Pizza packing a punch for delivery and takeaway, reports Central Foods

Pizza has been a shining star over the past few months for foodservice outlets looking to offer quick, simple and tasty hot options to take away or for delivery, says Gordon Lauder, MD of frozen food distributor Central Foods.

It tops the list of delivered items, according to the NPD Group – ahead of chips and beefburgers - and is a product that’s relatively easy to prepare and serve – plus it appeals to a wide variety of customers.

“For the ultimate in convenience, fast food operators can buy in pre-prepared frozen pizzas, but if they want to add their own stamp to things, they can opt for pre-prepared frozen pizza bases and toppings, which will help them to serve authentic pizzas to their customers without the worry of wastage or spoilage,” suggests Gordon Lauder.

“Central Foods has recently teamed up with the awardwinning White Rabbit Pizza Company to offer nudies – vegan and gluten-free stone-baked, artisan pizza bases that can be topped with all sorts of flavours and ingredients but taste so good they are suitable for all customers, not just those with dietary requirements. We’ve also recently launched a number of Jack & Bry vegan and gluten-free toppings, including the plant-based pepperoni slices made from tasty and nutritious jackfruit, which offer a delicious meaty texture and taste whilst also being low in calories and high in fibre. They make superb toppings for vegan ‘meat-feast’ pizzas.

“Vegan options were under the spotlight in January during Veganuary, and this raised awareness of the importance of having pizzas available to suit those customers who prefer plant-based products. Vegans and vegetarians are set to make up 25% of the population by 2025 and flexitarians just under 50%, according to the Vegan Society, so it makes commercial sense to offer plant-based options of popular items like pizzas.

“In these challenging times, when fast food outlets may be operating with reduced staff and reduced opening hours, life can be made easier, and profits maximised, by using pre-prepared, frozen products which help to reduce waste, manage unknown demand and are a cost-effective way of serving all-time favourites such as pizzas.”

Central Foods is one of the UK’s leading frozen food distributors, supplying hundreds of different lines into foodservice. It currently sells to more than 240 independent wholesalers, as well as larger national and regional wholesalers, and foodservice caterers across the entire foodservice industry including the fast food and takeaway sector.