unique approach to the crowded pizza segment by appealing to young and the young at heart in an fanatical way that totally separates them from the competition. Toppers’ menu includes 18 house pizzas; the franchise’s signature product line TopperstixTM; Oven-Toasted Grinders; Buffalo Wings; Quesadillas; and cold drinks. The brand has strongly established itself in Wisconsin, and is now in the midst of Midwest and then national growth. By focusing on Toppers’ demographic friendly markets, Toppers is able to continue its building of a fanatical relationship with its customer base. Toppers growth was celebrated in 2009 by Chain Store Age, an industry publication that measures quick service restaurant growth over the past five years, and ranked Toppers on their overachievers list of the Top 50 Fastest Growing Chain Restaurants in the United States. For more information on Toppers, visit www.toppers.com. *The financial performance representations set forth below are for the one year period (53 weeks) commencing on December 29, 2008, and ending January 3, 2010, and are for nine independent franchise restaurants in Wisconsin and Minnesota and five Company-affiliated franchise restaurants in Wisconsin that were open the entire 53 weeks ended January 3, 2010. There were three franchise restaurants open in Minnesota and eighteen franchise restaurants open in Wisconsin during the entire one-year (53-week) period between December 29, 2008 and January 3, 2010. Fourteen of those twenty-one franchise restaurants are included in these representations. There were twenty-five franchise restaurants open in the entire System during the entire one-year (53-week) period between December 29, 2008 and January 3, 2010. Only fourteen of those restaurants (all of which are in Wisconsin or Minnesota) are included in these representations. A new franchisee's results may differ from represented performance. There is no assurance that you will do as well and must accept that risk. The offering is made by prospectus only ### 2012-04-27T05:00:00Z f3acd4ee-4521-47c3-ad0b-1d063eff26bd http://www.toppers.com/News/2012/04/27/taking-the-windy-city-by-store-toppers-pizza-opens-third-location-this-year Toppers to award free food for a year to first 50 guests at grand opening of next Wisconsin location WHITEWATER, WI – The big pizza chains serve their purpose: mediocre food; mediocre promises; mediocre connections. Toppers Pizza, a 39-unit eclectic pizza delivery franchise brand, doesn’t follow those characteristics. To prove its tasty promise to consumers, Toppers will celebrate this reprieve with a huge grand opening celebration unmatched by the big guns at its new location in Menomonie. Toppers will add a 26th location in its home state of Wisconsin on April 28 in Menomonie (12545 N. Meridian Street). For the opening, Toppers will give the first 50 guests in line free food for a year and reward fans that day with prizes and giveaway rewards (fanatics should watch facebook.com/toppersrocks for details). “When we open a location, it truly is a celebration. No fake grand openings with boring ribbon cuttings. We go for the grand slam with the way we open, the way we connect with our customers, and the tastes we offer on our menu,” said Scott Gittrich, CEO of the emerging chain and former Domino’s Pizza delivery driver. “Trust me; I quickly learned what not to do with our customer bonds. This is their party, not ours.” Along with its ability to tap into the most influential demographic, 18-34 year olds, Toppers has made a name for itself as innovators of unique menu items. Toppers was the first delivery brand to capture the cheesy bread marketplace with its famous TopperstixTM. Toppers has never shied away from innovation with its Mac ‘N Cheese, Potato Topper, Cool C-B-R (Chicken-Bacon-Ranch), and Hangover Helper House Pizzas, Buffalo Wings, Quesadillas, Grinders, and dozens of other menu items. Differentiating itself from the competition, 70 percent of Toppers’ sales come from items not traditionally found on competitors’ menus. The new location will be owned and operated by lifelong Toppers fan, Vishal Bhatnagar. Vishal has been enjoying Toppers pizza since his college days, when he would visit his cousin at UW-Whitewater. “Every time I visited Whitewater, we had to stop at Toppers. I’m a true believer in the quality food that Toppers offers