At Salvatore, we believe that exceptional pizza begins long before the dough hits the oven. It starts in the rich soil of Canadian farms, in the careful hands of local artisans, and in the commitment to quality that defines every ingredient we use. Our farm-to-table philosophy isn't just a marketing slogan—it's a fundamental principle that shapes every decision we make, from the vegetables that crown our pizzas to the cheeses that create that perfect melt.
When we opened our doors, we made a promise to our community: to serve pizza that not only tastes extraordinary but also supports the local economy and respects our environment. This commitment has led us to forge partnerships with over 25 local farms and suppliers across Canada, creating a network of quality that ensures every Salvatore pizza delivers freshness you can taste in every bite.
The Foundation: Building Relationships with Local Farms
Our journey into local sourcing began with a simple question: why ship ingredients thousands of miles when some of the world's finest produce grows right here in Canada? The answer led us to the doorsteps of family-owned farms throughout Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia, where we discovered a treasure trove of quality ingredients that would transform our menu.
Our team meets regularly with local farmers to ensure quality standards and build lasting partnerships
Take, for example, our partnership with Greenfield Organic Farms in southern Ontario. For three generations, the Morrison family has been cultivating heirloom tomatoes using sustainable farming practices that prioritize soil health and biodiversity. Their San Marzano-style tomatoes, grown specifically for Salvatore, form the base of our signature pizza sauce. The difference is remarkable—these tomatoes arrive at our kitchen within 24 hours of harvest, bursting with a sweetness and acidity that no imported alternative can match.
Similarly, our basil comes from Herbal Essence Farm in Quebec, where Marie-Claire Dubois grows over 15 varieties of herbs in climate-controlled greenhouses. Her Genovese basil, harvested at peak flavor, adds that authentic Italian aroma to our Margherita pizza. The relationship goes beyond simple transactions—Marie-Claire works with our chefs to time harvests for optimal flavor, ensuring that the basil on your pizza was growing in soil just days before.
Artisanal Cheeses: The Heart of Every Pizza
If vegetables provide the freshness, cheese provides the soul of a great pizza. Our quest for the perfect mozzarella led us to Maple Grove Dairy in rural Quebec, where fourth-generation cheesemaker Antoine Beaumont produces small-batch mozzarella using milk from grass-fed cows. The result is a cheese with superior melting properties and a rich, creamy flavor that elevates every pizza we make.
Antoine Beaumont crafting fresh mozzarella using traditional techniques passed down through generations
What makes Maple Grove's mozzarella special isn't just the quality of the milk—it's the attention to detail in every step of production. The cows graze on pesticide-free pastures, their diet supplemented with locally grown hay and grains. The milk is processed within hours of milking, preserving the delicate flavors that are often lost in industrial production. Antoine uses traditional stretching techniques that create the perfect texture—not too wet, not too dry—that browns beautifully in our high-temperature ovens.
For our specialty pizzas, we source additional cheeses from across Canada. Our aged cheddar comes from Black Creek Cheese in Ontario, where wheels are aged for a minimum of two years to develop complex, sharp flavors. The Parmesan we grate fresh for each order comes from a small producer in British Columbia who follows traditional Italian methods, aging the cheese for 24 months in temperature-controlled caves. Even our ricotta is made in-house using milk from local dairies, ensuring the freshest possible product.
Premium Meats: Quality and Ethics Combined
Our commitment to local sourcing extends to every protein on our menu. The pepperoni that tops our most popular pizza comes from Heritage Meats, a family-owned butcher shop in Alberta that specializes in traditional curing methods. Their pepperoni is made from heritage breed pork raised on small farms without antibiotics or growth hormones, seasoned with a proprietary blend of spices, and naturally cured for optimal flavor.
Heritage Meats' traditional curing room where our pepperoni develops its distinctive flavor
The Italian sausage we use is crafted by Nonno's Sausage Company in Toronto, using a recipe that dates back to 1952. Owner Marco Benedetti sources pork from Ontario farms that meet strict animal welfare standards, grinding and seasoning the meat fresh each morning. The fennel seeds that give the sausage its characteristic flavor come from a spice importer who works directly with organic farmers, ensuring purity and potency.
