Toppers Pizza pioneers with Spank Your Pizza contest

Toppers Pizza is pioneering a whole new wave of social marketing using a theory called crowdsourcing. Through this avenue, Toppers is giving their fans complete creative control and letting them creative Toppers’ next menu item! The winner’s creation will appear on the menu permanently and will be named after the creator. Pizzamarketplace.com just published an article about Toppers’ newest Social Media campaign. Read a portion below or see the full article here.

Toppers Pizza creates new pizza through ‘crowdsourcing’
By Jennifer Litz

The pizza industry has been banking on some colorful tags lately, including Domino’s successful "Oh Yes We Did" mantra. Now expanding Midwestern chain Toppers Pizza is pushing the more cheeky "Spank your 'buds," meant to convey the brand's forte of "really good tasting food," according to marketing director Scott Iversen.

But just as Domino's used its now famous tagline to spearhead a recipe overhaul that admitted previously subpar food, Toppers is launching the promo that goes with the saucy saying: The “Spank Your Pizza” program will allow fans and customers alike to create their own original pizza recipe using the ingredients found at each Toppers. Top entrees will battle each other in a tournament-style bracket, where each recipe advances based on the voting of Toppers’ own Facebook fans. The ultimate winner will have their menu item featured as a part of the Toppers’ menu, also receiving free Toppers for a year as well as a $500 gift card. Second prize will be rewarded free Toppers for a year and a $100 gift card, while every finalist gets a free Triple Order. (Read More)

Toppers' expansion plans discussed in Green Bay Gazette

Toppers recently handed out their Franchisee of the Year Award to Green Bay and Appleton owners, Joe Kirschling and Aaron Johnson. Joe and Aaron were recently interviewed by the Green Bay Press Gazette about their accomplishment. The partners opened their Appleton location in 2008 and re-opened the Green Bay location in February. The team is credited for revitalizing the Green Bay location while maintaining the success of their Appleton location. The interview also discusses the teams’s expansion plans as they plan to open their third location together by the summer of 2011. A portion of the article is below and the entire article can be read here.

Toppers looks to expand in Green Bay
By Nathan Phelps

The owners of Toppers pizza in Green Bay are eying an expansion of operations to the west side of the city late this year or by the summer of 2011.

Co-owners Aaron Johnson and Joe Kirschling are looking at the expansion on the heels of taking on the Green Bay Toppers franchise earlier this year.

The pair have operated Toppers in Appleton since early 2008 and re-opened Green Bay operations in February. They were also recently bestowed Toppers Franchise of the Year for 2009 and 2010. (Read More)

We Come Fast, No Apologies: Eclectic Pizza Franchise Launches Major Minneapolis Expansion

Toppers Pizza Continues Successful Emergence Outside of Wisconsin; Focuses on Maintaining Consistent Fanatical Brand Support Location-to-Location

The big pizza chains serve their purpose: Mediocre food, mediocre promises, mediocre connections. Toppers Pizza, though, a 26-unit eclectic pizza delivery franchise brand, doesn’t fit that mold. And now Toppers Pizza is going to bring the only pizza concept with personality to Minneapolis in full force– set to open the first of three locations in 2010 under the leadership of an experienced, yet young entrepreneur.

Leading Toppers expansion throughout Minneapolis is a seasoned Toppers Pizza entrepreneur who at 28 years old has already opened four Toppers locations in Wisconsin. The first Minneapolis location opened in 2006 to test the market, and now, John Kubisiak is helping Toppers penetrate Minnesota’s twin cities even further. Kubisiak and his partner, Greg Morrison, signed a development deal with Toppers Pizza to bring three Toppers Pizza locations to Minneapolis by 2012, with the goal of opening first in mid-2010.

Kubisiak’s development plans are just one piece of Topper’s ultimate Minnesota growth strategy. The extremely hot franchise already operates three Minnesota locations in Mankato, St. Cloud and Minneapolis with plans to open at least 35 more in the metro Minneapolis/St. Paul area, delivering a similar clustered growth strategy to that of its successful Wisconsin growth.

“John has quickly proven his ability to operate as a multi-unit franchisee,” said Scott Gittrich, CEO and founder of Toppers Pizza, who Kubisiak said inspired him to achieve large goals within the system. “Multi-unit ownership takes extreme dedication and drive. John has both!”

From Kubisiak’s college days of eating at Toppers Pizza every single day, he knew this pizza concept was different from any of the competition out there. It was his love of Toppers Pizza that drove him to work at Toppers in college as a delivery driver and then at Toppers corporate headquarters in Whitewater, WI as a finance intern while working toward his bachelor’s in finance.

“I literally ate, slept and breathed Toppers Pizza. I used to order Topperstix every night at 2-3 a.m.,” Kubisiak said. “It was the pizza hotspot that all college students fell in love with.”

