Frozen Pizza

Upscale ingredients and rising crust have made frozen pizza just as desirable as take-out. Contributing to sales growth during the 52 weeks ending June 13 was also price, as shoppers justified the cost of frozen varieties by comparing prices with pizzas obtained at a restaurant. The drug channel, with its expanding selection of groceries, posted the most dramatic growth at 12.3%, but on a smaller base than traditional supermarkets.

Also gaining momentum as shoppers experiment with preparing foods at home is frozen pizza crust/dough. But ready-to-heat varieties and the convenience they provide still reign supreme. A particularly popular brand is DiGiorno, which in 2009 experienced a 16% sales increase over the previous year. DiGiorno was formerly owned by Kraft Foods, but sold to Nestlé in January for $3.7 billion, along with frozen pizza brands Tombstone, California Pizza Kitchen, Jack's and Dellisios. The brands generated an estimated $1.6 billion in net revenue in 2009, according to Kraft.