Ray Russell, the CEO who believes in giving back...

Immigration and Early Struggles

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• 1987: Ray Russell immigrated to Canada from Iran at just 18 years old, leaving behind his homeland to avoid participating in a war he did not believe in.
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• Arrived in Montreal with only $8 in his pocket and minimal knowledge of English or French.
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• Worked in construction after moving to the West Coast but found himself out of work when the real estate industry faced a downturn in 1999.
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The Birth of Freshslice Pizza

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• Instead of being discouraged, a conversation with a friend who owned a pizzeria inspired Ray to explore the pizza business.
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• Ray identified a niche in the Vancouver market and founded Freshslice Pizza, introducing the concept of pizza by the slice.
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• The first Freshslice location was established at the corner of Commercial and Broadway in Vancouver, offering quality, healthier food at great prices and providing outstanding service.
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Innovations in Production

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• Freshslice used a secret multigrain dough recipe produced in a centralized commissary.
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• Leveraging his engineering expertise, Ray developed a dough system to reduce costs for franchisees by:\n
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  • Providing sheeted dough for consistency.
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  • Saving 1,000% in dough-making labor costs.
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  • Passing cost savings to customers through competitive pricing.
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• Freshslice also focused on fresh ingredients and perfected its sauce recipe over 20 years to cater to diverse pizza lovers.
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Innovations in Production

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\n
• Freshslice used a secret multigrain dough recipe produced in a centralized commissary.
\n
• Leveraging his engineering expertise, Ray developed a dough system to reduce costs for franchisees by:\n
  \n
  • Providing sheeted dough for consistency.
  \n
  • Saving 1,000% in dough-making labor costs.
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  • Passing cost savings to customers through competitive pricing.
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• Freshslice also focused on fresh ingredients and perfected its sauce recipe over 20 years to cater to diverse pizza lovers.
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Expansion and Success

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• Freshslice grew from a single Vancouver location to over 74 locations across Canada, with 20 more under construction.
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• Franchisees benefit from zero percent royalties and zero percent advertising fees, a model that promotes success and growth.
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• Freshslice has earned several Consumers’ Choice Awards for its exceptional service and quality.
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Philanthropy: Freshslice Cares

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• Ray is deeply committed to giving back to his community.
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• Founded the Freshslice Cares Foundation, aimed at helping kids and families in BC who can’t afford sporting equipment.
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• The foundation's mandate is to “Help Kids be Kids” through sports, reflecting Ray’s belief in the power of community and recreation.
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• Freshslice’s mission extends beyond business to include caring for guests, the planet, and charitable efforts.
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Learn More

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• Freshslice Franchise Information: Freshslice Pizza Franchise Partner
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• Freshslice Cares: Freshslice Cares Foundation
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\nRay Russell’s journey from a humble immigrant to a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist is a testament to resilience, innovation, and the power of giving back.r\n\n \n\nRay has won several Consumers’ Choice Awards for Freshslice, a business that continues to grow and succeed.\n\nRay also believes in giving back to the community that became his home after leaving his war-torn homeland. A sports lover himself, Ray launched the foundation Freshslice Cares to support kids and families who can’t afford sporting equipment in BC. Freshslice Cares mandate is to “Help Kids be Kids” through sports. Freshslice’s mission is “To Care about Our Guests, Our planet, our Brand & our Charity Freshslice Cares”\n\n To learn more about Freshslice and its growing franchises, please visit: \n\nhttps://www.freshslice. com/freshslice-pizza-franchise-partner/ \n\nFreshslice Cares: \n\nhttps://www.freshslice. com/cares/