2012 sale and expansion plans
In September 2012,[10] Wheeler and Willey sold the company for an undisclosed amount to Mary Jane Riva, a longtime franchisee and a resident of Murrieta, California. Riva then became the new president and chief executive officer of the company, which had 111 restaurant locations in five western U.S. states. Riva had purchased her first Pizza Factory franchise in Murrieta in 1989; she later sold it, and had owned four other Pizza Factory restaurants, including two in California at the time that she took over the company. During the decade leading up to her company purchase, Riva had joined the Pizza Factory's marketing team and helped to expand the company's presence in southern California.
In January 2013, Riva had plans to reduce operating costs while increasing consumer traffic through television commercials and direct mail advertisements.[11] Riva also planned to open 15 to 20 new stores throughout the western United States by the end of 2013, with some locations in larger cities.[12] For each restaurant, Riva also launched an anti-bullying campaign known as "No Bully Zone", to raise awareness of school bullying. Riva had previously started the program at her Pizza Factory restaurant in Temecula, California in 2009.[13] T-shirts were sold at each restaurant location to promote the program.[12][14][15] The company's anti-bullying message was also promoted through billboards and school videos.[12]
Riva had plans to open 20 additional locations in 2014, and reached the halfway mark that June. The company received its first makeover that year with the unveiling of new dinnerware, menus, merchandise, and signs.[5] Riva also revived the company's concept of an open kitchen, allowing customers to watch as pizza dough is tossed by the cooks.[16] The company's slogan is, "We Toss 'Em, They're Awesome!"[17] By the end of 2014, Pizza Factory had plans to expand into Montana and Canada.[18] In 2015, the company's revenue totaled $60.3 million, nearly $10 million more than the previous year. In late October 2015, Pizza Factory reentered Oregon with the opening of a new location.[19]
In August 2016, Pizza Factory had 115 locations in six states: Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. Riva hoped to double the number of locations over the next five years. That month, the company announced plans to expand its presence in Twin Falls, Idaho.[20] At that time, while newer pizza chains had focused on Millennials as their target demographic, Pizza Factory remained focused on its concept of a restaurant for family and friends. Riva stated that some of the company's most successful restaurants were located in small towns. As of August 2016, Pizza Factory was the 41st largest chain in the United States.[21]
In March 2017, Pizza Factory announced plans to open a Montana location, in the city of Billings.[22] In June 2017, Pizza Factory announced plans to open a location in Kalispell, Montana, where they had previously operated a restaurant location approximately a decade earlier. The new plans were part of a growth strategy to expand the company with new restaurants in small towns located in five states: Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Texas, and Wyoming. Riva stated that while the company does not necessarily avoid metropolitan areas, most of its restaurants were located in cities with less than 25,000 residents.[23]
In August 2017, Pizza Factory partnered with the San Jose Sharks, a National Hockey League team. Through the partnership, Pizza Factory became the sole provider of pizza during events at San Jose's SAP Center, beginning the following month. The partnership also planned to raise awareness about the Pizza Factory's "No Bully Zone" program, and about men's health issues.[24] As of October 2017, the company has 110 restaurant locations.[13] Most recently, the company had signed a deal to open in California's Central Valley.[25]
