bake Special Report - Pizza 2021 - 31

The future is now
Pizza is leading the charge among
consumers dining out, and glutenfree
pizza offers an attractive option
for both consumers and pizza
makers.
Hailey Rogers, R&D Chef at Ardent
Mills, and Sarah Waller, channel
marketing lead for Ardent Mills,
point out that pizza consumption
is on the rise, and as restrictions
are lifted, consumers are wanting
to support local pizza shops.
The result?
Higher customer demand for
authenticity, as well as increased
consumption of better-for-you
crust.
" Grains have a great story, " Waller
says. " Whole grains, plant-based or
vegan, Keto, better-quality carbs. "
Gluten-free has been on menus
for a long time, and current research
reveals that nearly a quarter of
US consumers have a gluten-free
preference.
Plant forward
diets have
staying power. "
Sarah Waller, channel marketing lead
for Ardent Mills
" Gluten-free is not going away, "
Waller points out.
People are fascinated with heritage
grains - sharing stories of
origin - as well as regional styles
of pizza, such as Neapolitan.
Rogers points out that glutenfree
options now represent a big
chunk of the public demand, and
more consumers strongly agree
they would choose healthier options
when on the menu.
" Ancient heirloom grains can really
complement that space because
they are gluten-free already. They
are hitting a number of notes with
people, " she says.
The ripple effect
The Specialty Food Association recently
released its annual State of the Specialty
Food Industry Report, revealing that the
specialty food market reached total sales of
$170.4 billion in 2020, a 13 percent increase
since 2018.
Much of this was driven by the COVID-19
pandemic's effect on buying, at-home meal
preparation and consumption. Specialty
food sales grew 24 percent at retail from
2018-2020, and 19.4 percent in 2020 alone.
" The ripple across all channels of the
specialty food industry has been tremendous, "
says Bill Lynch, president of the
SFA. " We've seen businesses flex their
creativity in ways they never could have
imagined, from restaurants becoming
pop-up specialty food grocers to makers
increasing production to meet consumer
demand. "
Chickpea flour in pizza crust is
one example, and also quinoa flour
and gluten-free pizza flour.
Pizza crusts can represent an
untapped sales opportunity, Waller
says, for example, an ancient grain
pizza dough ball which she says
could attract large appeal.
" Plant forward diets have
staying power, " she says. " Look for
consumers to be more open to new
flavors and mashups. "
Great-tasting pizza crust is non-negotiable
for pizza lovers, so Ardent
Mills has made it simple to give them
delicious taste with the nutritional
benefits of a gluten-free food. Glutenfree
Pizza Flour from Ardent Mills
makes your toppings shine, while
giving gluten-free eaters a tasty way
to enjoy the pizza they love.
" What's better for you and what's
better for the planet - that's a driving
force, " Rogers says. " Be ready for
consumers to come back craving
old favorites with new twists. "
Bake Magazine Digital Special Report 3 | Volume 2 | bakemag.com
31
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bake Special Report - Pizza 2021

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