Challenging a Ubiquitous Industry
using Produce on Pizza “Produce is the primary driver of innovation,” says Brian Sullivan, executive chef and senior vice president of culinary innovation for California Pizza Kitchen.¹ In the past decade we have seen a growth in pizza chains differentiating themselves by claiming to offer fresh, locally sourced ingredients. A few to mention are Rise Pie, California Pizza Kitchen and Fired Pie. These businesses do a great job emphasizing the quality and artistry put into each pizza pie and positioning themselves as the higher end pizzeria. This shows how customers value quality, fresh ingredients - even in their pizzas. In a saturated market, be the restaurant to stand out from the crowd through innovation using not your typical pizza toppings. Unique produce for toppings could make for a higher value menu item. Adding produce will increase the perceived value of your food, especially if ingredients look fresh.
The Last Bite // 12
