Once upon a time in 1948… Famous pizzas on the beach in Pescara
The roots of our business lie as far back as the middle of last century: Riccardo Ciferni’s grandmother, along with her husband, was selling her pizzas to vacationers on the beach on the Adriatic Sea.
Famous for her pizzas, she was also a historical figure. Her son Gabriele, Riccardo’s father, learnt the business from very young, cycling back and forth between the bakery in Corso Manthonè and the seaside with wicker baskets filled with freshly baked pizzas.
The restaurant that initiated its activity opposite the former production site in the historical part of Pescara is still catering to satisfied customers today.
The first Trieste Pizzeria is opened
Driven by a strong entrepreneurial spirit, Gabriele Ciferni opens his very first restaurant in Pescara, the “Trieste Pizzeria” in 1958.
Not much later, he creates the first pizzetta: a pizza of an unconventional, easily recognizable size and a unique taste that has become synonymous with Italian high-quality food over the years.
A pioneering concept in modern franchising
Along with his wife Vincenza, Gabriele further develops his business to somewhat that can be called the “franchising of former times”. The couple had found a way to ensure the results of the dough baking would be the same in any other location. Therefore, they were able to partner with people in different cities around the Abruzzo region. As many as 13 pizzerias were established. Gabriele would help them start and run their business for some time, and then he would resell the location. A concept coming very close to today’s franchise system.
Some businesses established at that time still exist today!
A period of steady business imposing very high quality
Backed by over 20 years of experience, Riccardo’s parents work on stabilizing their gastronomic business while imposing strict quality standards for any partners making use of their products.
The family sells and distributes the dough to up to 12 restaurants on the Adriatic coast. As Gabriele can’t control the quality, he decides to stop the cooperation with some partners who are not as committed to quality as he is.
No compromises are made to maintain and protect the name and the reputation that have been built up with so much effort.
That is also the time when their son Riccardo, who is heading the business in the third generation today, is trained in the family’s activity and progressively gets more and more involved.
The third generation takes over
The business, already in the third generation, is now completely led by Riccardo. His wife Laila joins the company and the couple brings in fresh ideas and works hard on satisfying newly emerged customer demands.
Riccardo renovates the locations, builds new facilities and offers new services in a modern space to enhance the customer’s positive dining experience.
On the food side, the focus on tradition, quality and authenticity remains unchanged – as the high standards do.
Evolution of the pizzetta’s ingredients
Consumers’ awareness and concerns about nutritional aspects lead Riccardo and his wife to adapt their products: their “modern” pizzetta does not contain any animal fats. Furthermore, only extra virgin olive oil and less refined flour are used.
In 2008, too, a second location opens in the old part of Pescara.
The official move towards standardisation
Being challenged by keeping up an identical quality and standards at two locations but also motivated by their success, Riccardo and Laila seriously start working on the replication of their products, especially the pizzetta dough. For months, they research, analyse, test different ways of preserving the individual ingredients and of ensuring a high-quality standardised preparation of the dough by others in other locations. Until the results satisfy their expectations and quality demands.
Tonda: the franchise brand is born
The brand Trieste is turned international into Tonda and starts conquering the fast-casual dining market for real Italian food.
Architects and other experts develop a layout and concept for new franchises. In 2012, the third restaurant is opened in Florence, Italy, and the co-branding of Trieste and Tonda is successfully put in place.
The signature food remains the pizzetta and its organic ingredients mainly sourced from the Abruzzo region in Italy.
Another opening and official honour by the Mayor of Pescara
- Opening of a restaurant in Francavilla al Mare, Italy
- The Municipality of Pescara honours Trieste as a historical business
- Further perfecting of the semi-finished products for all locations
First restaurant outside Italy
Opening of the first restaurant outside the Italian borders: in Madrid, Spain
Internationalisation of the franchise brand Tonda
- Launch of an international project aiming at the development of the franchise Tonda
- Initial target on the Far East and Oceania markets
- Worldwide expansion to follow
- Creation of a network aiming at the diffusion of quality Italian food products
More openings in Europe and in the USA
- Opening of a location in London’s district of Southfields
- Opening of a location in Silvi Marina, Italy
- Opening soon in New York, USA
- More locations and continuous focus on innovation and healthy, organic products
Ongoing
While relentlessly putting efforts on developing our franchise, we also further improve our efforts on the food and ingredients side, e.g. by introducing our blend of whole flour, by developing an integral and semi-integral flour mix, by choosing ingredients with more fibres, less gluten, by using a fully vegan dough while making sure to preserve the traditional taste of our pizzetta.
Openings Coming SOON
Madrid, Spain
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Lisbon, Portugal
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