Domino’s Pizza: An Unwavering Commitment to Quality

Since its inception in the 1960s, Domino’s Pizza has evolved into a global powerhouse, spanning over 90 countries with an impressive network of 20,000 stores, making it one of the world’s largest pizza delivery chains. Domino’s Pizza France is part of the Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (DPE) group, acting as master franchisee for Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, and Europe, encompassing France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany.

Melissa Mihoub, Global QA Director, oversees the quality teams for the group. She graciously hosted us at the Domino’s Pizza France headquarters, offering insights into the organization and sharing the company’s unwavering commitment to quality.

A corporate commitment to quality

“In France and the Benelux,” explains Melissa, “we have established commissaries, which are production and logistics hubs. This not only streamlines raw materials supply to stores but also efficiently manages the pizza dough production line. (In the other markets, the dough is made directly in the store)”. The quality teams are pivotal, undertaking missions across the entire chain, from supplier selection to pizza dough production, logistics for delivery to franchisees and product quality.

The commitment to quality begins with rigorous product management. Suppliers must comply with the quality policy, and all products, including flours and ingredients, must meet stringent specifications. Products undergo regularly testing, according to a sampling plan adapted to the criticality of the products. Those products (including dough, tomato sauce, pepperoni and mozzarella) undergo more frequent checks than low-volume products such as shrimps, a specific product to Belgium for example. In case of non-compliance, more frequent checks are introduced. Post-baking checks are also crucial to ensure that the product leaving the franchisee oven meets consumer expectations.

Considered a key element in determining the quality and distinctive taste of Domino’s pizzas, pizza dough plays a vital role in the manufacturing and evaluation process. Once baked, the pizza must offer a consistent experience, based on distinctive characteristics: a golden color, a crispy crust and a well- celled texture.

In the French and Dutch commissaries, daily tests ensure consistent dough quality throughout its entire life cycle, including rheological evaluations with the Mixolab 2 and other quality controls, such as dough sprouting, tests on a baked pizza, crust control, and cut test. The production team reserves specific samples for daily checks over the life of the dough (5 days at store level), guaranteeing constant monitoring of dough quality.

Enhancing knowledge and control of dough

The recipe being simple, Domino’s Pizza has not encountered major quality problems in dough production, even if doughs can be influenced by factors like the quality of wheat from a new harvest, or the weather and ambient temperature, which impact dough growth.

At Domino’s Pizza France, some members of the production team have between 15- and 20-years’ experience, and an in-depth understanding of dough quality; they are able to perceive nuances in touch or taste during production. This expertise needs to be preserved, formalized and qualified to take full advantage of it. The decision to base processes on objective data rather than just personal knowledge was crucial, especially to prevent the loss of information as employees retired.

Therefore, it was logical that quality department strengthen its expertise and control over pizza dough, a key element in its business. The main objective was to gain perfect, objective knowledge of the dough, anticipate any complaints, and adopt a proactive approach in response to franchisees’ concerns about dough quality. “Our aim was to have greater visibility of our product (dough), so that we could adapt our production line,” confirms Melissa.

Simplicity and precision: the Mixolab 2 at the heart of quality at Domino's Pizza commissaries

The Mixolab 2 has become the key analysis tool for pizza dough at Domino’s Pizza France and Netherlands. Comparative demonstrations were carried out at Chopin Technologies, on the Alveograph and the Mixolab 2, to determine the advantages and limitations of each machine according to Domino’s Pizza’s needs. The Mixolab 2 was chosen for its ease of use and its ability to control flour and dough, while allowing the use of target profiles. This ease of interpretation, through a tool that is easy to handle and understand, was of particular importance, given the absence of a laboratory at Domino’s Pizza. Mixolab 2 is now exclusively dedicated to quality control. (There is no R&D as there is only one dough recipe).

Integrating the Mixolab 2 into operation

At Domino’s Pizza in France, the introduction of the Mixolab 2 has pushed back the boundaries of expertise. It was essential that this advance should not simply be seen as an initiative of the quality team, but should also be part of the corporate culture, and enjoy the support of the production teams. In addition to the user training organized by KPM, they made sure to present the Mixolab 2 to their production teams, so that they understood the choice of the equipment and what it would bring in terms of dough characterization.

For even easier handling, a special tool was developed in collaboration with Georges Tawil, Applications Specialist at Chopin Technologies, to simplify data interpretation. This device converts the raw data into a clear color code once entered into Excel. This simplified approach facilitated a smooth transition, reinforcing the acceptance of this innovation in our manufacturing process. Melissa hails the collaboration with KPM Analytics as very positive. “We worked (and still work) closely with the KPM team, and we appreciated their responsiveness and sharing of expertise.”

Daily use of Mixolab 2

The Mixolab 2 is currently the main dough analysis tool at Domino’s Pizza in France and in the Netherlands, dedicated exclusively to quality control. Each time flour is delivered, a sample is tested to verify the supplier’s specifications. If the flour doesn’t fit the specific profile determined with the Mixolab 2, then the teams intervene.

On a daily basis, a sample of dough is taken from the mixer and tested on the Mixolab 2. Tests are also carried out on dough set aside by production to form a sample library. The physical data obtained is then entered manually, generating a score determining whether the product is compliant, acceptable or not.

This approach ensures full awareness of the quality of products shipped to franchisees, enabling Domino’s Pizza to anticipate potential complaints by identifying problems early in the process.

Cultivating quality with precision: the impact of Mixolab 2 at Domino's Pizza France

“We started from scratch, with no prior data. Now, thanks to Mixolab 2, we have an enhanced understanding of the dough and an improved ability to anticipate. In case of complaints, we have richer comparative data, enabling us to make informed decisions by comparing Mixolab 2 results with those from other quality control tests” explains Melissa.

By integrating Mixolab 2 into its pizza dough control process, Domino’s Pizza France and Domino’s Pizza Netherlands has strengthened its commitment to quality. This transition to a more objective, data-driven approach is crucial for maintaining and enhancing the quality of the dough, a fundamental aspect of their business.

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