Trois-Rivières, Monday, June 21, 2021 - Building on the immense success of its vinaigrette, the flagship restaurant of the Mauricie, Le Grec, offers Quebecers across the province the famous pizza that has made it famous for 62 years . From now on, the public will be able to find in several grocery stores in the province, the flavors of the Greek thanks to delicious frozen pizzas.
Company owners Ioanna and Dimitris Yannopoulos opened their new frozen pizza factory last Friday in Carrefour 40-55 industrial park in Trois-Rivières. Creating ten new full-time jobs, the project represents a considerable investment of $ 4.8 million. Annually, nearly 1.6 million frozen pizzas will be made at the Trois-Rivières factory in the following flavors: all dressed, pepperoni and cheese, plain and, of course, the Greek special.
A PILOT PROJECT BORN IN THE FULL PANDEMIC
The Le Grec manufacture follows a pilot project launched in June 2020, at the heart of the health crisis, where several grocery stores in Mauricie had agreed to market the first version of the product to test the market. For this preliminary launch, the equipment and staff of the restaurant in the Pointe-du-Lac sector were called upon to test the manufacture of frozen pizzas. Although this was a new product for the company, the success was instantaneous!
“Our frozen pizza even broke a sales record for a new product at a major supermarket chain. The parent company therefore placed an order for 120,000 pizzas, with a retail value of $ 1 million, "said Dimitris Yannopoulos. "For our official launch, we plan to use the same distribution network that allowed Le Grec vinaigrette to achieve a 10% market share in a very short period of time in the grocery store," explains Mr. Yannopoulos.
The mayor of Trois-Rivières, Jean Lamarche, praised Ioanna and Dimitris Yannopoulos, who dared to test a new business model in the midst of a pandemic, a winning bet! “Grec's pizza is an institution in Trois-Rivières, and people also come from all over to have the chance to taste it. Today, I am proud that this typically Trois-Rivières product is found in grocery baskets across Quebec, ”says Mr. Lamarche.
A MAJOR PROJECT
The layout plan for the new workspaces was carried out in collaboration with the firm Laporte Consultants and its engineers specializing in pharmaceutical, agrifood and industrial plant projects. "The equipment chosen and the layout of the production space meet all government, environmental and safety requirements, in addition to allowing the most faithful reproduction of the famous Le Grec pizza. In addition, we have a quality control process with a laboratory, ”explains Mr. Yannopoulos.
Covering more than 20,000 square feet, Le Grec is located in a brand new industrial motel located at 3550 L.-P.-Normand, in the Carrefour 40-55 industrial park. The building was recovered as part of IDE Trois-Rivières' real estate strategy.
The Le Grec manufacture received financial support from Desjardins, Investissement Québec, Canada Economic Development and CAE Laprade.
A PROJECT RESPECTING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Anxious to meet the highest standards related to sustainable development, Le Grec's team has incorporated environmental and socially responsible values ??into the project. These values ??are reflected, among other things, in the layout of premises, production, supply, management of material and human resources as well as its relations with its customers and suppliers. At the operational level, it favors, for example, reducing consumption, recycling, reducing packaging, purchasing certified organic products, measures for the healthy use of water and energy. and electronic modes of communication that reduce paper consumption.
ABOUT THE GREEK RESTAURANT BAIE-JOLIE
Founded in 1959 by Catherine Xenos and Dimitris Dédopoulos, the Greek Baie-Jolie passed into the hands of their nephew Constant Yannopoulos in 1995, then of the latter's wife and children in 2009. In 2012, the Greek launched his first produced in the supermarket, its vinaigrette, which will be very popular. In 2017, he also opened a first counter-restaurant, Y Pizza, on boulevard des Forges in Trois-Rivières.
