BECOME A MEMBER OF VPN AMERICAS

Certify your pizzeria or restaurant and join the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana.

If you operate in full accordance with the following association rules:

1. A Wood-Burning Oven.
The real Pizza Napoletana must be cooked in a wood-fired dome oven operating at roughly 900ºF.
Gas, coal or electric ovens, while capable of produce wonderful pizza, are not conformed to the Pizza Napoletana tradition.

2. Proper Ingredients. Only fresh, all-natural, non-processed ingredients (preferably imported from Naples or Campania region) are acceptable: Flour (Type 00),San Marzano (plum) tomatoes, all natural Fior-di-Latte or Bufala fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, x-virgin olive oil, sea salt and yeast.

3. Proper Technique. Pizza dough kneaded either by hand, or with a low speed mixer (fork or spiral with revolving bowl. No planetary or vertical mixers are allowed).
No mechanical dough shaping, such as a dough press or rolling pin, are allowed. Pizza baking time should not exceed 90 seconds.

4. Proper Equipment. A proper work surface (usually a marble slab), a wood pizza peel to introduce the pizza into the oven and a long handle metal round peel to turn and remove the pizza from the oven.

5. The Final Product. Pizza Napoletana is not larger than 11 inches with a raised edge crust and thin center. The pizza should be soft and elastic, and easily foldable, .

you can have the possibility to become a member of our association and bear the prestigious VPN sign outside your store.

Conditions and procedure:

In order to be certified by VPN Americas, and  thereby become a member of the Association, your restaurant must already be in operation. Currently, individuals or businesses other than restaurant/pizzerias (not mobile oven on truck) do not qualify for membership.

After receiving all the required documentation (see below), a representative of our team will made a preliminary checking whether you have or not the characteristics to become part of the Association. As part of your certification process, you will be visited by a representative of our team who will check the entire process for making pizza, taste the final products and make the decision regarding your certification. The cost for this visit is covered by the prospective member.

Once certified, you will be a member of the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana based in Naples and you will report to the american delegation VPN Americas.
You will receive a plate which may be displayed outside your restaurant in a light box. The sign, together with a member's identification number, will identify your place to the consuming public as a member of the Association. In addition, you will receive a certificate which you should display prominently in the interior of your restaurant showing that you are a member and that the consumer can expect to enjoy Authentic Neapolitan type pizza at your restaurant.

Member Advantages

• You will be part of a restricted number of pizzerias bearing the sign of VPN, showing that your store is making an artisan product following the rules of the Association for the production of a 300 years unchanged product.

• You will receive a VPN plate, handbook and VPN shield.

• Your store will be listed as a link both in the VPN Americas and AVPN Italy website and in any promotion and advertising material in relation with all the association program.

• Every potential customer enquiring to our office will be addressed directly to your store.

• You can utilize the VPN® logo in your menu, business card, letter head and display your plate inside or outside the restaurant.

• You will be informed of all the activities of the association through a periodical newsletter.

• You will be informed of all the shows, conference and expo (like Pizzafest, Pizza Expo) organized by VPN or in which we will be present.

• We will give you any kind of assistance in order to be always on top of your pizza production.

• We will periodically inform you regarding any updating of the Merchant Registry list
  (list of all the suppliers approved by VPN).

Cost

 $ 2000* for the certification (included one full year of membership).

$ 250 yearly renewal fee.

* Excluded inspection fee and Inspector's travel expenses
Please note that multiple locations each require a separate certification,  member number and yearly fee. Please contact our office for rates and conditions.

Copyright© 1998 and following by Verace Pizza Napoletana Association®