The future of pizza | The robotic pizza shop Piestro

1-4-2021

An interesting idea: the robotic pizza shop Piestro, an automated artisan pizza vending machine. Piestro launched in the summer of 2020 and drove investor interest for its ability to automate the pizza cooking process to 3 minutes! A standalone pizzeria model that would make artisan quality pies available in public spaces closer to where consumers live –like apartment complex lobbies or offices, universities and malls.  With just a press of a button, consumers are able to watch a pizza created in front of their eyes, with fresh ingredients cooked to consistent perfection. Piestro even started a cooperation with Kiwibots to create delivery from a vending machine!  

Inspiration for pizzeria’s? It might be an idea to place an automated artisan pizza vending machine outside your pizzeria, an extra source of sales and so convenient during the pandemic!  

Reading time: 3 minutes, checking all the links takes longer 😉 

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Limited-editions of Pizza Hut’s ‘Nothing But Stuffed Crust’

24-1-2021

To celebrates 25 Years of its iconic, can’t-be-duplicated, original stuffed crust® Pizza, Pizza Hut created the limited-edition ‘Nothing But Stuffed Crust’.  In honor of the ORIGINAL Stuffed Crust, Pizza Hut has done the unimaginable, taking the most craveable part of the Original Stuffed Crust pizza and letting it shine on its own. These new ‘Nothing But Stuffed Crust’ were exclusively available from January 5-7 in select Los Angeles and Dallas locations while supplies lasted.

Although the offer is no longer – we love the idea and it might be an inspiration for small Italian restaurants and pizzerias. We think it sounds delicious, ‘a literal ring of golden-brown crust baked to perfection with cheesy goodness inside’!  

reading time: 1 minute

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The family-favorite Triple Treat Box® from Pizza Hut here for the Holiday Season

10-12-2020

With the holiday season in full swing, Pizza Hut is crossing cooking off the to-do list by delivering the ultimate gift: the Triple Treat Box. With three courses in one festive wrapped box, this is by far the easiest holiday decision you will make all season. Arriving just in time for the holidays, each Triple Treat Box features a three-in-one meal, packed with two medium one-topping pizzas, five breadsticks and 10 Cinnabon® Mini Rolls.

Available in the U.S. for a limited time only. We love the idea of a family-style box especially with the Christmas decorations! Why not introduce it for like always and with changing decorations?

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‘Rain Check Registry’ by Domino’s Pizza in the USA | For those who have to postpone their wedding because of the pandemic

29-6-2020

Domino’s Pizza knows that wedding planning is exhausting. Replanning a wedding due to a pandemic is twice as exhausting. Now friends and family can send couples pizza to show their support with Domino’s new Rain Check Registry, on dominosweddingregistry.com.

Many couples have had to postpone their weddings due to the circumstances around COVID-19. Great marketing by Domino’s Pizza in the USA to help make their days brighter with their ‘Rain Check Registry’.  

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Pay-it-Forward Pizza Program by Uno Pizzeria & Grill

15-5-2020

Here in the Netherlands we saw the big line ups with people waiting for food in the U.S. and we’re very happy that up till now we don’t have that many people losing their jobs because of the Covid-19 crisis. The crisis also brings out the best in people and companies. Uno Pizzeria & Grill chain in the U.S. introduced a Pay-it-Forward Pizza Program. Customers can buy an extra pizza to help feed those on the frontline, hospital workers, first responders and to those that are now food insecure. If a customer buys 1 extra pizza ($ 10) the chain will match the contribution. So, the buyer will be “digging deeper” to feed those who need it most and to keep the restaurant workers at Uno Pizzeria & Grill employed during these challenging times.