customers.” After running a local hotel with his father for the past few years, Vishal decided to transition his management skills to the restaurant industry, where his passion really lies. He and his wife, who also has experience in restaurant management, are thrilled to be bringing the Wisconsin-based brand to Menomonie this April. The new Menomonie location is part of a larger growth strategy for Toppers Pizza’s saturation of the Midwest. Beyond Menomonie, Toppers’ 2012 footsteps are focused on its exponential growth plan to reach 150 restaurants by the end of 2015 and 500 by 2020. The company already has 30 new locations under contract to be built by 2013. Currently, Toppers has 39 locations in Minnesota, Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana and Nebraska. Upcoming openings include locations in Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Texas. “As we grow, like a balloon, throughout Wisconsin and into surrounding states and then nationwide, we want to maintain a stronghold on top-tier franchisees. By doing so, we can maintain our core culture, our brand evolution, and our methodical growth pattern,” said Scott Iversen, Toppers Pizza Director of Marketing , noting that the new Menomonie Toppers features the brand’s newest blueprint with an updated, vibrant, “chill”-friendly atmosphere. When the big chains are down, Toppers has remained up, taking names and gripping its share of the $40-plus-billlion pizza industry. In 2011, Toppers increased average unit volumes and system-wide sales, opening four stores with 30 more under contract. Why the upswing? “The reason for our success is simple, meaning that we are not one of the ‘Wal-Marts’ of the industry. The big chains have lost identity and brand connection,” Gittrich said. “Our customers are fanatical about our brand. Our quirkiness and edginess has given our brand character, so we have been able to continue our growth and bonding with an untapped national demographic: the 18-34-year olds.” ABOUT TOPPERS: Ranked in Entrepreneur Magazine’s top 500 franchises in 2011, Toppers Pizza, a 39-unit eclectic pizza delivery franchise brand, headquartered in Whitewater, WI, takes a unique approach to the crowded pizza segment by appealing to 18-34 year olds in an irreverent way that totally separates them from the competition. Toppers’ menu includes 18 house pizzas; the franchise’s signature product line TopperstixTM; Oven-Toasted Grinders; Buffalo Wings; Quesadillas; and cold drinks. The brand has strongly established itself in Wisconsin, and is now in the midst of Midwest and then national growth. By focusing on Toppers’ demographic friendly markets, Toppers is able to continue its building of a fanatical relationship with its customer base. Toppers growth was celebrated in 2009 by Chain Store Age, an industry publication that measures quick service restaurant growth over the past five years, and ranked Toppers on their overachievers list of the Top 50 Fastest Growing Chain Restaurants in the United States. For more information on Toppers, visit www.toppers.com. ### 2012-04-27T05:00:00Z 04dc4ba2-0bfb-4969-a923-a273585ce6c4 http://www.toppers.com/News/2012/04/27/heating-up-toppers-pizza-adds-menomonie-location Taking the Windy City by Store: Toppers Pizza Opens Third Location this Year Toppers to Reward Free Food for a Year to First 50 Guests at Grand Opening of its Downers Grove Location WHITEWATER, WI – Many brands say they are expanding in Chicagoland, yet very few actually follow through. Don’t put Toppers in that corner. In fact, the hot franchise brand that targets the young and the young at heart is opening its third Chicagoland location in just four months, not to mention its 40th unit, in Downers Grove on April 21. Toppers will add its fourth Illinois location in Downers Grove at 336 Ogden Ave. The revolt against mediocrity in the fast casual pizza category is led by long-time Chicagoan Robin Pearce, who is known for her ability to quickly connect communities with flavor during her time at restaurant groups like Corner Bakery and Flat Top Stir-Fry Grill. “Toppers Pizza has been on my radar for a long-time. Their unique approach to the pizza category really excites me because this is not just another pizza delivery chain,” Pearce said. No, Toppers is not just another pizza chain. In fact, its “off-beat marketing voice typically