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This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, we chat with Robert Marek. He is Director of Business Development at Cosmo’s Pizza, a growing independent Colorado-based pizza brand with six locations and a commissary. He’s also coming to Pizza Expo in March to share his expertise in our powerful, industry-led education program. 

A seasoned restaurant industry professional with a degree in Restaurant Management, Robert has extensive hands-on experience across all aspects of restaurant operations, including site selection, startups, ongoing operations, training, concept development, consulting, procurement, and culinary innovation. 

We dive into what has driven growth at Cosmo’s and the role its commissary has played. Robert talks slice business, location selection and logistics.

Fun fact: Robert has been coming to Pizza Expo for 36 years. He gave us a teaser on his Pizza Expo session Building Customer Loyalty Through Community Initiatives taking place Wednesday, March 25: 09:30 AM - 10:30 AM at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Don’t miss his session. He will share how he turned local schools into lifelong partners. From special education celebrations to fundraising dine-outs and creative contests, discover how community engagement can drive sales — like Cosmo’s 22.5% growth in 2022 — and create meaningful connections. Dive into proven strategies to make your pizzeria the heart of your neighborhood. 

Show Notes:

Are you a Pizzeria to Watch?

We are looking for standout pizzerias to feature in our 2026 Pizzerias to Watch in our May issue of Pizza Today. If you would like to be considered, complete our questionnaire for inclusion.

https://pizzatoday.com/pizzerias-to-watch-questionnaire/

Countdown to Pizza Expo

As Pizza Expo approaches, we are preparing for the biggest and best Pizza Expo yet. A couple things of note. Competition spots are filling or are on waitlists, signed up now for remaining competition spots.

Register now for Pizza Expo 2026.