Pizza is a worldwide people-pleaser.
While its origin story is Italian, countless region-specific sequels have been - and are still being - written. In New York, immigrants recreated Neapolitan pizza. A Detroit operator made good use of some blue-steel automotive pans when he needed more baking gear. Chicago pizza makers loaded up deep-dish pies that sustained meat packers and others through grueling workdays. Resourceful pizza makers everywhere leveraged local and seasonal ingredients in ways that cut food costs and enhanced flavors.
Create your own pizza story - one that conveys your brand. Let diners know that your place is where they can find the enhanced experience they’ve been craving, including premium Italian ingredients from Bella Bello by Shamrock Foods
Upper-crust Creativity
Regional spins.
Pizzas spiced with the peppers that are hot stuff in the locale - Hatch green chile, chiltepin, serrano.
Stuffed crust.
56% of all consumers say they’re extremely or very interested in pillowy, stuffed-crust pizzas filled with flavorful cheese or meat.
Leopard-pizza crust.
This extra-crispy crust is baked until well-done; the bottom is slightly charred and the top crust has blistered spots.
American Pies
Over-the-top toppings.
Whacky combinations of comfort foods like spicy mashed potatoes, chicken fingers or poutine toppings are still wildly popular.
New York-Style Pizza.
Keep the size big (20 inches) but the toppings minimal to preserve the thinness and crispiness of the foldable crust. Slather on garlicky white sauce or pungent puttanesca and stinky cheese to get customers in a sensory-rich, New York state of mind.
California-Style Pizza.
Craft coastal comfort food into fresh pies with seasonal superfoods - kale, arugula, avocado, glugs of new-harvest, antioxidant-rich organic California olive oil - and even sushi.
Chicago-Style Pizza.
Go for ramped-up mouthfeel in this crispy-bottomed, deep-dish bake. Instead of the usual meats and cheeses, add house-made meatballs, fried gnocchi, flash-fried veggies and even cheese curls to create a sort of pizza treasure hunt in those depths.
Detroit-Style Pizza.
Tune in to the Motown spirit of innovation. Put some Detroit hometown-favorite toppings down - think chicken shawarma, lamb kofta or bits of fried pierogi and kielbasa for crunch - under a fresh coat of sauce.
Menu-Adoption Cycles
They're Everywhere
Stuffed crusts. Dessert pizzas.
Rapidly Growing
Flatbread pizzas. Mashups.
Catching On
Regional Pizzas. Alternatives/ gluten-free crusts. Breakfast pizzas.
Emerging
Plant-forward toppings. Italian street food.
Customer Spotlight
Big Cheese Pizza
Big Cheese Pizza in Gallup, New Mexico, may seem like a regular family pizza joint, but their specialty pizzas like their “Fire Eater” - beef, pork, pepperoni, jalapenos, onion - or their “Navajo Taco” - beef, whole beans, cheddar cheese, onion, lettuce, diced tomatoes - set them apart.
Krazy Karl Pizza
Krazy Karl's Pizza, with multiple locations in Colorado, offers truly “Krazy” specialty pizzas like “The Mac’d Up” - with white cheddar cheese sauce, Mac ‘n cheese and bacon - and “The Mile High” - ranch base topped with chicken tenders, waffle fries, and green chilies.
Flatbread Pizza
Idaho-based Flatbread Pizza is so committed to the original Neapolitan pizza, they had theirs certified by Vera Pizza Napoletana. They also offer their own unique local favorites- like the Pepperoni & Chive or the Chopped Veggie, featuring goat cheese and squash.
Dion's
Dion’s has won a loyal following throughout New Mexico, Colorado and Texas with their Gourmet Pizzas cooked on a tray with olive oil to achieve a thin, crispy crust. Home chefs can pick up (then rave about) #DionsPizzaKit. Check out our interview with Dion's owner Mark Herman on our podcast!
Source: Datassential 2021, 2022
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