THE COLONY, Texas, April 14, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pizza Inn, Inc. (Nasdaq:PZZI) announced today a strategic partnership with Richmond, VA-based ROMA Food Enterprises, a Performance Food Group Company, to serve as the exclusive distributor to more than 100 domestic franchise restaurants throughout the southeast United States. With over 50 years of experience in the pizza and Italian segment, ROMA Foods is the nation's largest and most respected distributor to the pizza industry. Their reputation for product quality, strong fill rates, sound delivery methods and unparalleled service makes ROMA a solid fit with Pizza Inn.
"We are excited to begin what we are confident will be a long-term relationship with ROMA," said Charlie Morrison, President and CEO of Pizza Inn. "As a specialty franchise operation, Pizza Inn needed a distributor with the experience to best service the needs of our franchisees. ROMA is a quality company and we believe this partnership is a win for all involved."
"This is a marriage made in Pizza Heaven," said Joe Davi, President and CEO of ROMA Food Distribution. "Pizza Inn's long standing traditions, including great pride in their product quality and outstanding customer service, mirrors the values that are important at ROMA Food Distribution and we are honored to be the new food purveyor to their fine restaurants for many years to come. The ROMA family and I thank Pizza Inn for the confidence and trust they have shown in our company and are excited to be part of their ongoing success."
"Pizza Inn and their strong franchisees are great addition to the ROMA family," said Craig H. Hoskins, Senior Vice President - Sales, Performance Food Group. "At ROMA, as well as at all of our Performance Food Group Companies, we strive to do business with leaders in the segments we serve. In discussions with Pizza Inn it became clear that we lined up extremely well in terms of operational and cultural fit and are proud to now call Pizza Inn a customer, and plan to continue to build our relationship over years to come."
ROMA Food Distribution, a Blackstone and Wellspring company, is a $10 billion foodservice distribution company, with operations including Performance Foodservice, PFG Customized Distribution, ROMA Food, and Vistar serving the nation's restaurants and targeted specialty channels such as pizza, Italian, vending, coffee service, theaters, concessions, and specialty retail. As a top 10 foodservice distributor in the United States, the Company serves over 33,000 customers in 50 states through 36 distribution centers.
Pizza Inn is actively seeking new franchisees with a program designed to encourage entrepreneurs and existing franchise owners to invest in new Pizza Inn Buffet franchise locations. The program includes a 0% royalty incentive for a location's first year of operation and 2% royalty for the second year. To learn more about these opportunities, go to www.pizzainn.com for details and contact information.
Pizza Inn was recently acknowledged for its success as 2008's Pizza Chain of the Year by Pizza Marketplace. For more detailed information on this recognition please visit the following link provided. http://www.pizzamarketplace.com/article.php?id=12838
Pizza Inn, Inc. (http://www.pizzainn.com) is headquartered in The Colony, Texas, along with its distribution division, Norco Restaurant Services Company. The Company is a franchisor and food and supply distributor to a system of franchised and company owned restaurants operating both domestically and internationally under the trade name "Pizza Inn."
The Pizza Inn logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=4933