With so many varieties of pizza on the shelf, sales are booming and competition is stiff.


One thing that makes the pizza industry so successful is the varying ways it may be purchased. Consumers may buy a frozen pizza, a pre-made refrigerated pizza or all of the pieces individually and assemble it themselves.

“I still think pizza remains one of the most competitive categories in the retail sector because you can find it in nearly every section of the store,” said Justin Ring, sales manager for Nation Pizza. “You can find pizza crusts in the center aisle, you can find frozen pizzas in the frozen aisle, and you can find refrigerated pizzas in the deli and the meat case. Everybody is competing at the retail level for that dollar.”

While Nation Pizza provides crusts, toppings and entire pizzas, Bama Foods focuses on the dough alone. Little Lady Foods produces pizzas for the retail and food service industry while Schwan’s sells frozen pizzas through its brand names like Freschetta and Red Baron.

“That customization factor goes a long way for pizza,” Mr. Ring said. “Regardless of what you want, you can find it. You can buy a pizza and heat it up, or you can buy a pizza crust in the center aisle and then get all of the ingredients yourself and assemble it.”