We’ve seen many pay-it-forward examples back in time when we started with horecatrends (2007) and we can imagine lots of people love the gesture. It made us think why there aren’t more initiatives like this when there isn’t a crisis. Personally I always hate it to walk past homeless people without acting. Last year we were visiting the U.S. and noticed the many homeless people and wondered why there aren’t more small food businesses selling small ‘gift certificates’ guests can buy and hand out to homeless instead of money! ^Marjolein

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Neapolitan pizza conquers (Hilton) Amsterdam

17-10-2019

Hilton Amsterdam introduces exclusive Neapolitan pizza in combination with champagne. The classic among pizzas is put on the menu of their Half Moon Lounge. The contemporary combination with bubbles gives the original simple street food from Naples a gastronomic touch. Special pizza & champagne variations are served until 14^th of November 2019 for 20 euros per person, including a glass of prosecco.

Nice and tasty, eating original Neapolitan pizza with bubbles at the Hilton Amsterdam! What kind of originals do you serve for a reasonable price?

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#PearPizza campaign | USA Pears promotes pears on pizza

9-9-2019

The pear season is about to start and as part of the kick-off for the 2019-20 Northwest pear season, USA Pears launched a campaign centered around #PearPizza. As it seems the beginning of 2019 was marked by the great pineapple pizza controversy, and now USA Pears is proudly declaring that there is nothing wrong with using fruit as a pizza topping. That being said, now it is time for pineapples to step aside for pears to triumph as the ultimate fruit to use as a pizza topping. The quest for their world pizza domination begins at FEAST Portland on September 14.

I love to make flammkuchen with blue cheese, hazelnuts and pears, so I can imagine enjoying a #PearPizza although I don’t like to eat a pizza with pineapple. In the past we even spotted pizza’s with chocolate so there are a lot of people enjoying a touch of sweetness on their pizza! In this article a link to more recipes with pears from USA Pears! ^Marjolein

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Domino’s® Pizza and Rad Power® Bikes | E-Bike program for delivery in the US

23-8-2019

Domino’s Pizza, the largest pizza company in the world based on global retail sales, knows a thing or two about pizza delivery, including the fact that cars aren’t always the most efficient way to get hot, delicious pizzas to hungry customers. A bike is often a better solution to traffic congestion and parking challenges. Domino’s stores across the nation will soon have the option to use custom e-bikes for pizza delivery through a partnership with Rad Power® Bikes – North America’s largest e-bike brand.

Domino’s Pizza has also tested Robots for delivery but don’t you think that e-bikes are more likely to be used in the short term? In the Netherlands we spotted a couple of delivery services that use e-bikes as well.

Rad Power® Bikes is also located in the Netherlands (Utrecht) from where their team is working to build similar partnerships with European companies as well. For example, a fleet of their e-bikes are used in three European cities in a program called ELVITEN that demonstrates how electric light vehicles can improve mobility in urban areas. Below the article a video about this project that already started in cities like Bari, Genoa (both Italy) and Málaga in Spain.

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Pizookie | Pizza, cookies and vanilla ice cream!

7-3-2019

On National Cereal Day, Thursday, March 7, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse® launched the first of a line of cereal-enhanced Pizookies®, which will be rolled out throughout 2019. The inaugural flavor, a Cinnamon Toast Crunch™ Cereal Pizookie®, will feature a buttery sugar cookie baked in its own deep-dish pan and topped with rich vanilla bean ice cream, Cinnamon Toast Crunch™ cereal and cinnamon sugar. The Cinnamon Toast Crunch™ Cereal Pizookie® is the dessert that Millennials have been looking for – a little bit of whimsy paired with a nostalgic treat that can be eaten at any time of day. read more

Domino’s Pizza is ‘Paving for Pizza’ in the USA | Don’t let bad potholes ruin good pizza!

11-2-2019

We missed this initiative by Domino’s Pizza  from June last year up to this morning but for once we don’t really mind. This way we can check whether this is just a media stunt or that they’re actually ‘paving for pizza’. As their press release back in June said; “Domino’s is saving pizza, one pothole at a time”. Cracks, bumps, potholes and other road conditions can put good pizzas at risk after they leave the store. Domino’s was hoping to help smooth the ride home for their freshly-made pizzas. Started June last year, Domino’s asked customers to nominate their town for pothole repairs at Paving For Pizza. And as we recently visited the states Florida and New York in the USA we noticed the terrible conditions of the road, so a great campaign by Domino’s Pizza.    read more