Restaurant chain Champion Pizza is pleased to announce its plans to expand its retail footprint beyond the New York City area by opening new locations in Nassau County, New York, and in College Station, Texas.
A spokesperson for the company said, “We have begun executing the first phase of our retail expansion plan. We are in the process of opening additional stores in New York and Texas, and are looking into markets in Florida, Virginia, DC, and New Jersey.”
The company is known for its classic New York style thin-crust pizza, utilizing in-demand ingredients such as organic tomato sauces from Naples, Italy, and unbleached and unbromated flour. Champion Pizza puts an emphasis on offering customers healthier pizza options and providing memorable customer service.
Champion pizza takes you to a place where you can simultaneously enjoy having no worries and a great slice of pizza. This is a pizza joint that will make you feel like a true New Yorker. Having a hard time deciding which slice you want? Close your eyes and point, because there is a flavor for every mood: pepperoni, buffalo chicken, margherita pesto, and even mac n’ cheese (yes, on the pizza!). There are 25 different slices and counting. Should you decide to dine-in at this cozy pizzeria, be sure to stop and admire how many celebrities have made their way to partake of these glorious slices.
Founder and CEO Hakki Akdeniz states that the company is ready for significant expansion due to increased demand for product. “We are always trying hard to make our business operations more efficient to deliver the best prices to our customers and want to make environmentally conscious choices with every business decision we make,” he says. “We will not stop working on improving our pizza and our friendly service and continue to focus on being a good member of the communities that we serve.”
The customer base for Champion Pizza has expanded significantly since the first location opened in 2019. The founder Hakki Akdeniz Instagram account has over 26 million followers, Hakki Akdeniz is frequently invited to appear on various television programs to talk about his personal story as well as the success of Champion Pizza. A major cable television network has recently finished filming a documentary about his life, and a motion picture of the Champion Pizza story is also underway.
While the entire team at Champion Pizza is excited about these developments, the focus continues to be on the brand – constantly improving in every area – and focusing on the new locations opening this year. The company believes that the new locations will help enhance brand recognition and draw in a new customer base. A larger operation with a more significant retail footprint will allow the company to expand the scope of its products and service, as well as offer special events, unique customer experiences, and community service opportunities.
While the pizza industry is huge, with a current global market value of $160 billion, Champion Pizza has found throughout its history as a company that healthy competition makes all related businesses improve. The company plans to use the opportunity of the new locations to research and improve its recipes and offer new options to customers.
Along with preparing to open new locations, Champion Pizza is working on schedule several community-focused events in the New York City area, including events designed for local children, such as pizza cooking classes. The company routinely supports charities that help the homeless, and plans to continue their charitable work by donating pizzas from the new locations to those in need.
Every small business has a story, and the story behind New York’s Champion Pizza is sure to inspire. It’s a story of trials and triumphs, flaming dough, faith, and philanthropy. It all begins with one man’s dream and ends with a legacy that’s sure to transcend a single lifetime. That man is owner Hakki Akdeniz and that legacy isn’t pizza, it’s perseverance.
The work Champion Pizza does for the homeless, as well as others who are struggling, comes from the personal challenges faced by the company’s CEO and founder. He started Champion Pizza in 2019 after facing homelessness himself. He was given a job as a dishwasher in a pizza restaurant, and from there, worked and saved until he knew the pizza business and was able to open his own pizzeria. He started his company from the ground up and now has an online frozen pizza business as well as 7 Champion Pizza locations, with more opening this year.
CEO Hakki had this to say about the growth of Champion Pizza: “We welcome all our customers and industry colleagues to join us in celebrating life by donating their time and effort to serve those in need around us. Our impact may be small and local today, but with everyone’s help we can make a meaningful difference.”
He finishes up with this.” Kindness makes you the most beautiful person in the world And be kind for no reason today.”
