The Vegan Pepperoni-Salame pizza boasts a crispy crust topped with tomato, dairy-free mozzarella, and vegan pepperoni-salame
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Dr. Oetker Ristorante, the owner of Chicago Town, has expanded its plant-based offering in the UK with a new meaty vegan pizza.
The Vegan Pepperoni-Salame joins the brand’s original plant-based offering, the Margherita Pomodori, which it debuted in 2021.
Dr. Oetker has enjoyed considerable success with the launch, which has become the category’s most valuable vegan frozen pizza product, with a value of more than £2 million as of February 2023.
Its newest addition to the range boasts the brand’s thin and crispy Ristorante crust, topped with tomato passata, as well as dairy-free mozzarella, along with the vegan meat alternative.
Vegan Pepperoni-Salame pizza
In a statement, Paula Wyatt, Head of Marketing at Dr. Oetker Ristorante, said the brand is excited about the latest addition to its plant-based line-up.
She noted that the company is optimistic that the new pie will be popular among consumers.
The statement said: “Our first vegan pizza has been a huge success within the category since its launch in 2021, so we’re really excited to grow the range with our new Ristorante Vegan Pepperoni-Salame and to help vegan pizza lovers have more options when it comes to playing it Italian.
“We’re confident that this new addition to our portfolio will be popular with consumers and will bring even more variety for those on a vegan diet or looking to reduce their meat and dairy consumption.”
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Dr Oetker's first vegan Ristorante pizza, the Margherita Pomodori, launched in 2021. Photo © @ristorantepizza via Instagram
Dairy-free cheese
The brand was slower to bring a vegan product to market than some of its competitors.
Explaining why, as it launched its first plant-based pie in 2020, it revealed that one of the most difficult parts of the development process was finding ‘a high-quality substitute for cheese that fits in with the Ristorante claim’.
Speaking about its chosen vegan cheese, a dairy-free mozzarella, Product Developer Insa Parkan said: “We found it with a recipe based on coconut oil.
“Since only real cheese such as mozzarella, Edam or Gouda has been used on our frozen pizzas so far, the search for an alternative that is equivalent in taste was the biggest challenge.”
The Vegan Pepperoni-Salame pizza will launch in Tesco stores, and online, from May 15.
Fancy tucking into a slice? Check out the best vegan takeaway pizza to order from major UK pizza chains
Featured image © Dr. Oetker, edited by VFL
