(Press Release) Washington, D.C. – June 28, 2012 – Members of The American Pizza Community (APC) captured the attention of lawmakers during their first legislative fly-in to Washington DC on June 19th and 20th. Small business franchise owners affiliated with Domino’s, Godfather’s, Hungry Howie’s, Little Caesars, Papa John’s and Pizza Hut joined company representatives to meet with more than 30 Congressional offices to educate their lawmakers about the unique aspects of the pizza industry and the policies affecting local pizza stores – the quintessential small business.
“Our small business owners were well received on Capitol Hill. Members of Congress and their staff took full advantage of the opportunity to hear directly from their constituents about the local impact of federal policies,” said Lynn M. Liddle, Chair of The American Pizza Community and Executive Vice President of Communications, Investor Relations and Legislative Affairs for Domino’s Pizza.
APC representatives discussed the economic impact of the pizza industry, including the fact that pizza is a $35 billion industry in the U.S. that creates jobs for more than a million people. They also described the impact of issues directly affecting the pizza community including menu labeling, tax reform, dairy policy and employment and labor policies.
Pizza operators were asking policymakers to consider sensible, effective nutrition disclosure solutions that enhance consumer education in a way that is consistent with how pizza is actually made and served to customers. Proposed solutions included online menu labeling, per-slice labeling, and the ability to label a “standard build” of each pizza. “This was my first time to Washington to visit with Congressional Members about policies that affect me as a small business owner and those in the pizza industry,” said Brad Price, a Godfather’s Pizza franchise owner of 19 stores throughout Iowa and Minnesota. “These meetings allowed for clarification and open discussion about common sense solutions,” he continued.
Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-7) was especially interested in discussing the impact of the menu labeling rules since Michigan is home to almost 2,500 pizza restaurants and serves as the headquarter state for three of the largest U.S. pizza companies – Domino’s, Little Caesars and Hungry Howie’s. He voiced concern over the proposed rule’s costs and requirements at a time when many small businesses are simply trying to recover during a difficult economic period.
New members of the American Pizza Community include suppliers Tyson and SUTUS, as well as Figaro’s Italian Pizza, Papa Murphy’s Pizza, Pizza Schmizza and Nick-N-Willy’s.
For further information, visit www.americanpizzacommunity.com
About The American Pizza Community
The American Pizza Community is a coalition of the nation’s largest pizza companies, small business franchise owners, regional chains, suppliers 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. www.americanpizzacommunity.com