resonates well with its fanatics because it talks with the customer, not at them,” she adds. To celebrate the opening, Toppers will continue its fanatical opening model by rewarding the first 50 guests in line free food for a year and reward fans that day with prizes and giveaway rewards (fanatics should watch facebook.com/toppersrocks for details). “When we open a location, it truly is a celebration. No fake grand openings with boring ribbon cuttings. We go for the grand slam with the way we open, the way we connect with our customers, and the tastes we offer on our menu,” said Scott Gittrich, CEO of the emerging chain and former Domino’s Pizza delivery driver. “Trust me; I quickly learned what not to do with our customer bonds. This is their party, not ours.” When Gittrich decided to rebel against big box pizza chains, he did so with a methodical vision to test and test again every aspect of his pizza-concept. Starting off with the simple goal of recapturing the magic of a made-from-scratch pizza in a sea of cookie cutter chains, Gittrich laid the foundation for his vision. Nearly 20 years later, his Whitewater-based pizza brand is showcasing its growth potential, as it now comes armed with 30 locations and an incredible average unit volume ($941,591) plus average per unit net profit ($161,998). Along with its ability to tap into the most influential demographic, young and young at heart, Toppers has made a name for itself as innovators of unique menu items. Toppers was the first delivery brand to capture the cheesy bread marketplace with its famous TopperstixTM. Toppers has never shied away from innovation with its Mac ‘N Cheese, Potato Topper, Cool C-B-R (Chicken-Bacon-Ranch), and Hangover Helper House Pizzas, Buffalo Wings, Quesadillas, Grinders, and dozens of other menu items. Differentiating itself from the competition, 70 percent of Toppers’ sales come from items not traditionally found on competitors’ menus. The new Downers Grove location is part of a larger growth strategy for Toppers Pizza’s saturation of the Midwest. Beyond Downers Grove, Toppers’ 2012 footsteps are focused on its exponential growth plan to reach 150 restaurants by the end of 2015 and 500 by 2020. The company already has 30 new locations under contract to be built by 2013. Currently, Toppers has 39 locations in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina, Indiana and Nebraska. Upcoming openings include locations in Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Texas. “As we grow, like a balloon, out of Wisconsin and into surrounding states and then nationwide, we want to maintain a stronghold on top-tier franchisees. By doing so, we can maintain our core culture, our brand evolution, and our methodical growth pattern,” said Scott Iversen, Toppers Pizza Director of Marketing , noting that the new Downers Grove Toppers features the brand’s newest blueprint with an updated, vibrant, “chill”-friendly atmosphere. When the big chains are down, Toppers has remained up, taking names and gripping its share of the $40-plus-billlion pizza industry. In 2011, Toppers increased average unit volumes and system-wide sales, opening four stores with 30 more under contract. Why the upswing? “The reason for our success is simple, meaning that we are not one of the ‘Wal-Marts’ of the industry. The big chains have lost identity and brand connection,” Gittrich said. “Our customers are fanatical about our brand. Our quirkiness and edginess has given our brand character, so we have been able to continue our growth and bonding with an untapped national demographic: the 18-34-year olds.” ABOUT TOPPERS: Ranked in Entrepreneur Magazine’s top 500 franchises in 2011, Toppers Pizza, a 40-unit eclectic pizza delivery franchise brand, headquartered in Whitewater, WI, takes a unique approach to the crowded pizza segment by appealing to young and the young at heart in an fanatical way that totally separates them from the competition. Toppers’ menu includes 18 house pizzas; the franchise’s signature product line TopperstixTM; Oven-Toasted Grinders; Buffalo Wings; Quesadillas; and cold drinks. The brand has strongly established itself in Wisconsin, and is now in the midst of Midwest and then national growth. By focusing on Toppers’ demographic friendly markets, Toppers is able to continue its building of a fanatical relationship with its