PIZZA
Sure, the grocery freezercase literally seems cold and uninviting at first—yet consumers find a warm welcome in the frozen pizza category. New items deliver fun twists on taste and texture—and still others offer dietary health benefits for those still wanting familiar comfort.
Not surprisingly, category leader Nestlé USA drove flavor fun last year with a host of LTO offerings. Honoring Tombstone’s history, Nestlé said it raised “a glass to its born-in-a-bar heritage with the introduction of TOMBSTONE Tavern-Style Pizza, an all-new take on the zesty, bold taste first introduced nearly 65 years ago in Medford, Wis.” Two new thin crust varieties were The Primo, with pepperoni, sausage, banana peppers, red onion, zesty tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese; and Let’s Meat Up, with pepperoni, pork belly crumble, zesty tomato sauce, rich cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. The pizzas were available nationwide and Nestlé even teamed up with New Belgium Brewing’s Voodoo Ranger IPA for a limited-edition Voodoo Ranger I(Pizza)A, a limited-edition pizza-flavored beer.
Nestlé DiGiorno’s brand introduced four “wildly inappropriate,” limited-edition pizzas inspired by Marvel Studios’ triology of DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. A sweet and salty “Wade Special” combined pineapple and black olives to “pay homage to Wade Wilson’s pizza in the first movie.” A “Gimme Chimi” featured spicy cumin sauce, beef topping, jalapeno, and cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. A “Spicy Wolvie Pie” came stacked with pepperoni, chorizo and bacon. A “Maximum Pep” came “piled high” with sliced and diced pepperoni. DiGiorno later ended 2024 with a “fan-favorite” Thanksgiving Pizza with roasted turkey, smooth gravy sauce, colorful green beans and cranberries, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses plus a crispy onion topping—all on a Detroit Style crust.
Speaking of crust, processors were no less active when it came to tasty texture. Last spring saw Nestlé extend its primary DIGIORNO line with Thin & Crispy STUFFED Crust Pizza. It said the crust “combines the crispiness of thin crust with the 2.5 feet of hot, melty cheesiness of stuffed crust into one mouthwatering combination.” Debut varieties were Sausage, Margherita, and Pepperoni (MSRP of $8.99). Interestingly, Pepperoni came with a packet of Mike’s Hot to pour on top.
Last spring saw Newman’s Own Inc., Westport, Conn., expand its line with five new frozen pizza offerings—including three Sourdough Crust options and two additional Stone-Fired Crust items (imported from Italy). Those flavors are Italian Salami, and Roasted Garlic & Mushroom.
Speaking of Italy, PORTA, Toronto, expanded its US frozen pizza distribution last fall to more than 1,000 stores including Whole Foods, Sprouts and other select retailers. Italian chef and restaurateur Cosimo Mammoliti started the business and imports Italian flour, olive oil and tomatoes for this Roman-style (pinsa) pizza. Varieties include Margherita, Pepperoni, Sausage & Caramelized Onion, and Mushroom & Fontina.
For its part, Palermo Villa, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., extended its Screamin’ Sicilian line with two different takes on crust. Last August brought four deep-dish Detroit Style Pizzas (26.45oz) complete with a bakeable tray to “achieve perfect caramelized cheesy edges and a light and airy crust.” In a reversal of sorts, Palermo completely abandoned the crust and introduced Screamin’ Sicilian Nothin’ But Toppings Pizza Bowls. Varieties include Pepperoni, Supreme, Italian Style Meatball, and Multi-Meat.
“Nothin’ But Toppings Pizza Bowls are perfect for pizza lovers who are following a Keto-like diet or looking to cut carbs and enjoy a delicious pizza experience,” said Nick Fallucca, Palermo Villa chief product and innovation officer. “Loaded with premium ingredients, each bowl is high in protein (21g-31g per serving) and offers all the flavor of pizza without the crust! Ready in as little as four minutes in the microwave they are a perfect snack or meal that can be ready anytime a pizza craving strikes.”
Dietary Decisions? No Problem!
Several brands address new product development to dietary needs. One noteworthy launch is Nestlé USA’s frozen Vital Pursuit brand for GLP-1 weight loss medication users and consumers focused on weight management. Officials said the all 14 debut items are high in protein (20g minimum), a good source of fiber, contain essential nutrients, and portion-aligned to a weight loss medication user’s appetite. The initial line included four pizza varieties: Cauliflower Crust Pepperoni, Cauliflower Crust Three Meat, Cauliflower Crust Three Cheese, and Cheese Lovers. This January, the brand came back with Vital Pursuit Max Pro, a frozen pizza line with two debut varieties: Cheese Lovers and Chicken Mozzarella. Each delivers 33g of protein (billed as the highest levels on the market) and 17g of fiber per serving. Suggested retail is $4.99.
Consumers looking for gluten-free options can find more on-trend flavors in the freezercase. For example, this February saw Caulipower LLC, Los Angeles, introduce a CAULIPOWER Dill Pickle Pizza (11.3oz) with stone-fired crispy cauliflower crust and a “white béchamel sauce infused with dill pickle brine, melty mozzarella, roasted garlic, and a fresh dill garnish.” It debuted at Whole Foods (first three months) at a SRP of $9.99.
Plant-based dairy processor Daiya Foods, Vancouver, B.C., also reformulated and relaunched its plant-based frozen pizza line last fall. Daiya said a multi-million-dollar bakery upgrade enabled it to produce all components of the pizzas in-house and double production capacity. Officials say the line’s six frozen pizza offerings boast a “lighter, fluffier, and crispier gluten-free crust,” and “enhanced rich tomato sauce.” They also feature reformulated Daiya Oat Cream blend cheese, made from “proprietary plant-based cultures.” Pizza varieties include Cheese, Meatless Pepperoni, Supreme, Fire Roasted Veggie, Meatless BBQ Chick’n, and a Meatless Meat Lovers. Daiya’s new pizzas are priced between $9.99 and $12.99 and are available at major retailers nationwide.
