Operations
Buddy’s Pizza legacy lives on as originator of Detroit-style pizza
Buddy's Pizza originated Detroit-style pizza, with its thick dough and crispy cheese edges. The brand leaves a lasting legacy even as it grows.
August 31, 2023 by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group
Some pizzerias are built on history only they can provide to the industry. Michigan's Buddy's Pizza has the kind of legacy other pizzerias dream about; after all, the brand originated Detroit-style pizza.
Pizza Marketplace talked with the brand's new CEO, Chris Tussing, in a phone interview to learn about its lengthy industry history, its future and everything in between.
The heritage
Buddy's created Detroit-style pizza crust in 1946. "It was establishing a new standard, a new style of pizza altogether," Tussing said, "and there's just such a great legacy behind that. Pizza's such a beloved food. … It's the one food people want to eat the most."
Even the shape of Buddy's pizza was a novelty — most pizzas were round, and since Buddy's pizzas were baked in square steel pans, giving it a cheesy caramelization instead of a traditional crust, the square slices proved to be a different product for guests.
"Our crust is the most amazing part of our pizza," Tussing said. "You're getting that fresh-made dough every day that's proofed in the store, and then we put the edge-to-edge cheese on it as it's proofing, and then we build the pizzas and put it through the ovens.
"When it comes out, you'll see this almost dual-layer of tans and browns. That's dough cheese that's caramelized. Give me that perfect rise that's almost an inch rise on that crust."
Tussing said the corners of Detroit-style pizza are the most prized part.
"Texture, flavor, saltiness — it's all part of our crust that I don't think you get in the average pizza. That's part of what makes it truly special. … We set that standard 77 years ago."
Tussing has reverence for that standard and holds the brand to its legacy at all its locations, not just the iconic original 6 Mile location in Detroit, which is still running strong.
Still, when Pizza Marketplace spoke to Tussing, he said there had been a P!nk concert downtown and the store was "on fire" before and after the event. Celebrities often visit Buddy's Pizza, making it a brand that's part of the fabric that makes up Detroit. "Not a lot of brands have that kind of legacy and heritage," Tussing said. "A lot of brands would die to have this kind of connection with customers and employees."
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Photo courtesy of Buddy's Pizza. |
On the menu
Aside from create-your-owns, Buddy's specialty pizzas are the most popular. There are 12 to 15 on the menu at any given time. The Detroit Public TV is a top seller with original pepperoni under the brand's Motor City cheese blend and Old-World pepperoni on top. The Detroiter has Wisconsin brick cheese, pepperoni, tomato basil sauce, shaved parmesan cheese and Buddy's Sicilian spice blend. The Margherita, with Wisconsin brick cheese, diced tomatoes, garlic, oregano, fresh basil, Asiago cheese and tomato basil sauce, is popular as a vegetarian option.
The brand makes three different varieties of dough in each store daily, including a multi-grain and a gluten-free. The signature Buddy Bread uses its own type of flour and a different proofing process from the brand's pizzas.
Buddy's opts to use a proprietary Wisconsin brick cheese rather than a traditional mozzarella. It's brought in in 40-pound bricks and crumbled fresh.
"We believe things are better when they're made by hand and from the heart," Tussing added, "and I think that's what you see and what you experience and what you taste. Our employees know how their hands and hearts go into making a better pizza that the consumers are loving."
Buddy's offers premium pizzas; it's not a discounted brand, so it needs to earn that premium price, Tussing pointed out. Even items like chicken fingers, which are dredged in-house, are a premium product.
"It is more like a handmade kitchen experience overall in the stores," Tussing said.
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Photo courtesy of Buddy's Pizza. |
Operations
The brand has 22 locations, so ensuring consistency across the brand is paramount. That's where Buddy's operations teams come into play. All the stores are corporately owned, and the ops team works closely with general managers, including holding meetings quarterly. The ops team is in stores weekly making sure all teams are on the same pages. Kitchen managers are responsible for and oversee all the care and craft that goes into the work. Tussing also hired a chief operating officer, Joe Dominiak, when he came in as CEO.
"As we scale, it's critical that we maintain that high standard of product and experience that we set 77 years ago," he said, adding it should feel like customers are dining at Buddy's original downtown Detroit store no matter which location they're patronizing.
Much of that falls on the staff, making sure they're aware and focusing on the exceptional service and food for which the brand has becoming synonymous. Managers should be walking the floor and talking to tables, Tussing said, and having touches with the customers. "It really matters to show that you care," he said.
Also, company leadership has brought in in new systems to help with the coursing of food so it's getting to the tables on time and better helping the BoH and FoH synch together.
The consumer is changing, and the brand respects the foundation on which it's built, so marrying the two has become a critical component to Buddy's operations. "We need to change to meet the consumer and where their expectations are," Tussing said, "but you've got to be careful. Sometimes brands change just to try to meet a consumer, but they're fundamentally moving in a way that doesn't connect to who they are. You've got to be mindful of where you come from to understand the consumer and you've got to find that bridge between the two."
Growth
Private equity brand CapitalSpring bought Buddy's Pizza in 2018. Tussing said the company is deep in the restaurant space and owns a number of macro brands. CapitalSpring has helped accelerate the brand's growth. Former CEO Robert Jacobs still hold a portion of the company as well.
A store is expected to open in Canton, Michigan, around the holidays. Buddy's also recently became the official pizza of University of Michigan athletics and will be served at the university's stadiums, and with fans coming to the games from out of state it will give the company even broader reach. "It's great to have an equity that already is traveling more than, frankly, our physical footprint is," Tussing said.
The brand also plans to grow into some specialty grocery stores in Michigan as well.
"What the grocers like about us is a heritage, iconic brand with a distinctive story that charges a premium and with a premium product," Tussing said. "It's a great solution for them and their stores."
About Mandy Wolf Detwiler
Mandy Wolf Detwiler is the managing editor at Networld Media Group and the site editor for PizzaMarketplace.com and QSRweb.com. She has more than 20 years’ experience covering food, people and places.
An award-winning print journalist, Mandy brings more than 20 years’ experience to Networld Media Group. She has spent nearly two decades covering the pizza industry, from independent pizzerias to multi-unit chains and every size business in between. Mandy has been featured on the Food Network and has won numerous awards for her coverage of the restaurant industry. She has an insatiable appetite for learning, and can tell you where to find the best slices in the country after spending 15 years traveling and eating pizza for a living.
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