CANTON, OH--(Marketwired - Jan 23, 2017) - Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza, the nation's "Hall of Fame" worthy fast-casual, artisanal pizza concept that's sweeping the country, announced today the opening of its Canton, Ohio location coming this spring. The restaurant will be located at 5125 Dressler Rd. near Belden Village Mall between Chipotle and Visionworks. The new location will also share a building with a new Starbucks.

Blaze Pizza is a modern day "pizza joint" that has been cultivating fanatics since it opened its first location in 2012. Each restaurant features an interactive open-kitchen format that allows guests to customize one of the menu's signature pizzas or create their own, choosing from a wide selection of carefully sourced, high-quality ingredients -- all for around $8. The generously-sized personal pizzas are then sent to a blazing hot open-flame oven -- the centerpiece of the restaurant -- where dedicated pizzasmiths ensure that the thin-crust pies are fast-fire'd and ready to eat in just 180 seconds.

The concept, known for its custom-built pizzas, freshly made salads, blood orange lemonade and s'more pies, has two other locations in Ohio operated by Blaze Midwest Inc. which continues to develop the concept throughout the state. The Mason Blaze Pizza, located at 9341 Mason Montgomery Rd. outside of Cincinnati, opened in May 2014 and the Columbus Blaze Pizza, located at 1708 N. High St., opened in February 2015. Blaze Midwest Inc. also announced today plans to open a location in Toledo at 3330 Central Ave.

"Blaze Pizza offers a high-quality, quick, affordable lunch and dinner option that's perfect for individuals and families on the go," said Rodney Walker, Owner and President of Blaze Midwest, Inc. "We are particularly excited to open up in this growing shopping area so close to Kent and Stark universities, as our concept is perfect for shoppers and students looking for a quick but delicious pizza option."

Blaze Pizza's authenticity, coupled with its focus on the happiness and satisfaction of every individual guest and team member, has been fundamental to the concept's popularity and expansion in Ohio and beyond.

Each restaurant makes its own dough from scratch, using a recipe developed by critically-acclaimed Executive Chef Bradford Kent (the "Pizza Whisperer"), which requires a 24-hour fermentation period to produce his signature light-as-air, crisp crust. For pizza fans with specific dietary needs, Blaze Pizza offers gluten-free dough and vegan cheese.

The Canton location, driven by its commitment to "Intelligent Choices for Our Pizzas, People & Planet," is being constructed with recycled and sustainable materials, will use eco-friendly packaging and feature energy-efficient LED lighting. The new 2,000 square foot restaurant will include 53 interior seats with 22 more seats on an outdoor patio. Award-winning design architect Ana Henton is adding several special touches to the restaurant, including an oversized wall mural custom-designed to suit the space.

Blaze Midwest Inc. looks forward to growing strong roots within the community. To that end, the company has developed a turn-key in-restaurant fundraiser program that returns 20 percent of an event's proceeds back to local organizations. Blaze Pizza will partner with local schools, sports clubs and other groups to host fundraising events at the new restaurant. For more information, please visit www.blazepizza.com/fundraising.

About Blaze Midwest, Inc.
Operating under the umbrella of Northland Investments, Blaze Midwest, Inc. and its sister companies Mariane, Inc., Bells & Birds, Inc. and OC Michigan, Inc. own and operate a total of 13 fast casual, 49 quick serve and 4 casual dining restaurants spanning four states, including Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. Formed in 1987, Northland Investments collective has nearly 1,800 team members currently employed at its various locations.

About Blaze Pizza
The first Blaze Pizza^® restaurant opened on Aug. 6, 2012, in Irvine, Calif., and quickly gained attention for its chef-driven recipes, thoughtful interior design, and a service culture that celebrates individuality. Now ranked as the leading fast-casual pizza chain in the Technomic Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report, Blaze Pizza is building momentum and developing a cult following as it expands across the country. The company currently operates 175 restaurants in 32 states and Canada, including the major metropolitan areas of Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Toronto, Dallas, Las Vegas, and Boston. Founded by Elise and Rick Wetzel (co-founder of Wetzel's Pretzels), the concept is backed by investors including LeBron James, Maria Shriver, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Boston Red Sox co-owner Tom Werner and movie producer John Davis. For more information, please visit blazepizza.com and facebook.com/blazepizza or click here to view a company video.

Blaze Pizza®, Fast-Fire'd®, the horizontal logo design, and the proprietary names "Pizzasmith", "Intelligent Choices for Our Pizzas, People & Planet" and related trademarks are the property of Blaze Pizza LLC.

Blaze Midwest, Inc. 
870 Knapp Rd. 
Houghton Lake, Mich. 48629 

Blaze Pizza LLC
35 N. Lake Ave., Suite 710
Pasadena, Calif. 91101