LAS VEGAS – The Las Vegas Convention Center became the epicenter of the pizza world this week, as it hosted the International Pizza Expo. And that’s just where this New Jersey-born reporter wanted to be, to sample some of the best pizza ingredients that vendors had to offer.
The expo gave suppliers, purveyors, and even just fans of the category an opportunity to try innovative products.
A Focus on Authentic Flavors and Brands
Performance Foodservice celebrated the 70th anniversary of its Roma product line at the international event. The brand, founded in Bradley Beach, N.J., in 1955, includes cheese, canned tomatoes, toppings, and more.
Additionally, the company highlighted the Bacio cheese brand; I had a chance to sample a slice and was very impressed with the flavor profile.
Eddie Greco, vice president of Shamrock Foods Company, noted its Bella Bello brand had been seeing significant growth across its varied product line. He noted that as a broadline distributor, they had the ability to provide Italian specialties to all sorts of operations.
Emily George, senior vice president of foodservice marketing with Shamrock, noted the pizza channel became a priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. She noted that operators within the pizza category were special, and that the Bella Bello brand helped to provide those operators with canned tomatoes, olive oil, cheeses, flour, and non-food items like boxes, too.
Plant-Based Innovation Helps to Cancel the ‘Veto Vote’
Plant-based cheese products were available for sampling on the show floor, providing operators with a way to cancel out the so-called “veto vote” from consumers who need to find options for vegans in their families.
Daiya provided this author with a slice with vegan pepperoni; I had tried the same style slice at the 2024 National Restaurant Association show, and this former plant-based eater found it to be an acceptable substitution for the real thing.
Additionally, Miyoko’s Creamery debuted their Pourable Plant Milk Mozzarella. The company touted that the product is made from organic cultured cashew milk, and the texture of the product was similar to real mozzarella, although the taste profile was a bit off from traditional mozzarella.
Moving Beyond the Pizza Pie
Novamex, distributor of famous Mexican soda brand Jarritos, was on the International Pizza Expo show floor showcasing both legacy and new products that could make an impact among pizza concepts.
Roman De Paz, district sales manager for Novamex, noted the company was working to bring the 70-year-old Mexican soda brand to new channels, including pizzerias across the country.
“We don’t use high-fructose corn syrup, we don’t use artificial sweeteners. We use real fruit, sometimes we even own the orchards,” he said. “We’re seeing a great alignment on the better-for-you category.”
Additionally, De Paz shared that sparkling water brand Mineragua, non-alcoholic Sangria Senorial, and Mundet apple cider were gaining traction with foodservice operators across the country.
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