ST. LOUIS — St. Louis-based pizza maker Lucia's Pizza announced Monday it reached an exciting new milestone: 50 million pizzas sold since 1981.
Lucia's Pizza, formerly Mama Lucia's Pizza, was founded by Lucia Tumminello in 1981 and became popular in The Hill neighborhood before expanding into the frozen pizza aisle. The brand claims to have been the first St. Louis-style frozen pizza available at grocery stores.
Fans of St. Louis-style frozen pizza were rewarded for chowing down on Lucia's Pizza last summer with the brand's Golden Slice Giveaway.
As part of the Willy Wonka-inspired giveaway, Lucia's placed 217 winning tickets inside its frozen pies at St. Louis-area Schnucks and Dierbergs stores. Participants, even if they didn't get an instant prize, could use the QR code included with their pizza to enter for a chance to win the grand prize, a trip to Italy.
It was St. Louis County resident Jim Kozeny who was chosen at random as the grand prize winner, according to Lucia's. It will be the 59-year-old's first time out of the country.
“We have always wanted to do a ‘Golden Ticket’ type of promotion and the time seemed right with the release of the new Willy Wonka film," Lucia's President Scott Ashby said in a statement. "The chocolate icing on the cake is reaching the 50-million sold mark. Since our launch in 1981, we have offered quality, delicious pizzas to our customers, and now we are excited to take the brand to the next level."
"As competition in the frozen pizza category continues to increase, we want to ensure we are staying ahead of the other local and national brands and rewarding our customers for their continued support and feedback," Ashby said. "So, each and every one of you that patronize us, we wish to extend 50 million thanks to you!”
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