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Pizza chain Tony Boloney's made a public stance in support of Ukraine, selling heart-shaped pizza in the country's flag colors of blue and yellow in a special fundraiser.
The pizzeria's branches in Atlantic City, Jersey City, Hoboken, and Long Branch sold the "Blue & Yellow Heart-Shaped Pizza - 2 Pack" from March 18 to Sunday, March 20. The pizza joint partnered with food-delivery service Goldbelly for this special offer.
Tony Boloney's sells "Ukraine Love" pizza combo in a special fundraiser
The pizza chain stood in solidarity with Ukraine in its time of distress:
"Tony Boloney’s stands for creativity, fun, love, and inclusion. The Tony Boloney’s team is devastated about the events currently taking place in Ukraine."
They announced their special offer via Instagram, captioning the post:
"We wanted to be sure to show our love and support to Ukraine, in conjunction with @goldbelly, in the best way we know how: with pizza. This “Ukraine Love” pizza combo was created for a limited time to support Ukraine. We are proud to help spread awareness about this ongoing tragedy. ❤️"
The special pie combo, retailing for $99.00 for the two-pack, received an overwhelmingly positive response. The chain's owner, Mike Hauke, reported that the pizzas were "selling like crazy," with over 500 pies being sold over the weekend.
The 12-inch pizzas that serve 4-6 people were even sold frozen, with UPS delivering till Texas and California.
The brand also announced that all of the profits made from the special "Blue & Yellow Heart-Shaped Pizza" would be donated to José André’s’ World Central Kitchen. The non-profit organization utilizes all its donations to provide meals in countries wrought by humanitarian crises, such as Ukraine.
Goldbelly also released a statement stating that all the revenue from their larger 'Support Ukraine' collection would be donated to the World Central Kitchen.
The striking, eye-catching colors of vibrant yellow and blue derived by dyeing the cheese may cause hesitation on some buyers' part. However, Hauke assured patrons that the pizza still tastes like any other of his regular pies.
He also made a statement about Tony Boloney's stance:
“People were telling me not to throw my hat into the ring like this is some kind of political statement. This is not about politics.”
But Hauke was reminded of his late Polish-Russian grandma, Minga, amidst constant exposure to disturbing news of civilian deaths and cities devastated by Russian missile attacks. He said:
“I kept thinking what if that was Minga trying to make cookies or pierogis for her grandkids, but she can’t because it’s raining bombs outside. This war is bullsh*t.”
After a great outpouring of support, Hauke announced that the brand would be more than happy to extend the relief effort for as long as people wish to support Ukraine.
The special "Ukrain love" pies shipment is sold out on Goldbelly. However, given Tony Boloney's confirmation to continue the drive, the heart-shaped pizzas can be expected to restock soon.
Interested customers can visit the pizzeria's Instagram page for more information on how to get on the waitlist for the Ukrainian flag pizza.
