Is Mazzio's Pizza a Home Run Or a Shot in the Dark?

Zio, a relative newcomer to the pizza scene, made its presence felt with its opening in the Greater Los Angeles area last year. With several locations in California and one each in Florida and Massachusetts, it seems that it is a growing franchise. The question remains whether or not it will succeed. Will it be a success that captures the imagination of the area's Italian community and drives past-due pizza franchises to its local competitors? I have given some thought to this and have come up with a hypothesis.

Find out sources: "Mazzi's" news papers, scholars JSTOR, and "La Grazie" in Parma, Italy. Discuss the local pizza parlor owners on Internet websites that discuss this type of pizza or even write their own review. Find out what types of pastas and sandwiches they serve, whether they use real or fake cheese, and their specialties. A good source would also offer a comparative list of the various types of pizzas and pastas served at the various locations. If you are traveling from another city to Parma, look for a place that serves authentic Italian fare, and make a point of going to a Mazzi's restaurant when in Parma. This would eliminate much confusion as to which restaurant you should go to for your authentic Italian dining experience.

- expansions: Will there be additional pizza or sub sandwiches being added to the current menu? Is the expanded menu something that the customers can only get while in the restaurant? This can help determine the success of a new business approach. If a Mazzi's expands its pizza menu and service to 30 pizza shops, then they will have a saturated market - just like many restaurants have.

- expanded menu: Will traditional Italian dishes be offered as an appetizer or will a wider selection of pasta dishes and pizzas to be offered? With the expanding popularity of pasta, it is possible that this will be introduced into the Mazzi's pizza menu. Will the food be priced competitively or will it be a more affordable option? These are important questions to answer when deciding on a new restaurant strategy for pizzas and pasta.

- expanded menu: Will a wider selection of sub sandwiches be available or will only the pasta be offered? This could help expand the customer base for Mazzi's, especially if people can find some pizza places that they enjoy. Some people do enjoy having pasta and sub sandwiches as part of their casual dining experience, and they would be happy to have a Mazzi in their local area. If the pizza business does not outdo the pasta offerings, then this can be used as part of the Mazzi's business approach.

- Additional pizza ovens: Is there room for another pizza oven or are the current ones just not big enough? The original oven was very large, but now it just barely covers the baking plates. Will the company consider enlarging this oven in the future? This could be another way to attract more of an Italian customer base. Many Italians do not enjoy pizza and subs and prefer the real Italian food that is made by hand, which is why Mazzi's does not typically offer such food.

- Marketing and advertising: Is there room for multiple pizzas restaurants in the area? This may seem like an unusual idea considering only one Mazzi's exists in the entire city of Melbourne. Can the company promote the other Mazzi's as part of their "hire-one" pizza promotion? If they cannot promote each pizza restaurant as part of a "hire one" program, then this could limit their marketing strategies and ultimately their profits.

Considering the large number of Italian restaurants in the area, it is easy to see why Mazzio's is not the most popular pizza small business. There are many options for those who want pizza small and fresh. Those who want it served fast will have options like La Dolce Vita, which is located in the city of Melbourne. Those who want it made with fresh ingredients and with a crust that are made from scratch will have options like Handmade Love, which is owned by Ken's Create Your Own Pizza.