Toppers News http://toppers.com In March, 2012, new Toppers Pizza franchisee, Kirk Scheuler, will open his first franchise location in Carmel, IN. When building a career, very rarely does an entrepreneur become born the way Scheuler did. Building a passion for working with students as a professor at George Washington University and mixing in a well enriched business career in the pharmaceutical industry set Scheuler’s path to becoming a franchisee in a booming business built around a fanatical following. Q: Where are you from? A: I was born in Ann Arbor, MI, but I’ve moved around a lot. I’ve lived in 12 states in the U.S. and two provinces in Canada. I spent much of my childhood in La Crosse, WI and also went to undergrad there. I got my MBA from the University of Michigan and later went on to get my PhD from Michigan as well. Q: What was your career before franchising? A: Most of my background is in the pharmaceutical industry. I did sales, marketing, sales management, marketing management, and then moved into general management. My goal when I became involved in the industry was to move into a general management role, so I worked my way up to that point. I was President of the Canadian subsidiary of a well-established U.S.-based pharmaceutical company that employed over 300 people and generated over $120 million in sales. During my time in the industry, I went through four mergers that were positive and successful, but the fifth one came and I decided to take early retirement. That was in 2004. At that point, I thought it would be valuable for me to get my PhD in Business Administration and Health Policy. With my degree, I started teaching marketing classes at George Washington University, a position I still hold today. Q: How did you learn about the brand? A: Once I decided to pursue an avenue in small business ownership, I landed quickly on franchising. I found Toppers Pizza through my research while reading Entrepreneur Magazine and thought they had a great business model with impressive results. I compared Toppers to other brands like Papa Murphy’s. I noticed that when Toppers enters a market it explodes, and when Papa Murphy’s enters a new market it is a slower process to get going. I knew that I was going to be in a brand new market for either of these two pizza brands, so that was an important component of my decision as was the unit economics. Q: Why did you decide to open your own business? A: While teaching at George Washington University, I came to the conclusion that I loved working with the students but wasn’t a fan of the research component that I am required to do. I supervised students constructing sales, advertising, and marketing plans and realized that planning and implementing were the things I enjoyed most and wanted to return to. I thought about what I was good at, and I had proven that I could be successful in big business, which led me to thinking about why couldn’t I also be successful in small business? That’s how I started exploring small business ownership opportunities. Q: What was appealing to you about joining Toppers Pizza? A: Toppers Pizza has filled a niche in the pizza industry that no other pizza place has even considered. From my marketing background, I know that a brand must have a great product or service in order to withstand unfortunate situations like a bad economy. If all you can do is compete on price alone, the business isn’t worth a dime. I also love the fun and irreverent approach to the brand. Q: How did you finance your business? A: That was a major concern of mine. Lenders are looking for restaurant experience and, while I have a substantial background in sales and marketing, I didn’t have any in restaurant operations. I was able to take advantage of IRS regulations that allow individuals to utilize retirement savings to invest in their own business. ABOUT TOPPERS PIZZA Ranked in Entrepreneur Magazine’s top 500 franchises in 2011, Toppers Pizza, a 30-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 19 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 www.toppers.com. 2012-01-19T06:00:00Z 46e95c47-66ce-424a-be58-66f75577a909 http://www.toppers.com/News/2012/01/19/kirk-scheuler--toppers-opening-march-2012-location-carmel-in Jon Crowe – Toppers Pizza Franchisee Opening: February 2012 Location: Lincoln, NE Jon and Jon Crowe have the perfect recipe for franchising. The elder Jon went to culinary school and has had a vast interest in unique products. Younger Jon has a background in advertising and a career in business. Coupled together, the father-son tandem feels they have the perfect blend of business and passion to open a Toppers Pizza in Lincoln, NE and beyond. Here’s a little on younger Jon’s story: What was your career before franchising with Toppers? I went to college in Lincoln, Nebraska where I received my Bachelor’s degree in advertising. I tried my hand at some freelance advertising work but ultimately found my way to a Verizon Wireless retailer. I had been managing the retailer for a while before stumbling upon Toppers. The rest is history! How did you learn about the brand? My father went to culinary school and has always been interested in unique food concepts. For the past five years, he has been diligently looking to get back into a food service business. He wanted to get involved with franchising because of its proven business model. He came across Toppers online while looking for pizza franchises, and we have both been hooked ever since. When choosing a pizza franchise, what criteria did you use to make your decision? There are so many pizza franchises out there, and we wanted something truly special. It had to be brand that really set itself apart. We were impressed with the unique menu items that Toppers offers and the strong branding. Being an advertising guy, I can recognize a brand with strong growth potential, and we definitely liked what we