PIZZA INDUSTRY FACTS

General Sales and Consumption Statistics; USA

October is National Pizza Month, (US). It was first so designated in 1987 and continues to be the traditional time for celebration of one of America's most important and popular food industries.

Americans eat approximately 100 acres of pizza EACH DAY, or about 350 slices per second.

Pizza is a $30+ BILLION per year industry. There are approximately 69,000 pizzerias in the United States. Approximately 3 BILLION pizzas are sold in the U.S. each year. (Source: Blumenfeld and Associates.)

Pizzerias represent 17% of all restaurants. (Source: Food Industry News.)

Pizza accounts for more that 10% of all foodservice sales. (Source: Food Industry News.)

93% of Americans eat AT LEAST one pizza per month. (Source: Bolla Wines.)

66.66% of Americans order pizza for a casual evening with friends. (Source: Bolla Wines.)

Each man, woman and child in America eats and average of 46 slices, (23 pounds), of pizza per year. (Source: Packaged Facts, New York.)

Italian food ranks as the most popular ethnic food in America. (Source: National Restaurant Association.)

According to a recent Gallop Poll, children between the ages of 3 and 11 prefer PIZZA over all other food groups for lunch and dinner.

A study done by a U.S. Department of Agriculture statistician and home economist found that in a three-day survey period, 42% of children between the ages of 6 and 11 has eaten pizza. (Source: Smithsonian Magazine.)

94% of the population of the U.S. eats pizza. (Source: Parade Magazine.)

Favorite Pizza Toppings in the United States

Pepperoni is by far America's favorite topping, (36% of all pizza orders). Approximately 251,770,000 pounds of pepperoni are consumed on pizzas annually. Other popular pizza toppings are mushrooms, extra cheese, sausage, green pepper and onions.

Gourmet toppings are gaining ground in some areas of the country such as chicken, oysters, crayfish, dandelions, sprouts, eggplant, Cajun shrimp, artichoke hearts and tuna. More recent trends include game meats such as venison, duck and Canadian bacon.

US pizza makers have turned breakfast into a pizza-eating opportunity by adapting peanut butter & jelly, and, bacon & egg toppings to their pizzas.

Mozzarella cheese represents 30% of total cheese output. Production of Italian cheeses such as mozzarella, provolone, ricotta, parmesan and Romano by U.S. cheese makers more than doubled between 1980 and 1992, from 688.6 MILLION pounds per year to nearly 2 BILLION pounds per year. (Source: Cheese Market News.)

Manufacturers' sales of pizza cheese should top $32 BILLION by 2004. U.S. per capita consumption of mozzarella cheese was 7.93 pounds in 1994 and is predicted to reach 12.51 pounds by 2004. (Source: Business Trend Analysts, BTA.)

62% of Americans prefer meat toppings on their pizza, while 38% prefer vegetarian toppings. (Source: Bolla Wines.)

Women are twice as likely as men to order vegetarian toppings on their pizza. (Source: Bolla Wines.)

Barbeque pizza emerged as one of the more popular pizza variations in a 1994 study by the National Restaurant Association. Nearly 33% of menus offered some form of this dish. Other popular variations were Mexican pizza, white pizza, five-cheese combos, non-cheese pies and traditional Italian pizzas such as Margherita, Florentine and new potato pizzas. (Source: National Restaurant Association.)

Favorite World-Wide Pizza Toppings

Around the world, pizza toppings vary greatly; reflecting regional tastes, indigenous foods and cultural preferences.

Venezuela

In Caracas, Venezuelans love pizza as much as anywhere in the world. Predominantly, pizzas are separated into to varieties: the "artisan" type, made in ovens with wood fires and, the "commercial" type, (Dominos, Papa Johns, etc). They have tomato based pizzas and cream based pizzas and with a lot of toppings: mozzarella, (some times bufala cheese), anchovies, olives, artichokes, pepperoni, sausage, onion, bacon, mushroom, tomato, goat cheese, and corn. The most popular toppings being pepperoni, vegetarian and anchovies. (Source: Inés Peña Madriz, Chadom Arte Culinario)

India

Some of the more popular international toppings in India are pickled ginger, minced mutton and "paneer," (a form of cottage cheese), which looks quite like tofu but is obviously a dairy product. Tandoori chicken and chicken "tikka" are also increasingly popular toppings in India. (Source: Shiv Sharan Singh, New Delhi, India)

Japan

Mayo Jaga (mayonnaise, potato and bacon), and, eel and squid are favorites in Japan.

Brazil

Brazilians favor green peas on top of their pizzas.

Russia

In Russia, they serve pizza covered with "mockba," a combination of sardines, tuna, mackerel, salmon and onions.
Red herring is also a topping of choice.

France

In France, a popular pizza combo is called the Flambé, with bacon, onion and fresh cream. (Source: Domino's.)

Pakistan

In Pakistan, curry is a big seller.

Australia

Australians enjoy shrimp and pineapple, as well as barbeque toppings on their pies.

Costa Rica

Costa Ricans favor coconut on their pizzas. (Source: Numero Uno Pizzeria.)

Iceland

Vegetable for pizza toppings in Iceland are grown in greenhouses because of the lava terrain there. (Source: Domino's.)

Netherlands

In the Netherlands, the "Double Dutch" is a favorite pizza recipe; double cheese, double onions and double beef. (Source: Domino's.)

Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, all meat toppings must be 100% beef. Pork products are not consumed in the country. (Source: Domino's.)


Please feel free to contribute your country's or region's pizza eating preferences to this list. Contact Us


Pizza Industry Expositions, Gourmet & Fancy Food Festivals, Housewares Trade Shows

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