Naked Pizza signs franchise deals for Florida, Colorado

In a success story for the Greater New Orleans region that tastes good – and is good for the economy, too – NakedPizza has awarded area development rights for 58 units in Central and South Florida and Boulder, Colo. in its first stage of expansion. Co-founded by anthropologist Jeff Leach and investment banker Randy Crochet, the New Orleans-based firm seeks to offer a healthy, functional alternative to the traditional pizza chain. “Fast food is arguably the most successful commercial enterprise in the world in terms of marketing, product, distribution, and economies of scale,” Leach says. “We’re hijacking that with a pizza that is physiologically aligned with the way people should eat – that offers health instead of harm and that’s contributing to epidemics of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and unsustainable healthcare costs.” Since forming in 2006, NakedPizza has operated from a 498-square-foot shop near Tulane University. Despite its simple and unadorned furnishings, the company has been widely covered in the media. Its unique concept and popularity has attracted investment from billionaire Mark Cuban and The Kraft Group, and the company unveiled plans for expansion in September 2009. Since then, NakedPizza has received 3,000 franchising inquiries and expects to enter into area development contracts for most major national markets by the end of 2010. “NakedPizza is an example of how a good idea plus a great team can lead to a huge success,” says Michael Hecht, President & CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc. “When NakedPizza is operating across the country, it will help millions of Americans eat better and live better, and remind them how New Orleans can cook up extraordinary companies.”