Pizza is still delicious no matter how you cut it.
There is no shortage of pizza enthusiasts, and according to recent surveys, it continues to be the most popular comfort meal in America. The more recent brands are driving major innovation in the industry. The focus of crust innovation is on grain- and gluten-free substitutes, along with the launch of sourdough solutions that are healthy to the digestive tract. While manufacturers experiment with new kinds and varieties, traditional sauces and toppings remain top favourites.
According to Technomic’s “2020 Pizza Consumer Trend Report,” overall consumption has stayed steady since 2018, with over 44% of consumers consuming pizza at least once a week. Some demographics even consume more than that amount. For instance, an astounding 64% of millennials said they regularly ate their favourite pies.
According to the Technomic analysis, pizza consumption is high and growth is steady, suggesting that the market will develop faster and that differentiation will become even more crucial as competition heats up. New flavours, forms, convenience, portion management, and the capacity to accommodate various meal times will be ways in which differentiation will manifest itself.
Consumers are engaged when brands cater to various meal times of the day, and many pizza manufacturers have failed to take advantage of the changing at-home occasions. Selecting the goods that are appropriate for these situations will open up new growth-promoting opportunities.
“The key is to be engaged. Your portfolio can be changed in a plethora of ways. However, producers can simply alter their marketing if supply chain problems are their only option. Untapped potential exists, according to Sally Lyons Wyatt, IRI’s senior vice president and practice leader.
Toppers increase diversity
By experimenting with flavours and ingredients, firms may provide a wider range of products that can be customised to suit different palates. Palermo Villa Inc., a Milwaukee-based company, addressed the demand for eye-catching variants by introducing a beer-infused crust for its decadent, thickly topped Za’Brewski Pizza, which is created with Leinenkugel’s Original.
“We are pushing the envelope with new dessert items and unique fun flavours as far as toppings and sauce are concerned,” Palermo Villa’s chief product and innovation officer, Nick Fallucca, stated.
Sixty-two percent of people like pepperoni, and it’s becoming more and more popular as the preferred protein topping on menus in all market groups. But according to Technomic, veggie-forward pizzas are popular and can be marketed as a means for customers to eat less meat or as a special dish. The two most popular vegetable toppings were mushrooms and onions, at 56% and 53%, respectively. In order to innovate flavour varieties, producers can also seek to other countries or regions for inspiration.
“The demand for higher-quality ingredients, like organic pepperoni and plant-based and vegetarian toppings, is rising,” stated Alex Corsini, the creator and CEO of Alex’s Awesome Sourdough in San Anselmo, California.
Innovation in pizza crust
Pizza crust tastes, textures, and styles vary widely, and providing a variety of styles and substitute ingredient bases enables manufacturers to appeal to a larger consumer base. In contrast to value brands and thinner crusts, many consumers prefer thicker crusts with decadent toppings. According to the Technomic research, deep dish is the most popular dish at 50%, while thin crust is preferred by 44%.
According to Anne Cookson, vice president of sales and marketing at Baker’s Quality Pizza Crusts in Waukesha, Wisconsin, “it absolutely starts with the crust.” No matter what kind of cheese, sauce, or toppings are added, a pizza’s base determines whether it’s good or awful. The secret is to create several pizza dough varieties while upholding strict quality and standard requirements.
You may also like:
Food security in emerging nations: issues and remedies
Are drinks the secret to increasing cannabis use among consumers?
Managing the lack of labour for mushroom picking
When it comes to pizza crusts, quality and ease of usage are important factors. However, when experimenting with frozen and refrigerated dough pizza crust goods, manufacturers need to take other aspects into account. For instance, how much effort is the customer willing to put in themself, and does the product need to be thick or thin, chewy or crispy?
It all boils down to personal preference, taste, and texture. Although they need more time management and a more hands-on approach, doughballs make an amazing pizza, according to Mrs. Cookson.
Based in Los Angeles Gluten-free pizza crusts were first made popular in 2017 by Caulipower’s cauliflower crust pizza. Earlier this year, the company introduced their handcrafted cauliflower crust pizzas. With cauliflower as the primary ingredient, the new stone-fired crust provides a thin, crispy, restaurant-style sensation.
Since sourdough has a unique flavour and helps with digestion, it has becoming more popular among people who are gluten intolerant. Alex’s Awesome pledges to provide pizzas with crusts that naturally ferment, manufactured from organic flour, and topped with organic toppings. Alex’s Awesome, like many health-conscious companies, promotes their goods through grassroots means including joining Moms Meet, a membership programme that allows moms to test products.
“We are increasing distribution in better grocery stores, collaborating with our retailer partners on pizza-specific promotions, and leveraging the Moms Meet sample programme to build local store awareness and trial to generate interest and awareness,” stated Mr. Corsini.
Palermo’s Urban Pie pizzas are devoid of artificial ingredients and made with 100% rBST-free cheese and antibiotic-free meats. In the market, Urban Pie was first.
“The product has an artisan crust baked with hulled hemp seeds, giving consumers who are conscious about their food choices a great taste with a practical purpose,” Mr. Fallucca stated. “Urban Pie also offers a variety of vegetable crust pizzas, such as Cauliflower Crust Margherita, Broccoli Cheddar Crust Bianco, and Sweet Potato Crust BBQ Chicken.”
Based in New York Another option to the conventional wheat flour-based crusts is Banza’s pizza brand made with chickpeas. The line includes five ready-to-eat alternatives and a basic crust with portion-sized nutritional statistics on the container that you can customise at home.
Health claims affect the premium
Numerous health claims are impacting pizza’s attractiveness rather than just one. Plant-based, gluten-free, and all-natural ingredients are popular. Another trend in consumer health claims is portion control and calories per serving.
“With the exception of crust alternatives, the portion-control attribute is being demonstrated with pizza,” Ms. Lyons Wyatt stated. “If they are attempting to be more health conscious, the calories per serving appeals to them, and it gives them licence to indulge in a pizza knowing that the calorie count won’t ruin their day’s health goals.”
For instance, the front of the container for Alex’s Awesome Sourdough Mushroom Pizza lists the calories per half of the pizza in addition to other nutritional information based on portion size. Other well-liked health claims for the brand’s sourdough pizzas include higher protein content per dish and no added sugar.
Palermo launched a line of Connie’s Single Serve pizzas in May in response to the growing demand of single-serve choices. Like its Screamin’ Sicilian I’m Single brand, Connie’s is made entirely of natural ingredients and is thickly topped.
Customers all around the Midwest love Connie’s. We wanted to offer a better option because we thought there weren’t many high-quality microwave single-serve options available, Mr. Fallucca stated.
Producers of pizza have the option to charge more for components of a higher calibre and those that support their health claims. Providing a plant-based, gluten-free, veggie crust, or reduced-fat cheese raises the price of a premium product.
According to Mr. Corsini, “gluten- and grain-free crusts represent approximately 30% of the premium market.” “Although the gluten-free market is the largest, demand for sourdough and grain-free products is still rising. This pattern appears to be continuing as producers work to enhance both the taste and nutritional value of these crusts.Palermo’s Italian Stone Baked range capitalises on the appeal of different crusts. But the most crucial factor for Baker’s Quality Pizza Crusts is a clean label.