PMQ Pizza Magazine calls the next generation of pizza lovers – Gen-Zers and Millennials – “ discerning diners ,” while Technomic’s Pizza Consumer Trend Report calls the group’s love for pies the “ Rise of the Pizza Connoisseurs.”

Research from these studies shows some pretty saucy findings:

• 43 percent of consumers eat pizza at least once a week
• 49 percent of consumers want more authentic pizza offerings
• 44 percent choose operators who use high-quality/fresh toppings and ingredients
• 44 percent choose operators who have the best crust

 

The Future of Pizza is Changing, No Matter How You Slice It

The Technomic study also asked consumers: Which types of regional pizzas would you consider ordering – California-style, St. Louis-style, Chicago-style or New York-style?

New York-style pizza took the biggest slice of the pie (pun intended) with 65 percent of consumers in its favor. The study concluded that Italian pizzas are on the rise as well.

Bruce Irving of Smart Pizza Marketing told PMQ Pizza Magazine , “The younger generation wants to know what’s in their food, and that’s a great opportunity for independents to dominate their market, because they can do that.”

The truth of the matter is people are willing to pay a little more for better-tasting food made with real ingredients. In an increasingly health-conscious world that feeds off a new-found obsession with quality, Russo’s New York Pizzeria stands out above the rest.

Remember the Statistics We Told You About Earlier?

Well, Russo’s fulfills every single one of them. Don’t believe us? Keep reading.

43 percent of consumers eat pizza at least once a week
Whether our customers need a Russo’s fix in our New-York-style restaurant or want to enjoy our pizza and Italian favorites from the comfort of their home, we have them covered. In fact, they can get a taste of our Italian masterpieces four different ways: sit-down dining, online ordering/delivery, takeout, and catering.

49 percent of consumers want more authentic pizza offerings
Russo’s recipes are 100 percent Italian. Although Chef Anthony Russo grew up in New Jersey, his parents immigrated to America from Italy. He learned how to cook in the kitchen of his father’s restaurant and from relatives visiting from Naples and Sicily. The recipes we use are more than 100 years old. And since we are a New-York-style pizzeria, we even offer our pizzas by the slice. It doesn’t get more authentic than that.

44 percent choose operators who use high-quality/fresh toppings and ingredients
Our pizza is award-winning for a reason; we never use packaged ingredients because above all, we value quality – and so do our customers. But what makes our pizza so great? We don’t believe in cutting corners and don’t mind getting our hands dirty.

For instance, we carefully make and hand-toss our dough in-house and hand-crush vine-ripened tomatoes for our sauce. Best of all, we don’t use a conveyor-belt oven; we use a brick oven to bake our New-York-style pizzas to perfection.

We don’t follow a formula, we get in the kitchen and cook using generations-old recipes that keep our customers’ mouths watering. Maybe this picture will get your mouth watering, too.

44 percent choose operators who have the best crust
We know we told you about the dough already, but we forgot to mention we make it with 100 percent semolina wheat, most commonly used in Italy. It’s how our crust gets its perfect golden coloring and unforgettable earthy aroma. Our proprietary flour doesn’t contain additives or preservatives either. We also have a gluten-free option available for more health-conscious guests.

It’s clear; the pizza industry is changing. While our most significant competitors are scrambling to meet the demands that come with the “Rise of Pizza Connoisseurs,” Russo’s barely has to lift a finger. We’ve been serving truly authentic, all-natural, gourmet Italian pizzas and cuisines since we began. And, we serve it in a warm and inviting, NYC-worthy environment.

If you’re looking to invest in a pizza franchise, do it with the guys who are already meeting today’s pizza trends, not struggling to keep up with them.