“Chickpea Power: Banza Launches Frozen Pizza Line with Nutritious Chickpea Crust”
Chickpea food manufacturer Banza is entering a new market with its signature ingredient. The company has announced the launch of a frozen pizza line featuring a chickpea crust. According to a press release, these pizzas can be baked in under 15 minutes and come in three ready-to-eat varieties: Four Cheese, Roasted Veggie, and Margherita, along with a customizable Plain crust option. The pizzas are crafted from ingredients like chickpeas, olive oil, yeast, and oregano, delivering the desired taste and texture that consumers expect from pizza—specifically, “a crispy crust with a doughy center that doesn’t flop when you pick up a slice,” stated Banza. The market is seeing an increase in frozen pizzas with unconventional crusts, such as Caulipower’s cauliflower pizza and Foster Farms’ chicken-crusted pizza. However, Banza claims its product offers more protein and fiber, along with fewer carbs and sodium compared to wheat and cauliflower pizzas available today.
“Chickpeas are among the most nutrient-dense and environmentally-friendly foods, yet we consume far less of them than we should,” remarked Brian Rudolph, CEO and co-founder of Banza. Other companies like InnovoPro, ChickP, and Biena are also focusing on chickpeas in their innovations. Since its launch five years ago, Banza has rapidly grown to become one of the fastest-growing pasta brands in the U.S., with products available in over 13,500 stores. The company has chickpea alternatives across various categories, offering 16 pasta shapes and six mac & cheese options. Last year, Banza secured $20 million to expand its product range and market presence, and it also ventured into the rice category in 2019.
As consumers prepare for a unique Halloween season, General Mills aims to keep the holiday exciting for fans of its beloved monster-themed cereals. The Minnesota-based consumer goods giant collaborated with an award-winning special effects artist to create 20-inch tall busts of three iconic characters: Count Chocula, Boo Berry, and Franken Berry. Each bust required around 30 hours for molding and sculpting, followed by an additional 15 hours for painting. “Although Halloween may feel different this year, it can still be special,” said Rob Litt, a spokesperson for General Mills. To enter for a chance to win one of the busts, consumers were encouraged to visit General Mills’ Instagram account, like the official sweepstakes post featuring the monsters, comment with their favorite Monster Cereal, and use the hashtag MonsterCerealSweepstakes.
With more people spending time at home, social media has become a vital channel for companies to engage with consumers. General Mills’ creative approach to promoting its spooky cereals adds a touch of levity to a challenging year while effectively linking their products to the seasonal festivities and generating added visibility. Although milk and cereal were once a staple breakfast choice for many Americans, changing consumer preferences for convenience and nutrition have led to a decline in cereal sales in recent years. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has revitalized sales of this popular staple, as many who previously skipped breakfast returned to this convenient pantry option. According to Nielsen data cited by Food Navigator, breakfast sales surged by 34% for the two months ending April 25. While General Mills’ monster promotion may not significantly boost long-term sales, it does offer positive exposure for a category that has faced difficulties.
In a related trend, Cleveland Kitchen is embracing fermentation to enhance food functionality. The Ohio-based company, renowned for its premium Cleveland Kraut sauerkraut, is diversifying into dressings, introducing its new Backyard Ranch as the flagship product. This ranch dressing reimagines the traditional buttermilk-based option, incorporating healthier ingredients and reducing the average calories per serving from 160 in conventional ranch to just 90 in Backyard Ranch. The dressing features kefir as its dairy base and is flavored with fermented cabbage, garlic, and black pepper puree, sweetened exclusively with date syrup.
Cleveland Kitchen co-founder and CEO Drew Anderson remarked that ranch dressing serves as an accessible entry point for consumers. “We believed that creating a gut-healthy probiotic ranch would appeal to those who may be hesitant to try fermented products initially,” he said. As ranch dressing is the most popular salad dressing in the U.S.—with 40% of consumers naming it their favorite in a 2017 poll by the Association of Dressings and Sauces, as reported by The New York Times—this healthier twist is likely to attract considerable consumer interest. This interest is especially strong in Cleveland Kitchen’s home region of Northeast Ohio, where ranch dressing consumption is notably high, according to the Detroit Metro Times. Cleveland Kitchen is positioning its Backyard Ranch to spearhead its dressing offerings, alongside other innovative options like Hail Caesar, Sweet Beet, Gnarly Miso Jalapeno, and Roasted Garlic. The incorporation of ingredients such as just calcium citrate further underscores the brand’s commitment to health-conscious products.
