Marco's Pizza® Wins Big at Top 100 Pizza Gala: Takes Home No. 1 in the Growth Category

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Apr 03, 2023, 10:24 ET

Pizza Marketplace Recognizes Nation's Fastest-Growing Pizza Brand^* with Awards in Growth, Technology & Executive Leadership

TOLEDO, Spain, April 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Marco's Pizza, the nation's fastest-growing pizza brand^*, earns top ranks on the inaugural Pizza Marketplace Top 100 Movers & Shakers. The brand received several special honors, claiming the No. 1 spot in the Growth category, ranking among the Top 15 in the Tech Innovators category, and, notably, naming Co-CEO & President, Tony Libardi, among the Top 3 most influential executives in the pizza industry. Award recipients were announced at the Top 100 Pizza Gala on March 28, 2023 in Las Vegas.

As an evolution of the Fast Casual Top 100, this special report from Pizza Marketplace shines a spotlight on pizza brands and brand executives that are shaping the future of the pizza segment. The Pizza Top 100, which is selected by a panel of judges, features six categories including: Top 15 Emerging Brands, Top 15 Growth Brands, Top 15 Tech Innovators, Top 15 Menu Innovators, Top 15 Marketing Campaigns, and Top 25 Executives.

"We are incredibly honored to receive this prestigious award and be recognized as one of the most innovative and successful companies in the pizza industry," said Libardi. "It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team and franchisees, who strive every day to deliver high quality products, a great value, and the best possible guest experience. We've been on a fantastic growth trajectory, experiencing 14 straight quarters of same-store sales growth, and will continue to build on this great momentum by innovating upon these remarkable brand achievements."

Ranking No. 1 in the Growth category, Marco's franchise expansion continues to surge. The fast-growth brand boasts more than 200 stores in various stages of development and hundreds of agreements signed. In the last six years, Marco's has doubled its store footprint with no intention of slowing down.

At the crux of Marco's ongoing growth is its renowned high-quality pizza, which has provided the basic foundation to scale. With prime territories available across the country, company leadership has identified 4,200 potential U.S. locations.

Alongside growth, Marco's is prioritizing investments in technology innovations solidifying its ranking in the Top 15 Tech Innovators category. Marco's is currently rolling out its own 100% cloud-based technology platform - Marco's Order Management System (MOMS). This platform is one of many projects Marco's is embarking on, including exploring voice-to-text ordering, continued adoption of third-party delivery, utilizing AI and machine learning, and more.

At the helm of Marco's impressive performance is Co-CEO & President, Tony Libardi, whose contributions to the brand have been nothing short of historic. Earning the No. 2 spot in the Top 25 Executives category, Libardi is guiding strategy as Marco's stakes its claim as a leader in the pizza industry. Energies remain focused on achieving tremendous growth and sales accomplishments, prioritizing technology and innovation to enhance customer experience and drive franchisee profitability, all while delivering a high-quality product.

Marco's now boasts more than 1,100 stores while achieving record-breaking performance - surpassing $1B in annual systemwide sales, last summer. Marco's provides a full development support system, including technology and tools to help identify the right territories for expansion plus financing, real estate, construction management, and field operations support to assist franchisees and multi-unit operators.

According to FRANdata, a leading research and advisory firm that analyzes the franchise market, Marco's 2022 FUND® Score of 895 is in the top 1% of all evaluated franchise systems and is the 2nd highest score among all evaluated food franchises.

For more information on Marco's Pizza franchise opportunities, visit https://www.marcos.com/franchising/ or call 866-731-8209 to speak with Shannon Iverson, Vice President of Franchise Sales.

ABOUT MARCO'S PIZZA

Marco's Pizza is one of America's Top 10 Favorite QSR Brands according to the 2022 Market Force Information Study. Headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, Marco's Pizza is the fastest-growing pizza brand in the United States*. Marco's was founded in 1978 by Italian-born Pasquale ("Pat") Giammarco and thrives to deliver a high-quality pizza experience, known for its dough made from scratch and its three fresh signature cheeses. The company has grown from its roots as a beloved Ohio brand to operate over 1,100 stores in 34 states with locations in Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. Marco's Pizza was ranked No. 51 on Entrepreneur Magazine's 2023 "Franchise 500" ranking. Other recent accolades include a high ranking on Newsweek's 2023 "America's Best Customer Service" in pizza chains list, ranked No. 40 on QSR's Top 50 and has been featured six consecutive years on Nation's Restaurant News' prestigious "Top 500" ranking.

^*Marco's Pizza is the fastest-growing pizza brand based on year-over-year unit growth, according to 2022 NRN Top 500 U.S. Restaurant Ranking LSR Pizza Segment.

SOURCE Marco's Pizza