California Pizza Kitchen, Inc

Financial Main Page | IGHRM Main Page
Disclaimer:

International Guild of Hospitality & Restaurant Managers

California Pizza Kitchen, Inc., incorporated in 1985, is a casual dining restaurant chain with a particular focus on the premium pizza segment. As of March 11, 2002 , California Pizza Kitchen owned, licensed or franchised 130 restaurants in 25 states, the District of Columbia and four foreign countries, of which 101 were Company-owned and 29 operated under franchise or license arrangements.

The Company's restaurants feature menu items that use a variety of toppings and showcase recipes that include the BBQ Chicken Pizza and the Thai Chicken Pizza. The Company's menu items use ingredients such as imported Italian tomatoes and pastas, imported Kalamata olives, Japanese eggplant, black tiger shrimp, imported cheeses, a variety of lettuces and other fresh produce.

California Pizza Kitchen continuously experiments with food items and flavor combinations in an attempt to create new selections. The Company's signature creation, the Original BBQ Chicken Pizza, utilizes barbecue sauce instead of tomato sauce, and adds toppings of marinated chicken breast, smoked gouda and mozzarella cheeses, sliced red onion and fresh cilantro. The Company's Original Thai Chicken Pizza is created with a base of spicy peanut-ginger and sesame sauce, and topped with marinated chicken breast, mozzarella cheese, roasted peanuts, green onions, bean sprouts, julienne carrots and fresh cilantro. The Company's other pizzas include the Philly Cheesesteak Pizza, Grilled Garlic Shrimp Pizza, Jamaican Jerk Chicken Pizza and Caramelized Pear and Gorgonzola Pizza.

The Company has broadened its menu beyond pizza to include pastas, salads, soups, appetizers and desserts. Among its other signature menu items are Chicken Tequila Fettucine, which captures Southwestern flavors in a rich tequila-lime and jalapeno cream sauce; the BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad, which uses both barbecue sauce and garden-herb ranch dressing; Oriental Chicken Salad with crispy angel hair pasta, and the hearth-baked Tortilla Spring Roll Appetizers, which are sprinkled with parmesan cheese and baked in pizza ovens.

California Pizza Kitchen's menu is also designed to satisfy customers who seek traditional, American-style, tomato sauce-based pizza or authentic, Italian-style Neapolitan pizza. The Company's traditional menu offers a variety of items, such as the Mushroom, Pepperoni and Sausage Pizza, the Fresh Tomato, Basil and Garlic Pizza and the Sweet and Spicy Italian Sausages Pizza, which combines sweet Italian sausage and grilled spicy Italian sausage, a tomato sauce base, roasted red and yellow peppers and mild onions. The Company's Neapolitan pizzas are prepared on a thin, crisp crust, and include the Classic Margherita Pizza, with imported tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil and parmesan cheese, and the Rustica Pizza, which is made with imported tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, garlic, crushed chilies, capers and Mediterranean olives. The Company's menu similarly accommodates traditional tastes in pastas and salads, with a variety of tomato sauce-based pastas and versions of different salads, including its Caesar Salad and Original Chopped Salad. In addition, the Company offers a variety of wines by the bottle or glass, as well as bottled and tap beers, primarily to complement its menu offerings.

The Company has entered into a strategic alliance with Kraft Pizza Company to manufacture and distribute a line of California Pizza Kitchen frozen pizzas in the United States and Canada . Kraft makes and distributes frozen versions of seven of the Company's pizzas: the Five Cheese and Tomato Pizza, BBQ Chicken Pizza, Garlic Chicken Pizza, Rosemary Chicken Potato Pizza, Portobello Mixed Mushroom Pizza, Sausage, Pepperoni & Mushroom Pizza and Thai Chicken Pizza. The Company's frozen pizzas are sold in supermarkets in 19 markets across the United States , including Los Angeles , San Francisco , Chicago , Denver and Phoenix .

Disclaimer:
The data included within the Financial section is solely for information and does not construe a recommendation and/or endorsement by IGHRM or its members to invest funds with any of the companies listed. You are strongly advised to obtain professional advice with qualified individuals or corporations for any investments of funds.

IGHRM Main Page