Neapolitan Express is carrying the momentum of its successful eco-friendly mobile Neapolitan Pizzeria into an agreement with Fransmart, the global leader in franchising innovative fast casual restaurants. The company, which uses the organic, 100-percent non-GMO ingredients, free from additives and preservatives, will now be available as a franchise investment opportunity through the development company behind the explosive growth of brands like Five Guys and Qdoba Mexican Grill. Neapolitan Express has plans to develop 300 franchise units, including both brick and mortars and food trucks, within the next three years.
In addition to a fleet of mobile pizzerias powered exclusively by Clean Energy Fuels Corp., Neapolitan Express opened two company restaurant locations in New York City; including one in Harlem on East 111th Street and the recently opened flagship location at 40 Wall Street in the iconic Trump Building as the first pizzeria to ever open on Wall Street.
Each Neapolitan Express unit contains a hand-built electric Italian oven, powered by clean CNG, capable of reaching more than 900 degrees and producing the highest-quality Neapolitan-style pizza in less than 90 seconds. Combining the talents of world champion pizzaiolo Giulio Adriani, director of culinary for Neapolitan Express, state-of-the-art technology, and cutting-edge, green initiatives, Neapolitan Express is uniquely positioned to become a leader in the fastest growing sector in the food industry.
"We have been fortunate to have various industry innovators like Clean Energy Fuels as a partner, and now with Fransmart, has helped our company grow from a single pizza truck into a national franchise brand,” says Max Crespo, founder of Neapolitan Express and Move Systems. “The fast casual sector is seeing explosive growth. We feel that Neapolitan Express is uniquely positioned where the public is headed — delivering the highest quality product, free from additives and preservatives and produced in an environmentally responsible way."
“Neapolitan Express is the next big thing in fast casual pizza, says Fransmart CEO, Dan Rowe. “We are excited about this brand because they are able to deliver a top-rated pizza in the demanding New York City market.”
“Neapolitan Express represents the best of New York with its superior tasting pizza and its desire to deliver it to customers in a sustainable manner,” says Peter Grace, Clean Energy Fuels senior vice president for sales. “We’re honored to include Fransmart’s deep franchising capabilities to the partnership to expand Neapolitan’s delicious food and the benefits of operating with clean, less-expensive natural gas to new areas of the country.”
The first Neapolitan Express food truck was launched in 2012 with the support of then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg and energy innovator T. Boone Pickens. The company aims to lead the modernization of the dining industry through an emphasis on the highest quality product, environmental impact, and public wellness. The Neapolitan Express goal is to create the original 19th-century classic Neapolitan Pizza, using eco-friendly 21st-century technology.
As the global leader in the development of restaurant franchises, Fransmart has a strong track record of expanding forward-thinking restaurants into global brands. Their current and past portfolio brands have opened restaurants in more than 35 countries. Through both company expansion and franchising, Neapolitan Express is seeking out territories in key markets like D.C., Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago, while continuing to expand in their home market of New York.
