Newport Beach, Ca - 7 January, 2004 -

zpizza, the Southern California based gourmet pizza restaurant chain, is opening 40 plus restaurants in the Washington, DC metro. The company, which is owned in part by the founders of Alexandria, Virginia based Fransmart, plans to build company-owned restaurants in and around Alexandria and has already signed five multi-unit franchise agreements in Northern Virginia. Often referred to as the Baja Fresh or Panera Bread of the pizza industry, zpizza takes the unique approach to the crowded pizza segment by offering a large selection of premium quality and creative pizzas. "We have some of the highest sales volumes for restaurants our size and we make the best and most unique gourmet pizza anywhere," said Chris Bright, president of zpizza. Rick DeMarco, the former head of operations for California Pizza Kitchen and Toni Shizuru, former Director of Training for California Pizza Kitchen, have recently joined zpizza as COO and Director of Training respectively. Voted Best Crust on the Planet by the Los Angeles Times, zpizza has been a local staple in the Laguna Beach and Newport Beach area since 1986 and the Napoli pizza was recently listed in the "Top 20 Dishes" for 2003 by The Daily News of Los Angeles restaurant critic, Larry Lipson. The acclaim comes from zpizza's menu that offers 18 unique, exciting and adventurous pizzas as well as sandwiches, salads, calzones and the opportunity to create your own pizza with a selection of crusts, sauces, cheeses and toppings. There are 25 zpizza restaurants open in California and Nevada and another 60 units in development in California, Nevada, Arizona, and now the Washington, DC metro. zpizza is owned by Sid Fanarof, zpizza's original founder, as well as Chris Bright and Dan Rowe. Chris and Dan are also the owners of Fransmart, the Alexandria, Virginia based franchise development company, that has put over 100 new Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries restaurants into development in 2003.

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