Extreme Pita

Infobox_Company
company_name = Extreme Pita
company_
company_type = Private
company_slogan =
foundation = 1997 in Kingston, Ontario
founder = Alex Rechichi and Mark Rechichi
location_city = Mississauga
location_country = Canada
key_people = Alex Rechichi, President
Mark Rechichi, Chief Financial Officer
Sean Black, Vice President
David J. Newcombe, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
industry = Restaurants
num_employees = 2,000
revenue = $45 million (2006)cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/eastbay/stories/2007/03/12/story4.html|title=Chain takes pita mainstream|last=Goll|first=David|date=2007-03-09|publisher="East Bay Business Times"|accessdate=2008-09-13]
net_income =
products = Pita wraps, salads, pita pizzas
homepage = [http://www.extremepita.com/ www.extremepita.com]

Extreme Pita is a Canada-based fast-food chain co-founded by brothers Alex Rechichi and Mark Rechichi in 1997. Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, the company has more than 150 units throughout Canada and the United States.

Extreme Pita serves pita sandwiches, salads, and pizza-style "flat-baked" pitas. The chain considers these types of products to be relatively healthy compared to traditional fast-food fare. Available ingredients include fresh vegetables, cheeses, meats and vegetarian options such as falafel and hummus.

History

Extreme Pita was founded by Alex and Mark Rechichi, two Canadian brothers, in 1997.cite web|url=http://www.extremepita.com/about/company-profile.php|title=Company Profile|date=2006|publisher=The Extreme Pita|accessdate=2008-09-12] The two came up with the name in order to distance the company from the pita's Middle Eastern roots and break out of the ethnic niche. As a solution, the name "Extreme Pita" was born, meant to encourage the idea of "extreme" sports and an active lifestyle. The first Extreme Pita opened at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario in 1997.

Extreme Pita's second franchisee was Sean Black, one of the current Vice Presidents of Extreme Pita. Black helped the company expand into new locations in Canada.cite web|url=http://www.extremepita.com/about/executive-team.php|title=Executive Team|date=2006|publisher=The Extreme Pita|accessdate=2008-09-12] The company continued to expand and grow over the years, expanding into new locations in Canada, from 1997 (the year when the first Extreme Pita was opened) to 2003 (when Extreme Pita began to expand into the United States). This continued expansion throughout Canada increased Extreme Pita's recognition as a brand name, and allowed it to challenge already-established fast food companies like Subway and McDonalds. This growth also provided the company the money to expand and franchise in the United States. By 2007, there were about 200 stores in Canada.

The Canadian-based Extreme Pita began to expand to include stores in the United States in 2003, beginning with Arizona.cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2007/09/24/daily48.html|title=Canadian chain plans to add 25 Arizona restaurants|date=2007-09-27|publisher="Phoenix Business Journal"|accessdate=2008-09-13] The company has continued to add locations throughout the United States, mainly through franchising. In many cases, the franchisees were the ones most eager to expand the company and to increase Extreme Pita's brand name recognition. Since 2003, Extreme Pita has expanded into locations in California,cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20070508/ai_n19064041|title=Extreme Pita hankers after the Bay Area|last=Brevetti|first=Francine|date=2007-05-07|publisher="BNET", reprinted from the "Oakland Tribune"|accessdate=2008-09-12] New York,cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4189/is_20070706/ai_n19353801|title=Brooklyn native acquires rights to build out Extreme Pita brand|last=Theis|first=Laura|date=2007-07-06|publisher="BNET", reprinted from "Long Island Business News"|accessdate=2008-09-12] Texas,cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2005/12/05/newscolumn1.html|title=New eateries dishing up fresh ideas in Alamo City|last=Silva|first=Tricia Lynn|date=2005-12-02|publisher=San Antonio Business Journal|accessdate=2008-09-13] and other parts of the Western, Mideastern, and Northeastern United States.cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2007/03/19/story18.html|title=Arizona on list for Canadian pita concept's franchise plans|last=Goll|first=David|date=2007-03-16|publisher="Phoenix Business Journal"|accessdate=2008-09-13]

Products

Extreme Pita sells a variety of pita wraps, including cheese steak, falafel and chicken Caesar selections, wrapped in "Lebanese-style" pita bread.cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2003/12/08/daily45.html|title=Extreme Pita restaurant's formal launch to be a heart benefit|last=Brown|first=Dale|date=2003-12-11|publisher="Phoenix Business Journal"|accessdate=2008-09-12] These pitas are available in 6 inch and 9 inch sizes.cite web|url=http://www.extremepita.com/food/extreme-menu.php|title=Extreme Menu|date=2006|publisher=The Extreme Pita|accessdate=2008-09-12] The company also offers soups, salads, and a variety of flat-bread pizza pitas, baked on location.cite news|url=http://www.modbee.com/columnists/hill/story/65764.html|title=Plain pita? Not at new Extreme eatery|last=Hill|first=David W.|date=2007-09-12|publisher="The Modesto Bee"|accessdate=2008-09-12] Its products are portrayed as a "healthy alternative to fast food." For example, the cheese and meat used to make their products are unprocessed.

References

External links

* [http://www.extremepita.com Extreme Pita official website]