After Years of Gold-Level Support, MFG Tray Officially Moves Up With the U.S. Pizza Team
In the pizza world, loyalty matters. Operators remember the companies that show up, shake hands, answer questions and stick around long after the trade show lights dim. For more than 15 years, MFG Tray has been one of those companies for PMQ’s U.S. Pizza Team, building a reputation through consistency, accessibility and a genuine presence at the events that matter to the industry.
That long relationship has now reached a new milestone. After more than a decade and a half as a Silver Sponsor, MFG Tray has stepped up to become a Gold Sponsor of the U.S. Pizza Team, marking the natural next step in a partnership that has steadily strengthened through competitions, trade shows and countless industry gatherings.
The decision to elevate their support came from watching the team operate up close and seeing the culture that drives it. “MFG Tray has long supported the USPT, and witnessing its members continually strive to elevate not only their own skills but also those of their teammates played a significant role in our decision to advance to Gold Sponsorship,” said Matt Morian of MFG Tray.
Anyone who has spent time around the U.S. Pizza Team understands exactly what Morian is describing. Members share techniques, mentor newer competitors and celebrate each other’s successes in ways that strengthen the entire pizza community. “After years of interacting with the USPT, it has become clear that its members genuinely enjoy growing the pizza community,” Morian explained. “This spirit closely aligns with MFG Tray’s own mission.”
Part of that alignment comes from a shared belief that relationships are still built best in person. MFG Tray has remained a consistent presence at USPT-
hosted events, trade shows and industry expos, where conversations with operators often extend well beyond product talk and into the daily realities of running a pizza kitchen.
“Trade shows and industry gatherings are pivotal to maintaining and building genuine relationships with both colleagues and customers,” Morian said. “Emails and virtual meetings are useful, but they cannot replicate the value of face-to-face conversations and the opportunity to connect on shared interests…in this case pizza.”
Those conversations do more than strengthen partnerships. They also help shape product development, because many of MFG Tray’s innovations begin with listening to operators describe real challenges from real kitchens. “Direct interaction with industry professionals provides real-life feedback and gives us direction on how to move forward to ease the burden of industry tasks,” Morian explained. “A great example came during the pandemic, when at-home pizza making surged and we kept hearing that standard dough boxes wouldn’t fit in residential refrigerators. That feedback led to the creation of our mini dough box.”
Reliability remains the cornerstone of the company’s reputation, particularly in competition environments where consistency matters. Dough preparation is one of the most critical steps in the process, and competitors depend on equipment that performs exactly the same way every time.
“Competing at the top level takes great preparation but also great performance in the moment,” Morian said. “Utilizing MFG Tray dough boxes, known for durability and longevity, gives you a consistent form of stability for your product to come out just as you intended.”
Events like the Galbani Pizza Cup and the REAL California Pizza Challenge give MFG Tray the chance to see that preparation come to life. “MFG Tray takes great enjoyment in watching the best in the industry perform at their peak,” Morian said. “These competitors are true artists of their craft, and we take pride in making sure they are outfitted with the best tools we can provide to help them reach their goals.”
Through years of competitions, clinics, trade shows and industry conversations, MFG Tray has built a reputation the old-fashioned way: by showing up, listening and delivering products operators can trust. Their move to Gold Sponsor status reinforces a commitment that has already been visible for more than 15 years, strengthening a partnership that continues to grow alongside the U.S. Pizza Team and the pizza community it serves.
Be sure to stop by booth #2474 at Expo to meet them in person.
By Brian Hernandez, PMQ Assoc. Editor & U.S. Pizza Team Dir.
