Convenience and affordability are top drivers for purchasing frozen pizza, while factors like healthiness or variety of toppings are weighed less heavily, according to a new report by Datassential. Focusing on improving and highlighting top attributes like convenience may help increase at-home pizza occasions.
“It’s important for manufacturers to continue innovating retail pizza products, such as frozen pizzas (which account for over half of consumers’ most recent at-home pizza eating occasions). Much like their restaurant counterparts, retailers can also benefit from offering a mix of classic and trend-forward options,” the company says.
The report goes on to say that while most operators (78% in the restaurant segment) serve solely pizzas that are made in-house, around a third use some form of pre-made pizza product. Pre-made pizza usage is highest at retail, where operators may not have the time, resources, or space available to create pizzas from scratch. Moreover, 56% of consumers purchase frozen pizza at least once a month, while 49% of them are interested in frozen pizza that can cook in its own box.
Datassential also mentions that two-thirds of consumers have eaten pizza in the past week, and 20 percent of Millennials enjoyed a slice in the past day. Pizza varieties are growing on menus, expanding on favorites like pepperoni and mushroom to include upscale ingredients such as pulled pork and ricotta cheese. And operators who menu pizza say business is booming, both among national and regional chains and local independents.
“100% of consumers know of pizza and 91% say they love it or like it, making it America’s number one favorite food,” the researchers say.
