There once were differing perceptions of whether the earth was flat or round. Of course, nearly all pizza offerings are both flat and round. And today finds processors challenging category perceptions and using creative new products to lure consumers and steal foodservice sales.

A quick review shows category leaders embracing new toppings and crusts. Still more processors—from dramatically different categories—are breaking into pizza with new offerings. Others are addressing consumer health interests (gluten free), bringing authentic global flavors straight from Italy and transitioning popular restaurant brands into the retail environment.

Fun with Flavor—Any Way You Slice It

Easily demonstrating the most culinary creativity has been Nestlé USA’s Solon, Ohio-based pizza group. Last year saw the business bustle with new limited-edition, direct-to-consumer and packaged offerings. In March, college basketball fans could enter to win an exclusive DiGiorno Cry Pie, topped with caramelized yellow onions, red onions and even green onions. Six months later, consumers also could go online to order a limited-edition DiGiorno Pineapple Pickle Pizza (half and half). Last but not least, DiGiorno came back with another limited-edition, online flavor: Thanksgiving Pizza. It featured classic turkey, creamy gravy sauce, diced sweet potatoes, green beans and cranberries, rich mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, plus a crispy onion topping.

Also getting into the action last year were Nestlé’s other frozen pizza brands: California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) and Tombstone. Last spring brought two new CPK Croissant Inspired Thin Crust pizzas: Uncured Pepperoni & Hot Honey (co-branded with Mike’s Hot Honey), and Bacon & Caramelized Onion. Last summer, consumers also could enter to win a limited-edition Tombstone Bar Snacks Pizza, honoring the brand’s origin in a Medford, Wis., bar. The special pizza came topped with gooey mozzarella sticks, zesty fried pickles and fried onions, along with spicy jalapeno slices and nacho cheese sauce. In other news, Tombstone launched two new bold varieties to its permanent retail line: Spicy Italian and Chipotle Chicken.

Crust is a Must

Nestlé stayed active in everything from taste to texture. Three more new regular retail lines included DiGiorno Loaded Ultra-Thin (two varieties), DiGiorno Detroit Style Pizza (thick crust / three varieties), and DiGiorno Classic Crust Pizza, a regular “crispy thin” crust (four varieties). Officials noted the Classic was the 10th “crafted crust option currently offered by the brand.”

Competitors Schwan’s Consumer Brands and Palermo Pizza Villa Inc. also were active. Citing consumer crust preference data, Schwan’s extended its Red Baron line with a Fully Loaded Hand-Tossed Style in three varieties. Palermo said its new five-flavor Screamin’ Sicilian Tavern Style line features an extra crispy cracker thin crust with premium toppings.

Speaking of crust, Vegolutionary Foods, Los Angeles, greeted National Pizza Month (October) and extended its Caulipower brand with two entirely new cauliflower crust-based pizza lines. A new Pizza Roma line offers pinsa-style pizza with a “fluffy, hand-stretched” cauliflower crust. Imported from Italy, its varieties are Margherita with Pesto and Mushroom & Caramelized Onions. Three additional new “Over The Top” Pizzas feature premium ingredients: The Dream Supreme, Spicy Chicken Sausage, and Trufflicious Mushroom.

In related news, Milton’s Craft Bakers, Carlsbad, Calif., extended its cauliflower crust line with a new Grilled Chicken & Garlic variety.

Now That’s Italian!

Vegolutionary Foods isn’t the only company bringing pizza straight over from Italy. Last November saw Kayco, Bayonne, N.J., extend its Tuscanini Foods line with two imported frozen pizzas (16oz, 17oz): Margherita and Supermargherita.

Interestingly enough, BeyondSKU, a consumer-packaged goods accelerator in the Northeast tri-state area, selected Pinsa Love, Washington, D.C., as one of its fall 2023 cohort companies. A trip to Italy led Founder Jordan Fainberg to start Pinsa Love in 2022 and specialize in Rome’s rectangular, pinsa-style pizza. Distributed in mid-Atlantic states, the 15.87oz pizzas retail for $11-$14 and feature a natural sourdough crust that’s distinctive for its light and airy texture. Varieties include Classic, Carbone Five Cheese, Pesto Mushroom, Foresta Pinsa, Artisan Pepperoni, Plant-based Rustica.

Join the Club

Last year found more companies breaking into the category and angling for a slice of sales. Those newcomers included both dairy and plant-based dairy processors, a plant-based meat company, a vegetable company, and even a firm specializing in Greek yogurt.

Perhaps most interesting was last summer’s debut of Yough!, a line of frozen pizzas and frozen doughs from The Yogurt Dough Company, Inc., West Palm Beach, Fla. Debut varieties were Cheese, Turkey Pepperoni, and a plain, thin “Naked” crust. Each crust features just two primary ingredients: Greek yogurt (cultured nonfat milk), and organic wheat flour. Each also has leavening (monocalcium phosphate, baking soda) and sea salt. Officials say Yough’s Greek yogurt base provides gut-healthy postbiotics and the pizzas represent lower calorie, lower carb and higher protein alternatives compared to cauliflower, chickpea and traditional wheat pizzas and crusts.

Also attacking the category were dairy and non-dairy processors alike. Respectively, they included Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA), Tillamook, Ore., and Canada’s Daiya Foods Inc., Burnaby, B.C. Taking a cheese-forward position is TCCA with four Crispy Stone-Fired Pizzas (19oz-21oz). They feature the cooperative’s medium yellow cheddar, whole-milk mozzarella, and Monterey Jack cheeses. Varieties include Cheesy Uncured Pepperoni, Three Cheese, Three Cheese Supreme and Cheesy BBQ Chicken. For its part, Daiya used the 2023 Natural Products Expo West to introduce a BBQ Plant-Based Chick'n Thin Crust Pizza and a Plant-Based Chick'n, Smoked Bac'n, & Ranch Flatbread. Both feature Chick'n shreds made from peas, oats and rice with no major allergens found in other plant-based brands.

Plant-based chicken processor Daring Foods Inc., Los Angeles, struck up a cross-country partnership with Blackbird Foods, a Long Island City, NY, maker of frozen plant-based pizzas, meats and seitan. Together, they created a Blackbird Buffalo Pizza with Daring’s plant-based chicken recognized on the front package.

Restaurant to Retail

Last year saw two restaurant chains—Chuck E. Cheese (CEC Entertainment LLC) and Cape Cod Café Pizza—each announce broad distribution programs with Walmart stores. Produced by Flatlander Foods LLC, the Chuck E. Cheese line includes Cheese and Pepperoni versions. Cape Cod Café, Brockton, Mass., said Walmart stores in the select eastern states would begin selling three of the company’s frozen pizzas.

Last spring also marked the retail frozen pizza debut of Katie’s Pizza & Pasta Osteria, a St. Louis-based restaurant chain led by Founder Katie Lee. Following COVID, Lee pivoted to add a line of frozen hand-stretched, wood-fired artisan frozen pizzas. Last spring, the company signed on with major distributors such as KeHE and UNFI and in retail outlets such as Fresh Market, Mothers, Fresh Thyme, Kings/Balducci's in NYC, and some regional Whole Foods Markets. PF