Pizza as an engine of the economy

Pizza is a unique dish typical of Neapolitan cuisine that, today, has crossed national and international borders, spreading everywhere within the world. There are several reasons why this preparation is much loved, if only certainly its essential simplicity-which can be enriched, however, with innovative ingredients and ideas-and a unique taste, especially if the quality of the dough and ingredients is good.

Theart of the Neapolitan pizza maker has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, while the various types of the product such as round, by the slice, in a pan and so on are appreciated by people all over the world, with unique and peculiar variations throughout Italy. In addition to being a gastronomic factor, however, pizza is also an engine of the economy that moves large sums: about 8 million pizzas are churned out every day through Ambrogi’s pizzeria ovens and others, with a turnover of about 15 billion euros a year.

The growth of pizzerias: record numbers

In order to frame pizza as an engine of the economy, we need to start from some considerations, some cultural rather than economic. Pizza is a national pride and totally embodies the concept of Made in Italy so much flaunted and appreciated, even, by politicians and is a fast, satiating food enjoyed by adults and children alike. According to statistical surveys conducted by CNA Agribusiness at the section for crafts and SMEs, economic activities engaged in pizza production and distribution have multiplied in recent years. In particular, Lombardy, Campania and Tuscany are the top three regions with a greater number of pizzerias open, with 5,744, 3,503 and 3,497 establishments, respectively. Similarly, other regions have also grown over the past year, with Trentino-Alto Adige, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto opening more than 500 new pizzerias in each region. Important numbers that demonstrate the strength of the sector.

Similarly, take-out pizzerias also grew, which across the country marked a 38 percent increase. Leading the sector is, in contrast, Basilicata. According to these numbers, it has been estimated that every year Italians spend 290 euros per person to buy pizzas. The 2017 UNESCO recognition of Neapolitan pizza makers of their art as a world heritage site is justified.

Pizza, also a leader in social

Very important for the distribution of a pizzeria’s business is also the social trend and distribution. As is well known, food porn is very much in vogue on social, a word that summarizes some photo and video content where food is shown in a very social manner, focusing strongly on the peculiar qualities of each preparation in order to induce hunger and desire to consume the product in people watching them. According to research by Lenstore, among the 100 most popular foods on social – specifically Instagram, TikTok and Google – pizza is the most popular and photographed food. On Meta’s social network, in fact, there are more than 59 million hashtags, while on TikTok the total views for this topic are about 22 billion.

The search engine Google, on the other hand, counts about 13.6 million searches worldwide related to pizza (among which 450,000 are in Italy), usually in conjunction with keywords related to particular recipes or variations in either dough or topping ingredients.

The 2022 trends for pizza

Given these numbers, seeing pizza as an engine of the economy is, essentially, correct. To best promote one’s products, however, it is always essential to follow the latest trends in the industry. To stand out on social media in particular, it is crucial to show yourself as an advocate of new products and qualities. For this reason, so many pizza makers and businesses are investing in the search for highly digestible doughs while respecting the rules about the ways of preparing Neapolitan doughs.

Similarly, there is a growing trend in tastes on pizza to look for recipes that can reinvent traditional products, always making use of seasonal products or innovative pairings and variations that can enrapture the senses by increasing sharing and word of mouth.