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Marco’s Pizza cooks up more than menu items in new test kitchen

As part of a new corporate training facility, the Marco's Pizza test kitchen is being utilized to improve the chain's menu and employees' skills.

August 21, 2015

In addition to serving as a home for research and testing of kitchen equipment and development of Marco's Pizza menu items, the chain's test kitchen is also playing a significant role in "people development."

So far, the test kitchen, part of a new 3,500-square-foot corporate training facility, has a strong track record with the chain's successful rollout of the S'mores and Double Chocolate brownies, both made with Ghirardelli chocolate, according to a company press release. 

"We're fanatical about creating the perfect pie, and the new dessert products proved to live up to the same high culinary standards as our pizzas," Marco’s Pizza President and COO Bryon Stephens said. "We will apply that quality standard to every product we test in the kitchen before it goes to market. Likewise, we are investing substantial resources in attracting and developing quality people to own, manage and work in our stores."

The test kitchen serves as part of the brand’s “Introduction to Operational Excellence” training program for new and existing franchisees, the release stated. The hands-on program ensures every trainee knows how to properly produce the company's pizzas. Trainees also learn to spot a pizza not up to company standards and how to fix it. They also spend several weeks working in stores before returning to the kitchen for "finals," according to the release, which includes cooking perfect pizza and serving it to the corporate office staff, including C-level executives

"It’s our goal to set the industry standard and create an environment that enables training specific to our brand," said Marco's Pizza Executive VP of Operations Tony Libardi. "We’re aiming to create an entirely new experience for our franchisees. Within the first week, new owners will be fully immersed in Marco’s culture and operations."

Marco's Pizza operates more than 640 stores in 35 states and the Bahamas. It plans to open 150 new stores this year, the release stated. The chain also finalized deals to open 400 stores in India over the next 10 years, as well as 40 stores in Puerto Rico over the next nine years.

As the brand continues its expansion, the test kitchen will serve as a resource to fuel continued innovation and quality standard compliance, the release stated.