Symbolic bar: Pizza Salvatoré reaches $100 million in turnover

Quebec company Pizza Salvatoré is proud to have entered the big leagues with a turnover that surpassed the symbolic $100 million mark during its latest financial results.

• Also Read: Pizza Salvatore: This family of five opened two restaurants a month for two years

“The Quebec chain is thus transitioning from SME status to a large company,” the third-generation family business said in a press release Thursday.

Founded in Saint-Georges in 1964, the group, which specializes in the delivery of pizzas and poutines, has grown tremendously since being bought by the founder’s grandsons in 2018.

The Quebec company has since grown from 14 restaurants to a network of 73 points of sale and 2,600 employees.

This is despite COVID-19, labor shortages and disruptions to supply chains.

Multiply by 12

“Managing growth is certainly exciting, but it comes with incredible challenges,” says Elisabeth Abbatillo, co-owner with her 4 brothers and sisters.

In less than five years, turnover increased 12-fold, from 10 to more than $120 million, she maintains.

“We are undoubtedly lucky to have a team on our side who, like us, are motivated by challenges and focused on results,” she continues.

The company recalled that the expansion phase really started in 2020.

With the pandemic, it had no choice but to modify its business model, which was based 50% on all-you-can-eat buffets, which were among the first victims of the health measures.

To stay afloat, the group has shifted its concept back towards delivery and take-out counters.

“To ensure that the health of the chain is never compromised, the siblings always keep an eye on the sales volume for each branch. The quality of restaurant operations is always closely monitored,” explains the company explaining its success.

Offer declined

The brand clearly lacks ambition, as it claims to have the “fastest” growth in Canada’s fast food sector.

During a portrait of the brand published in our pages last March, the chain boasted two openings per month starting in March 2021.

In particular, we learned that the Abbatiello family was approached by a large group wanting to buy their pizzerias, which they declined. Before that, their father also got an offer from Pizza Hut.