1851

When a brand like <a href="http://toppersfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=toppers-pizza-lays-out-growth-strategy-at-annual-convention-focuses-on-people-pizza-and-profits-2703049" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Toppers Pizza gets its franchise system together, it&rsquo;s an event truly unlike anything in franchising</a>. With franchisees yelling &ldquo;Never Settle!&rdquo; in unison, cowbells ringing to celebrate wins, and the entire system cheering loudly during the annual Skin Sprints competition, the Toppers Pizza annual convention is a spirited affair.

More than 250 franchisees, team members, vendors and corporate staff gathered for the 15th annual Toppers Pizza convention at the Hilton Monona Terrace in Madison, Wisconsin from June 12th to 14th. Founder and President Scott Gittrich kicked off the festivities laying out what this year&rsquo;s convention theme &ndash; People, Pizza, Profits &ndash; means to him for the year ahead. The focus on people is one that Toppers has embraced from the start, and will always be a key driver of the brand&rsquo;s growth.

&ldquo;When I started this business, we were the underdogs. We may not be the underdog anymore, but we have to continue to fight, day by day, asking for business,&rdquo; Gittrich said. &ldquo;Part of our DNA is to set lofty goals and get after them. And the people are going to determine whether we meet our goals or not.&quot;

To recognize the people in the system that help to make this brand great, Toppers Pizza gave out the following awards:

<ul style="margin-left:40px">
	<li>2017 President&rsquo;s Award: Clayton Hartman and Todd Geatches, Rocky Top Management, Inc.</li>
	<li>Franchisee of the Year:&nbsp;Andy &amp; Caro&rsquo;s Inc.</li>
	<li>Hall of Fame:&nbsp;Beth Larson, Toppers HQ</li>
	<li>Manager of the Year: Tyler Schimmel, Eau Claire East, Andy &amp; Caro&rsquo;s Inc.</li>
	<li>Rookie Manager of the Year:&nbsp;Derek Flomm, Rochester, 3Sixty Companies, LLC</li>
	<li>Caro Johnson Spirit&nbsp;Award: Tashina (Tish) Howard, Smooth Money, LLC</li>
	<li>Attitude in Action Sales Building&nbsp;Awards:
	<ul style="margin-left:40px">
		<li>Individual:&nbsp; Nate Walter &ndash; Andy &amp; Caro&rsquo;s Inc.</li>
		<li>Company &ndash; Andy &amp; Caro&rsquo;s Inc.</li>
		<li>Store &ndash; Madison East, Pizza People Inc.</li>
		<li>Hometown Hero &ndash; Jeff Beck &ndash; Lakeville, MN &ndash; JWB Enterprises, LLC</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
</ul>

The 12th annual Skin Sprints competition, during which regional finalists compete to toss, stretch, and sauce six pizzas, took place on Tuesday, June 13. Kelly Collins, general manager of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, taking home the Golden Spoodle award with a winning time of 1:44:32. Last year&rsquo;s champion Nick Kotecki of Eau Claire came in at 1:52:06 and Kasia Ksobiech of Waukesha taking third place with a time of 1:57:01.

In addition to its people, another focus for the brand is, of course, the pizza. But to Gittrich, making pizza a priority isn&rsquo;t just about the product.

&quot;Pizza. I love that word. I love that food. It&#39;s the greatest food of all time. But to me, pizza encompasses more than just the food. It&rsquo;s about executing our core values in each of our stores every single day,&quot; he said.

One way the brand is living its core values is through innovation.

&ldquo;Innovation has driven our past and gotten us to where we are today. And it will be the key to drive our future,&rdquo; said Scott Iversen, vice president of marketing for Toppers Pizza. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re committed to innovation in all facets of the business, focusing on menu, store design and technology.&rdquo;

After last summer&rsquo;s successful launch of Straight Up Pricing, an option that allows pizza fanatics to order unlimited toppings for one set price, Toppers Pizza plans to continue its focus on toppings over the next year, with plans in the works to add even more options to top a pizza as well as new limited time offerings, house pizzas, wing flavors and more. In the next 18 months, the brand will also launch new uniforms that cost less than 50 percent of the current uniform price.&nbsp;

Finally, Gittrich honed in on profits, highlighting how advancements in store design and technology will improve unit-level economics.

