Pizza keeps being one of the top-ranked items in foods ordered at U.S. restaurants. According to The NPD Group, in the quarter ending June 2021, there were 1.2 billion servings of pizza ordered, which is up four percent from the same quarter last year. Also, plant-based protein and ingredients shipped from foodservice distributors to pizza places increased by 56% in the second quarter compared to a year ago.
Research shows that about 20% of people want to increase the amount of plant-based proteins they eat. Pizzas let chefs customize with plant-based ingredients beginning with cauliflower crusts. Shipments of cauliflower dough and crusts to pizza restaurants increased by 46% in the quarter ending June compared to the same quarter year ago. Unit shipments of plant-based proteins, like Italian sausage, chicken, and imitation beef, grew by double-digits in the quarter.
It seems that plant-based items aren’t going anywhere any time soon.