Pizza 2025: Posh pizzas drive growth for brands

On the high street, some of the best-known pizza chains are having serious problems. In the face of plummeting sales, Pizza Hut has been forced to close dozens of branches and could soon be sold off. Domino’s has also reported declines, which it expects to continue well into 2026.

In the supermarkets, pizza’s difficulties are minor by comparison. Category volumes are down just 2% and value is more or less flat.

It’s brands that are performing best. Own label is still king with 71.5% of total value, but its volumes are down 2.5%. Branded kilos have dipped a mere 0.8% and, unlike own label, they’ve added value.

That’s thanks to premiumisation, says NIQ executive analyst Mariana Jacome. “Frozen pizza buyers are transitioning into the chilled segment, driven by the premiumisation effect that is currently shaping the sector.”

Posher brands like White Rabbit and Crosta Mollica have reaped the rewards by “offering what many consumers perceive as a restaurant-quality experience at home”, Jacome adds. The former brand is up 22.9% in value and 27.9% in volumes; the latter’s grown value 54.8% and volumes 51.3%.

Crosta Mollica’s sterling performance follows a comprehensive rebranding in January and the September launch of its Roman-style Collezione Romana range (see Top Launch, below).

“Our success reflects the shift toward premium, authentically Italian pizzas,” says David Milner, Crosta Mollica chairman.

“Consumers increasingly want to explore the regional diversity of Italian pizza, and Collezione Romana has tapped perfectly into that demand – proving an outstanding success since launch.”

The brand is gaining fast on pizza’s big three as a result: Chicago Town, Pizza Express and Goodfella’s. Chicago Town had “a reasonable year”, says Paula Wyatt, head of marketing at owner Dr Oetker. The category leader lost only 0.2% in value while growing volumes by 3.5%.

“[But] we believe there remains huge potential in convincing consumers of the quality available in frozen versus high street takeaway,” she adds.

Hence Chicago Town’s pipeline of innovation. Stuffed BBQ chicken landed in January, followed by Subs Ham & Pineapple in March and Subs Loaded Pepperoni in September.

Goodfella’s has also looked to NPD to revive flagging fortunes. Its losses of 13.7% in value and 16.9% in volumes are the top 10’s biggest. Launches have included its “tastiest recipe ever” across the likes of Ultimate Four Cheese and Fully Loaded Pepperoni in August.

Two months later, the brand debuted Pizza Pinwheels snacks for air fryers in Cheese & Tomato and Cheese & Ham.