Mountain Mike’s Pizza, a leading California-based family-style pizza chain for more than 40 years, known for its legendary crispy, curly pepperonis, Mountain-sized pizzas, and dough made fresh daily, is continuing to expand its footprint in Utah. The acclaimed pizza brand has announced a multi-store deal with RVTC Enterprises LLC – owned by Utah residents and prominent area dairy farmers, Robert Viveiros and Tony Cabral. The agreement paves the way for Mountain Mike’s Pizza to add five stores throughout Utah County. RVTC is slated to open its first Mountain Mike’s restaurant in Orem before Christmas, which will be followed by a second location in Spanish Fork – scheduled to open next spring.
“Although Robert and Tony have been proud Utah residents for two decades, they hail from California where Mountain Mike’s Pizza began, and they have a long history of respect for the brand and appreciation for the sensational pizza, especially as longtime dairy farmers who know everything there is to know about quality, freshness and taste,” says Jamie Cabral, Operations Director for RVTC Enterprises LLC. “As we looked at expanding our family portfolio with businesses to complement dairy farming, we explored many franchise restaurant opportunities, but Mountain Mike’s Pizza stood out from the rest, especially given our desire to take a proven recipe for success and replicate it throughout bustling Utah communities.”
As Q3 ended, Mountain Mike’s continued posting strong 2021 sales gains, reporting third quarter increases in same store sales (SSS) of 10.2% and total system sales (TSS) of 19.7% over Q3 2020. AUVs for the brand are approaching $1.1 million systemwide with the top 25% of locations averaging more than $1.6 million and the top 50% averaging nearly $1.4 million. The brand also reported positive year-to-date sales gains with SSS increasing 14.4% and TSS jumping 23.3%.
“We are climbing the mountain alongside experienced and family-minded business leaders like Robert and Tony, whose considerable commitment and vision allow us to deliver our brand and our signature experience of enjoying ‘Pizza The Way it Oughta Be’ to great states like Utah,” says Jim Metevier, President and Chief Operating Officer of Mountain Mike’s Pizza. “As we track toward $250 million in total system sales and 250 locations, our valued franchise partners continue to fuel our expansion efforts, and we are excited to be an attractive business opportunity for potential new restaurateurs who see extraordinary value in our family- and community-focused brand.”
The past two years have shown that the time for qualified franchisees to pursue a successful, resilient and sought-after pizza concept like Mountain Mike’s Pizza has never been better. The pizza segment is booming, and the demand for Mountain Mike’s mouthwatering pizzas and family-friendly atmosphere is growing, especially in Utah where there is a need for more modern community-centric restaurants like Mountain Mike’s Pizza. With several multi-unit development deals already in motion in eight states throughout the Western U.S., a uniquely attractive opportunity awaits new franchisees interested in joining the Mountain Mike’s Pizza franchise family. Beyond Utah, the brand recently announced plans to develop in Colorado, Idaho and Texas as it continues to experience record sales and new unit growth.
