Thirty-five years ago, Bernard Imbeault and two of his pals cooked up a winning recipe for pizza using fresh hand-made dough and an exclusive mouth-watering sauce.

The result was the first Pizza Delight, a ramshackle take-out store in Shediac, New Brunswick, that became an instant hit.

Today, that recipe remains the foundation for a Pizza Delight chain of more than 114 restaurants serving piping hot pizza and other delectable delights to customers in Atlantic Canada and Ontario.

But that fabled pizza recipe is only half of the success story.

The other half is Imbeault’s winning franchise business recipe that has established the Pizza Delight brand as one of Canada’s largest and most successful restaurant chains with $55 million in annual sales.

Pizza Delight co-founder/chairman Bernard Imbeault’s business plan is every bit as appealing as the renowned taste of the restaurant chain’s pizza.

Here’s the real scoop, though.

That proven recipe of great food and great business is about to take the restaurant industry in Alberta by storm.

Yes, Pizza Delight has a treat in store for prospective franchisees as it moves west with its winning brand and sets its sights on franchising the business in Alberta, with restaurants already slated to open in Calgary and Fort Saskatchewan this year.

“Pizza Delight has definitely given us a recipe for success – both in the recipe for the pizza and the recipe for running our business,” says Graeme Gladwin, a delighted Pizza Delight franchisee in Bridgewater, N.S., since 1983.

Gladwin’s sentiments are echoed by many Pizza Delight franchisees.

Pizza Delight’s mission is simple: To be the best pizza place in town.

It strives for that goal simply by serving great-tasting food in comfortable surroundings.

In recent years, Pizza Delight spruced up its restaurants with a bright Mediterranean-style decor that has been a smash hit, earning rave reviews from customers and franchisees who have seen sales escalate by 25% or more.

“We believe that our restaurants will be a nice fit in Alberta, and that’s why we’ve made Alberta one of our prime targets,” says Imbeault, co-founder and chairman of the privately held company based in Moncton, N.B.

Although Pizza Delight takes food very seriously, it doesn’t take itself too seriously.

The restaurant tries to cultivate a friendly, intimate and family-oriented atmosphere to make its customers feel right at home.

“We’re an every-day type of restaurant, featuring pizza and a Mediterranean flavour, but we’re not trying to be trendy,” says Imbeault. “It’s a relaxing neighbourhood-style place.”

“It’s current and it’s nice, but there’s really no real attitude, and that’s why I think it will work so well in Alberta,” says Pizza Delight marketing director Craig Evans. “People tend to gravitate toward our restaurants because of our broad range of menu items (besides pizza, the restaurant serves plenty of pasta, chicken dishes and salads) and our unique ambiance.”

Most Pizza Delight franchisees become involved because of a desire to be self-employed, a desire to operate a food-service franchise or a desire to diversify existing franchise holdings with a new and popular brand.

Pizza Delight welcomes both individual owners and multi-franchise owners.

“The company has remained very disciplined with costs – the franchise costs are about half to a third of what a big casual restaurant would cost,” says Imbeault.

“The food cost is reasonable, the labour cost is reasonable and we try to keep the business formula fairly simple so an operator can follow the procedures. If the operator keeps costs in line, it will result in a good return.

“The total cost of a project is about $400,000, but you can come to the table with $125,000. Ours is still a very cost-effective way to get a full-service, full-size restaurant up and running.”

Pizza Delight has plenty of opportunities for new operators to achieve their goals and dreams within the Pizza Delight system.

“While we are proud of our past, we are even more excited about our future,” says Imbeault. “Times have changed, but the reason for our success hasn’t. We’re still trying to be the best pizza place in town.

“If you share our passion for success and like what you see in Pizza Delight, I hope we have the opportunity to meet and work together soon.”

Prospective franchise owners are encouraged to visit Pizza Delight at www.pizzadelight.com where they can peruse franchise information, check out the enticing menu and even catch a glimpse of the beautiful Mediterranean-style restaurants.

If you’re interested in operating a franchise with an all-round winning recipe, call Pier T. Furness at 1-877-853-0990 ext 117.