Pizza the perennial favourite!

Great for a grab and go choice as well as a perfect sharing, sit down option. NPD has delivered an increasingly inventive variety of toppings and bases, as pizza remains a popular menu staple, loved by consumers and favoured by catering operators for its ease of preparation and good profit return.

Often considered a junk food choice, pizza sometimes suffers from a bad reputation however, with a little thought and consideration towards the ingredients used, it is possible for caterers to produce pizzas that are nutritionally balanced, yet still appetising and full of flavour.

Big, bold flavours, influenced by world cuisines are trending as toppings – consumers are well versed in the broad selection of world foods available and are not phased by ‘new’ ingredients; this gives caterers free reign to experiment and entice, whilst creating healthy options. An estimated 7%* of the UK’s population is vegan, a figure that is steadily rising. Indeed, as sponsors of 2018’s National Pizza Awards, Pan’Artisan was delight to congratulate Filippo Rosato, who took top spot at the awards with a vegan pizza creation!

Consideration over the pizza base is equally as important as the toppings and an exciting and sometimes bewildering array of pizza bases are now available – from allergy free options to brightly coloured creations made from vegetable flours; Jason Bull of Eurostar Commodities and Bite UK says, “Pizza bases made from vegetable flours will grow and feature strongly, tying in with the gluten-free trend that will continue to grow using natural ingredients.

“These alternative flours are made from beetroot and spinach, creating a stand-out purple or green pizza base which tastes delicious and will satisfy the most discerning healthy eater and hungry kids alike.”

Using a premium, frozen, pre-made base can offer real benefits in a busy kitchen; the consistency and efficiency afforded to operators by using such a product allows them the freedom to express their creativity, bespoke the finish and create a unique, signature pizza for their operation.

Chris Dickinson, New Business Development Director, Pan’Artisan Ltd; “Some of our most popular products are from our extensive pizza base range. Our pizza bases stand out from the competition partly due to our manufacturing process. Most manufacturers produce pizza bases by either stamping or rolling out the dough and cutting the required disc size. Here at Pan’Artisan we produce our pizza bases by dividing the dough into an individual ball and slowly rolling it out under a series of rollers, producing the flattened dough disc for proving, this handcrafted approach results in a pizza base with an extremely light and fluffy crumb structure.

“All of our products are produced with health credentials in mind. The Company avoids the use of additives, preservatives, GM or irradiated ingredients, as well as artificial flavours and colours across our product range.”

Always a popular choice, pizza is a speciality of Pan’Artisan’s - supplied part-baked, frozen, Pan’Artisan’s range of pizza bases are hand-finished and made using the finest quality ingredients. Operators can choose from various base sizes of thin crust; delicate, crisp and light, or deep pan; light, fluffy and very easy to handle. The range also includes two extremely popular Napoli wood-fired bases which are available pre-sauced for the ultimate in convenience and consistency for the operator; there is a 29cm round with tomato sauce, created from the finest Italian tomatoes with oregano, black pepper and high quality Italian olive oil, and a 29cm round Bianca with a white sauce that imparts a delicate, creamy cheese flavour. These wood fired bases offer a genuine Neapolitan product, made to an original, regional recipe, with a high liquid to flour ratio that results in an extremely light, bubbly base with a crisp bite.

A selection of pre-topped pizza bases is also available, based on top selling flavour combinations, which are refreshed on a regular basis. These are supplied in various sizes, thin crust or deep pan, just thaw, cook and serve; a great option for busy caterers.

*Research undertaken by comparethemarket.com 2018

For more information on the Pan’Artisan range of products call 01730 811490 or visit www.panartisan.com