For our prosciutto and other cured meats, we partner with La Bottega Nicastro, an Italian specialty importer that works exclusively with small-scale Canadian producers who follow traditional European methods. Their prosciutto cotto, used on our Bianca pizza, is slow-roasted and hand-sliced, offering a delicate flavor that complements rather than overwhelms other ingredients.
Seasonal Vegetables: Celebrating Canadian Harvests
One of the most exciting aspects of our local sourcing program is the ability to offer seasonal specials that showcase the best of Canadian agriculture throughout the year. In spring, we feature asparagus from Fraser Valley farms in British Columbia, their tender spears adding a fresh, green note to our Spring Vegetable pizza. Summer brings a bounty of bell peppers, zucchini, and eggplant from Ontario greenhouses, while fall introduces butternut squash and caramelized onions from prairie farms.
Our mushroom selection changes with the seasons, thanks to our partnership with Forest Floor Fungi, a specialty mushroom farm in Nova Scotia. They cultivate over a dozen varieties, from classic cremini to exotic oyster and shiitake mushrooms, all grown on locally sourced hardwood logs and organic substrates. The earthy, umami-rich flavors these mushrooms bring to our Funghi pizza are impossible to replicate with conventional button mushrooms.
Our seasonal vegetable pizza showcasing the best of Canadian farm produce
Even our garlic comes from a dedicated source—Garlic Growers Cooperative in Ontario, where farmers have perfected the art of growing hardneck garlic varieties that thrive in Canadian climates. These varieties offer more complex flavors than the softneck garlic typically found in supermarkets, with some varieties offering subtle spicy notes while others bring a mellow sweetness to our garlic oil and roasted garlic toppings.
Environmental Impact: Reducing Our Carbon Footprint
The environmental benefits of local sourcing extend far beyond the feel-good factor of supporting nearby farms. By choosing suppliers within a 500-kilometer radius of our kitchens, we've reduced our ingredient transportation emissions by an estimated 60% compared to conventional supply chains. This means fewer trucks on highways, less fuel consumption, and a significantly smaller carbon footprint for every pizza we serve.
But the environmental story goes deeper. Many of our partner farms practice regenerative agriculture—farming methods that actually improve soil health, increase biodiversity, and sequester carbon from the atmosphere. Greenfield Organic Farms, for instance, uses cover cropping and crop rotation to build soil organic matter, while Maple Grove Dairy's rotational grazing practices improve pasture health and reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers.
Our partner farms employ sustainable practices that benefit both the environment and food quality
We've also worked with our suppliers to minimize packaging waste. Vegetables arrive in reusable crates rather than single-use cardboard boxes. Cheese comes in returnable containers. Even our meat deliveries use vacuum-sealed bags that can be recycled through specialized programs. These small changes add up—we've reduced our packaging waste by 40% since implementing our local sourcing program.
Community Impact: Supporting Local Economies
The economic ripple effects of our local sourcing commitment extend throughout Canadian communities. When we purchase tomatoes from Greenfield Organic Farms, we're not just buying produce—we're supporting the Morrison family's livelihood, the seasonal workers they employ, and the local businesses they patronize. Our cheese purchases help Maple Grove Dairy maintain their herd, invest in equipment upgrades, and provide stable employment in a rural area where good jobs can be scarce.
We've calculated that for every dollar Salvatore spends on local ingredients, approximately 68 cents stays within the Canadian economy, compared to just 43 cents for imported alternatives. This multiplier effect means our ingredient purchases support not just farmers, but also equipment suppliers, veterinarians, feed mills, and countless other businesses that form the backbone of rural Canadian communities.
Our partnerships have also enabled several small farms to expand their operations. Heritage Meats was able to purchase new curing equipment thanks to the steady demand from Salvatore and other local restaurants. Forest Floor Fungi expanded their growing capacity by 50% to meet our mushroom needs. These success stories demonstrate how committed partnerships between restaurants and farmers can create sustainable growth for both parties.
Quality Control: From Farm to Your Table
Local sourcing gives us unprecedented control over ingredient quality. Our head chef, Isabella Romano, visits each partner farm at least quarterly, inspecting growing conditions, discussing upcoming harvests, and providing feedback on product quality. This hands-on approach ensures that every ingredient meets our exacting standards before it ever reaches our kitchen.