customer base. Toppers growth was celebrated in 2009 by Chain Store Age, an industry publication that measures quick service restaurant growth over the past five years, and ranked Toppers on their overachievers list of the Top 50 Fastest Growing Chain Restaurants in the United States. For more information on Toppers, visit www.toppers.com. *The financial performance representations set forth below are for the one year period (53 weeks) commencing on December 29, 2008, and ending January 3, 2010, and are for nine independent franchise restaurants in Wisconsin and Minnesota and five Company-affiliated franchise restaurants in Wisconsin that were open the entire 53 weeks ended January 3, 2010. There were three franchise restaurants open in Minnesota and eighteen franchise restaurants open in Wisconsin during the entire one-year (53-week) period between December 29, 2008 and January 3, 2010. Fourteen of those twenty-one franchise restaurants are included in these representations. There were twenty-five franchise restaurants open in the entire System during the entire one-year (53-week) period between December 29, 2008 and January 3, 2010. Only fourteen of those restaurants (all of which are in Wisconsin or Minnesota) are included in these representations. A new franchisee's results may differ from represented performance. There is no assurance that you will do as well and must accept that risk. The offering is made by prospectus only ### 2012-04-19T05:00:00Z c5e88477-2c3a-4270-adef-f0977ef72683 http://www.toppers.com/News/2012/04/19/taking-the-windy-city-by-store Toppers Pizza Adds Sheboygan Location Toppers to award free food for a year to first 50 guests at grand opening of new location WHITEWATER, WI – The big pizza chains serve their purpose: mediocre food; mediocre promises; mediocre connections. Toppers Pizza, a 37-unit eclectic pizza delivery franchise brand, doesn’t follow those characteristics. To prove its tasty promise to consumers, Toppers will celebrate this reprieve with a huge grand opening celebration unmatched by the big guns at its new location in Sheboygan. On March 17, Toppers will open its first Sheboygan location (1102 North 8th Street). For the opening, Toppers will give the first 50 guests in line free food for a year and reward fans that day with prizes and giveaway rewards (fanatics should watch facebook.com/toppersrocks for details). “When we open a location, it truly is a celebration. No fake grand openings with boring ribbon cuttings. We go for the grand slam with the way we open, the way we connect with our customers, and the tastes we offer on our menu,” said Scott Gittrich, CEO of the emerging chain and former Domino’s Pizza delivery driver. “Trust me; I quickly learned what not to do with our customer bonds. This is their party, not ours.” Along with its ability to tap into the most influential demographic, 18-34 year olds, Toppers has made a name for itself as innovators of unique menu items. Toppers was the first delivery brand to capture the cheesy bread marketplace with its famous TopperstixTM. Toppers has never shied away from innovation with its Mac ‘N Cheese, Potato Topper, Cool C-B-R (Chicken-Bacon-Ranch), and Hangover Helper House Pizzas, Buffalo Wings, Quesadillas, Grinders, and dozens of other menu items. Differentiating itself from the competition, 70 percent of Toppers’ sales come from items not traditionally found on competitors’ menus. Scott Julius, the new franchise owner of the Sheboygan Toppers, has known the Toppers system for quite a while. “I started working as an employee for Toppers back in college in 1994,” said Scott. “I understand the Toppers model and was thrilled to open up my own Toppers as soon as I had the opportunity.” Scott, a former high school math teacher, believes in creating social relationships with his guests in order to take full advantage of his new business venture. The new Sheboygan location is part of a larger growth strategy for Toppers Pizza’s saturation of the Midwest. Beyond Sheboygan, Toppers’ 2012 footsteps are focused on its exponential growth plan to reach 150 restaurants by the end of 2015 and 500 by 2020. The company already has 30 new locations under contract to be built by 2013. Currently, Toppers has 37 locations in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois, Nebraska, and Indiana. Upcoming openings