pi00a began as a family effort shaped by years of working around barriers. Melody Stein had long wanted to work in the food industry but faced repeated rejection because she is deaf. After trying to find a place in existing kitchens and training programs, she and her husband Russ Stein decided to build something of their own instead.
The couple met at Gallaudet University and shared an interest in opening a food business. Over time, their children, Rylan and Taysia Stein, became part of the effort as well. The group worked together, combining kitchen work, operations, and communication roles in a way that fit a Deaf and CODA household.
Their first step into the industry came through a restaurant. In 2011, they opened a Deaf-owned pizza restaurant in San Francisco and trained in Neapolitan methods, including certification tied to traditional standards. That experience shaped how they approached dough, ingredients, and process.
Years later, the family shifted direction. Running a restaurant limited how far the food could travel, so they moved into frozen products. In 2023, they launched pi00a as a packaged pizza brand, focusing on Neapolitan-style crust with a mix of Italian and Asian-inspired toppings.
Production takes place in a small commercial kitchen in Los Angeles. The team prepares dough, assembles pizzas, and freezes them for distribution. Early on, they worked out of a space of a few hundred square feet and handled most of the work themselves, with a small staff assisting in the kitchen.
Sales began online, with direct shipping across the United States. At the same time, the pizzas started appearing in independent grocery stores and specialty markets. As orders increased, they adjusted the setup to handle more volume and began working toward larger retail placements.
The business also carries a clear hiring focus. Most communication in the kitchen is done in American Sign Language, and the goal is to create jobs for Deaf workers who often face limited options in traditional workplaces.
Growth has come in stages. Trade shows and industry events helped introduce the product to buyers, and a pitch competition win brought funding and attention that supported expansion. Retail distribution widened, and production increased to meet new demand.
pi00a remains a family-run operation, with each member involved in daily work. What began as a response to limited access in the job market turned into a small food business built around pizza, production, and a workplace designed to fit the people running it.
