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Domino’s Pizza is set to unveil its own stuffed crust pizza on Monday, a strategic move aimed at attracting customers willing to pay more for enhanced pizza options.
The concept of stuffed crust is not new; it was pioneered by Pizza Hut three decades ago, famously promoted through a television advertisement featuring Donald Trump. Over the years, competitors such as Papa John’s and Little Caesars have also introduced their variations of this popular menu item. Remarkably, Trump has transitioned from being a pizza pitchman to occupying the Oval Office.
As generations grow up enjoying stuffed crust, it has become increasingly relevant, especially among the younger Gen Z consumers who are now entering the workforce and making their own purchasing decisions. For Domino’s, the leading pizza chain in the U.S., incorporating stuffed crust is vital to retaining market share against competitors like Pizza Hut and Papa John’s, who, despite losing ground recently, remain influential in the pizza market.
“Each year, nearly 13 million customers leave Domino’s to purchase stuffed crust from competitors, indicating a significant gap in our offerings,” said Domino’s Chief Marketing Officer Kate Trumbull to CNBC.
The long-awaited stuffed crust option has taken its time to arrive; a survey revealed that 73% of customers incorrectly assumed Domino’s already had it on the menu, according to Trumbull.
This will all change with the upcoming introduction of the Parmesan Stuffed Crust, available as part of Domino’s $9.99 carryout deal.
Initially, Domino’s dismissed stuffed crust as a gimmick when it debuted at Pizza Hut, fearing that it would lead to slower service and customer dissatisfaction. Over time, however, competition and shifting market dynamics prompted a reassessment. In 2022, as sales began to decline following the initial pandemic-related pizza boom, Domino’s made the decision to develop its own stuffed crust.
“The development process has been one of the longest in our company’s history,” Trumbull remarked.
The journey began with comprehensive market research, which indicated that fans of stuffed crust tend to order pizza more frequently and pay more during each transaction.
After testing eight different versions, Domino’s finally settled on its recipe for the Parmesan Stuffed Crust, which features mozzarella cheese encased in the crust, topped with garlic seasoning and a hint of Parmesan.
In tandem with developing the new menu item, Domino’s has also focused on enhancing overall kitchen efficiency. This includes retraining staff on the proper preparation of the crust and introducing a specialized dough spinner. Without these operational improvements, launching the stuffed crust would not have been feasible, Trumbull explained.
Before the official release of the Parmesan Stuffed Crust, Domino’s dedicated 12 weeks to training franchisees and ensuring that 7,000 locations were ready to make the new product correctly.
“After dedicating three years to this endeavor, we are not leaving anything to chance,” Trumbull added.
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