include locations in Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Texas. “As we grow, like a balloon, in Wisconsin and into surrounding states and then nationwide, we want to maintain a stronghold on top-tier franchisees. By doing so, we can maintain our core culture, our brand evolution, and our methodical growth pattern,” said Scott Iversen, Toppers Pizza Director of Marketing , noting that the new Sheboygan Toppers features the brand’s newest blueprint with an updated, vibrant, “chill”-friendly atmosphere. When the big chains are down, Toppers has remained up, taking names and gripping its share of the $40-plus-billlion pizza industry. In 2011, Toppers increased average unit volumes and system-wide sales, opening four stores with 30 more under contract. Why the upswing? “The reason for our success is simple, meaning that we are not one of the ‘Wal-Marts’ of the industry. The big chains have lost identity and brand connection,” Gittrich said. “Our customers are fanatical about our brand. Our quirkiness and edginess has given our brand character, so we have been able to continue our growth and bonding with an untapped national demographic: the 18-34-year olds.” ABOUT TOPPERS: Ranked in Entrepreneur Magazine’s top 500 franchises in 2011, Toppers Pizza, a 37-unit eclectic pizza delivery franchise brand, headquartered in Whitewater, WI, takes a unique approach to the crowded pizza segment by appealing to 18-34 year olds in an irreverent way that totally separates them from the competition. Toppers’ menu includes 18 house pizzas; the franchise’s signature product line TopperstixTM; Oven-Toasted Grinders; Buffalo Wings; Quesadillas; and cold drinks. The brand has strongly established itself in Wisconsin, and is now in the midst of Midwest and then national growth. By focusing on Toppers’ demographic friendly markets, Toppers is able to continue its building of a fanatical relationship with its customer base. Toppers growth was celebrated in 2009 by Chain Store Age, an industry publication that measures quick service restaurant growth over the past five years, and ranked Toppers on their overachievers list of the Top 50 Fastest Growing Chain Restaurants in the United States. For more information on Toppers, visit www.toppers.com. ### 2012-03-06T06:00:00Z b316a1aa-42d0-4d66-9beb-cb81a80a1151 http://www.toppers.com/News/2012/03/06/toppers-pizza-adds-sheboygan-location Heating Up: Toppers Pizza Adds Indiana Location Toppers to award free food for a year to first 50 guests at grand opening of the first Indianapolis location WHITEWATER, WI – The big pizza chains serve their purpose: mediocre food; mediocre promises; mediocre connections. Toppers Pizza, a 37-unit eclectic pizza delivery franchise brand, doesn’t follow those characteristics. To prove its tasty promise to consumers, Toppers will celebrate this reprieve with a huge grand opening celebration unmatched by the big guns at its new location in Carmel– marking the brand’s first opening in Indianapolis. On March 17, Toppers will open its first Indianapolis location in Carmel (12545 N. Meridian Street). For the opening, Toppers will give the first 50 guests in line free food for a year and reward fans that day with prizes and giveaway rewards. Plus, an additional 5 guests who visit the opening will be selected from a drawing to win free food for a year (fanatics should watch facebook.com/toppersrocks for details). “When we open a location, it truly is a celebration. No fake grand openings with boring ribbon cuttings. We go for the grand slam with the way we open, the way we connect with our customers, and the tastes we offer on our menu,” said Scott Gittrich, CEO of the emerging chain and former Domino’s Pizza delivery driver. “Trust me; I quickly learned what not to do with our customer bonds. This is their party, not ours.” Along with its ability to tap into the most influential demographic, 18-34 year olds, Toppers has made a name for itself as innovators of unique menu items. Toppers was the first delivery brand to capture the cheesy bread marketplace with its famous TopperstixTM. Toppers has never shied away from innovation with its Mac ‘N Cheese, Potato Topper, Cool C-B-R (Chicken-Bacon-Ranch), and Hangover Helper House Pizzas, Buffalo Wings, Quesadillas, Grinders, and dozens of other menu items. Differentiating itself from the competition, 70 