Phoenix Az - 1 December, 2005 -

A fast-food company based in Canada is beginning a major push to compete with Subway, Quiznos and burger chains, and its U.S. headquarters will open next year in metro Phoenix. "We're looking at spots and recruiting mid- and senior-level managers," said Alex Rechichi, president and chief executive officer of Extreme Pita, based in suburban Toronto. "It makes sense to have our office in (metro) Phoenix, between Texas, Nevada and California, where we have stores developing," he said. He expects the headquarters to open in the second quarter next year. But the headquarters isn't the only thing headed for the Valley. An Extreme Pita restaurant will open soon at College Avenue and University Drive in Tempe, and another at Southern Avenue and McClintock Drive. A restaurant will open in Chandler in January at the northeastern corner of Alma School and Queen Creek roads. More are planned for Ahwatukee Foothills, Mesa, Gilbert, Peoria, Glendale and Phoenix. One each exists a in northeast Phoenix and the Scottsdale Airpark. The restaurants fill and roll up pita bread around meats, poultry, seafood or cheese and vegetables and offer a choice of 18 toppings and 10 sauces. "We have a grill. We don't use microwaves," said Rechichi. "We have some different flavors like feta cheese and fire-roasted red peppers, and you can have onions, mushrooms and green peppers saut?ed on the grill. . . . We've taken ethnic flavors from around the world and made them mainstream." Spreads include hummus, babaganoush and tzatziki, which is crushed cucumber, low-fat yogurt, garlic and lemon juice, a mixture popular with the gyro pita. Salads and pizzas also are available. Rechichi also is revamping his menu with children in mind. "We're not just another burger joint or taco stand or sub shop," said Joe Roth, area developer for Arizona and Nevada. Roth discovered Extreme Pita three years ago on a summer visit to his wife's native Newfoundland. "The colors, the aromas, the whole system was just overwhelming," Roth said. "We really became intoxicated." He has high hopes for Extreme Pita. "We're a concept that really is on the cusp of doing something very big," he said.

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