saw. What was appealing to you about joining a franchise system? Toppers Pizza has 20 years of experience under their belt, which means making mistakes and also having huge success along the way. They know what works. They have been able to provide us with a proven model so we can avoid those mistakes that they made in the beginning. The marketing is also in place for us to take advantage of. Every bit of business Toppers does has the flavor of the brand. With respect to your previous experience, what skills do you feel will help you with your business? My strengths will be my background in sales and management. I have strong business knowledge and am skilled in managing people. I also surround myself with a knowledgeable team. If I don’t know something offhand, I can always look to my crew for help. ABOUT TOPPERS Ranked in Entrepreneur Magazine’s top 500 franchises in 2011, Toppers Pizza, a 30-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 19 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 www.toppers.com. 2012-01-19T06:00:00Z f3acd4ee-4521-47c3-ad0b-1d063eff26bd http://www.toppers.com/News/2012/01/19/jon-crowe--toppers--opening-february-2012--location-lincoln-ne Heating Up: Toppers Pizza Adds Two More Minneapolis Locations On Heels of Two Summer Openings, Emerging Brand to Maintain Tasty Relationship with ‘Fanatics’ by Opening Newest Locations in Bloomington and Rochester WHITEWATER, WI – The big pizza chains serve their purpose: mediocre food; mediocre promises; mediocre connections. Toppers Pizza, a 30-unit eclectic pizza delivery franchise brand, doesn’t follow those characteristics. To prove its tasty promise to consumers, Toppers will celebrate this reprieve with two grand opening celebrations unmatched by the big guns at its two new locations in Bloomington and Rochester – marking the brand’s fifth opening in the area this year; with six more on the books for 2012. This January, Toppers will open its fifth Minneapolis location in Bloomington (7821 Portland Ave S), followed by another opening in Rochester early 2012. In addition, 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 Dominos 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 Topperstix. Toppers has never shied away from innovation with its Mac ‘N Cheese, Potato Topper, Cool C-B-R (Chicken-Bacon-Ranch), The Hangover Helper, 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. Earlier this year, Toppers Pizza continued its penetration into the Minneapolis market when multi-unit entrepreneur and pizza lover, John Kubisiak, who was first attracted to the brand as a customer, opened in Dinky Town and first time entrepreneurs, Dan Ogiba and Brad Vinton, opened the first St. Paul Toppers Pizza location. Kubisiak has two more on schedule for 2012, while Ogiba and Vinton will open their second St. Paul location, as well. The two newest locations are part of the initial growth strategy for Toppers Pizza’s saturation of the Twin Cities. There are six more locations under contract for development in the Twin Cities. Former Toppers’ corporate employee Derek Henze will open a location in Bloomington while first timers KC and Byron Allen will open a location in Rochester. Henze has agreed to open three total locations while the Allens will open two. “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, Director of Marketing and Franchise Development, noting that the two new Twin Cities 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 20 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 30-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 19 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 www.toppers.com. ### 2012-01-10T06:00:00Z c5e88477-2c3a-4270-adef-f0977ef72683 http://www.toppers.com/News/2012/01/10/toppers-pizza-adds-two-more-minneapolis-locations Heating Up: Toppers Pizza to Add Two More Madison Locations Booming Franchise to Maintain Tasty Relationship with Madison ‘Fanatics’ with Openings WHITEWATER, WI – It’s like déjà vu, Madison. Toppers Pizza is opening more area locations and will once again 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). Beginning with an East Side Madison location in January and following that opening up with another in Fitchburg in March, Toppers is building more restaurants. When fanatics came calling for more locations, Toppers corporate answered. “We are invested in spanking the taste buds of our fanatics,” said Scott Iversen, Director of Marketing for the growing Wisconsin-based pizza chain, noting that Toppers plans to surpass the 100-unit mark in 2013. “Wisconsin is our base. Our fans here have helped us build something very special.” The big pizza chains serve their purpose: mediocre food, mediocre promises and mediocre connections. Toppers Pizza, a 30-unit eclectic pizza delivery franchise brand, doesn’t follow those characteristics. To prove its tasty promise to consumers, Toppers will celebrate this reprieve with two grand opening celebrations unmatched by the big guns at its new location. “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 Dominos 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 Topperstix. Toppers has never shied away from innovation with its Mac ‘N Cheese, Potato Topper, Cool C-B-R (Chicken-Bacon-Ranch), The Hangover Helper, 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. When the big chains are down, Toppers has remained up, taking names and gripping its share of the $40-plus-billlion pizza industry. In 2010, Toppers increased average unit volumes and system-wide sales, opening four stores with 20 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 30-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 19 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 www.toppers.com. ### 2012-01-10T06:00:00Z 04dc4ba2-0bfb-4969-a923-a273585ce6c4 http://www.toppers.com/News/2012/01/10/toppers-pizza-to-add-two-more-madison-locations Hot Pizza Franchise