&ldquo;I want to help our franchisees build great businesses. With the tools, resources and data that we have at our fingertips, our system should be able to double profits within six months,&rdquo; Gittrich said. &ldquo;We had $35 million in online orders in 2017, which is more than our total sales in 2012. I&rsquo;m confident we can hit our goal of $150 million in sales and 200 stores in 2022.&rdquo;

With a store redesign featuring a show kitchen and improved efficiencies, a next gen, built-from-scratch online ordering system and applications, a mobile-first focus in every facet of the business and a new training and operations system, <a href="https://topperspizza.1851franchise.com/info/index.html?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=toppers-pizza-lays-out-growth-strategy-at-annual-convention-focuses-on-people-pizza-and-profits-2703049" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Toppers Pizza is primed to Gittrich&rsquo;s goal head-on.</a>

Toppers Pizza Lays Out Growth Strategy at Annual Convention, Focuses on People, Pizza and Profits

1851 Franchise

President and Founder Scott Gittrich rallied the system to reach 200 stores by 2022

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

toppers-pizza-lays-out-growth-strategy-at-annual-convention-focuses-on-people-pizza-and-profits

Atomic Wings

Milwaukee Business Journal: Atomic Wings Plans To Bring the Heat to Southeast Wisconsin

milwaukee-business-journal-atomic-wings-plans-to-bring-the-heat-to-southeast-wisconsin

Right at Home

Leading In-Home Care Franchise Looks to Expand in Fort Wayne, Indiana

leading-in-home-care-franchise-looks-to-expand-in-fort-wayne-indiana

Melting Pot

Why Melting Pot Is a Next-Level Upgrade for Existing Restaurant Operators

why-melting-pot-is-a-next-level-upgrade-for-existing-restaurant-operators

Sola Salons

Sola Salons: A Prime Multi-Unit Opportunity for Driven Entrepreneurs

sola-salons-a-prime-multi-unit-opportunity-for-driven-entrepreneurs

Leading In-Home Care Franchise Looks to Expand in Dayton 

leading-in-home-care-franchise-looks-to-expand-in-dayton

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Resources

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

Login

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

CPK Franchising - California Pizza Kitchen - 1851 Franchise

California Pizza Kitchen Is Now Franchising in the U.S.

cpk-franchising-california-pizza-kitchen-united-states

California Voters Reject $18 Minimum Wage Increase

california-voters-reject-18-minimum-wage-increase

McDonald’s Commits $100 Million to Aid Franchisees and Rebuild Trust After E. Coli Outbreak

mcdonalds-commits-100-million-to-aid-franchisees-and-rebuild-trust-after-e-coli-outbreak

Blackstone Acquires Majority Stake in Jersey Mike's, Signaling Ambitious Growth Plans - 1851

Blackstone Acquires Majority Stake in Jersey Mike's, Signaling Ambitious Growth Plans

blackstone-acquires-majority-stake-in-jersey-mikes-signaling-ambitious-growth-plans

What's To Come for The Economy and Franchising in 2025

whats-to-come-for-the-economy-and-franchising-in-2025

The Crucial Role of Social Media in Franchise Success

the-crucial-role-of-social-media-in-franchising

Paris Baguette Franchise Deep Dive - 1851 Franchise

Franchise Deep Dive: Paris Baguette’s Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data

franchise-deep-dive-paris-baguettes-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

The Importance of Good Customer Service in Franchising

the-importance-of-customer-service-in-franchising

Austin Titus Shares Vision for Cannoli Kitchen’s Growth in Competitive Pizza Franchise Market

austin-titus-shares-vision-for-cannoli-kitchens-growth-in-competitive-pizza-franchise-market

U.S. Navy Reservist Brings Pigtails & Crewcuts to Clarksville, Filling a Community Need

us-navy-reservist-brings-pigtails-crewcuts-to-clarksville-filling-a-community-need

Toppers Pizza Lays Out Growth Strategy at Annual Convention, Focuses on People, Pizza and Profits

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS