Operations

Ledo Pizza helped put Maryland-style pizza on the map

Ledo Pizza, based in Maryland, helped put the state's pizza style on the map. The legacy pizza brand has been around since 1955 and has grown to 116 units along the East Coast.

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October 12, 2022

We know Chicago and New York have their pizza styles. So, too, does New Haven, St. Louis and Old Forge. But Maryland? Yes, says Ledo Pizza, which helped create the pizza style way back in 1955.

Ledo Pizza was founded by Bob Beall right next to the University of Maryland in a town called Adelphi. It started as one location, with licensing beginning in 1986. Now the brand has 116 locations stretching from New York City to Tampa, Florida.

The Beall family still owns Ledo Pizza and the company is helmed by CEO Jamie Beall, grandson of the founder.

Ledo Pizza is known for its rectangular-shaped pizza using a thin pastry crust with a sweet sauce and smoked provolone cheese. It's similar to St. Louis-style pizza but Will Robinson, chief marketing officer for Ledo Pizza calls it Maryland-style.

Will Robinson, chief marketing officer for Ledo Pizza

Of their 116 units, all are franchised, primarily made up of single-unit and two-unit owner/operators. "They're families from the local community that decided they loved Ledo Pizza and wanted to open one in their town," Robinson said in a phone interview.

The brand has a robust carryout business, which accounts for nearly 75% of sales. Prior to the pandemic it was about 50% dine-in and 50% carryout. The brand does not offer delivery with the exception of New York City, which Ledo Pizza needs to compete. They have their own drivers in NYC and are on the third-party delivery platforms.

The brand works with Performance Food Group to move product, and Robinson said having a good relationship with their vendors is critical, especially for expansion. With 76 locations in Maryland, and a number of units around the Carolinas and Florida, "working with a distributor that can handle our core market plus the sprinklings is extremely important," Robinson added. "Especially now with the supply chain (issues). It's crazy."

Robinson said the supply chain issues the brand faced has lightened over where it was a year ago. He said they struggled to get "almost everything," especially pizza boxes and equipment for new restaurants.

"Our build-out timeline has nearly doubled since the pandemic," Robinson said.

On the menu

The Meatlovers Pizza, which features pepperoni, sausage and meatballs is Ledo Pizza's top seller. The company uses a thick-cut pepperoni that helps it stand out and make the pepperoni a favorite as well. The pepperoni is so large, each slice of pepperoni gets its own piece.

"We use fresh sausage," Robinson said. "Not many places use actual fresh, raw sausage and it cooks as it goes through the oven."

Then there are non-traditional craft pizzas, like the Korean Chicken Pizza which includes Ledo's signature sauce topped with smoked provolone cheese and Gochujang marinated chicken and drizzled with Gochujang pepper sauce. It's garnished with pickled red onions and pickled carrots. The Italian White Pizza, also a fan favorite, features a garlic herb aioli sauce, Italian fontina, smoked provolone, Parmesan and asiago cheeses.

Dough is made fresh in-house every two hours. "That's the only way we really know how to do it," Robinson said. "We use a pastry crust, so it's not like a typical pizza crust. It doesn't rise in the same fashion. We don't need to proof it … and it's hand-rolled." Pizza accounts for nearly 75% of sales.

Appetizers range from jumbo wings to a Bavarian soft pretzel, cheesy garlic bread and spicy toasted ravioli. Ledo also offers salads subs, calzones, gyros and pasta dishes.

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Operations

How is the company maintaining continuity across the brand as it grows? Ledo Pizza has built a regional manager program, with each regional manager in charge of 20 stores. They work with franchisees on product consistency, training and local store marketing.

There are six units in the pipeline to be finished by the first quarter of 2023. One store is located in Virginia, another in the D.C. area and one in Florida. Next year, Robinson said Ledo hopes to open 16 restaurants.

"Our brand seems to be on a roll right now," Robinson said. "People are very interested in our product and our franchise offering."

The pandemic favors the carryout business, and that's what Ledo's all about. "We have a very strong carryout business," Robinson said.

Recruitment and retention still remain a soft point for Ledo Pizza post pandemic, and marketing seems to be helping with that challenge. The brand has held national hiring days with open interviews for potential employees.

The thin, buttery pastry dough is the biggest point of differentiation for the brand. "Our pizza crust is from 1955, so a lot of (folklore) is lost in history," Robinson sad. It's what sets Maryland pizza apart from a New York or Chicago pizza crust."