By Jenny Febbraro
The trending consumption of ‘comfort food’ may have surged during COVID, but Canadian operators say demand has increased even more post-pandemic. The trick is to keep a diversified menu that caters to a wide variety of flavour profiles and dietary requests. Another critical factor is Canada’s growing multi-cultural sector, which has operators experimenting with global ingredients, new spice combinations and unique pairings.
“The pizza-and-pasta segment is far from plateauing,” says Kirk Borchardt, senior R&D chef at Ardent Mills. “In fact, these are segments that are experiencing rapid growth and expansion, driven by the consumer demand for healthier, innovative and global products.”
Borchardt explains that chefs need to experiment in the kitchen, citing a recent trend focused on pickle pizzas for more adventurous eaters. He points to pizza cupcakes and pizza waffles, which are also gaining popularity, as a way of offering a fun twist on a traditional recipe. This is also due to shifting demographics — millennials and Gen Z are always on the hunt for novelty combos.
“It’s also important to ensure that your menu has something for everyone,” says Reid McEachran, associate Marketing manager at Ardent Mills. “This includes tradtionalists who love authentic crusts, consumers who need gluten-free options and mindful eaters looking for more keto-friendly choices.” McEachran says the key is to provide a variety of options so that pizza and pasta can remain popular — and versatile — choices.
A recent Global Data Group report on Canadian Pizza Market Size, Growth and Forecast Analytics, 2021-2026, shows the pizza market in Canada grew by 4.01 per cent from 2016 to 2021 with a sales value of $1,.2 million in 2021, an increase of 3.96 per cent over 2020. Mid-pandemic, the market achieved its strongest performance in 2020, when it grew by 7.50 per cent over its previous year and its weakest performance in 2019, when it increased by 2.71 per cent over 2018. The statistics confirmed the trend that Canadian restaurants had been reporting all along — Canadian consumers love their pizza.
These growth numbers led to virtually every Canadian operator attempting to tap into this rapidly growing segment. Even Tim Hortons launched its Flatbread Pizza in April of 2024 after a successful series of test-market results. These included options such as the Bacon Everything, Chicken Parmesan, Pepperoni and Simply Cheese.
“One of the major trends is the use of experimental dough processes, such as long fermentation and sourdough,” says Borchardt. “These techniques not only enhance the flavour and texture of the crust but also improve its digestibility, appealing to health-conscious consumers who appreciate the artisanal quality of these methods.”
Borchardt says the trends demonstrate that operators need to make pizza and pasta that’s versatile. “You have to appeal to health-conscious eaters and foodies alike,” he says. “This includes unique flavours such as teriyaki, butter chicken, and chicken shawarma making their way into mainstream pizza. The possibilities are endless.”
Plant-Based
Today’s consumers not only care about their health, but the well-being of the planet. Sean Fleming, vice-president of Development at Toronto-based Il Fornello, says the spike in plant-based pasta and pizza orders has surprised the company. “The [number] of people that are ordering plant-forward food is just ‘wow’,” he says. “But that said, it’s a very scary time of climate change right now. All the evidence, all the science, is pointing towards the fact that the huge production of meat is a big part of that. Guests are becoming more informed of environmental causes of climate change — and that effects their ordering habits.”
Vegan and vegetarian options are also critical to feature on any re-vamped menu. And these options don’t need to mean a reduction in taste, texture, or consumer satisfaction. To stay on top of the trend, Il Fornello hired a registered holistic nutritionist and vegan chef to assist in the development of an extensive plant-based menu for the restaurant. “She developed this incredible Rigatoni Bolognese that features a thick, rich lentil and mushroom sauce as well as a Smoked Carrot Wood-Fired Pizza with the carrot replacing the salmon,” says Fleming. Il Fornello substitutes cream sauce with a vegan version that uses oat milk and vegan butter. “Meat-eaters literally would not know the difference between the plant and meat/ fish-based options. They’re that good.”
Marcelo Melo, vice-president of Supply Chain at Pizza Pizza, also sees the potential in this segment. “At Pizza Pizza, we’re seeing what a huge growing category the gluten-free market is for us,” he says. “We’ve also increased the size of [our gluten-free pizza]. It was once only in a 10 inch, but now we are offering a 12-inch size. We’re also constantly looking into alternative crusts — similar to our current cauliflower crust.” Melo says that Pizza Pizza was the first in the market to offer cauliflower crust and is continually developing new options. “’Beyond Meat’ and plant-based menu options will continue to expand as well,” he says.
Other alternative crusts include sourdough. “Consumers are interested in sourdough at the moment and it is trending,” Melo says. “However, we’re also experimenting with different options for crusts — and are looking to launch some new ones in the future to capitalize on alternatives to cauliflower. However, it’s still in the development phase. The gluten-free category is a very strong, growing segment for us.”
