An article about the huge potential of the sandwich market in Entrepreneur Magazine was what prompted Alex Rechichi to establish a little side business making pitas.
Before long, he quit his day job to work full-time on his passion for food, and in the 11 years since, he and his brother Mark have built Extreme Pita into a thriving network, which now includes 200 franchises in this country and another 30 in the U.S.
This week the 34-year-old Rechichi and his brother Mark were among the Top 40 Under 40 business people in Canada recognized in the annual Caldwell Partners awards published in conjunction with The Globe and Mail.
Rechichi's chain specializes in the Middle-Eastern pita, which uses vegetables and meats sauted on a grill to produce a healthy alternative to most fast-food outlets.
"Our promise to our customers is that we offer a wide range of great-tasting, healthy food," the president of the company and co-founder told The Globe.
The concept for the chain came from his review of the Entrepreneur magazine article. "I realized how big an opportunity there was: We would set a bar in healthy dining in the sandwich category and be more focused on the fillings and less on the bread."
The father of two is also involved in another chain called Mucho Burrito, which opened its first restaurant in Mississauga in June 2006. It has since added four new outlets in Ontario and another in Alberta. Twenty-two more franchises are in the works.
Extreme Pita has its corporate office on Dunwin Dr. in Erin Mills.
jstewart@mississauga.net