To satisfy organic enthusiasts’ hunger, Organic To Go (OTCBB:OTGO), the nation’s first fast casual café chain to be certified as an organic retailer, is launching Pizza Organico, a new line of organic stone hearth pizzas. Adding to Organic To Go’s extensive corporate catering offerings, organic pizza delivery commenced yesterday to local Seattle, Bellevue and Redmond catering customers. As one of the first organic pizza delivery services in the country, Organic To Go’s pizzas will be transported by a fleet of company owned vehicles, including hybrids. Pizza Organico will be available in select cafés and via delivery in all four markets (Seattle, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego) within 30 days.
“We listened to our catering customers and our café diners and they want pizza,” said Jason R. Brown, founder and CEO for Organic To Go. “There is a myth in this country that organic food is inconvenient, unaffordable and, at times, not tasty. Our entire menu, now including pizza, dispels that myth. Delicious, organic food is now easily within reach,” Brown added.
Organic To Go’s Pizza Organico introduces four varieties including cheese, pepperoni, veggie and BBQ chicken, each authentically organic with hand-crafted, thin crust made from certified organic flour, organic pizza sauce, organic fresh mozzarella, and assorted toppings such as fresh organic veggies and all-natural pepperoni. The large, 18-inch pies, sold for $19.95 – $25.95 and cut into 7-inch slices, will serve 4-8 people.
Organic To Go, with seasonal menus created by sustainable cuisine chef and author Greg Atkinson, delivers pizza in a revolutionary way. The company deploys its fleet of Toyota Prius vehicles, offers extensive organic and natural menu items and delivers hot pizzas in brown, not bleached, pizza boxes made from recycled materials.
Pizza is a $32 billion per year industry with approximately 3 billion pizzas being sold in the U.S. each year, according to PMQ’s Pizza Magazine. Americans eat approximately 100 acres of pizza each day, or about 350 slices per second. While this country’s appetite for pizza remains strong, another trend pulses in the unabated growth of organic products. The Organic Trade Association’s Manufacturer Survey 2006-2007 reports that organic food sales grew 21 percent in 2007. Organic To Go is focused on driving acres of organic conversion in the U.S. by bringing America’s desire for convenience in sync with its increasing desire to eat more organic and natural foods.
In addition to its sit-down cafés in high rise, multi-tenant office buildings, Organic To Go also offers catering and delivery to corporations and catering, delivery and grab & go options on university campuses as well as grab & go service at Los Angeles International airport. Serving delicious meals made with organic and natural ingredients from as many local and sustainable sources as possible, Organic To Go offers fast, healthy meals in four west coast regions with new cafés to open in 2008.
About Organic To Go
Based in Seattle, Organic To Go is the nation’s first fast casual café chain to be certified as an organic retailer with locations in Seattle, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Organic To Go’s delicious organic food is now available in more than 160 locations – including 26 cafés, more than 120 wholesale locations, 14 universities and 11 locations at Los Angeles International Airport. The company started 2007 with 12 cafés and closed a year of growth and expansion with 26 cafés, and now operates in four geographic regions. The company’s multi-channel business model includes Retail, Corporate Catering and Wholesale operations. Organic To Go’s mission is to become the leading branded provider of certified organic and natural soups, salads, sandwiches, entrees and other food products to corporate, university and other institutional customers in selected urban areas nationwide. All Organic To Go fare is made with organic ingredients whenever possible and is always natural, free of harmful chemicals and created with care. For more information, visit www.organictogo.com.
