Sponsored By

How Blaze Pizza is aggressively expanding its physical and digital footprintHow Blaze Pizza is aggressively expanding its physical and digital footprint

Blaze Pizza just announced two multi-unit franchise agreements to expand its presence on the West Coast, and has just revamped the brand’s mobile app

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

October 18, 2021

Blaze Pizza is taking advantage of pizza’s hot streak during the pandemic to expand into new markets like California and Alaska. The fast-casual pizza chain just announced two multi-unit franchise agreements that will expand its West Coast footprint, though Blaze is looking to sign franchise agreements and open up new shops in all 50 states, the company’s chief restaurant officer Rick Gestring said.

“I'm probably most pleased with how when we go to a market where we haven't been before, [we see] the acceptance of fast-casual pizza that’s something different than the big box pizza places,” Gestring told Nation’s Restaurant News. “Where people can really enjoy a really great pizza, culinary driven, delivered consistently in a great way.”

But expanding the brand’s physical footprint is not the only growth goals Blaze has: Gestring’s team also is working on a digital footprint reinvention as well. In September, the brand relaunched its mobile app and customers can now see their pizza getting made, in recreating that in-store experience digitally.

But that doesn’t mean every technology trend is right for Blaze:

“We look at technology in a cautious way,” Gestring said. “[…] We’re making sure we do the things that we do really well and don't get too far off-track and understand that [certain] technologies may or may not work for us.”

Contact Joanna at [email protected]

Find her on Twitter: @JoannaFantozzi

About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine.

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events.

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

See more from Joanna Fantozzi