Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza Opens First Middle East Location at The Avenues in Kuwait

LOS ANGELES, March 22, 2018 -- Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza, the recognized world leader in fast artisanal pizza, today announced that it has opened its first location in the Middle East at The Avenues in Kuwait City, Kuwait.  The build-your-own pizza chain, known for its chef-driven recipes and fun, modern restaurants, also announced that a total of six locations are scheduled to open this year in Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.  The new Middle East restaurants are being built and operated by the M.H. Alshaya Co. under an exclusive development agreement that provides for the opening of 100 Blaze Pizza outlets in 11 countries including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt and Morocco.

Blaze Pizza Signature Green Stripe Pizza

The Avenues is one of the top shopping and leisure destinations in the region, attracting more than 20 million visitors each year and is rated the number one “thing to do” in Kuwait by TripAdvisor.  Recently, the mall has undergone a major expansion, growing its offerings to more than 1,200 retail stores, restaurants, cinemas and hotels.  Featuring artisanal pizzas with unlimited toppings at one low price, the new Blaze Pizza restaurant spans over 3,300 square feet with seating for 100 guests.  This will be the brand’s flagship location in the Middle East.

“The Avenues is the perfect location to introduce our brand to the Middle East,” said Jim Mizes, president and CEO of Blaze Pizza.  “We know that the Blaze brand will resonate with guests around the globe and are committed to its international expansion. We're just getting started."

Blaze Pizza is a modern day “pizza joint,” serving up artisanal pizzas that are both fast and affordable.  With fans lining up each day for their custom-built pizzas, freshly made salads, blood orange lemonade and s’more pies, the innovative fast-casual concept has quickly become one of the hottest restaurant chains in the country.  Each Blaze Pizza 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 fresh, “clean” ingredients – all for one low price.  The generously-sized personal pizzas are then sent to a blazing hot open-flame oven – the centerpiece of the restaurant – where dedicated pizzasmiths ensure the thin-crust pies are fast-fire’d and ready to eat in just 180 seconds.  Restaurants make fresh dough from scratch using a proprietary recipe developed by Executive Chef Bradford Kent (the “Pizza Whisperer”), which requires a 24-hour fermentation period to produce his signature light-as-air, crisp crust.  For pizza fans with specific dietary needs, Blaze Pizza offers gluten-free dough and vegan cheese.

In addition to providing Blaze’s core menu, the Kuwait location also features locally inspired offerings, including halal meats, roasted eggplant and mint lemonade.

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 250 restaurants in 40 states and Canada, including the major metropolitan areas of Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Miami, 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.

Media Contact:
Blaze Pizza, LLC
Josh Levitt, 949-981-0757
[email protected]

Blaze Pizza®, fast-fire'd®, the horizontal logo design, the proprietary name "pizzasmith" and related trademarks are the property of Blaze Pizza LLC.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dfd728f1-d3ff-4005-8014-9a78911f8fbe