Pizza Trends to Follow in 2021
If you’re looking for innovation in the food industry, you don’t have to look any further than the pizza industry in 2021.
Because of the pandemic, 2020 saw people flocking to pizza like no other food. Already the world’s most popular type of food, there was something about a takeaway pizza that drew people to it during these difficult times.
All this upheaval has set the stage for a lot of changes to the pizza industry. New pizza trends are taking off, and you need to know about them before your pizzeria gets left behind.
Keep reading to find out what pizza trends are taking the world by storm in 2021.
Pizza by the inch
Most pizzerias offer pizzas in a few sizes: 9”, 12” and 16”, or others, depending on the establishment. This is usually done for the sake of efficiency. These sizes are largely determined by the equipment on hand. If you have a stack of 12” pizza dishes, you can make as many of those pizzas as you want, and it helps to maintain consistency.
But what if the customer could determine exactly how much pizza they can get?
This question is being answered by a new wave of pizzerias that are offering pizza by the inch. The idea is you have one big pizza a yard long in the shape of a rectangle, and pieces are cut off according to the customer’s wishes. This way, customers can get 3”, 7”, 11” or 17” pizzas, where attendants cut off enough pizza to fill each order.
You can see the success of the pizza by the inch concept all over the country, like at Barrio Pizza in Burlington and Bonci in New Orleans.
Focaccia frenzy
Another trend that’s taking off is pizza made with focaccia dough. Focaccia and pizza are close cousins, after all, so it’s great to see them getting back together again.
We’ve all heard of sourdough pizzas. But focaccia is becoming the new dough for those looking for a slice with some pizzazz. Focaccia is thicker than most pizza doughs, and, as a result, feels denser and substantial.
It’s also an easy dough to work with, as focaccia is generally known as a style of dough perfect for novice bakers.
Pizza-to-order machines
Why go to a shop when you can order a great pizza from a machine right around the corner?
That’s the concept behind a new wave of pizza vending machines popping up in cities all over the world, causing excitement and consternation in equal measure.
These machines operate just like vending machines. At a terminal, you input the type of pizza that you want. Then, the machine makes the pizza on-site and dispenses it to you, ready in its own box.
A company out of Michigan, PizzaForno, says their machines can make a personalised, ready-to-eat pizza in just three minutes.
Ceviche pizza
There’s no shortage of outlandish ideas for pizza toppings. Macaroni and cheese? No problem. Avocado? Why not? Barbacoa? Bar-balicious!
But perhaps the most outlandish ideas for a pizza topping we’ve come across is ceviche.
For those who don’t know, ceviche usually is raw seafood cured in citrus juices, typically lime or lemon, and seasoned with salt, chilli and served with fresh herbs like coriander.
Conceptually, ceviche may seem to conflict with pizza. After all, ceviche is meant to be served raw, whereas pizza is cooked.
However, it’s becoming increasingly popular to top pizza with things like shrimp ceviche.
This recipe from Hispanic Kitchen describes a grilled pizza topped with shrimp ceviche that sounds like it’s to die for.
Flourless crusts
Gluten-free products have been a staple of restaurants and grocery stores for years now. Whether it’s people with conditions like Coeliac disease or people looking to cut down on certain nutrients, gluten-free foods are here to stay.
As a result of this demand, flourless crusts have become a staple of many pizzerias.
However, many restaurants are using this demand to explore other kinds of pizza dough that could be used for their bases.
All sorts of doughs are now being used regularly, from cauliflower and rice to lentils and quinoa. Not only are these bases gluten-free, but they also offer a new dimension of textures and flavours that talented pizza chefs can experiment with.
Frozen pizza for small business
Frozen pizza is generally seen as the preserve of big brands you find in the grocery store. Companies like McCain and DiGiorno dominate this field.
But many smaller pizzerias are starting to compete in this way with their own creations.
It’s becoming increasingly common for smaller brands to create their own frozen pizzas. Companies like Roberto’s Pizza, American Flatbread, and Spinato’s are creating their own unique products that are showing that frozen pizza can be delicious too.
New Haven style
Another popular style of pizza gaining traction in pizzerias across the world is New Haven style. New Haven pizzas, also known as apizzas, are basically a thinner, crispier, dirtier version of the classic Neapolitan, or New York-style, pizza. It’s known for its extremely thin crust, distinctive char, and use of 00 Caputo flour, making the dough very tender and chewy.
Lifestyle diets
Like any other food, pizza must conform to the tastes and sensibilities of its consumers. And no other factor is affecting pizza menus more than lifestyle diets.
Americans love going on diets, with an estimated 45 million Americans going on diets every year. Whether it’s to lose weight, get better nutrients, or improve their physical performance, people are leaning into the benefits of controlling their food intake.
The ketogenic diet in particular has been gaining a lot of popularity in recent years, thanks to its reputation for fast fat-shedding. This diet encourages people to eat lots of protein and fats while almost completely ditching carbohydrates. It’s a challenging diet, but one that can deliver amazing results.
So, what could be more enticing to someone on a strict diet than a pizza made just for them? There are loads of great recipes out there for ketogenic pizzas, like this one, made with almond flour, coconut flour, unsweetened tomato sauce, and xantham gum.
Improve your delivery service with a new EPOS system
Pizza trends change all the time, but something you shouldn’t have to worry about too much is your point of sale system.
Have you been looking for a new system that works seamlessly with in-person payments and delivery? With an Epos Now restaurant point of sale system, you manage your restaurant with ease:
- Streamline back of house operations with a comprehensive kitchen display system
- Eliminate costly errors with automated ordering and seamless communication
- Group by course and order type to speed up preparation and reduce customer wait times
- Access business insights through any device
- Real-time reporting on staff
- Provide a fully-contactless dine-in experience with app-less table ordering