percent of Toppers’ sales come from items not traditionally found on competitors’ menus. The new location will be owned and operated by Kirk Schueler, who decided to become his own boss, since jobs were so scarce. After taking an early retirement from the pharmaceutical industry to pursue his PhD in Business Administration and Health Policy, Schueler thought he’d have a comfortable life after 28 years in the industry. But the economy took a turn, and Schueler took a huge financial hit, forcing him to try to rejoin the working world. “I had been out of the business for 7 years, so finding a job was tough.” Schueler says. “So, since no one would hire me, I decided to hire myself and Toppers was the most exciting opportunity available.” Beyond the initial Carmel location, Schueler plans to open additional Indianapolis area locations. The new Carmel location is part of a larger growth strategy for Toppers Pizza’s saturation of the Midwest. Beyond Carmel, Toppers’ 2012 footsteps are focused on its exponential growth plan to reach 150 restaurants by the end of 2015 and 500 by 2020. The company already has 30 new locations under contract to be built by 2013. Currently, Toppers has 37 locations in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois, and Nebraska. Upcoming openings include locations in Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Texas. “As we grow, like a balloon, out of Wisconsin and into surrounding states and then nationwide, we want to maintain a stronghold on top-tier franchisees. By doing so, we can maintain our core culture, our brand evolution, and our methodical growth pattern,” said Scott Iversen, Toppers Pizza Director of Marketing , noting that the new Carmel Toppers features the brand’s newest blueprint with an updated, vibrant, “chill”-friendly atmosphere. When the big chains are down, Toppers has remained up, taking names and gripping its share of the $40-plus-billlion pizza industry. In 2011, Toppers increased average unit volumes and system-wide sales, opening four stores with 30 more under contract. Why the upswing? “The reason for our success is simple, meaning that we are not one of the ‘Wal-Marts’ of the industry. The big chains have lost identity and brand connection,” Gittrich said. “Our customers are fanatical about our brand. Our quirkiness and edginess has given our brand character, so we have been able to continue our growth and bonding with an untapped national demographic: the 18-34-year olds.” ABOUT TOPPERS: Ranked in Entrepreneur Magazine’s top 500 franchises in 2011, Toppers Pizza, a 37-unit eclectic pizza delivery franchise brand, headquartered in Whitewater, WI, takes a unique approach to the crowded pizza segment by appealing to 18-34 year olds in an irreverent way that totally separates them from the competition. Toppers’ menu includes 18 house pizzas; the franchise’s signature product line TopperstixTM; Oven-Toasted Grinders; Buffalo Wings; Quesadillas; and cold drinks. The brand has strongly established itself in Wisconsin, and is now in the midst of Midwest and then national growth. By focusing on Toppers’ demographic friendly markets, Toppers is able to continue its building of a fanatical relationship with its customer base. Toppers growth was celebrated in 2009 by Chain Store Age, an industry publication that measures quick service restaurant growth over the past five years, and ranked Toppers on their overachievers list of the Top 50 Fastest Growing Chain Restaurants in the United States. For more information on Toppers, visit www.toppers.com. ### 2012-03-06T06:00:00Z 46e95c47-66ce-424a-be58-66f75577a909 http://www.toppers.com/News/2012/03/06/toppers-pizza-adds-indiana-location Mark Cairns is no stranger to pizza. In fact, long before becoming Toppers Pizza’s Director of Franchise Development, he actually delivered product to the first ever Toppers location. “It’s a small world,” he said. “I actually worked as a supplier to Toppers founder Scott Gittrich’s first location from 1991 to 1992. It’s amazing how everything comes full-circle.” Cairns joins Toppers Pizza with a wealth of experience, most recently igniting franchise development for Wisconsin-based Cousins Subs, as well as previously holding a seven-year post as Franchise Development Director at 400-plus-unit Huddle House. Before recruiting new franchisees, Cairns was also a franchisee