How did pizza get its name?

 Pizza could come from the Greek word “pitta”, meaning “pie”, or the Langobardic word “bizzo”, meaning “bite”. It was first recorded in a Latin text dated 997 in Italy and entered into an Italian-English dictionary in 1598 as “a small cake or wafer.”

Customers want more than just the convenience of picking up a slice or whole pizza at a store or deli when they feel the pizza craving. Customers want an unforgettable pizza experience, from the visual appeal and aroma to every delicious bite to the texture and taste.

While low-cost, commodity pizzas can fill your stomachs, high-quality pizzas that are made with premium ingredients and crusts will satisfy your customers’ higher expectations. Which one would you prefer to be known for?

These tips will help you make premium pizza your customers love and want to buy more.

Tops in toppings

Customers’ pizza dreams are fresh vegetables, meats and cheese from peak season. As much as the experience of eating pizza, it’s also a pleasure to see quality ingredients placed on a baked crust.

You may be tempted to add more toppings. Be aware that food costs can rise faster than you anticipated. Profitability is achieved by following the industry standard that food costs should not exceed 28-30% of gross sale 1. Weighing toppings and following these best practices are key to success. Be generous but be aware of your financial limits.

If your premium pizza fails, profitability can be a problem. Fresh vegetables and meats have more moisture than their dehydrated counterparts. Not accounting for this can cause problems with pizza quality. More moisture can lead to soggy crusts, a surefire turnoff for customers.

Par-baked pizza is the best type of crust to use with fresh toppings. Par-baked crusts can be partially pre-baked to reduce baking times. Watery toppings and other moisture-laden toppings are not allowed to sit on top of the crust and soak the dough for long periods. There are no soggy crusts and many satisfied customers.

These crusts should be a must-have

The Alive & Kickin’ par-baked pizza doughs are more than just strong enough to handle fresh ingredients’ unique properties and characteristics. You have the option to make premium pizzas with a variety of thicknesses and flavour profiles. This also communicates to your customers that this is not a commodity pie.

Think of the good, customer-pleasing possibilities that are possible with:

• These authentic wood-fired crusts are baked in an oven with lava stone decks over a real wood fire. All you need to achieve an authentic look and flavour is a final bake in a non-high heat oven.
• Gluten-Free Crusts are crunchy and delicious, better-for-you options that don’t contain gluten, GMOs or preservatives.
• Signature Croûts take your recipe or crust idea from vision to a versatile reality for a custom premium pie, limited-time offerings and appetizers.

Pizza lovers are discerning. They don’t want to compromise on quality or convenience. Premium pizza must be top-notch. You can ensure it’s done by using high-quality ingredients and the best pizza crusts for your oven, vision, or offerings.