Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza to Open Fourth Triangle Location in Durham Thursday, February 22; Will Offer Free Pizzas to Blaze Fans Friday, February 23

DURHAM, N.C., Feb. 19, 2018 -- What’s better than a free throw? How about a free pizza? Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza announced today that its fourth Triangle-area location will open on Thursday, February 22. The new location in Durham, at 5320 McFarland Dr. across the street from Home Depot, will offer free pizzas to anyone who follows Blaze Pizza on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat on Friday, February 23, from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm.

Blaze Pizza's Signature Green Stripe Pizza

Blazin’ Blue, the franchisee developing the concept throughout parts of North Carolina, has run a full court press since opening their first location in Morrisville in 2015 (1024 Market Center Dr.). Since then, the franchise group has opened three other locations in the Triangle-area, in Garner (140 Cabela Dr.), Holly Springs (316 Grand Hill Pl.) and now Durham. The new 2,650-square-foot restaurant includes seating for 60 inside and an additional 40 seats on an exterior patio.

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.

“Whether you’re a Blue Devil or a Tar Heel, Blaze Pizza has something for everyone,” said Mike Reed, District Manager for Blazin’ Blue. “At Blaze, guests can create, connect and enjoy pizza at a price that won’t draw a foul.”

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 – reaching over 200 locations in just 5 years and recently making the rank of fastest growing restaurant in history.

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 new Blaze Pizza will also offer a selection local North Carolina draft beers on tap.

Blaze Pizza’s obsessive attention to detail extends well beyond the food, with a carefully considered, modern approach to restaurant design.  Driven by its commitment to “Intelligent Choices for Our Pizzas, People & Planet,” the restaurant is constructed with recycled and sustainable materials, uses eco-friendly packaging, and features energy-efficient LED lighting.  Additionally, the new restaurant features an over-sized wall mural with odes to Duke University and UNC.

Blazin’ Blue 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, visit www.blazepizza.com/fundraising.

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 248 restaurants in 35 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.

Media Contact 
Rachel Albritton: 502.905.5170
[email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4a1d1d89-0893-42e1-b87e-a80f43359734