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MAGAZINE Februar y/March 2025 rias are located in suburban areas, while 27% are in city centres. Coastal regions are more frequented (40%) than mountainous regions (2%), but the study reveals clear regional dif- ferences. Campania, Puglia, Molise, Basilicata, Calabria and Sicily make up 34% of the total market for supply and consumption, followed by Tuscany, Lazio, Marche, Umbria, Abruzzo and Sardinia with 27%. In third place is the North-West (Lombardy, Piedmont, Liguria and Valle D'Aosta) with 22%, and finally, with 18% of premises and consumers, the regions of Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, Emilia-Romagna and Friu- li-Venezia Giulia. Over 75% of pizzeria chains are located in Lombardy, Piedmont, Liguria and Valle d'Aosta. However, their influence is not dominant, which is why a diversified retail landscape is emerging in which independent and smaller retailers also exert a substantial influence in terms of supply. NEW TREND: CRAFT PIZZAS The phenomenon of craft chains is fairly recent, but it has taken off and is now a rapidly growing sector. Until not so long ago, when we talked about chains, many people thought essential- ly of some big brands that made service their strong point, putting the craftsmanship of the product in the background. However, this seems to no longer be case: craft pizza chains are be- coming a well-established business, as demon- strated at Sigep 2025. More and more prominent names in the pizza world are deciding to invest in the sector, maintaining the craftsmanship of the product as a fundamental pillar. Now, one of the main challenges is the ability to replicate processes and quality, a complex but essen- tial concept to guarantee the success of these chains in a competitive market. 225 million kg of mozzarella, 30 million kg of olive oil and 260 million kg of tomato sauce. According to data reported by Asacert-Asses- sment & Certification, Italians eat an average of 7.8 kg of pizza per year, an amount that has increased by +14% compared to previous years. PIZZA, A UNIVERSAL LOVE Also worldwide, again according to data repor- ted by Asacert, the pizza market continues to grow, reaching an estimated value of 151,254.2 million dollars in 2024, with a forecasted growth at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.0% from 2024 to 2031. In particular, Americans consume about 13 kg of pizza per capita per year, supported by over 90,000 pizzerias in the country. In Europe, after the Italians, the biggest pizza consumers are the French, followed by the British, Belgians, Austrians and Portuguese. On the other hand, according to data reported in the ‘Italy Pizza Market Size, Growth and Fo- recast Analytics, 2023-2028’ report, the Italian pizza market was valued at 728 million dollars in 2023 and is expected to reach 935 million dollars by 2028, with a growth rate of 5.15%. PIZZERIAS IN ITALY The Italians' love of pizza means that Italy is a country full of pizzerias. This is confirmed by the analysis of CGA by NIQ “Guida Horeca Italia” published in the summer of 2024, which counted 34,406 pizzerias currently operating in Italy. Pizzerias are symbolic places not only of Italian cuisine, but also of a way of expe- riencing eating out in which socialising and informal service become the cornerstones of the customer experience, so much so that they are the preferred choice of 74% of Italian con- sumers, ahead of bars (65%) and restaurants (64%). Analysing the geography, 73% of pizze- of lactose-free chocolate (milk chocolate made with vegetable milk) and the trend to introduce innovative ingredients such as chlorella, micro- algae or energy superfoods. According to the Taste Tomorrow 2025 report, which involved 20,000 people worldwide, the majority of consu- mers (68%) believe that botanicals improve the nutritional value of chocolate and appreciate dark chocolate enriched with energy-giving ingredients such as nuts, fruit and seeds. Chlorella, a green algae, is also proving intere- sting for the world of chocolate. When transfor- med into powder it becomes a superfood rich in nutrients that can be mixed in smoothies, juices or yoghurt, but also in chocolate, for example to prepare a chocolate ganache or mousse. Another ingredient that is now combined with chocolate is spirulina algae, added in the form of flakes in chocolate bars, mixed (in the pow- dered version) in ganache or used to decorate various creations with a healthy green touch. ----------------------------------------------------------- AT PAGE 18 DID YOU KNOW? Pizza, an international love affair THE LOVE FOR ONE OF ITALY'S MOST SYMBOLIC DISHES NEVER SEEMS TO WAVER. ITALIANS REMAIN FAITHFUL TO TRADITION, WHILE ACROSS THE OCEAN CURIOUS COMBINATIONS ARE BEING EXPLORED by Veronica Fumarola It is one of Italy's most symbolic foods. A dish of undisputed success, which represents Italian excellence. Whether it's deep dish, Neapolitan, soft, crispy or slow-rise, whatever the dough, it's definitely an object of unconditional devo- tion. According to the Swg research carried out for the Coca-Cola Pizza Village in Milan last autumn, 35% of consumers consider it one of Italian cuisine's favourites. What's more, Ita- lians' passion for pizza is so deeply rooted that four out of ten families (40%) make it at home, possibly using gourmet ingredients or special flours (source: Coldiretti-Ixè survey published at the beginning of 2025, on the occasion of International Pizza Day, celebrated on 17 Ja- nuary). According to Coldiretti's analysis of Vpa Research data, in 2024 the pizza market rea- ched a record value of around 160 billion euros, while in Italy as a whole, pizza sales generate a turnover of over 15 billion euros. The sector employs more than 100,000 full-time workers, rising to 200,000 at weekends. Every year 2.7 billion pizzas are produced nationwide, for an annual consumption of 200 million kg of flour, V