Ardent Mills has also been developing plant-based pastas, including alternative ingredients such as quinoa, chickpea, or other ‘pulse’ flours. “These not only make the dishes gluten-free, but also add unique flavours, while helping to boost the protein or fibre content,” says Borchardt, noting the Ardent Mills proprietary study, which revealed that 62 per cent of people agree they are willing to pay more for foods that have a positive impact on their health.
Artisanal
Gen Z and millennials — and now the rising “Alpha” generation — are more sophisticated consumers than previous generations. Melo notices it even within his own family. “I see my kids and their friends being more adventurous than my generation, for example,” he says. “At Pizza Pizza, we are developing more artisanal toppings, more gourmet pizzas that might have a signature sauce or perhaps a topping of roasted vegetables.”
Pizza Pizza’s artisanal pizzas include the Pesto Amore pizza, Chicken Bruschetta and Pepperoni & Hot Honey. “We’re also experimenting with gourmet cheeses, like gorgonzola, as well as a nut-free pesto sauce and a bruschetta sauce,” says Melo. “But we are also experimenting with gourmet flatbreads in artisanal crusts.”
Pizza Pizza no longer has pasta on their menu, but are developing new plans to possibly bring it back onto the menu.
“Ancient grains are particularly popular right now due to their perceived health benefits, known as the ‘health halo,” explains Borchardt. “This is a phrase used to signal a “virtuous” aspect of a food to make it appear better for you than it actually is. So, we’ve been experimenting with heirloom grains for our pizza crusts, such as sorghum and chickpea flour.”
He adds, “any sort of fermented dough is also huge right now,” since health-conscious consumers appreciate the artisanal quality of methods such as fermentation, which also aids digestion.
Boston Pizza has also expanded its offerings to feature its own artisanal menu niche. It’s NY Sicilian Squarefooter Pizzas include a Truffled Mushroom Pizza, loaded with alfredo sauce and mozzarella on an airy, soft dough, with a crispy garlic crust. It’s then finished with a truffle aioli and fresh lemon zest. It has also developed a Bourbon BBQ Chicken pizza, which features balsamic-roasted red onions, mozzarella, cheddar cheese, bacon, and a drizzle of buttermilk-ranch dressing.
New Pasta-bilities
“We’re in a really fun era of pizza and pasta making,” says Andy Jorge, VP of Food Services of Boston Pizza. “We’ve widened our palate to include some unique options, such as Mac & Cheese with five flavours (also available in a vegetarian option) and a Spicy Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese.” Both are new additions to the pasta menu.
Its Jambalaya Fettuccini brings a tweak of Southern heat. Made with grilled chicken breast, shrimp, spicy Italian sausage, tomatoes, green peppers, green onions, Cajun seasoning, and marinara sauce, it expands consumers understanding of what pasta can achieve flavour-wise. “You are seeing that broadening of categories, so you might have a more complex pasta dish with items that are both sweet and salty,” says Jorge, adding “we’ve also developed some really unique pizzas. We have this Spicy Perogy Pizza (sour cream, bacon, Cactus Cut Potatoes, mozzarella, cheddar, green onions) that’s been a real hit.”
Global Flavours
With Canada’s population welcoming more immigrants from around the world, classic pizza and pasta items are shifting to introduce more global flavours. “We’re seeing a clear trend in the rise of spicy food,” says Melo. “So, for example, we’re developing a line of Tabasco-infused items, everything from crusts to French fries.”
Pizza Pizza has also been upping its sauce game, experimenting with a variety of spicy dips and drizzles. “We have a whiskey-barbecue sauce and hot sauces made with Bourbon,” he notes. “Then we see a lot of global infusion on our menu, such as a Jamaican jerk sauce, a tandoori sauce and even a Korean barbecue sauce.” Other sauces include a popular mango habanero or what’s known as “Nashville’s hot sauce;” usually served on fried chicken, the regional hot sauce is concocted from cayenne pepper, brown sugar, honey and smoked paprika.
Gabrielle Hebert, menu engineer at Boston Pizza, says the popular trend for global flavours with pasta is also undeniable. “We deliver on this global trend towards craving spicy in a dish like our spicy shrimp fettuccini, which gives a real hit of heat and spice,” Hebert says. “From our perspective, it’s really about taking those classic items on our menu and then infusing them with new trends or new items to introduce global flavours – but within a dish that a customer might already recognize.”
But with pasta such a staple of the Canadian diet, Hebert explains consumers venture out to restaurants to try something new, with ingredients they wouldn’t have in their own pantry. “Canada is a really diverse country and we’re continuing to become even more diverse,” he says. “When people come to a restaurant, it’s almost like an experience of culinary tourism. It’s a chance to explore global flavours — and not suffer the cost of a plane ticket.”
