Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza Opens Fifth Indiana Location Today, Celebrates with Free Pizza Giveaway Tomorrow

FT. WAYNE, IN--(Marketwired - Aug 21, 2017) - The fastest growing restaurant in history, Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza, has opened its fifth Indiana location in Ft. Wayne today. The fast-casual artisanal pizza concept, located at the corner of Coliseum and Coldwater at 401 E. Coliseum Blvd., will give away free pizzas tomorrow (Tuesday, August 22) from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. Anyone who follows Blaze Pizza on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat will get a free 11-inch, build-your-own pizza with any toppings.

Blaze Pizza is a modern day "pizza joint" serving up artisanal pizzas that are both fast and affordable. Each restaurant features an interactive open-kitchen format that allows guests to customize one of the menu's signature pizzas or create their own, choosing from a wide selection of carefully sourced, high-quality ingredients -- all for around $8. The generously-sized personal pizzas are then sent to a blazing hot open-flame oven, the centerpiece of the restaurant, where dedicated pizzasmiths fast-fire the thin crust pies in just 180 seconds.

"Ft. Wayne is the ideal place for Indiana's next Blaze Pizza," said Rodney Walker, Owner and President of Blaze Midwest, Inc. "Blaze offers a high-quality, quick, and affordable pizza option that's perfect for diners on-the-go. We look forward to becoming a part of the Ft. Wayne community and hope to see many new faces during tomorrow's Free Pizza Day event."

Blaze Midwest Inc., which continues to develop the concept throughout Indiana, has five other locations in the state including two in Indianapolis, one in Carmel and one in South Bend. Blaze Pizza's authenticity, coupled with its focus on the happiness and satisfaction of every individual guest and team member, has been fundamental to the concept's popularity and expansion in Indiana and beyond.

Each restaurant makes their own dough from scratch using a recipe developed by critically-acclaimed Executive Chef Bradford Kent (the "Pizza Whisperer"), which requires a 24-hour fermentation period to produce his signature light-as-air, crisp crust. All of the pizza and salad ingredients are free of artificial flavors, colors and preservatives, and for pizza fans with specific dietary needs, Blaze Pizza offers gluten-free dough and vegan cheese. 

The Ft. Wayne location, driven by its commitment to "Intelligent Choices for Our Pizzas, People & Planet," was constructed using recycled and sustainable materials, uses eco-friendly packaging, and features energy-efficient LED lighting. The 2,850-square-foot restaurant includes 60 interior seats with 30 more seats on an outdoor patio. Award-winning design architect Ana Henton has added several special touches to the restaurant, including an oversized wall mural custom-built to fit the space. Hours of operation are 10:30 am to 11:00 pm Sunday through Thursday, and 10:30 am to 12:00 am Friday and Saturday.

Blaze Midwest Inc. looks forward to growing strong roots within the community. To that end, the company has developed a turn-key in-restaurant fundraiser program that returns 20 percent of an event's proceeds back to local organizations. For more information on fundraising, please visit www.blazepizza.com/fundraising.

About Blaze Midwest, Inc.
Operating under the umbrella of Northland Investments, Blaze Midwest, Inc. and its sister companies Mariane, Inc., Bells & Birds, Inc. and OC Michigan, Inc. own and operate a total of 19 fast-casual, 49 quick-serve and 4 casual dining restaurants spanning four states, including Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. Formed in 1987, Northland Investments collective has nearly 1,800 team members currently employed at its various locations.

About Blaze Pizza
The first Blaze Pizza^® restaurant opened on Aug. 6, 2012, in Irvine, Calif., and quickly gained attention for its chef-driven recipes, thoughtful interior design, and a service culture that celebrates individuality. Recently named '#1 Brand of the Year' in the 2017 Fast Casual Top 100, the fast-growing chain currently operates over 200 restaurants in 34 states and Canada, including the major metropolitan areas of Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Las Vegas, Boston, and Toronto. Founded by Elise and Rick Wetzel (co-founder of Wetzel's Pretzels), the concept is backed by private equity firm Brentwood Associates and founding investors that include LeBron James, Maria Shriver, movie producer John Davis and Boston Red Sox co-owner Tom Werner. For more information, visit www.blazepizza.com or www.facebook.com/blazepizza or click here to view a company video.

Blaze Pizza®, Fast-Fire'd®, the horizontal logo design, and the proprietary names "Pizzasmith," "Intelligent Choices for Our Pizzas, People & Planet" and related trademarks are the property of Blaze Pizza LLC.