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 lined 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 properly 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’. “A whole lot of element goes into the best way to make every particular person ingredient phenomenal.”
Discovering options to those sorts of issues is a component and parcel of Pilkington’s position at Domino’s, she instructed FoodNavigator. “My job is to develop meals concepts that don’t simply maintain customers coming again, however that additionally appeal to new clients.”
Innovating a tried-and-tested favorite
Pizza is among the most-loved meals on this planet, with analysis from meals ordering firm Foodhub suggesting it was the preferred 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 house, and has launched improvements over time starting from its ‘heatwave sizzling luggage’ for higher supply to authentic pizza toppings resembling ‘The Cheeseburger’.
So within the kitchen, how does the Domino’s innovation crew go about pondering up new ideas and recipes? All of it begins with client analysis. Pilkington mentioned that each on and off the job, she ‘all the time’ has an eye fixed on future meals developments. “I really like meals and also you couldn’t do that job for those who didn’t love meals.”
The innovation crew partakes in meals safaris to discover what’s ‘up and coming’ throughout the board, from excessive avenue eating places to meals markets.
On the similar time, Pilkington and colleagues are ‘continually’ speaking to customers, not simply in regards to the consuming events that Domino’s could play a job in, but additionally consuming events through which they don’t. “That may additionally spotlight alternatives,” she defined.
Different current improvements to land on Domino’s menus embody the enlargement 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 supplied potato-based sides, however client insights advised fries could be properly acquired. “We did a whole lot of work with our provider to try to get a crispy golden fry that may ship.”
And it’s not all about simply getting the product proper. There was a whole lot of back-end work to make sure it delivers the appropriate style expertise, portion measurement, and worth level, Pilkington revealed.
Rising urge for food for flavours that problem the patron
Pilkington heads up innovation for Domino’s Pizza UK & Eire, the place she has noticed customers 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 instructed.
There’s been an ‘explosion’ in world cuisines, which have largely come from avenue meals markets. “We did some analysis lately that checked out completely different meals ideas, and noticed people who have been linked to world meals have been rather more thrilling and in style.”
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 crimson 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 successful, the innovation lead recalled. “Individuals are clamouring for that to return again.”
One other innovation turned to Mexico for inspiration. The Final Rooster Mexicana pizza is topped with taco spiced pulled rooster, tomatoes, onions, inexperienced and crimson peppers, inexperienced jalapenos, tomato sauce and mozzarella. The pizza was impressed by tender shell tacos, Pilkington revealed. “That was our best-selling innovation for 5 years.
“So we’re seeing increasingly urge for food for brand spanking new, completely different and thrilling flavours that problem the patron. 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 taking a look at how we would drive dessert gross sales…and likewise seeking to issues like wraps and Cheeky Little Pizzas [that are] excellent for lunch. [We’re investigating] how we are able to do extra in that wholesome consuming, but additionally lighter for lunch, kind of house. There’s a whole lot of work coming.”
Highlight on vitamin
A few of Domino’s improvements cater on to extra health-conscious customers. The corporate has noticed attitudes in direction of wholesome meals change over time, and sees to serve these on the lookout for wholesome indulgence.
However that doesn’t imply its clients wish to be instructed to eat a selected pizza as a result of it has decrease energy. “Individuals wish to make up their very own selections. Shoppers are much more conscious now of what’s wholesome, so what we try to do is to recreate actually sensible 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 nearly precisely the identical pizza however in a smaller format. The purpose is for every Cheeky Little Pizza to return in at 650 energy or much less. “Up to now, it has examined rather well with customers.”
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 inner Well being Steering Group, which displays authorities laws in addition to customers’ altering attitudes.
Domino’s is taking a look at other ways to supply more healthy choices, however which aren’t immediately 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% decreased fats mozzarella. And wraps (coming in at round 400 kcal every) are bought in round 500 shops.
“There are a variety of various strands to our well being technique: one is about the best way to talk what you’ve already acquired to assist customers make completely different selections; and the opposite is innovation.
“We have now a really strict vitamin coverage, which is all about having targets we have to meet after we’re creating something new…in addition to working with suppliers to search for methods to cut back fats, salt, sugar, and in the end energy in our menu.”
Bettering sustainability with pizza innovation
From a sustainability perspective, Domino’s UK & Eire has dedicated to attaining 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, taking a look at expertise obtainable to cut back the carbon footprint of its services and provide chain centre fleet.
Of the 30 shops within the UK and Eire owned by Domino’s (fairly than franchisees), all now completely ship on e-bikes or electrical mopeds. “That is actually necessary for those who consider the variety of miles a driver does to serve our 1.5m orders per week. That may have fairly an impression,” 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 large buildings that may generate an enormous quantity of photo voltaic vitality.”
Seeking to substances, Domino’s is eager to help customers 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 options. “We actually try to give attention to ensuring folks have extra selection in that house.”
Because the yr attracts to an in depth, Pilkington and her innovation crew aren’t simply seeking to 2024 menus, however a lot additional forward to 2025 and 2026. “We’re taking the time to think about what life will probably be like then, how customers might need modified, and the way we are able to ensure we’re persevering with to play a much-loved-brand position of their lives.”
