Pizza and related products balancing convenience and quality. Focaccias soar

In the pizza and related products market, both in the ambient and frozen-food segments, the industry is responding to new consumption habits, with clean-label recipes and the rise of snack formats.

The category, understood as a basket of soft specialities (focaccias), fresh pizzas, pizza bases and mixes, achieved a turnover in Italy of 150,5 million euros in the year ending January 2026, recording a further +8,7% on the previous year, following the +17,8 in 2024. In volume terms, more than 15,8 million kilograms were sold, highlighting growth of +8,2% (NIQ data, total Italy, Hypermarkets+Supermarkets+Free-service stores+Discount stores).

Performance by geographical area and distribution channel

In absolute terms, most of the turnover, more than 50 million euros, is generated in Area1, but it is Area 4 that records the greatest percentage increase in value (+23,3%), accompanied by volume growth of +25,1%. Area 3 also shows performance above the national average, with an increase of 11,2% in value and 11,7% in volume, while Area 2 grows by 6,1% in value and 4% in volume. As for distribution channels, the greatest increases in value were recorded by hypermarkets (+9,5%) and discount stores (+9,2%). Hypermarkets confirm the same trend in volume (+9,6%), while discount stores stop at +7,8%. In terms of market share, discount stores lead both in value (39,7%) and volume (46,8%), followed by supermarkets (35,5% in value and 30,8% in volume), hypermarkets (16,6% in value and 15,8% in volume) and free-service stores (8,2% in value and 6,7% in volume).

Focaccias drive the market

The category shows markedly different performance depending on the type of product. “Driving the entire basket,” observes Matilde Ciroldi of NIQ, “are soft specialities (focaccias), a core category that alone accounts for 63,6% of total turnover. With 105 million euros generated in the last year, the segment recorded an increase in value of 16%, accompanied by equally significant volume growth (+18%) following the already exceptional +33,1% in the previous year.” The momentum comes across all Gdo formats, but the discount channel stands out for growth in turnover (+24,5%) and volumes (+22,7%), with a market share rising to 29,5% of total turnover (+2% out of 2024). Supermarkets follow, recording increases of 13,3% in value and 15,9% in volume, and representing the main channel for sales location, with 41,6% in value. Hypermarkets also show positive performance (+14,7% in value and +17,8% in volume), supported by an expansion of the assortment: an average of 9,3 references sold, +1% compared with last year. Sales location in volume, on the other hand, stands at 18,8%.

Smaller segments falter

On the opposite front, signs of a slowdown are emerging for all the smaller segments. After a substantially stable performance last year, fresh pizzas fell to 35,3 million euros in turnover (23,5% of total turnover), with a contraction of -3,5% in value and -3,2% in volume. “In negative territory,” concludes Matilde Ciroldi, “is also the sub-segment of long-life ready-made pizzas, which account for barely 5% of total turnover and declined by -7,4% in value and -7,9% in volume, after double-digit growth in 2024. The pizza-base segment also performed negatively, continuing the decline already observed the previous year. The category recorded a contraction of 30,2% in value, following the already significant -27,6% of the previous year, accompanied by a decrease of 27,2% in volume. The decline in pizza mixes was more limited, however, with the last year recording a trend of -11% in value and -11,9% in volume.”

Read more in DM Magazine March 2026

This article was translated from the original Italian version with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In case of discrepancies, please refer to the original Italian version.