RED BANK, NJ--(Marketwire - 10/11/10) - Cono Italiano, Inc. (OTC.BB:CNOZ - News), the exclusive license holder for the North American Distribution and Manufacturing rights of "pizza cono," a one-of-a kind, cone-shaped pizza, is pleased to announce being featured on CEOCFO to discuss the future of the company.
Retail
Specialty Restaurants
(OTC.BB:CNOZ - News)
Cono Italiano, Inc.
10 Main Street
Keyport, NJ 07735
Phone: 1-877-330-2666
Mitchell Brown
Chief Executive Officer
Company Profile:
Cono Italiano, Inc. owns the North American distribution and manufacturing rights for Pizza Cono. This Pizza Cone is designed to be a drip free, spill free cone-shaped pizza made of proprietary dough and filled with freshly selected ingredients. The Company intends that the Pizza Cone will be distributed through the fast food market. The Pizza Cone will be distributed to quick-service restaurants (QSR), takeaways, and leisure locations. These establishments include typical fast food chains, supermarkets, convenience stores, entertainment facilities and sports arenas.
Interview conducted by: Lynn Fosse, Senior Editor, CEOCFOinterviews.com, Published - September 22, 2010
CEOCFO: Mr. Brown, what is the concept behind Cono Italiano?
Mr. Brown: Cono Italiano is a cone-shaped pizza product designed to be consumed on the go.
CEOCFO: How do you get pizza in the cone so that it doesn't drip?
Mr. Brown: With our Pizza Cone the bottom is sealed off and a rounded bottom that is designed to be drip-free. So it is filled with cheese and sauce, layered to the top, and it prevents any spilling or dripping from the bottom of the cone.
We use a low-fat mozzarella cheese, which prevents the oil from building up like the regular mozzarella cheese, which prevents the cone from having a drip or spilling. Therefore, when you bake it, it forms together with the cheese and the sauce.
CEOCFO: Where is Cono in the commercialization process?
Mr. Brown: We are presently developing our Cones in a bakery in Brooklyn, New York. These are empty cones that are being filled with fresh ingredients from the licenses that we currently have. In the next sixty to ninety days we will be filling cones at a manufacturing plant, to be sold in a retail package. The ingredients will be filled inside of the cone, packaged, and frozen. Then they will be sold to convenience stores and supermarkets.
CEOCFO: It is usually quite difficult to get shelf space; how will you overcome that?
Mr. Brown: We have had preliminary meetings with a few convenience stores, but we have not secured any shelf space as of yet. The fact is that we do not have a finished product yet, but we feel confident that with the uniqueness of the product, and the reception that we received, the retailers will be very receptive to what we have to offer.
CEOCFO: You also expect to be doing this through quick service restaurants?
Mr. Brown: We hope to have some of the quick service restaurants use the product as part of the menu items. We can fill our cones with various types of ingredients, not just pizza but egg and cheese, meatballs, tacos, and vegetables. All various types of foods can be consumed using this product.
CEOCFO: How does your product compare to the wraps that are out there?
Mr. Brown: Wraps have been around for a while, but our cone has less sodium and less calories. In addition, it is a closed vessel, which allows the food to be inside the cone and prevents food from dropping out.
CEOCFO: How long did it take to develop the concept?
Mr. Brown: The product was developed in 2001 in Italy. In 2008, I purchased the North American rights and have been doing my own R&D for the last two years. I've been working on how to cook it, prepare it, and manufacture it.
CEOCFO: How are you driving attention to the product today, and how do you plan to do it as you go forward?
Mr. Brown: We have had several publications write stories on us. We were featured in the New York Times, and we did a taste test for AOL that was written up on Slashfood. In addition, the company is releasing news releases on a weekly basis nationally.
CEOCFO: What is the financial picture like for Cono Italiano today?
Mr. Brown: The company was privately financed to this point. We are now a publicly traded company under the ticker symbol CNOZ, and we are going out to secure financing to take us to the next level.
CEOCFO: Are people excited by the concept?
Mr. Brown: They are excited about it. The reception has been phenomenal. In a short period of time we have had several inquiries; we have several new customers. It is just starting to catch on here in the United States.
CEOCFO: You have the North American rights, but where exactly will you be rolling your Pizza Cones out?
Mr. Brown: Our rights include the United States, Mexico, and Canada. We are located in New York and will be rolling out to the customers in our region, but we will be going national. The product can be sold in stores such as Target, Costco, Walmart; any box store that sells frozen food or convenience stores that sell frozen or prepared food.
CEOCFO: What is your distribution strategy?
Mr. Brown: The company will be using food distributors and selling direct to the National and Regional supermarkets and Convenience stores.
CEOCFO: Will they all be filled or will you be selling the cones as well?
Mr. Brown: The cones will be offered both ways, filled and unfilled. Some customers may prefer to fill it with fresh ingredients, but our business model is based on a filled cone sold frozen.
CEOCFO: Do you have your team in place?
Mr. Brown: We have individuals in place for the initial launch, but we will need to bring on additional people to grow the brand.
CEOCFO: Why is Cono Italiano a good investment for potential investors?
Mr. Brown: Cono Italiano is a new company, with a new concept that is being introduced into the market, although it has been available in Europe for the last 9 years. We are introducing a new and unique way to consume food while on the go. We all know what happened when the wrap was introduced; we believe we can become the next wrap.
CEOCFO: Do you have franchises and licenses that you are selling as well?
Mr. Brown: We have five licenses located in Pittsburgh, Virginia, Ohio and Tennessee. They presently sell the product and buy empty shells and fill them with fresh ingredients.
CEOCFO: So you are off to a good start!
Mr. Brown: Yes, we feel we are moving in the right direction. We have laid the groundwork and the foundation the last two years to build the company and roll out the product.
Cono Italiano is a new company, with a new concept that is being introduced into the market, although it has been available in Europe for the last 9 years. We are introducing a new and unique way to consume food while on the go. We all know what happened when the wrap was introduced; we believe we can become the next wrap. - Mitchell Brown
About Cono Italiano, Inc.:
Cono Italiano, Inc. owns the North American distribution and manufacturing rights for Pizza Cono. This Pizza Cone is designed to be a drip free, spill free cone-shaped pizza made of proprietary dough and filled with freshly selected ingredients. The Company intends that the Pizza Cone will be distributed through the fast food market. The Pizza Cone will be distributed to quick-service restaurants (QSR), takeaways, and leisure locations. These establishments include typical fast food chains, supermarkets, convenience stores, entertainment facilities and sports arenas. For more information please visit www.conoitaliano.com
http://www.ceocfointerviews.com/
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on currently available competitive, financial and economic data and management's views and assumptions regarding future events. Actual results may differ materially from forward looking statements due to various factors beyond the control of the Company. For further information regarding risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's business, please refer to the Company's filings which are publicly available on the website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
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