Study Says Consumers Want More From Pizza

Pizza consumption is trending at its highest level in four years and showing growth for pizza-focused concepts across channels, says a new report by Technomic. To maintain this momentum and stay ahead in the competitive pizza space, operators must innovate and adapt to consumers' evolving demands for unique, high-quality and better-for-you pizza ingredients and add-ons. This is according to Technomic's 2016 Pizza Consumer Trend Report, which highlights the menu and consumer trends shaping the pizza category.

"Today's consumers are less beholden to their standard pizza orders, as emerging players push the envelope of what's expected on a pizza menu," explains Deanna Jordan, manager of consumer insights at Technomic. "New chef-designed specialty pizzas positioned as customizable thought-starters will serve to convey kitchen skills and allow for the personalization these consumers increasingly expect."

Key takeaways from the report include:

• Pizza consumption is trending up; consumers average 4.0 pizza occasions per month, up from 3.4 in 2014.
• Unique toppings are increasingly key; 39% of consumers, up from 32% two years ago, say that new and innovative toppings are highly important in creating a good pizza.
• More consumers are demanding transparency in the pizza occasion; 32% of consumers, up from 25% in 2014, say it's important to know the nutritional content of the pizza they eat.

Using actionable data from more than 1,500 consumers, as well as Technomic's exclusive Digital Resource Library, Knowledge Center and MenuMonitor databases, the 2016 Pizza Consumer Trend Report serves as a guide for foodservice operators and suppliers to understand consumer attitudes toward pizza.

Technomic publishes a complete library of Consumer Trend Reports. To learn more visit www.technomic.com.