Seeing how fanatical people were about Toppers Pizza and then working in the corporate office and understanding how the proven franchise model worked, Kubisiak did not think twice about wanting to open one of his own. Right after graduation, at 22 years young, he opened his first location. Now with three very successful locations under his belt and a fourth set to open in November, Kubisiak is excited to lead the brand’s entrance into Minneapolis.

Kubisiak plans to open Toppers in the Minneapolis location of Dinkytown, a central area to the University of Minnesota.

“When I think about college, my experiences with Toppers Pizza are among some of my best memories,” Kubisiak said. “I can’t wait to introduce University of Minnesota students to a pizza place that will blow their idea of pizza out of the water.”

Kubisiak will also carry on a Toppers tradition when it opens its doors to the public next year by giving away free food for a year to the first 50 customers. This marketing method creates a fanatical madness, and rush, with Toppers’ customers waiting as long as 48 hours prior to the opening of the doors.

“Once Minneapolis area residents taste our pizza and experience our brand, they won’t go back to the competition,” said Kubisiak, noting the freshness, uniqueness and quality of Toppers ingredients. “I’m confident Toppers Pizza will become a household name in Minneapolis.”

Unlike other franchise brands, Toppers makes an earnings claim in its franchise disclosure documents, stating that the Wisconsin locations make an average of $945k/year (2008 AUV), which is a remarkable financial measure given the size (1,600 – 1,800 sq. feet) and that industry averages are nestled right around $600k/year. The high return on investment is built from the fanatical aspects of the brand, as well as dedicated, driven franchisees who are deeply connected to those in their community – especially the nearest university. Franchisees entering the Toppers system must have a minimum liquidity of $150k and a net worth of $300k. The average cost to open a Toppers is $400k.

“As we grow, like a balloon, out of Wisconsin and into surrounding states and then nationwide, we want to maintain a stronghold on top-tier franchisees. By doing so, we can maintain our core culture, our brand evolution, and our methodical growth pattern,” Gittrich said.

We Come Fast, No Apologies: Eclectic Pizza Franchise Expands to Tri-State Area with First Set for Cincinnati-Area

Toppers Pizza Continues Successful Emergence Outside of Wisconsin; Focuses on Maintaining Consistent Fanatical Brand Support Location-to-Location

The big pizza chains serve their purpose: Mediocre food, mediocre promises, mediocre connections. Toppers Pizza, though, a 26-unit eclectic pizza delivery franchise brand, doesn’t fit that mold. And now Toppers Pizza is going to bring the first pizza concept with personality to the Tri-State area – set to open in the Cincinnati-area in 2010 under the leadership of experienced restaurant group.

Leading Toppers expansion into the Tri-State area is a family of locally-based entrepreneurs: father Bob Fullarton and two sons, Dave (29 years old) and Rick (26).

From the get-go the Fullartons were impressed by how Toppers Pizza takes a typical pizza concept and shakes it up through their irreverent personality that’s edgy and unfiltered, characteristics created and maintained through the leadership of CEO and Founder of Toppers Pizza, Scott Gittrich.

While Papa John’s, Domino’s, and Pizza Hut are stuck in a stiff battle for the family demographic, Toppers remained hooked on being a hip, cool brand, connected to the nationally untapped 18-34 demographic. This strategy, Gittrich said, has helped Toppers sustain its growth, even in a down economy, in that there are more young, energetic consumers craving a real brand connection.

“We were blown away at the quality of the food, the unique menu and the originality that sets Toppers apart from the national pizza brands,” Dave Fullarton said. “It didn’t take much convincing to get us on board and we’re excited to bring Toppers to our community in the Tri-State area.”

Along with its ability to tap into the most influential demographic, 18-34 year olds, Toppers has made a name for itself as the innovators of unique menu items. Toppers was the first delivery brand to capture the cheesy bread marketplace with its famous Topperstix. Toppers has never shied away from innovation with its Mac ‘N Cheese; Potato Topper; Cool C-B-R (Chicken-Bacon-Ranch); The Hangover Helper; Buffalo Wings, Quesadillas, Grinders, and dozens of other menu items. Different from the competition, 70 percent of Toppers’ sales come from items not traditionally found on competitor’s menus.

“The Fullartons fit the profile of typical Toppers franchisees in that they have the drive to go over and beyond the lackadaisical efforts of the other guys,” Gittrich said noting that Toppers is expecting to grow multiple units within Ohio in the next few years.

The Fullartons will also carry on a Toppers tradition when it opens its doors to the public later this year by giving away free food for a year to the first 50 customers. This marketing method creates a fanatical madness, and rush, with Toppers’ customers waiting as long as 48 hours prior to the opening of the doors.

“Once Tri-State area residents taste our pizza and experience our brand, they won’t go back to the competition,” said Dave Fullarton, noting the freshness, uniqueness and quality of Toppers ingredients. “I’m confident Toppers Pizza will become a household name in the Tri-State area.”