A glance again on the high 5 articles that captured our viewers’s consideration this yr.
The pizza trade continues to indicate resilience in 2024, navigating a fancy financial panorama. Whereas some bigger chains have seen sturdy progress, others have confronted challenges. Trade-wide, there is a concentrate on adapting to altering shopper preferences. This contains an emphasis on high quality elements, numerous menu choices catering to numerous dietary wants (like vegan and gluten-free) and progressive supply and ordering applied sciences to reinforce the shopper expertise. The rise of ghost kitchens and the continued reputation of third-party supply companies are additionally shaping the trade’s panorama.
Pizza Market lined a wide range of huge and small manufacturers this yr. From independents rising via franchising and acquisitions to huge chains launching new prototypes, we have lined all of it.
Right here you will discover a look again at our high 5 articles in 2024.
On this article, Editor Mandy Detwiler talked to Scott and Tana Gerber, who purchased the Uncle Joe’s Well-known Pizzeria model in Hampton Bays, New York in 2023. As a substitute of rising with new eating places, the Gerbers are buying pizzerias whose operators need to retire or get out of the pizza enterprise.
“That’s our play, actually to take care of the household pleasant, household model tradition of pizzerias and the standard of a real nook pizzeria — not a franchised pizzeria, however a real pizzaiolo-led franchise with the thought of having the ability to purchase people throughout New York within the coming years is how we have a look at our progress plan,” Scott Gerber stated. “It is not constructing new venues; it is preserving your native slice store and bringing the Uncle Joe’s model to your neighborhood.”
In March, we held our annual Pizza High 100 Gala on the Las Vegas Nation Membership. Slice Home by Tony Gemignani, led by grasp pizzaiolo Tony Gemignani, took high honors on the occasion by putting No. 1 within the Pizza Market’s 2024 High 100 Movers & Shakers record.
Slice Home has greater than 20 models open and 200 offered or in improvement.
“Slice Home by Tony Gemignani is the epitome of excellence within the franchise trade,” stated Mandy Detwiler, editor of Pizza Market. “The model’s explosive progress is spectacular, and Slice Home stands out in a sea of native, regional and nationwide chains. I would like to see a Slice Home in my hometown quickly!”
The 2025 occasion shall be held March 25. Nominations for the 2025 High 100 Movers & Shakers record is open till April 10. Click on right here to appoint your model.
Outdated Scratch Pizza, situated in Dayton, Ohio, has 4 areas. Founder Eric Soller calls the model ‘Midwesternly Neapolitan.’ The pizza is rooted in Neapolitan custom however appeals to a midwestern palate.
“I feel within the pizza trade, that having freshly ready meals and a various menu of freshly ready objects is a differentiator for us,” stated Eric Soller, founding father of Outdated Scratch Pizza. “We have been loopy sufficient to do it on day one, and now we simply must maintain doing it. That is simply part of who we’re.”
On this article, we took a have a look at some manufacturers making heart-shaped pizzas for Valentine’s Day. Although kitschy, the pizzas are huge movers within the weeks main as much as the vacation.
“Pleased Joe’s Coronary heart-Formed Pizza turns into our No.1 promoting pizza between Feb. 1 and Feb. 14,” stated Tom Sacco, CEO and chief happiness officer for Pleased Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream. “No different pizza overtakes the notorious Taco Pizza at Pleased Joe’s besides the Coronary heart-Formed Pizza when it is rolled out. It’s an extremely in style pizza with all age teams, throughout all ethnicities and would not matter whether or not we’re in a metro space or a rural neighborhood.”
Marco’s Pizza launched a brand new retailer design within the Boise, Idaho market, incorporating data-driven selections, a contemporary environment and cutting-edge know-how to reinforce buyer expertise. Future plans embrace increasing the redesign and incorporating superior tech options all through their areas nationwide.
We talked to Gerado Flores, CDO for Marco’s Pizza, to be taught extra in regards to the new prototype and why this yr was a superb time to launch.
“This redesign was impressed by our prospects, franchisees, and our imaginative and prescient for the way forward for the model,” Flores stated in a Q&A session. “We’re consistently tapping into information and shopper insights to gas our selections. That, coupled with the latest launch of our new model platform, However Wait, There’s Marco’s, signaled to us that it was the correct time to make modifications that might have an enduring impression. Like our model refresh, the brand new retailer design is supposed to supply comfort to our franchisees and prospects, whereas delivering a contemporary and heat environment.”
