Sudbury's Topper's Pizza has set its sights on Ontario-wide expansion with the recent opening of its 38th location, in Thunder Bay, and plans for at least three more pizzerias by January.
“We certainly want to cover all of Ontario. We want to be in every major market in Ontario,” said Keith Toppazzini, Topper's president and chief operating officer.
The Thunder Bay location had the chain's strongest opening yet.
“It was actually crushing records,” Toppazzini said. “It was about two and a half times greater than our last record opening.”
Toppazzini said the strong opening was due to solid marketing efforts from the Thunder Bay franchisees, and growing brand recognition across Northern Ontario.
To reach every market in Ontario he said the franchise would require between 150 and 200 pizzerias.
Once Topper's reaches 50 locations across the province Toppazzini said that could lead to a more rapid expansion.
But he said that with the franchise model they're eyeing markets where there is already an existing demand for Topper's Pizza.
Closer to home Topper's is due to complete a 2,800-square-foot call centre on Westmount Avenue in early 2017.
Toppazzini said the new space will be able to host up to 70 employees who will handle calls across the chain.
Beyond plans to expand across Ontario he added Topper's is also looking at markets in other provinces, and could potentially build locations in Manitoba and Alberta in the near future.
