Hidden Savings in your Pizza Parlor

In 2018, the worldwide pizza market increased to $134 billion dollars. Consumers of all demographics flock towards the pizza market with 41% of Americans eating pizza every week! In 2018, pizzerias capitalized on the consumer trend of customization. QSR’s like Blaze Pizza and smaller independent restaurants started allowing users to customize toppings, utilize gluten free crusts and even add vegan cheeses or meat alternatives like Beyond Meat or Impossible. We are taking a look at how you as operators can find savings in your kitchen and implement new and innovative menu changes that continue to excite your customers.

Take back your bottom line with tomatoes

Whether you’re using diced tomatoes to start your pizza sauce recipe or adding fresh whole tomatoes to your vegetarian pizza, there are savings hiding in your kitchen. Try making these changes below to increase your bottom line on tomato costs.

Whole vs Diced Canned Tomatoes

Do you get a better yield using canned whole peeled tomatoes or using canned diced tomatoes? Our culinary insights team tested the yield of chopped tomatoes against whole peeled tomatoes to determine which provided a better yield. When the liquid was drained from both and the whole tomatoes were chopped to match the size of the diced tomatoes, the canned diced tomatoes provided a higher yield. Selected canned diced tomatoes for your sauce and other applications can provide a better value, overall yield, and save you time and labor costs.

 

 

 

 

Grape Tomatoes Bulk vs Retail

Another way to unlock hidden savings in your restaurant is to look towards the way you are purchasing grape tomatoes. Typically, your distributor may bring you a case of grape tomatoes in their retail packaging. This may be to ensure the tomatoes don’t bruise, give you the option to break a case, or for other simple reasons. Our team took a look at the additional packaging and wanted to see if you should consider switching from retail packed grape tomatoes to a bulk package. We found that even though the retail packaging may seem like a better fit, factoring in the additional packaging costs and labor that is required to produce the retail packs it is more cost effective to switch to the bulk packaging of grape tomatoes.

Know your cheese

As consumers demand more customization your pizza menu has grown. From fancy blue cheeses to gorgonzola and caramelized onion pies, keeping your chef abreast of different cheese flavors, their pairings, and best applications is one way to ensure your pizza place stays ahead of the competition. As more independent restaurants are forced to compete against the convenience and ubiquity of chain pizza places (*In 2018, Independents opened 2,868 stores and closed 4,121, while chains opened 2,124 and closed 1,170) it’s important for operators to make their menu standout. Knowing which type of mozzarella cheese is best for your menu is one way to ensure you’re always serving the best pizza to your customers.

Mozzarella cheese savings chart
Double click the image to enlarge

MOZZARELLA
When it comes to mozzarella, knowing the difference between shredded gold label, traditional mozzarella, and classic mozzarella is what takes your pizza from great takeout performance of superior signature pizza. Explore the chart below to see which type of mozzarella cheese will be the best for your operation’s needs.

 

Get creative with your toppings

Whether your menu focuses on pizza classics or is the epitome of innovation, getting creative with your toppings is a great way to find menu inspiration in your pizza restaurant. Toppings like Bonici Jalapeno Pepperoni give customers the spice they’re craving in a traditional format. With consumer interest in spicy pizza growing over 15% on menus in the last 4 years (Tyson report) this addition is a good way to play up your menu offerings. Looking to encourage meat-free eaters? Beyond Meat (a plant based-meat alternative company) also offers a crumbled “sausage” that adds rich flavor to any slice. Find more pizza inspirations below.