11.11.2008

Organic, eco-friendly restaurant chain will be Seattle’s first LEED and Organic certified restaurant

Seattle, Wash., November 11, 2008 – Pizza Fusion (www.pizzafusion.com), pioneer of the environmental and organic restaurant movements, recently opened in Seattle in the new Trace Lofts at 12th & Madison in Capitol Hill. Upon receiving certification, Pizza Fusion will be Washington’s first ever organic and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified restaurant (http://www.usgbc.org/LEED/Project/RegisteredProjectListDetail.aspx?ID=10223687). Kevin York and Casey Seremek are the eco-entrepreneurs behind Pizza Fusion’s new Seattle location.

“Pizza Fusion’s industry leading sustainable approach to restaurant service is what attracted us to their unique business model. We were seeking a business that would provide an opportunity to do our part in the preservation of the Puget Sound region for future generations to enjoy in the years ahead,” states Kevin. “Pizza Fusion provided the opportunity to combine our professional backgrounds with our desire for a socially responsible business operation. We are proud to introduce Pizza Fusion’s healthful, organic, sustainable approach to Seattle’s diverse dining scene.”

Pizza Fusion Seattle’s decorum incorporates the reuse of materials procured from various landmarks in and around the city. Kevin and Casey proactively sought out a number of local, reusable elements to spice up the earth friendly décor of their first sustainable restaurant. For example, the dining chairs, tables, and barstools were obtained from the recently closed Sunset Bowl in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. The hardwood flooring in the restaurant was acquired from Earthwise Architectural Salvage that came out of Garfield High School located in Seattle's Wallingford neighborhood.  Pews preserved from the First Church Seattle formerly located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood were acquired and will be used for booth seating to accommodate the restaurant’s future guests.

Pizza Fusion, whose motto is ‘Saving the Earth, One Pizza at a Time,’ practices a world-centric approach to their entire existence, including their restaurants’ buildout, service and overall operations.  Through building all of their restaurants to LEED certification standards, delivering their food in company owned hybrid vehicles, and offsetting 100% of their power consumption with the purchase of renewable energy certificates (among many other things), Pizza Fusion is pioneering the sustainable restaurant movement as the most eco-friendly restaurant in America. 

Pizza Fusion is the first and only restaurant chain to mandate third-party organic restaurant certification at all its locations.  Beyond its organic menu offerings, Pizza Fusion also offers a number of options for selective diets.  Pizza Fusion was recently recognized by PETA as a top-10 vegan-friendly pizzeria in America for their number of vegan menu items, including casein-free soy cheese, breadsticks, brownies, sandwiches, and more.  Furthermore, Pizza Fusion has quickly become a popular restaurant among the celiac community for their extensive selection of gluten-free pizza, brownies, and beer.

Pizza Fusion is considering likeminded franchisee candidates to open 40 planned locations throughout Washington over the next five years. Currently, the company has over 75 restaurants opening in 15 states across the U.S.

Prior to joining Pizza Fusion, Kevin York served as the Vice President of Sales in the Northwest region of the U.S. for The Spring Air Mattress Company. Casey Seremek is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and previously served as the Director of Finance at Eastside Catholic High School.  He has an extensive and diverse accounting and business background.

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