himself, as an owner/operator of Papa’s Pizza To-Go in Atlanta (1996-2001). “Everything happens for a reason. All of my experiences have led me to this opportunity,” Cairns said. “I am excited to help lead Toppers over the 50-unit mark this year, and past the 100-unit mark next year.” In 2012, Toppers will climb over the 50th unit mark (projected by fourth quarter) with openings already scheduled, including a multi-unit deal in Chicago. The first four openings will be accompanied by 20-30 more by the end of 2015. “We have searched very carefully for the right addition to help lead our growth,” Gittrich said. “We are confident we found our match in Mark Cairns. His wealth of experience as well as his determination to help brands grow led us to picking him to lead our development moving forward. When Gittrich decided to rebel against big box pizza chains, he did so with a methodical vision to test and test again every aspect of his pizza-concept. Starting off with the simple goal of recapturing the magic of a made-from-scratch pizza in a sea of cookie cutter chains, Gittrich laid the foundation for his vision. Nearly 20 years later, his Whitewater-based pizza brand is showcasing its growth potential, as it now comes armed with 30 locations and an incredible average unit volume ($941,591) plus average per unit net profit ($161,998). Showcasing Toppers’ progression, the founder of “Fast Casual Delivered” has a big first quarter of 2012 on the books, including two openings in Chicago; two in Madison, WI; Lincoln, NE; Cincinnati, OH; Bloomington, MN; Rochester, MN; Carmel, IN; Sheboygan, WI; Menomonie, WI and Milwaukee. Focusing its expansion in the upper Midwest, the brand’s aggressive campaign will target top-tier, multi-unit/multi-brand franchisees with portfolios that include historic and proven franchise brands. Capitalizing on its strong customer loyalty and years of developing relationships in local markets, Toppers isn’t just a hot concept — it has proven results. “We’re not one of those fly-by-night ideas that sounds good on paper, but doesn’t have the staying power to back it up,” Gittrich said. “This thing works wherever we go — small town, metro, urban, campus, residential, you name it.” Toppers’ 2011 footsteps are focused on its exponential growth plan to reach 100 restaurants by 2013 and 500 by 2020. The company already has 22 locations under contract to be built by 2013. The brand’s easily scalable business model allows for rapid growth potential and enables franchisees to reach a hugely underserved market. By focusing on the “Fast Casual Delivered” segment, franchisees are able to build connections with their customers on a personal level and further enhance overall brand loyalty. “Our numbers are proven and our model is perfected; however, in order for multi-unit franchisees to take us seriously, we wanted to ensure we offered industry top innovation and standards,” Gittrich said. “These steps have already jump started the conversation, as our inquiries have increased more than 500 percent and the traffic to our franchise site is up more than 1,000 percent over last year.” ABOUT TOPPERS: Ranked in Entrepreneur Magazine’s top 500 franchises in 2011, Toppers Pizza, a 36-unit eclectic pizza delivery franchise brand, headquartered in Whitewater, WI, takes a unique approach to the crowded pizza segment by appealing to 18-24 year olds in an irreverent way that totally separates them from the competition. Toppers’ menu includes 18 house pizzas; the franchise’s signature product line Topperstix; Oven-Toasted Grinders; Buffalo Wings; Quesadillas; and cold drinks. The brand has strongly established itself in Wisconsin, and is now in the midst of Midwest and then national growth. By focusing on Toppers’ demographic friendly markets, Toppers is able to continue its building of a fanatical relationship with its customer base. Toppers growth was celebrated in 2009 by Chain Store Age, an industry publication that measures quick service restaurant growth over the past five years, and ranked Toppers on their overachievers list of the Top 50 Fastest Growing Chain Restaurants in the United States. For more information on Toppers, visit http://www.toppers.com. 2012-02-14T06:00:00Z 6fdb7200-7171-45b9-88bf-ec2e819e1e77 http://www.toppers.com/News/2012/02/14/long-time-franchise-veteran-mark-cairns-joins-toppers-