Freshslice Pizza
| Freshslice.jpg | |
| Locally owned subsidiary | |
| Industry | Fast food |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Headquarters | Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada |
|
Key people
|
Ray J. Russell (founder and CEO) |
| Products | Pizza, Pasta, etc. |
| Website | http://www.freshslice.com |
Freshslice Pizza is a Canadian franchised pizza chain in Metro Vancouver consisting of 74 locations in the Lower Mainland and 1 location in Toronto as of 2016.[1] The first restaurant opened in 1999 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Today, Freshslice Pizza is the second largest pizza chain in British Columbia behind Panago in terms of locations open. This franchise has seen it's unit growth decline recently after peaking with over 80 units. This was highlighted by the closure of the entire Ontario market aside of a single location in 2016. Many legal issues and lawsuits have surrounded the brand and it's controversial founder Ray Russell since it's inception.
History
Ray J. Russell established Freshslice Pizza with a purpose of developing a new fast-food concept. His goal was to combine pizza delivery with self-serve dining.[1] The Freshslice franchising model is unique in that franchisees pay 0% royalty rates and 0% marketing royalties.
Freshslice was awarded the Consumer Choice Awards for Business Excellence in 2007, 2008 and 2009.[2][3] Following their award in 2009, the corporate team was involved in an physical altercation at the Consumer Choice Awards and the company was subsequently banned from further participation. In 2013 it was awarded the Best By The Slice in Vancouver by Georgia Straight Magazine.
Controversy and Legal Issues
In 2011 the company was issued a court order to pay $44,000 for hiring illegal workers.[4] Companies owened by Freshslice Pizza founder Ray Russell, his wife Isabella Flores and corporate employee Bahman Afshari were all charged by Canadian Border Services Agencies after a tip lead to the discover that over a dozen undocumented refugees were employed at Freshslice locations in Vancouver. Mr Afshari was also personally charged. In 2012, JM Food Services, a company operating under MR Russell was involved with legal action against a former multiple unit franchisee, Canada Businet Co. LTD regarding their closure of multiple Freshslice Pizza locations located in both British Columbia and Ontario. [5] In 2013, Ray Russell was found liable for a sum in excess of $40,000 for damages related to unpaid rent and related costs to R.T.M Holdings LTD. During the court proccdings it was also reveled that a corporate location owned by Mr Russell remained in operation to the public despite sewage repeatedly backing into the restaurant.[6] In 2014 Mr Russell was found guilty by the B.C Supreme Court of wrongful dismissal of a corporate employee.The court found that Mr Russell was having a sexual affair with the employee during the time period that his wife Isabella Flores, also a corporate employee, was on maternity leave after having Mr Russell's first child shortly before hand. Mr Russell provided the employee with a free apartment, free travel and various other perks during their nearly year long affair. The courts ordered a judgement of over $40,000 to the former employee.[7] In 2015 JM Food Services, held by Mr Russell and his wife Isabella Flores came to a settlement with 2313103 Ontario Inc regarding the collapse of the Area Development agreement for the province of Ontario. It was claimed in court documents that the Area Developers went bankrupt and abandoned their territory due to Mr Russell hiding the extent of issues including unprofitable franchises within his Ontario territory. The entire territory aside of a location owned by related companies to Mr Russell was closed in 2016.[8]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Store Locator
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