Posted Aug 3, 2022, 12:24 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 15,614
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PeterAKer
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Parents owned Boston Pizza franchises and he also does Browns Socialhouse in Edmonton.
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California Pizza Kitchen has entered the Canadian market with a location in Edmonton and plans to grow the brand across the country.
Giorgio Minardi, Executive Vice President of Global and Franchise Operations, said this is the company’s first franchise restaurant in North America. All of the brand’s locations in North America, apart from airports and captive markets, are company owned.
“Before the pandemic we had a couple of other opportunities, which we still have. But here we think we’ve found the right partner. In franchising, you need someone who understands, loves the brand and expresses it locally so it can really come alive,” said Minardi.
“And so we waited. We waited actually a couple of years to make sure that this partnership could get ready. We held their hand all the way to the opening. We had 15 people here from California in the kitchen for a month just to make sure we are as good if not better than what we have in California.”
Minardi said the new partnership in Alberta will open several locations in the province.
The first restaurants will be fairly large ranging between 6,000 and 7,000 square feet in order to fully express the brand. But Minardi said the company is flexible and can operate in locations of 3,000 to 4,000 square feet.
The Edmonton location is at 5260 Windermere Boulevard NW and is operated by CPK Alberta CEO Naheed Shariff, who brings more than 25 years of experience in the restaurant franchising industry, and his mother Samira, CPK Edmonton franchisee with four decades of experience.
“We were first introduced to California Pizza Kitchen in the mid 1990’s and were immediately inspired by its culture and innovation. We’re honored and excited to bring this iconic, forward-thinking brand to Canada for the first time, while simultaneously (contributing) to job creation here in Alberta,” said Naheed. “CPK offers a fun, healthy, alternative experience that guests long for, and we’re thrilled to offer Edmonton residents a taste of that. The brand’s innovative, California-fresh cuisine combined with the benevolent culture of the people truly solidified the deal.”
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https://retail-insider.com/retail-inside...th-plans-to-expand-nationwide-interview/
Concept might have worked in the 80s/90s but seems like it's kind of late for the concept in Canada.
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