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Wetzel’s Pretzels founder develops fast-casual pizza conceptWetzel’s Pretzels founder develops fast-casual pizza concept

Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza is entering the growing fast-casual, artisan pizza niche

Lisa Jennings, Executive Editor

October 6, 2021

3 Min Read
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Lisa Jennings

A Wetzel’s Pretzels founder is poised to launch a new fast-casual pizza concept called Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza that targets the growing niche for quick artisan pies.

Rick Wetzel, cofounder and president of Wetzel’s Pretzels with his wife Elise Wetzel, developed Blaze, which has a slew of high-profile investors, including former California First Lady Maria Shriver, movie producer John Davis and Boston Red Sox co-owner Tom Werner.

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The first Blaze restaurant is scheduled to open in August in Irvine, Calif., near the University of California–Irvine campus. Two more units are planned to open before the e...

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About the Author

Lisa Jennings

Executive Editor, Nation's Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality

Lisa Jennings is executive editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She joined the NRN staff as West Coast editor in 2004 as a veteran journalist. Before joining NRN, she spent 11 years at The Commercial Appeal, the daily newspaper in Memphis, Tenn., most recently as editor of the Food and Health & Wellness sections. Prior experience includes staff reporting for the Washington Business Journal and United Press International.

Lisa’s areas of expertise include coverage of both large public restaurant chains and small independents, the regulatory and legal landscapes impacting the industry overall, as well as helping operators find solutions to run their business better.

Lisa Jennings’ experience:

Executive editor, NRN (March 2020 to present)

Executive editor, Restaurant Hospitality (January 2018 to present)

Senior editor, NRN (September 2004 to March 2020)

Reporter/editor, The Commercial Appeal (1990-2001)

Reporter, Washington Business Journal (1985-1987)

Contact Lisa Jennings at:

[email protected]

@livetodineout

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-jennings-83202510/

 

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