Pizza Pizza earns Health Check on five menu items

November 1st, 2011 (Toronto) – Pizza Pizza joins the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Health Check program with five menu items, including new pizzas and salad, that meet the nutritional criteria of the program. Customers can locate these healthier choices by visiting the “Thinking Healthy” section on www.pizzapizza.ca. Pizza Pizza is among the first national quick service restaurant chains to join the renowned program.

“Meeting the Health Check criteria has been on our priority list,” said Pat Finelli, Chief Marketing Officer for Pizza Pizza. “We have been working together to satisfy the standards of the Heart and Stroke Foundation while maintaining our taste and value pricing priorities.”

The Heart and Stroke Foundation developed the Health Check program to help Canadians identify food products and menu items that meet nutritional criteria based on Canada’s Food Guide. The Foundation’s registered dietitians evaluate each product and menu item to determine eligibility for a Health Check symbol. Pizza Pizza has worked to ensure that its Health Check menu items meet the strict requirements for nutrients including sodium, fat, sugar, protein and fibre, as well as portion size. A Health Check serving is two slices of a medium pizza.

Pizza Pizza’s Health Check menu items now include:

NEW: Chicken Rustica – $10.99 for medium pizza
On whole wheat multigrain dough, chicken, roasted red peppers, grilled zucchini and red onion.

NEW: Grilled Veggie and Goat Cheese Pizza – $10.99 for medium pizza
On whole wheat multigrain dough, classic tomato sauce, grilled zucchini, fire roasted red peppers, red onion, goat cheese and mozzarella cheese

Trio Pommodoro Pizza – $9.99 for medium pizza
On whole wheat multigrain dough, Roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, bruschetta sauce, parmesan and mozzarella cheese.

Garden Veggie Pizza – $9.99 for medium pizza
On classic or whole wheat multigrain dough, Roma tomatoes, fresh mushrooms, green peppers, classic tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Garden Salad – $4.99
Leafy greens with Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing

Health Check menu items are the newest addition to a line-up of health-conscious initiatives introduced by Pizza Pizza over the past few years, including gluten-free dough, whole wheat multigrain dough and removing industrially added trans fats from the entire menu. For further information on the Health Check program, visit www.healthcheck.org, or consult the Thinking Healthy section at www.pizzapizza.ca or in-store promotional material.

About Health Check
Health Check is one way the Heart and Stroke Foundation helps Canadians make healthy choices. All Health Check items meet nutrient criteria developed by the Foundation’s registered dietitians based on recommendations in Canada’s Food Guide. Health Check works directly with food companies and restaurants to improve the food supply by challenging them to meet stronger nutrient criteria and offer Canadians more healthy choices. Health Check is the only non-profit, independent, and neutral food information program in the country. For more information on Health Check as well as healthy eating resources, tips and recipes visit healthcheck.org.

About Pizza Pizza Limited
Founded in 1967, Pizza Pizza Limited is Canada's pizza pioneer and one of the country’s most successful quick service restaurant chains. With its Pizza Pizza and Pizza 73 banners, the company offers a broad range of menu items that include hot and fresh pizza, gluten-free pizza, whole wheat multigrain dough, a variety of salads, shrimp and new Italian sandwiches. The company is guided by a mission to provide the “best food, made especially for you” with a focus on quality ingredients, customer service and continual innovation. Visit www.pizzapizza.ca and www.pizza73.com for more information.

For more information:

Valérie Marcoux
Torchia Communications
514 288-8290, poste 214
valerie@torchiacom.com