(Press Release) Washington, D.C., May 1, 2012 – America’s leading pizza companies, their small business franchise owners and other groups that comprise the pizza industry announced today the formation of The American Pizza Community. This joint effort will highlight the importance of the pizza industry on American communities and promote policies that permit its continued success. Member companies include Domino’s Pizza, Godfather’s Pizza, Hungry Howie’s, International Pizza Hut Franchise Holders Association, Little Caesars and Papa John’s Pizza, among others. Collectively, they employ over 400,000 U.S. employees in stores in all 50 states.
Lynn M. Liddle, Chair of The American Pizza Community and Executive Vice President of Communications, Investor Relations and Legislative Affairs for Domino’s Pizza, commented on the organization’s launch, “The pizza community has a great story to tell. We are an entrepreneurial industry that provides a fresh, wholesome and highly customizable product. The American Pizza Community is launching to tell that story and to set the stage for continued success in the years ahead.”
Pizza companies are impacted by restaurant regulations, agricultural policy, and the broader business climate, among other things. Members of the American Pizza Community want to ensure that the pizza industry – from the dairy farmer to the independent franchisee – provides a collective voice that will help protect the integrity and value of pizza as a wholesome food for American consumers.
The American Pizza Community will launch efforts this June with a series of meetings in Washington, D.C. with members of Congress and their staffs. This will be the first wave of an ongoing effort to inform leaders about the industry and the economic benefits it brings to local communities.
“With the formation of the American Pizza Community, the hope is to ensure the opportunity to be a pizza entrepreneur remains both accessible and promising,” concluded Pizza Community Chair, Liddle.
About The American Pizza Community
The American Pizza Community is a coalition of the nation’s largest pizza companies, small, franchise operators and other entities that make up the American pizza industry. The coalition was formed to advocate for policies affecting pizza companies and operators of all sizes and to protect the integrity of the product. Issues include reasonable menu labeling information, fair wages and labor policies, tax reform and commodity policies.
