Pizza Today - September 2015 - 41

restrictions want to personalize their
meal options, and we want to make
sure we have options for everyone."
Gluten-free products are a prime
example. Once a necessity for only
a small population, they're now in
demand among millions of consumers.
"More people are asking for glutenfree, not necessarily because they have
Celiac disease, but because it just
makes them feel better," says Drew
French, founder of Your Pie. A small,
separate selection of wheat-free pies
may have once appealed to customers who can't handle regular flour, but
the growing gluten-free population is
demanding more.
The same is true for customers who
avoid dairy. Between vegans, dairy-free
dieters and people diagnosed with milk
allergies, there's a large and growing
group demanding high-quality alternative cheese products. "Pizza is all about
cheese, and while the technology for
soy and nut cheeses isn't really there
yet, it's getting better," Scheibmeir says.
Current products will have to suffice for now, but shop owners should
keep an eye out for new and improved
dairy-free cheeses to substitute upon
request.

at pizza. It's becoming something you
can eat for lunch and not feel like taking
a nap after." While certain varieties are
still considered treats, consumers want
pizza they can feel good about eating any
day of the week. And, even when they
are indulging in a deep dish or meatfilled pie, they still want to know that
even those salty, fatty ingredients were
ethically grown and responsibly raised.
The Price of Quality

Of course, higher quality comes with
higher prices. "Everything's still costdriven, and if something costs three
times as much to produce, you can't put it
on your menu," says Minidis. Fortunately,
there are plenty of cost-effective ways to
add fresher and more diet-friendly items
to a menu. A two- or three-fold increase
in cost isn't feasible, but an extra dollar
or two for a specialty product certainly
is. Whether they want locally grown

vegetable toppings, additive-free sauces
or a wider selection of gluten- and dairyfree substitutions, conscious consumers
are increasingly willing to trade cost for
quality. "Customers are willing to pay for
perceived value, so if they're getting great
quality and a great experience behind it,
they're going to pay more," says French. n
DAVID LAMARTINA is a Kansas City-based
freelance copywriter who specializes in the
finance, food and health industries.

PizzaToday.com
MORE on how you can change
your menu to accommodate
today's health and dietary concerns
PizzaToday.com/more/healthymenutips

Indulgence or Diet Food?

Pizza has long been viewed as a
treat, a comfort food, something to be
eaten at parties and on special occasions. So, medical and ethical restrictions aside, how much do customers
really care about their "normal" dietary
habits when they buy pizza? Do
their demands for fresh, high-quality,
sustainably raised ingredients apply as
much to their restaurant purchases as
their grocery carts?
For the most part, the answer is
yes. "I think the general consumer
sees pizza as a treat and reward for
being good all week, but they still
expect those healthier options," says
Scheibmeir. French likewise noted that,
"We're changing the ways people look

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Pizza Today - September 2015

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