TOPPINGS Which products are key to your toppings category? Pizza may seem simple, but the quality of its components can make a world of difference. It all starts with the right base and that means quality tomatoes. We use SunBlush® Tomatade combined with crushed San Marzano tomatoes. This blend not only provides a richer flavour but has lower moisture, ensuring a crispier crust. For a Bianco base, we rely on a white sauce made in Italy by the same producers behind Parmigiano Reggiano. It offers great consistency and ease of use, maintaining the premium quality expected of our products. With toppings, we believe in simplicity. To combine three or four carefully selected toppings is often more effective than using five or six mediocre ones. One of our go-to ingredients is marinated SunBlush® tomato wedges. The oil marinade helps prevent burning, making them a better choice than freshly sliced tomatoes, which can release too much moisture. This is especially important when cooking at high temperatures, like the Neapolitanstyle pizza ovens that can reach 550°C. Moisture-heavy ingredients don’t fare well in these conditions. For meat lovers, Charcuti® Nduja provides an intense punch. With its combination of Calabrian chillies, rich pork fat and vibrant colour, it pairs wonderfully with roasted red and yellow peppers, for a smoky, savoury depth. Our success with Roquito® Hot Honey – a trend that’s taken the pizza world by storm – is now complemented by the launch of our Roquito® Candied Green Jalapeños. These perfectly capture the combination of sweet, savoury and spicy, satisfying cravings in a whole new way. As for cheese, we prefer mozzarella pearls instead of grated. They melt beautifully, offering a more attractive, irregular finish that provides variety with each bite. Plus, frozen pearls eliminate waste and ensure consistent melting, complementing the other ingredients. To top off the pizza for extra indulgence, we finish with our creamy Individually Quick Frozen Burrata and Chefs Brigade® Pesto Verde – a combination that’s always a crowd-pleaser. www.papa.org.uk P&P_226_Mar25_p36-39_Leathams_JB AB.indd 37
Are you noticing any significant consumer trends? An exciting thing in the pizza world right now is the blurring of traditional boundaries. There’s no one ‘right’ way to top a pizza – if it tastes good, it works. Retailers like M&S are being more adventurous, with Indian-inspired toppings an example, while Pizza Pilgrims’ carbonara pizza with pasta on top has become a hit. Traditionalists may protest but these innovations are winning over the masses. We’re also seeing a resurgence of deep pan, with brands like Japes and Detroit leading the charge in foodservice. As more consumers discover deep pan’s hearty, indulgent appeal, it’s making its way into retail. The growing demand for diverse styles
shows that customers are looking for more than just the classic margherita or pepperoni – they’re after bold, creative combinations. Relationships are everything in foodservice. Talk to us about partnerships and how you maintain them in such a competitive sector. At Leathams, we understand that the pizza industry is highly competitive, and building solid partnerships is key to standing out. We try to get to know our customers – understanding their backof-house capabilities, cost expectations and target consumers. We don’t believe in a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach; each customer has unique needs, and we’re committed to meeting them. Whether it’s a casual, deep pan pizza or a high37 20/02/2025 16:19