It’s time to get in on a slice of the action! 93% of Americans order pizza at least once a month; that’s the BEST day of the month. It is forecasted that the annual sales growth of pizza in 2023 will be 58.3 billion dollars, up 2.9% in North America. What steps can you take to get a slice of this multi-billion-dollar industry?

Pizza Topping Opportunities

Pepperoni is the most famous traditional topping, and international pizza toppings have been on the rise since 2018, but what toppings will be on top in 2023? It is predicted that there will be an increased demand for pizzas featuring specialty flours and vegan meats and cheeses. With an increasing number of people choosing to incorporate more plant-based foods into their diets, it’s no surprise that it is predicted that there will be a 52% increased demand for meat substitutes in 2023.

The perfect combination of toppings and dough is essential to pizza making, and so is the oven it’s cooked in. Wood-fired ovens are a great option for cooking pizza, as they can reach high temperatures and impart a unique smokey flavor. However, while wood-fired ovens are known for their exceptional taste, they require a lot of skill and expertise to operate and keep the oven at the perfect cooking temperature. 

If you are looking for a high-power oven that delivers precision and quality pizza every time without the fuss, check out the Ovention Conveyor. One of the key features of this oven is the precision temperature control, which allows for consistent cooking every time, which means no scorched pizzas! In addition, this oven features independent top and bottom blowers for optimized airflow and cooking control. 

The impingement technology allows you to cook up to eighty 12″ pizzas per hour, meaning your kitchen crew can quickly get through the lunch and dinner rush. However, you can cook various other menu items such as calzones, sandwiches, and more in the Ovention Conveyor. Also, the programmable touchscreen and dishwasher-safe jet plates make this unit user-friendly for even the most novice users. This (and all Ovention Ovens) are 100% ventless, so there is no need to hum chim chiminey, chim chiminey while you clean.

Quality and Technology

As food costs continue to soar, restaurants and businesses have had to make the difficult decision to keep their high-quality ingredients and raise menu prices or choose more budget-friendly ingredients to keep menu prices the same. While both options have pros and cons, maintaining the product integrity that your customers have come to expect can significantly outweigh serving them an inferior product. Additionally, it is reported that 73% of restaurants said they’re dealing with a labor shortage, according to Square’s 2022 Future of Restaurants report. While the rising cost of ingredients and labor struggles is out of business owners’ control, the kitchen equipment they use is not. 

Goshen High School is familiar with needing to feed a lot of hungry people in a short time. They have over 1,000 students through their lunch lines daily and make an average of 72-80 pizzas daily. Previously with their traditional convection oven, it would take about 12-14 minutes to cook a standard pizza. They made the switch to the Ovention Shuttle and were able to cut down the cooking time to just 2 ½ minutes! 

With the flexibility to work as both a conveyor and a closed-cavity oven, the Ovention Shuttle is an excellent solution for businesses of varying sizes. During peak periods, like busy lunch hours, the Shuttle can operate as a traditional conveyor for maximum output. When switched to “Shuttle Mode,” it encloses the cavity where you can customize the oven temperature, cook time, and the top and bottom blowers can also be independently set, making it perfect for cooks making pizzas requiring different cook times.

Whether you’re cooking traditional hand-tossed or gluten-free, or vegan pizzas, there is an Ovention Oven to fit your pizza needs. The Ovention pizza calculator can help you determine which oven best suits your operation. 2023 will be an exciting time for restaurant technology, especially pizza! Read more about how Nala Robotics, Ovention, and Hatco Corporation will introduce a Robotic Pizza Solution this year.