When Cono Italiano got the production and distribution rights to Pizza Cono, a unique easy to carry cone-shaped pizza, popular in Europe but just now being introduced to North America, it became the latest purveyor of what has become one of the most popular foods in the entire world, and certainly in the United States. The numbers tell the tale: Over 3 billion pizzas are sold in the U.S. every year; there are over 60,000 pizza parlors in the U.S.; and over 90% of the American population ate a pizza in just the past month.
Ironically, although many American food ideas have their origins in other countries, breaking into the American fast food industry offers a portal to the world. That’s because the U.S. has the largest fast food industry on the planet, an industry that continues to move outside the borders to build new traffic. As a result, American fast food restaurants are now found in over 100 countries. Pizza Hut, one of the Yum! brand quick serve restaurants, already has 500 locations in China alone.
In the case of Pizza Cono, the cones are already sold in 12 countries throughout the world, but that doesn’t bother Cono Italiano, who now has full rights to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, a fast food market of massive proportions. This covers all restaurants, sporting events, kiosks, catering, everything. But perhaps the biggest step the company is taking is its intended entry into the giant frozen pizza market, for which they’ve already partnered with RJM, a key distributor of specialty Italian foods. It’s a $4 billion market, and the goal is to target supermarkets, convenience stores, and the big box stores like Costco and Sam’s Club.
For additional information on Cono Italiano, visit the company’s website at www.ConoItaliano.com
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