SELF-RISING LIFTS ALL PIZZA

LUCIA MOSES

Self-rising crust invigorated frozen pizza sales by lending a freshly baked taste to frozen. While sales of self-rising frozen pizzas have matured since Kraft introduced its DiGiorno line in 1995, other, more recent innovations owe their success to DiGiorno and its ilk.

Retailers and vendors said the improved credibility DiGiorno brought to the category paved the way for other premium options.

"It all started with the self-rising pizza," said Vincent Fantegrossi, president and chief executive of Richelieu Foods, Braintree, Mass., a leading private-label and branded upscale frozen pizza maker. "People are eating frozen pizza and saying, 'They're darned good.' And people are willing to pay a little bit more for that quality."

Schwan's Consumer Brands North America, Bloomington, Minn., raised the quality bar again when it introduced Freschetta brick-oven pizza in 2003, said Brian Nau, vice president of marketing. "It's about $7, and people are paying that and coming back for more."

Self-rising pizza's halo effect also has caused shoppers to take a second look at frozen appetizers and snacks, contended Buzz Dailey, a broker at DeJarnett Sales in Portland, Ore., who represents Western Family Foods' frozen pizza and other products.

"I believe it's helped them, just because of accessibility, just knowing the quality is there in the frozens," Dailey said, adding that Western Family was quick to introduce a 20-ounce party pack of frozen pizza rolls. "It's opened up the category."