Final month, Domino’s Pizza Group introduced its famed Christmas pizza ‘The Festive One’ was returning to menus. The pizza is a far cry from the traditional Margherita: whereas equally topped with cheese and tomato, additionally it is coated in Christmas trimmings. These embody pulled turkey breast marinaded in sage and onion, sausage, smoked bacon and onions, and a cranberry drizzle.
The invention was extraordinarily effectively thought out, defined Louise Pilkington, who heads up innovation on the fast-food main. Cooked turkey can simply grow to be dry, which dangers changing into even drier in a pizza oven. However the chosen mixture of toppings assures the turkey is in reality ‘actually moist’. “Quite a lot of element goes into the way to make every particular person ingredient phenomenal.”
Discovering options to those sorts of issues is an element and parcel of Pilkington’s function at Domino’s, she informed FoodNavigator. “My job is to develop meals concepts that don’t simply hold shoppers coming again, however that additionally entice new prospects.”
Innovating a tried-and-tested favorite
Pizza is among the most-loved meals on the planet, with analysis from meals ordering firm Foodhub suggesting it was the most well-liked takeaway within the UK final yr.
For Domino’s, pizza is its bread and butter. Based in 1960, the corporate has since grown right into a fast-food main with 20,000 shops in additional than 90 worldwide markets. The corporate was an early pioneer within the made-to-order pizza supply area, and has launched improvements over time starting from its ‘heatwave scorching luggage’ for higher supply to authentic pizza toppings resembling ‘The Cheeseburger’.
So within the kitchen, how does the Domino’s innovation group go about considering up new ideas and recipes? All of it begins with shopper analysis. Pilkington mentioned that each on and off the job, she ‘at all times’ has an eye fixed on future meals developments. “I like meals and also you couldn’t do that job in the event you didn’t love meals.”
The innovation group partakes in meals safaris to discover what’s ‘up and coming’ throughout the board, from excessive road eating places to meals markets.
On the similar time, Pilkington and colleagues are ‘consistently’ speaking to shoppers, not simply in regards to the consuming events that Domino’s could play a task in, but additionally consuming events wherein they don’t. “That may additionally spotlight alternatives,” she defined.
Different latest improvements to land on Domino’s menus embody the growth of its loaded fries vary with pizza toppings: Pepperoni Ardour, Cheeseburger, and Double Bacon and Cheese.
Fries is understandably fairly an ‘uncommon’ addition to a pizza menu. The corporate already provided potato-based sides, however shopper insights advised fries could be effectively acquired. “We did plenty of work with our provider to attempt to get a crispy golden fry that may ship.”
And it’s not all about simply getting the product proper. There was plenty of back-end work to make sure it delivers the correct style expertise, portion dimension, and value level, Pilkington revealed.
Rising urge for food for flavours that problem the buyer
Pilkington heads up innovation for Domino’s Pizza UK & Eire, the place she has noticed shoppers are adventurous and enthusiastic about worldwide flavours. That is particularly the case in Britain, which doesn’t have its personal distinct delicacies, we have been informed.
There’s been an ‘explosion’ in international cuisines, which have largely come from road meals markets. “We did some analysis lately that checked out completely different meals ideas, and noticed people who have been linked to international meals have been rather more thrilling and common.”
A superb instance was The Final Spicy Sausage pizza Domino’s launched in time for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The providing was topped with tomato sauce, cheese, nduja sausage, salami and purple jalapenos. On the time, nduja – a spicy, spreadable pork sausage from southern Italy – was a ‘comparatively unknown’ ingredient, which is why the pizza firm referred to as it ‘Spicy Sausage’.
The pizza was a success, the innovation lead recalled. “Individuals are clamouring for that to come back again.”
One other innovation turned to Mexico for inspiration. The Final Rooster Mexicana pizza is topped with taco spiced pulled hen, tomatoes, onions, inexperienced and purple peppers, inexperienced jalapenos, tomato sauce and mozzarella. The pizza was impressed by mushy shell tacos, Pilkington revealed. “That was our best-selling innovation for 5 years.