Chef Isabella conducts regular quality inspections at partner farms to maintain our high standards
We've also implemented a traceability system that allows us to track every ingredient from farm to finished pizza. Each delivery is logged with information about the farm, harvest date, and any relevant quality notes. If a customer has a question about where their toppings came from, we can provide specific details—not just "local farms," but the actual name of the farm and the date the ingredients were harvested.
This level of transparency has become a point of pride for our team and a source of trust for our customers. In an era where food safety concerns and misleading labeling are common, we offer complete honesty about our ingredients. Every item on our menu includes information about its source, and we're always happy to share more details about our farming partners.
Challenges and Solutions: The Reality of Local Sourcing
While our local sourcing program has been tremendously successful, it hasn't been without challenges. Canadian winters present obvious difficulties—tomatoes don't grow in Ontario in January, and fresh basil becomes scarce when temperatures drop. Rather than compromise our commitment to local sourcing, we've developed creative solutions.
For winter months, we work with greenhouse operations that use sustainable heating methods to extend growing seasons. We've also invested in preservation techniques—our tomato sauce for winter pizzas is made in late summer using peak-season tomatoes, then frozen in small batches to maintain freshness. Our basil is preserved in olive oil, capturing summer's flavor for winter use. These methods allow us to maintain our local sourcing commitment year-round while adapting to seasonal realities.
Cost is another consideration. Local, sustainably produced ingredients typically cost more than conventional alternatives. Rather than passing these costs directly to customers through higher prices, we've focused on efficiency improvements and waste reduction. By using every part of ingredients—vegetable scraps become stock, cheese rinds flavor sauces—we've minimized waste and controlled costs while maintaining our commitment to quality.
Looking Forward: Expanding Our Network
As Salvatore continues to grow, we're constantly seeking new partnerships with Canadian farmers and producers who share our values. We're currently working with a grain farmer in Saskatchewan to develop a heritage wheat variety specifically for our pizza dough. We're exploring partnerships with beekeepers to source local honey for our dessert pizzas. And we're in discussions with a craft olive oil producer in British Columbia who's pioneering cold-press techniques using locally grown olives.
Planning future partnerships to bring even more local ingredients to our menu
We're also working to make our supply chain even more sustainable. This includes investing in electric delivery vehicles for ingredient transport, implementing composting programs for organic waste, and exploring renewable energy options for our kitchens. Our goal is to create a truly circular food system where every aspect of our operation—from ingredient sourcing to waste management—reflects our commitment to environmental stewardship.
Education is another priority. We're developing a program to bring customers to our partner farms, offering tours that show exactly where their pizza ingredients come from. We believe that when people understand the care and craftsmanship that goes into producing quality food, they develop a deeper appreciation for what they're eating—and a stronger connection to the farmers who make it possible.
The Salvatore Difference: Taste the Quality
Ultimately, our local sourcing program succeeds because it delivers something that matters most to our customers: exceptional taste. The difference between a pizza made with ingredients harvested days ago and one made with produce that's been in cold storage for weeks is unmistakable. The tomatoes are sweeter, the basil more aromatic, the cheese more flavorful. Every bite tells the story of Canadian farms, skilled artisans, and a commitment to quality that refuses to compromise.
When you order a Salvatore pizza, you're not just getting a meal—you're supporting a vision of food that's better for you, better for farmers, and better for the environment. You're participating in a food system that values transparency, sustainability, and community. And you're enjoying pizza that represents the very best of what Canadian agriculture has to offer.
The result of our farm-to-table commitment: pizza that celebrates the best of Canadian ingredients
Our farm-to-table journey is ongoing, evolving with each season and each new partnership we forge. But our core commitment remains unchanged: to serve pizza that honors the land, supports our community, and delivers an eating experience that's truly exceptional. From the farms of Ontario to the dairies of Quebec, from the butcher shops of Alberta to the greenhouses of British Columbia, every Salvatore pizza is a celebration of Canadian quality and craftsmanship.
We invite you to taste the difference that local sourcing makes. Visit Salvatore today and experience pizza the way it was meant to be—fresh, flavorful, and made with ingredients that traveled miles, not thousands of miles, to reach your plate. Because at Salvatore, we believe that the best pizza starts with the best ingredients, and the best ingredients come from right here in Canada.