Pizza Fusion recently announced their pursuit of independent, third-party organic restaurant certification for all their restaurants upon receiving certification at their Fort Lauderdale, Florida location. Quality Assurance International (QAI), the third-party certifier conducting Pizza Fusion's certifications, verifies the strict standards set forth by the USDA's National Organic Program via on-site inspections to validate the use of organic ingredients and menu selections with consistency and integrity in the certification process. To date, Pizza Fusion Fort Lauderdale is one of only four restaurants in the U.S. to receive Organic Restaurant Certification.

"The Organic Trade Association sees this move as exciting news. Organic certification is a big step for foodservice operations and helps meet increasing consumer interest in accessing certified organic products where they shop and where they eat," says David Gagnon, interim executive director for the Organic Trade Association.

QAI's certification ensures ingredients are organic while providing verification of food preparation area management and comprehensive organic planning. This verification declares to restaurant patrons that Pizza Fusion upholds the highest organic standards and that the organic integrity of their menu selections is assured from seed to table. Pizza Fusion's adoption of Organic Restaurant Certification builds upon their industry leading approach to quality, including being the only restaurant chain to build all their restaurants to LEED certification standards.

"We chose QAI for their solid reputation for a high attention to detail and strict commitment to quality throughout the certification process," states Vaughan Lazar, CEO and co-founder of Pizza Fusion. "QAI will be instrumental in sustaining our commitment to the organic authenticity of our food throughout our national expansion."