A revolution is underway in the world of fast food and four months ago, it reached Ewing in the form of the social media-savvy, health-obsessed pizzeria, Naked Pizza.
New Orleans entrepreneurs Randy Crotchet and Jeff Leach have upheld the qualities that we have come to know and love about fast food, but they intend to be the solution to the obesity epidemic rather than become another contributor to it.
They must be doing something right, because their small restaurant, originally located in an area damaged by Hurricane Katrina and called “The World’s Healthiest Pizza,” has grown into the bold, quirky Naked Pizza brand that currently has over 450 locations in 10 different states.
They have kept the quick delivery: Pizza can be delivered hot to your home or dorm in roughly 25 minutes. You can still have it your way, but good luck personalizing your pie — it’s not easy deciding from three different types of crust (including gluten-free), three different cheeses, three different sauces, 15 different fresh vegetable toppings and five different meat toppings. Can’t decide? Go with one of their recommended favorites such as the “Pima,” which contains chicken, black beans, jalapeño and cheddar cheese. Prices range anywhere between $10-20 dollars depending on size and topping.
What sets them apart from the rest of the 30-billion-dollar pizza industry is their commitment to wholesome, healthy ingredients that do not sacrifice taste and do not leave you feeling greasy, sluggish and immediately regretful when you are finished. Calling it “Naked” is simply a sexier way of calling it natural.
“A big donut slathered with tomato sauce,” is how they refer to their competition. More conventional crust is made from white flour that is stripped of all its nutrients — the same flour used in baked goods and donuts that is processed in your body the same way. Naked’s superior crust is made from a ten-grain blend of the healthiest grains, including oats, brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, teff, spelt, tapioca and two kinds of wheat. Their crust also contains probiotics, beneficial bacteria that are found in yogurt and aid in healthy digestion. Naked’s sauce, cheese and meat are just as naked because they contain no “freaky chemicals.”
To be honest, the revolution of Naked Pizza has very little to do with pizza. They are starting a movement and pizza is simply their vehicle. What better way to prove to Americans that healthy alternatives do exist than to prove it with the most loved American food of them all?
“We’ll use this pizza to have a larger conversation with you about the food supply,” Leach told the New York Times.
How are they spreading their message? Through social media, of course. Why else would the trendy, vibrant lime green and white store be equipped with iPads to play around with while you wait? “Social media is about authentic dialogue between you and us … full frontal, no secrets,” writes Naked Pizza in its advertising brochure.
Show them some love on Facebook or tweet at them on Twitter and you can expect a response.
“You’ll know we’re real people with an opinion and we expect the same of you. Give it to us straight, we’ll do the same — promise, friendo,” they state on their website.
Try getting Naked for yourself. Visit them at 1400 Parkway Ave, Ewing to pick up your pizza, or call — they are more than happy to deliver to hungry College students.
