NFRA Convention: Frozen Pizza
Frozen pizza continues to evolve as brands respond to consumers’ changing eating habits. At the NFRA Convention, suppliers are showcasing how the category can deliver restaurant-inspired taste while still meeting demands for value and flexibility.
“This is Katie’s second year participating; she had such a great experience at the first that we are excited for year number 2,” shared Tommy Lee, spokesperson for pizza and pasta manufacturer Katie’s Fine Foods.
“What makes the event a valuable use of our time and resources is the ability to have meaningful and constructive one-on-one time with buyers in the frozen category. Given how busy both our team and the buyers are, syncing up otherwise is very difficult. Along with the relaxed atmosphere, it’s a great setting for laying foundational building blocks for a relationship,” Lee elaborated.
BossBites is returning for its second year at the NFRA Convention, as the trade show provides a valuable opportunity to connect with local, regional and national retailers and distributors in an energetic setting. “What makes it worthwhile for us is twofold: the ability to showcase our products at the Taste of Excellence, and the chance to get in front of decision-makers from local, regional and national retailers and distributors in a fast-paced, high-volume environment,” explained Bruno Duva, President & Co-Founder of BossBites / Di Fara. “We like the speed. A lot of meaningful conversations happen in a short window, and that efficiency is exactly what we’re looking for.”
Cape Cod Café Pizza, another newcomer to the Convention, is known for its distinctive bar pizza. Originating in Brockton, MA, bar pizzas were created as a way for local bars to provide factory workers with a tasty meal. Cape Cod Café Pizza’s version is crafted in a 10-inch pan using thin, freshly proofed dough, topped with a homemade oregano-based sauce and a blend of cheddar cheeses, then baked in a deck oven. “This is our first convention; meeting with national retailers is the reason for attending,” explained Jim Messer, Senior Vice President of Cape Cod Café Pizza.
Business meetings with retail and distributor partners play a key role in the Convention. Several exhibitors are looking forward to speed meetings.
“We plan to show how Katie’s brand awareness and manufacturing capabilities have excelled in the transition from a small, family-run restaurant and CPG group to a national player that remains 100 percent woman-owned and family-run,” shared Lee.
“We’ve set up meetings in advance with retailers and distributors, so our time at the show is focused on those relationships rather than cold conversations,” Duva of BossBites explained. “Paired with the Taste of Excellence showcase, it lets us cover a lot of ground with the right decision-makers in a condensed period of time.”
Lee said the company plans to “continue to grow awareness around Katie’s growth and influence in the premium frozen pizza and entree channels. Meet with incredible people who, like us, enjoy good pizza.”
“Our main goal is to deepen the relationships we’ve built with our current retail partners by expanding distribution points with them and introducing new line extensions and product innovation that give them more reasons to grow with BossBites,” Duva elaborated. “We’re also looking to engage with new potential retailer partners whose brands are aligned with our focus on innovation and premium offerings.”
To maximize the opportunities and resources available at the NFRA Convention, Cape Cod Café Pizza has scheduled meetings with retailers and vendors. One of the company’s main goals is “to connect with as many retailers as possible and further expand our footprint,” commented Messer.
BossBites is launching several pizza varieties in the frozen pizza category and expanding into appetizers and entrees under the Di Fara Kitchen 1012 brand. “BossBites will debut new Di Fara packaging built around our clean ingredient claims: no seed oils, no artificial colors, no added sugars, and an average of 55 grams of protein per pizza,” Duva revealed. “On the pizza side, we’re launching Grandma Bolognese and Pesto Vodka Tomato, along with three new round pizzas: Arrabbiata Pepperoni Pepperoncini, and Vodka Sausage Sweet Onion, and a new three-meat pizza featuring pepperoni, sausage, and bacon. We’re also expanding beyond pizza with a new line of appetizers and entrees under the Di Fara Kitchen 1012 brand, a secret boutique kitchen concept just around the corner from our pizza shop, which attendees will be able to taste at the show by requesting a meeting.”
Key category trends fueling discussions at this year’s show include smaller portion sizes, guilt-free indulgence, clean labels, and flavor profiles that rival restaurant-quality dishes.
“We expect two things to dominate conversations this year: clean label claims and restaurant-quality taste,” Duva said. “On the clean label side, shoppers and retailers are looking for ingredients they recognize: no seed oils, no artificial colors, no added sugars, paired with functional nutrition like protein content. But just as important is quality. Consumers want frozen pizza that actually tastes like it came from a pizzeria. That’s where BossBites stands apart. We’re the Brooklyn Legend, bringing authentic, restaurant-quality pizza to the frozen aisle.”
Premium pizza exhibitors are giving retailers many delicious ways to satisfy shoppers looking for convenient, high-quality meals at home.
