February 16, 2010

Pizza Pizza opens eighth restaurant in Montreal

Montreal, Quebec, February 16, 2010 – Pizza Pizza Limited, Canada’s number one pizza chain, has opened its eighth traditional restaurant in the city of Montreal. The new restaurant, located at 1000 Décarie Boulevard (corner Côte-Vertu), is part of a strategic expansion in the Montreal area that started in 2007.

The new 1,500 square foot restaurant is located in a prime area, next to the Côte-Vertu metro station, Vanier College and CEGEP Saint-Laurent. The local partners, Hussam Soumaia and Rachid El-Khatib, met while working for Pizza Pizza on Ste-Catherine Street in downtown Montreal. Both entrepreneurs wanted to get involved with Pizza Pizza as soon as they heard that the pizza leader was coming to Montreal.

“Pizza Pizza is such a strong player in the pizza and quick service restaurant market,” said Mr. Soumaia. “When we learned about the new restaurant, we immediately jumped on the opportunity. The location is ideal: a high traffic area with a lot of exposure”.

Ten local full-time and part-time staff members have been hired to assist in running the store on an ongoing basis. Mr. Soumaia and El-Khatib are currently looking for drivers, counter employees and cooks.

“We are pleased with the performance of our business in the Greater Montreal Area and invite entrepreneurs like Hussam and Rachid to join our team,” said Pat Finelli, chief marketing officer for Pizza Pizza. “Montrealers are enjoying our broad menu offering and the taste of our product. We look forward to maintaining this sustained growth in Quebec.”

In the past two years, Pizza Pizza has invested heavily in the Montreal market. A portion of the company’s investment has been directed to local associations, amateur sports clubs, schools and other community groups, as well as partnerships with professional sports clubs such as the Montreal Canadiens, Impact and Alouettes.

Pizza Pizza will continue to expand throughout Quebec and the rest of Canada in the coming months. To learn more about franchise opportunities available with Pizza Pizza, visit: www.pizzapizza.ca.

About Pizza Pizza Limited

Founded in 1967, Pizza Pizza is Canada's pizza pioneer and one of the country’s most successful quick service restaurant chains. With its Pizza Pizza and Pizza 73 banners, the company plays an active role in the communities it serves through fundraisers, donations and local sponsorships at the corporate and franchise levels. The company is guided by a mission to provide the “best food, made especially for you” with a focus on quality ingredients, customer service and continual innovation.