“So we’re seeing an increasing number of urge for food for brand spanking new, completely different and thrilling flavours that problem the buyer. That’s what drives us on: that, coupled with a want for barely more healthy selections.”
And it’s not all about pizza. Domino’s is increasing its facet vary and has been trialling different accompaniments like shakes. “We’ve been how we’d drive dessert gross sales…and in addition seeking to issues like wraps and Cheeky Little Pizzas [that are] good for lunch. [We’re investigating] how we will do extra in that wholesome consuming, but additionally lighter for lunch, sort of area. There’s plenty of work coming.”
Highlight on vitamin
A few of Domino’s improvements cater on to extra health-conscious shoppers. The corporate has noticed attitudes in direction of wholesome meals change over time, and sees to serve these in search of wholesome indulgence.
However that doesn’t imply its prospects wish to be informed to eat a particular pizza as a result of it has decrease energy. “Folks wish to make up their very own selections. Shoppers are much more conscious now of what’s wholesome, so what we are attempting to do is to recreate actually good Domino’s flavours…likes Texas BBQ or Pepperoni Ardour, however with fewer energy.”
This health-by-stealth strategy goals to keep away from emotions of punishment when consuming decrease calorie meals.
An innovation championed by Domino’s is its Cheeky Little Pizza choices. Utilizing the identical dough, the identical tomato sauce, lighter cheese and toppings, the corporate is recreating virtually precisely the identical pizza however in a smaller format. The goal is for every Cheeky Little Pizza to come back in at 650 energy or much less. “To date, it has examined very well with shoppers.”
As to the corporate’s strategy to vitamin throughout the board, Domino’s Pizza UK & Eire has completed ‘fairly a giant’ piece of labor on its well being technique. The technique is led by its inside Well being Steering Group, which screens authorities laws in addition to shoppers’ altering attitudes.
Domino’s is alternative ways to supply more healthy choices, however which aren’t instantly marketed as such. Ordering a pizza with a skinny and crispy crust, for instance, reduces calorie content material by round 150kcal. The corporate’s ‘Delight’ pizza vary makes use of a 30% lowered fats mozzarella. And wraps (coming in at round 400 kcal every) are bought in round 500 shops.
“There are a selection of various strands to our well being technique: one is about the way to talk what you’ve already obtained to assist shoppers make completely different selections; and the opposite is innovation.
“Now we have a really strict vitamin coverage, which is all about having targets we have to meet once we’re creating something new…in addition to working with suppliers to search for methods to scale back fats, salt, sugar, and finally energy in our menu.”
Bettering sustainability with pizza innovation
From a sustainability perspective, Domino’s UK & Eire has dedicated to reaching internet zero emissions by 2050, and lately had its targets validated by the Science Primarily based Targets Initiative (SBTi). This yr, the corporate activated its decarbonisation plan, expertise accessible to scale back the carbon footprint of its amenities and provide chain centre fleet.
Of the 30 shops within the UK and Eire owned by Domino’s (moderately than franchisees), all now solely ship on e-bikes or electrical mopeds. “That is actually necessary in the event you consider the variety of miles a driver does to serve our 1.5m orders per week. That may have fairly an affect,” mentioned the innovation lead.
The corporate has additionally put in photo voltaic panels on prime of its provide chain centre the place it makes its dough. “These are big buildings that may generate an enormous quantity of photo voltaic vitality.”
Trying to substances, Domino’s is eager to assist shoppers who wish to eat much less meat. The corporate has doubled its plant-based choices during the last two years, which incorporates choices to ‘construct your individual’ plant-based pizzas with greens, in addition to incorporating plant-based meat and dairy alternate options. “We actually attempt to give attention to ensuring individuals have extra selection in that area.”
Because the yr attracts to a detailed, Pilkington and her innovation group should not simply seeking to 2024 menus, however a lot additional forward to 2025 and 2026. “We’re taking the time to think about what life shall be like then, how shoppers might need modified, and the way we will be certain we’re persevering with to play a much-loved-brand function of their lives.”
