The 40th Pizza Expo Unveils Decades Of Industry Evolution
The International Pizza Expo will be celebrating its 40th year March 19-21 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This year’s show will be the largest ever, with more than 10,000 attendees and an opportunity to explore nearly 250 product categories from more than 450 suppliers and manufacturers.
“Nearly every supplier and manufacturer known to the pizza industry will be in attendance this year,” says Bill Oakley, show director for Pizza Expo, adding the show is a one-stop shop for both new and well-established businesses in the pizza industry.
Additionally, Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) or The True Neapolitan Pizza Association from Naples, Italy, is celebrating its 40th year and will be joining in the celebrations at Pizza Expo.
Pizza Today, which covers the most current news for the show, will be redesigning its booth this year in honor of the Pizza Expo 40th anniversary.
A Showcase Of Industry Giants And Innovations
This year, the show will feature an opening ceremony, a Wednesday night block party and an option to attend a nightclub as an after party. The show also will include the International Pizza Challenge, World Pizza Games, Italian Sandwich Championship, Ooni Pizza Throwdown and a Plant-Based Competition hosted by Daiya, a dairy-free cheese company. For all of the competitions, a record of nearly 500 pounds of cheese will be used. Mozzarella is the most popular, followed by Provolone.
Brick cheese, Cheddar, Parmesan, Ricotta and most Italian cheeses also will be used in many of the competitions. The Pizza Expo allows cheese and dairy manufacturers and suppliers an opportunity to showcase a variety of their cheeses in front of one of the largest gatherings ever, says Oakley.
The Evolution Of The Pizza Expo And Its Lasting Impact
Reflecting on the history of the show, Oakley says the industry has been very resilient regardless of the economic environment. Pizza has been the No. 1 food choice in America 38 of the last 40 years.
In the early days, the Pizza Expo and other similar shows were put on with less than 20 employees, but the goal has remained the same: Keep the show fresh and new, and overdeliver and exceed expectations.
The first show in 1984 was held in Orlando, featuring 125 vendors and only 1,350 attendees. It progressed to New Orleans for a few years, and then after a couple of shows in Las Vegas, organizers knew that was the place to continue hosting the show.
The Las Vegas Convention Center offers centralized marketing, registering and operations.
Maximizing Business Growth At Pizza Expo
Pizza Expo offers business owners real solutions and opportunities to bring home to their restaurants with a once-a-year opportunity to be face to face with the industry’s leading suppliers.
It is the best investment a pizza owner or operator can make, Oakley says.
It is one of the best food trade shows in the United States, with the best energy level and is “by far the best smelling show on the planet,” Oakley adds.
Pizza Expo also features an education demonstration program, as pizza is an ideal food to adapt to any consumer taste or preference.
“The show has continued to grow. There’s no stopping pizza, whether making your own, frozen pizza or from a pizzeria. If it’s happening in the industry, you’ll find it at Pizza Expo,” adds Oakley.
Consumer Preferences And Pizza Trends
As part of the 40th anniversary, Pizza Today conducted a survey on consumer preferences for pizza. Seven hundred respondents were polled from Pizza Today subscribers and Pizza Expo attendees to answer 60 questions about pizza.
One trend growing in the industry that will be showcased at the expo is pizzerias offering different styles of pizza. Nearly 70% of pizzerias offer more than one style, the report says.
New York continues to be the No. 1 pizza style in America, followed by traditional American-style pizza, and then Sicilian, deep dish, Neapolitan, Chicago thin, Detroit and grandma-style pizza. California/American Artisan falls in ninth, with Chicago thick and NEOpolitan tieing for 10th place.
Jeremy White, editor in chief of Pizza Today, and Denise Greer, executive editor, took a closer look at trends in the pizza world in a webinar hosted before the expo.
They note that there is tremendous growth in pizzerias offering a variety of types of styles at one individual restaurant. Regional and local styles are gaining more popularity nationally, as well as pan-style pizzas, like grandma-style, being on the rise across the United States.
Pepperoni, sausage and mushroom are the top three most popular pizza toppings ordered by consumers, followed by extra cheese as No. 4.
The No. 1 trend in the food industry that will be showcased at the expo is automation, requiring less time and labor for the pizza industry to produce products for its customers.
Other trends resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic include online ordering, which still is growing and will be paramount to the industry in coming years.
“The labor pool has not gotten much deeper from last year in light of the pandemic,” Oakley says.
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Source: Cheese Market News
