Baking & Snack - September 2022 - 25

TRENDS
Pizza
ing to see the volume sales as classic pepperoni or sausage
pizzas. "
Frozen pizza category leader DiGiorno, a brand of
Nestle USA, Inc., Arlington, Va., refreshed its offerings
this year by introducing three breakfast pizzas: Eggs
Benedict Inspired, Sausage and Gravy, and Cinnamon
Roll. The pizzas are made with a croissant crust and
meant to be enjoyed at any time of the day.
" We're seeing ongoing interest in entirely new mealtimes
to enjoy pizza, " said Kimberly Holowiak, brand
manager for DiGiorno. " There's been a rise in popularity
of breakfast consumption among consumers, and data
from Mintel suggests that 40% of consumers are seeking
breakfast options outside the morning daypart. "
According to Datessential's Pizza Keynote Report for
2022, breakfast pizza is currently on 2.9% of menus but
is expected to grow 15% in the next four years.
Milwaukee-based Palermo Villa Inc.'s Screamin'
Sicilian Line has also seen great success thanks in part to
its original flavors, including Orange Chicken Overload,
Buffalo Style Chicken with Bacon and Philly Cheese
Steak, as well as dessert pizzas like S'mores and Cookie
Brownie. The brand increased its unit sales by 24.1%
over the past year, IRI reported.
Datassential's Pizza Keynote report found that global
flavors like Mexican and Hawaiian, as well as nontraditional
ones like Thai Peanut, which has seen a 58% rise on
menus since 2018, are ranking high among consumers.
And the pro-pineapple-on-pizza crowd can rejoice -
the hotly debated topping was in 76% more pizza orders
in the last year alone, according to delivery app Slice.
The flavor experimentation has extended to the convenience
store as well. Casey's, a popular Midwest general
store chain famous for its pies, recently launched
a Brisket Specialty Pizza. It includes barbecue sauce,
jalapeños, red onion and ranch, and is proving to be a
cheaper than going to buy at your local pizza shop. "
While inflation has put a damper on consumer shopping
habits, pizzamakers are livening up the category
with plenty of new varieties to win over their limited
dollars.
Inventive flavors flourish
Classic toppings like pepperoni and sausage still reign
supreme, but consumers are increasingly interested in
new varieties as well.
" The flavor innovation is adding much-needed excitement
to the pizza category " Ms. Lyons Wyatt noted.
" However, it's important to understand the roles these
flavors are playing. They drive excitement, refresh the
shelf and bring some new consumers into the store.
While the new flavors are appealing, they are never gounique
offering that resonates with consumers.
" Our guests are reacting positively to [BBQ Brisket],
and we are excited to continue to deliver innovation in
the future, " said Andrew Kintigh, chef and senior manager
of culinary innovation, Casey's Pizza.
Trust in new crusts
Depending on who's asked, the crust may be considered
the best part of the pizza, or the part that's usually
thrown away (done by 15% of consumers, according to
Technomic's 2022 Pizza Consumer Trend Report).
Regardless of where one stands on crust, it's importance
to a quality pizza can't be denied.
" The foundation of any great pizza is a signature crust, "
said Tom Santos, field sales representative for General
Mills, Minneapolis. " The best ingredients cannot overcome
a poorly made dough or undesirable crust. "
www.bakingbusiness.com / September 2022 Baking & Snack 25
Dollar sales for frozen
pizza have gone
up while unit sales
have declined, due in
part to inflation.
©pavel siamionov - stock.adobe.com
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Baking & Snack - September 2022

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