AUSTIN, Minn. — Hormel Foods is going plant-based with a pepperoni-style topping for pizzas, a move that might interest convenience stores, pizzerias or any business looking to expand its reach in the pie game.
Developed with pizza experts and enthusiasts, the Happy Little Plants plant-based pepperoni-style topping is aimed at plant lovers and traditional pepperoni fans looking to add plant-based options to their pizza, the company said.
“Chefs and restaurateurs are very aware of today’s dynamic food landscape and consumers’ desire to add more plant-based foods to their diets,” said Anthony Panichelli, foodservice brand manager at Hormel Foods. “The Happy Little Plants brand pepperoni style topping gives owners and operators the opportunity to take advantage of the trending demand and add a totally unique topping to their pizza menu.”
The topping was developed with foodservice operators to ensure pizzeria-level taste, convenience and quality, Panichelli said, adding that many might have a hard time tasting the difference between Happy Little Plants brand pepperoni-style topping and traditional pepperoni.
“This latest evolution took a great-tasting product and made it even better,” he said.
Over the coming weeks and months, the pepperoni-style topping will hit pizzeria menus nationwide, the company said.
The Happy Little Plants brand was introduced by Hormel Foods in 2019 and promotes the power of plant protein while offering a solution for people looking to add more plant-based food into their diet.
Hormel Foods Corp., based in Austin, Minn., owns several well-known food brands, including Skippy, SPAM, Hormel Natural Choice, Justin's, Black Label and more.
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