Pizza Pizza: Gluten-free Pilot

Well, this looks like good news, but the their communications company has confuses glucose with gluten, as you will see in the press release. I think that was a editing error because it happened only once:

PIZZA PIZZA INTRODUCES GLUTEN-FREE CRUSTS

Toronto, March 12,
2008 ― Canadians who suffer from an allergic intolerance to wheat or gluten will find it easier to enjoy a freshly made pizza. Pizza Pizza, a regular innovator in the QSR segment of the foodservice industry, has announced a pilot project to offer a gluten-free dough recipe in some 50 Greater Toronto Area restaurant locations.

Pizza Pizza is the first of the major players to bring out the gluten-free dough, which uses rice and potato-based flour as the main ingredient. The gluten-free offering adds to Pizza Pizza’s existing dough options, which features classic and multigrain whole-wheat dough recipes. Consumers can also choose from among Pizza Pizza’s numerous toppings - the vast majority of which are also gluten free - to make their favourite traditional and gourmet pizzas. The company has received positive feedback from preliminary sampling and hopes to proceed with a chain-wide roll-out in the near future.

“Our product development team have been working on the gluten-free recipe for some time, and we are extremely pleased to be able to provide a healthy, nutritious new menu offering that responds to a need expressed by a growing number of consumers and their families,” said Pat Finelli, chief marketing officer for Pizza Pizza. “The introduction of our gluten-free crust will allow people who have an allergic response or an intolerance to wheat or gluten to enjoy our pizza while respecting their dietary regime.”

Glucose [sic] intolerance, or celiac disease, affects an estimated 1 in 133 Canadians. It is an inherited immune disease in which the lining of the small intestine is damaged by gluten, a protein found in such grains as wheat, barley and rye. The only therapy for celiac disease is a gluten-free diet. People with irritable bowel syndrome or autism can also have intolerance or allergic responses to gluten.

In addition to being made from rice and potato-based flour, Pizza Pizza’s gluten-free shells are par-baked and require no dusting flour, thereby avoiding cross-contamination with gluten-based products. The vast majority of the sauces available at Pizza Pizza are also gluten-free. Initially, Pizza Pizza’s gluten-free crusts are only available in the 12-inch medium format, the company’s most popular pizza size, for an additional price of $3.25.

The gluten-free crust is another in a series of health-conscious innovations by Pizza Pizza. In recent years, the industry leader has introduced whole-wheat multigrain dough, eliminated industrially-added trans fats from its entire menu, and improved the nutritional makeup of its cheese and sauces. For a complete list of allergens and menu options at Pizza Pizza, please visit http://www.pizzapizza.ca/.

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For
information or comment:

Kristen Luszka
416-341-9929 Ext 228
Kristen@torchiacom.com

Daniel Torchia
416-341-9929 Ext 223
Cell: 416-275-2151
daniel@torchiacom.com