Raises 370,624 Meals So Far; Goal Was 320,000 Meals in 201 WHITEWATER, WI – Sometimes, it’s the little things that make the biggest difference. When Toppers’ 30-some locations came together looking to support a common goal, the group settled upon Feeding America ®, the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity. Feeding America helps provide food to more than 37 million Americans each year. Toppers had an original goal of surpassing 320,000 meals raised and shattered its expectations hitting 370,624 meals raised this year. “Our wonderful group of franchisees has done a superior job of showing our customers and Feeding America how we bring it with passion,” said Bridget Keeler, Marketing Manager for Toppers Pizza. “Their efforts will directly help adults and children in your community and nationwide who are struggling with hunger. I am so proud of our Toppers Family and incredibly humbled to be a part of building something extra special.” And, why stop there? In 2012, Toppers hopes to raise 560,000 meals and then, in 2013, crush that number with 800,000 meals. “Initiatives like this help us, as a brand, really back a great cause while creating friendly competition among our franchisees,” Keeler said. “As we approach our goal of 100 locations open by the end of 2013, we will be able to have a much larger impact on Feeding America.” Along with its ability to tap into the most influential demographic, 18-34 year olds, Toppers has made a name for itself as the innovators of unique menu items. Toppers was the first delivery brand to capture the cheesy bread marketplace with its famous Topperstix. Toppers has never shied away from innovation with its Mac ‘N Cheese; Potato Topper; Cool C-B-R (Chicken-Bacon-Ranch); The Hangover Helper; Buffalo Wings, Quesadillas, Grinders, and dozens of other menu items. Different from the competition, 70 percent of Toppers’ sales come from items not traditionally found on competitor’s menus. ABOUT TOPPERS: Ranked in Entrepreneur Magazine’s top 500 franchises in 2011, Toppers Pizza, a 30-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 19 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 www.toppers.com. ABOUT FEEDING AMERICA Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 61,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow our news on Twitter at twitter.com/FeedingAmerica. ### 2011-11-15T06:00:00Z b316a1aa-42d0-4d66-9beb-cb81a80a1151 http://www.toppers.com/News/2011/11/15/toppers-pizzas-franchisees-shatter-goal-for-feeding-america Founder of ‘Fast-Casual Delivered’ Plans for 100 National Locations by 2013; Between 16 - 20 in Chicago WHITEWATER, WI – Chicago pizza establishments have been lucky for the last 20 years. Toppers Pizza had strategically not opened in the market. That is until early first quarter 2012, when the hot pizza chain marches into the Windy City, with the signing of a 20-unit deal with an experienced development group – 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. When Scott Gittrich, CEO and founder of Toppers Pizza, 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. Just over 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). “Every step we have taken as a company has been very well planned out,” he said. “We wanted to perfect our vision before aggressively offering it outside of our bubble.” 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 good 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.” Along with its ability to tap into the most influential demographic, 18-34 year olds, Toppers has made a name for itself as the innovators of unique menu items. Toppers was the first delivery brand to capture the cheesy bread marketplace with its famous Topperstix. Toppers has never shied away from innovation with its Mac ‘N Cheese; Potato Topper; Cool C-B-R (Chicken-Bacon-Ranch); The Hangover Helper; Buffalo Wings, Quesadillas, Grinders, and dozens of other menu items. Different from the competition, 70 percent of Toppers’ sales come from items not traditionally found on competitor’s menus. “We are proud to be welcomed by the Windy City. We strategically developed our brand, systems and marketing prior to coming to Chicago to ensure success,” said Scott Gittrich, CEO and founder of Toppers Pizza. “Every step we have taken as a company has been very well planned out,” he said. “We wanted to perfect our vision before aggressively offering it outside of our bubble.” Toppers’ 2012 footsteps are focused on its exponential growth plan to reach 100 restaurants by 2013 and 500 by 2020. The company already has 30 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 inquires 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 30-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 19 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 www.toppers.com. *The financial performance representations set forth below are for the one year period (52 weeks) commencing on January 4, 2010, and ending January 2, 2011, and are for nine independent franchise restaurants in Wisconsin and Minnesota and five Company-affiliated franchise restaurants in Wisconsin that were open the entire 52 weeks ended January 2, 2011. There were three franchise restaurants open in Minnesota and eighteen franchise restaurants open in Wisconsin during the entire one-year (52-week) period between January 4, 2010 and January 2, 2011. 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 (52-week) period between January 4, 2010 and January 2, 2011. Only fourteen of those restaurants (all of which are in Wisconsin or Minnesota) are included in these representations. The information was prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting. 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. #### 2011-10-25T05:00:00Z 6fdb7200-7171-45b9-88bf-ec2e819e1e77 http://www.toppers.com/News/2011/10/25/toppers-pizza-takes-bite-out-of-chicago-signs-20-unit-deal-more-coming