Toppers Pizza Knows Plant-Based Items are a Must-Have for Pizza Chains

Toppers Pizza, the ever-evolving pizza delivery brand, has always aimed to stay on the cutting edge of customer behavior and food trends. Now, as plant-based food options boom in popularity across the QSR segment, Toppers understands that these menu options are a must-have for pizza chains. That is why the brand rolled out an innovative plant-based menu that capitalizes on its new partnerships with plant-based product companies Beyond Meat®, a leader in plant-based meat, and CAULIPOWER.

“We believe our customers’ food preferences and needs shouldn’t prevent them from enjoying our beloved, high-quality pizza, signature wings and Topperstix,” said Mac Malchow, director of national marketing and menu innovation for Toppers. “Our new partnerships with Beyond Meat and CAULIPOWER allow us to expand our menu offerings to address a growing demand for plant-based products that are both healthy and environmentally friendly.”

The Growing Demand for Plant-Based Meat Alternatives

While once considered a niche trend, the U.S. market for plant-based meat is projected to reach $15 billion by 2025. Over 50% of 18 to 35-year-olds eat plant-based meat at least once a month, according to Impossible Foods, and the latest report by the Plant-Based Foods Association showed that plant-based food retail sales grew 27% in 2020, significantly more than the total U.S. retail food market at 15%. Plant-based meat sales, in particular, increased by 45%. 

More and more Americans are also reducing their meat consumption for environmental reasons — according to recent Nielsen data, a whopping 62% of consumers are willing to reduce meat consumption due to environmental concerns, and 43% say they would replace meat-based protein with plant-based protein. 

How Toppers Pizza is Continuing to Adapt Its Menu 

To align with this shift in consumer behavior, Toppers will offer three new menu items featuring Beyond Meat’s newest plant-based chicken product, Beyond Chicken® Tenders. Through its partnership with CAULIPOWER, Toppers is also introducing the CAULIPOWER KING premium pizza.

"Toppers has always been a leader in menu innovation, and the launch of its comprehensive plant-based menu is yet another example of the brand's innovative spirit,” said Julie Lim, President of Sales, Foodservice at CAULIPOWER. “CAULIPOWER is thrilled to partner with Toppers as they deliver tasty, healthy, vegetable-forward options to customers nationwide.” 

Over the past few months, Toppers has continued to roll out other health-based new menu items as well, including vegan options and Vegan Topperstix. From vegan to gluten-free to plant-based meat, Malchow says Toppers’ new crust and pizza recipes are designed to accommodate a variety of food lifestyles and increase franchisees’ reach.

“We’re excited to introduce these new offerings that will appeal to even more customers in our communities,” added Malchow. “Our new cauliflower-based crust, nut-free pesto sauce and vegan offerings — including the introduction of Beyond Chicken® Tenders — reflect our dedication to innovating and evolving in order to meet our customers’ needs.”

Why Toppers Pizza is Well-Positioned for the Post-Pandemic Future

While these menu items are new for the brand, Greg Wold, vice president of marketing, says Toppers has always worked to set the standard for high-quality pizza. Created with real Wisconsin cheese, made-from-scratch dough and a wide array of fresh toppings, Wold says the Toppers menu is all about giving loyal customers exactly what they want, while also ensuring franchisees are thriving. 

Over the past year, Wold says that commitment has allowed the brand to grow while other restaurant brands struggled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking ahead, as gatherings increase and consumer behavior starts to shift back to a healthy mix of off-premise and on-premise dining, Wold is confident customers will remember how Toppers satisfied their needs during the pandemic. 

“We’ve become more intimately involved in the lives of our consumers over the past twelve months,” Wold said. “Our size allows us to quickly adjust to all of the ever-changing wants and needs of customers, and as the world opens back up, we’re continuing to build long-lasting relationships by treating our customers with respect, while offering convenience and really great pizza. Our menu has always been distinctive within the quick-service delivery category, and our personality is distinctive as well — we do things that the other big competitors can’t do. Now, we’re continuing to look for innovative ways to bring new flavors to our consumers.” 

The investment range for a Toppers Pizza franchise is $314,075–$530,000. The AUV for fiscal year 2020 was $1,030,000+ for stores open five years or more. For more information on franchising with Toppers Pizza, visit: https://www.toppers.com/franchise/