Their product is pizza, but in many ways you can say they're in the trucking business. The owner of Doreen's Gourmet Frozen Pizza says he is leading the way toward foreign oil independence and delivering 'green.'
Doreen's Gourmet Frozen Pizza is in production overdrive to prepare for the thousands of customers they expect to feed in their first appearance at the Taste of Chicago.
"We're doing things the old fashioned way as far as our pizzas are concerned. We still make them by hand with fresh Italian sausage, fresh veggies, a half a pound of real mozzarella and a lot of it makes it so they're just as they were out of our old pizzeria," said Bob Wisz, owner, Doreen's Gourmet Frozen Pizza.
The south suburban company is teaming up with its namesake restaurant in the city's Hegewisch neighborhood to bring the South Side flavor to the mega food fest.
"We're very excited," said Lisa Carroll, manager, Doreen's Gourmet Frozen Pizza. "We've got approximately 22 people per shift for day and night. We're geared up and ready to go."
But the frozen pizza division typically lets you do the cooking. It keeps eight trucks on the road delivering to restaurants and grocery stores all over the state.
Two years ago the company's owner decided to make the fleet green. He converted from diesel to bi-fuel trucks. They run both on gasoline and compressed natural gas.
"They're lower in greenhouse emissions. Natural gas comes from America, virtually 98 percent of it is," said Wisz.
Wisz even installed a pumping station on site so he can fuel his own fleet. He says it's better for the environment and for his company's bottom line.
"Our costs last month with us pumping our own natural gas was about ninety-six cents a gallon," said Wisz. "It's better for the environment. It's cheaper to use. I just don't understand why more companies are going with it."
Compressed natural gas vehicles reportedly emit 25 percent less greenhouse gas than conventional vehicles. Last week, the U.S. conference of mayors passed a resolution urging the federal government to re-instate tax credits for companies that convert to compressed natural gas.
NYTimes article: Mayors Endorse 'Green' Construction Code, Natural-Gas Vehicles
