CiCi's Pizza Earns Environmental Star of Excellence

Date AddedOctober 02, 2009 02:06:22 AM

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PRESS RELEASE: September 8, 2009 (Coppell, Texas)...CiCi's Pizza announces that the City of Plano, Sustainability & Environmental Services Department in Texas has awarded the company with the Environmental Star of Excellence, recognizing outstanding environmental leadership and achievement within the community. The award gives accolades to CiCi's "Organic Recycling Program," an ongoing green initiative which began in May 2008. CiCi's Pizza's organic recycling program," has led to the contribution of 55.042 tons of organic waste in just over a year from one restaurant location, and has additionally saved the restaurant more than $2,000 in operational costs.
HOT TOPICCheck out Chain Leader's green issue for more ways that restaurant chains are saving energy and other resources, buying locally and promoting their green efforts."This award holds great significance for us as CiCi's becomes more active in the green movement building our reputation as a socially responsible corporate community member," said Chris Patterson, Senior Corporate Trainer at CiCi's Pizza. "For our efforts and recognition, the City of Plano will award $500 toward the establishment of an environmental scholarship fund for Plano High School."
Food waste, paper and cardboard are recycled everyday for the City of Plano composting program that creates "Texas Pure," compost, topdressing, mulch and soil blend products for the yard and garden. Each year, an increasing number of residents, businesses and municipalities take advantage of the Texas Pure products.
At CiCi's, six containers measuring 96 gallons each, are collected every other day from the restaurant by the City. The reduction of waste not only enhances CiCi's green initiative, but has also decreased the overall waste going out. As a result, CiCi's has reduced the size of the restaurant dumpster saving more than $2,000 annually in operational costs. Patterson and his team are currently working on expanding restaurant participation at other CiCi's locations.
The Environmental Star of Excellence Awards will be presented at the Environmental Community Awards Celebration on Tuesday, September 29, 2009, from 11:30am - 1:00pm at the Collin College Conference Center, Plano.
Founded in 1985, CiCi's Pizza is a family-oriented restaurant serving guests fresh pizza, pasta, salad and dessert, all you want for about five bucks and change. CiCi's mission then and now is to exceed each guest's expectation in food, service and cleanliness at an affordable price. Since opening its first restaurant in Plano, Texas, CiCi's has grown to almost 650 restaurants in 32 states.
In 2006, CiCi's introduced the carry-out only To-Go restaurants with 13 operating in Texas, Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma and California.
Industry professionals have taken notice of CiCi's Pizza's continuous growth and success. In 2009, Restaurants & Institutions Consumers' Choice in Chains recognized CiCi's Pizza as a top pizza chain in America. Nation's Restaurant News has ranked CiCi's number one for sales and unit growth in the pizza chain category for the past three years. In its recent 2009 ranking, Entrepreneur magazine's Annual Franchise Top 500 issue, ranked CiCi's Pizza as number one in the Italian restaurant industry category an honor the company also received in 2007. Men's Health recently included CiCi's Pizza in it's list of America's Healthiest Restaurants. StartupJournal.com, The Wall Street Journal's guide for entrepreneurs, ranked CiCi's as one of the top 25 highest-performing brands in the nation and Franchise Today placed the company in the top 200 of all franchise concepts. Other honors include "Best in Value" award among national pizza chains in Restaurants and Institutions magazine's 2006 Consumers' Choice Report and "Best Customer Service" from Corporate Research International in 2007, 2006 and 2005. For more information visit www.cicispizza.com.