Cone shaped pizzas for new twist on old idea

The latest fast-food offering looks like a cone, but tastes like a pizza.

Hot mozzarella, salami and tomato are hardly the fillings you'd expect in a cone, but Auckland businessman Mark Gray is betting they will go down well in New Zealand.

Kono Pizza, which opened its first kiosk in Auckland's St Lukes mall on Friday, sounds like something that might have emerged from a mall, but Auckland's latest fast-food offering is the brainchild of a genuine Italian chef.

Rossano Boscolo, chef and founder of Italian institute of culinary arts Boscolo Etoile, jotted down Italy's three main food exports - pizza, pasta and ice-cream - when thinking about business opportunities and accidentally drew an ice-cream cone under the pizza heading.

Kono Pizza's head of international business development, Andrea Bini, said the first shop was opened in Italy just over a year ago. Kono now has six stores in Italy, with 10 opening in the next six months, and has shops in Germany, Spain, Greece, Kuwait, Russia and Indonesia. Accompanying Boscolo to Auckland for the New Zealand launch of Kono, Bini said it was the views of Italian traditionalists the company had initially been most concerned about.

"We were a bit concerned about Italian clients' reaction, because pizza is something to be touched very carefully," he said.

Kono pizzas consist of a dough cone with alternate layers of cheese and other fillings, served in just four minutes. They claim less than 10 per cent fat content and cost $6.50, with six varieties of filling developed for New Zealand tastes.

Dessert cones are also on offer, with a mixture of fruit, caramelised in the cooking process, and custard, served in a pastry-like cone.

Bini said despite being a new twist on an old idea, pizza in a cone has links to pizza's origins.

"It was not to be eaten in a restaurant. It was to be eaten on the street. The shape is new, but it is close to the tradition."

Gray, who founded the MoleMap chain of clinics, saw an article on Kono in the Herald's canvas magazine last year and was struck by the concept.

"I couldn't sleep that night, and didn't sleep well for the next three or four nights. I sent a flurry of emails then ended up getting on a plane," he said. Having secured the rights to the Australasian franchise, Gray is aiming for 100 outlets within three years.

The verdict

"It's delicious, it's full of flavour and easier to eat. You don't get sticky, greasy fingers ... it's yum, it's full of flavour and very cheesy but not greasy at all."
-Moreena Tahapeehi-Parkin, 26, sales assistant, St Lukes

"I had pizza last night and it was greasy and horrible - this one's much better. It tastes much healthier than normal pizza."
- Rachel Leach, 26, who works for Telecom

"It's fantastic, lovely. If you go to a nice Italian restaurant and get good pizza, this is what it tastes like."
- Melanie Wade, 31, sales assistant, West Harbour