Nikki and Marc Commensoli are familiar with the difficulties of being in the food service industry. With about 30 years experience in pizza shops, the husband and wife team, like all business owners, have had to keep the proximity of competitors and all the costs of rent and staff in mind, not to mention how to actually get customers in the door.

So when the pair decided to expand, they flipped the business model on its head and went mobile — going directly to the customer as a catering business with a mini gourmet pizza offering.

Now Pizza Event is looking to expand, first in Sydney and then following the interest thatÍs come from inter-state and overseas as well.

“It grew from catering for 21st and 18th birthdays, and now we cater for baptisms and naming ceremonies all the way to 70th birthdays and everything in between. WeÍre at the stage now where we have so much business that we actually have to refuse some,” says Nikki.

Pizza Event has just sold its first franchise to a previous employee of the CommensoliÍs bricks and mortar pizza shop, Belmontes, and Nikki and Marc are on the lookout for more people to join the team.

“WeÍre looking for someone who is enthusiastic about catering because weÍre in the party business. WeÍre in the business where we entertain,” Nikki says. “So someone who is happy-go-lucky, likes to work in a happy environment, who has some idea of food but doesnÍt necessarily have a background in food, because we provide all the training. And someone who is very flexible and is looking for a flexible lifestyle where they can work when they want to.”

Nikki says franchisees can work as little as two days a week and still get high returns. “On the other side of that, if you are willing to work six days a week, like you would work your normal franchising business, you have that flexibility as well.”

The turn-key cost for franchisees is $170,000 plus GST and this gets you one van with two mobile pizzeria set-ups, allowing the franchisee to cover two events in the one territory at the same time. There will also be royalty and marketing fees, but these are yet to be determined.

“They get the entire kit. So basically itÍs a mini pizzeria in a mobile form that they construct out wherever the function is. So it can be by a pool in someoneÍs backyard or on the 15th floor in a building in the CBD,” says Nikki. “They get a mobile pizza oven, they get the van, all the refrigeration, all the tables, all the utensils, all the uniforms, everything to make the function work.”

Franchisees will also be taught everything from pizza-making to effective marketing techniques. “They will get an idea of how to market and work the marketing in their area,” Nikki explains. “How to work with clients, finding out what their needs are because the franchise will have the contact with the clients once the bookings are done.

“[TheyÍll learn] how we set up and all the systems that allow the franchisee to feel comfortable about working in that environment. ItÍs an extensive training program and then theyÍll have ongoing support. WeÍll actually be out there with them at initial functions, supporting their staff.”

“So weÍve got a system that is very close to perfect, and it ticks all the boxes as far as catering goes.”