When it comes to pizza, operators are constantly looking for ways to differentiate themselves from their competitors. HORMEL® Ribbon Pepperoni is one product that can add spice, taste, and visual appeal to more than just your standard pepperoni pizza.
HORMEL® Ribbon Pepperoni was inspired by the Windsor pizza—a long-time favourite of customers in the Southwest Ontario corridor. “The Windsor-style pizza has been a hit with customers in that region for decades,” says Dan Glendinning, country manager, Hormel Foodservice Canada.
This ready-to-use, dry-cured product reduces back-of-house workload, while ensuring consistent quality and portion control. The ribbon-style format allows for quick, even application across menu items, improving efficiency while maintaining the flavour chefs and customers expect from their pepperoni toppings.
Chefs love a shredded product as it provides more coverage than sliced pepperoni, says Glendinning. “It’s a way to provide more coverage for less weight. For example, a large pizza might take 24 to 30 slices of pepperoni that would add up to as much as two ounces of meat. With HORMEL® Ribbon Pepperoni, you could potentially have full coverage with half the ounces and still deliver a great flavour profile with eye-catching appeal.”
Pizzerias that already favour ribbon-style pepperoni typically bring in stick pepperoni and shred it in-house, which can be time-consuming and more costly, he adds. “HORMEL® Ribbon Pepperoni eliminates the labour and equipment needed in-house without compromising flavour or quality. Because it is dry-cured, it doesn’t clump or get sticky, and it crisps up beautifully to deliver a robust, bold flavour and a bit of a crunch on a pizza.”
HORMEL® Ribbon Pepperoni comes in a versatile format, making it easy for operators to bring novelty to menus, says Glendinning. “If you add in Cup and Char and regular sliced pepperoni, you can create double or triple pepperoni pizza options. Or you can crisp it up in a frying pan and use it as a salad topper. There are lots of ways you can use it.”
ChefD of ChefD Catering and Events and Hormel Foods partner says he has been exploring the versatility and ease of use of HORMEL® Ribbon Pepperoni since it was introduced in Canada in January.
In talking to customers in Ontario, ChefD says they’re eager to try out new pizza variations. “The Windsor pizza style is definitely catching their interest. I’ve talked to some pizzerias here that are excited about bringing it to their customers. It’s starting to make inroads, much like the Chicago and Detroit-style pizzas did.”
The Big Game offered the perfect time for ChefD to showcase what HORMEL® Ribbon Pepperoni could do for a pizza. “It covers nicely, has a bit of smoky spiciness to it, and provides that little bit of heat pepperoni lovers are looking for.”
He is also spending time exploring different ways to use the product. “The great thing about HORMEL® Ribbon Pepperoni is that it can be used in sandwiches, sauces, and panzerotti. You can even use it for power pasta bowls, which are very popular these days. If you’re in quick service and want something different in your grilled sandwich, for example, it does a nice job. I recently used it to make a bacon and pepperoni potato skins recipe and looking to try a new pepperoni and meatball soup.”
Because it covers a greater area, it’s also much more cost-effective, he adds. “It’s especially helpful in my contract catering business. I probably use between eight to 12 per cent less than sliced pepperoni because it’s shredded. That helps at a time when the cost of everything is going up.”
