Little Caesars debuts Planteroni pizza with plant-based pepperoni
DETROIT – Little Caesars, the Detroit-based national pizza chain, introduced a vegetarian-friendly pizza topped with plant-based pepperoni slices.
Little Caesars partnered with Greenleaf Foods Field Roast brand, maker of plant-based meat and cheese products, to launch its Planteroni pizza in five U.S. markets, including Detroit. The plant-based pepperoni will be a topping option for custom pizzas via the chain's app or website.
At first glance, it looks like a regular pizza. Upon closer inspection, the plant-based pepperoni slices look bigger than regular pepperoni and it appears that there are more of them.
The texture was a little too soft, tasters said, unlike regular pepperoni, which is sometimes chewy. Tasters missed the slightly crispy edges of pepperoni.
Others didn't mind the texture.
Janelle James, a Paste BN Network intern who is vegan and consumes a lot of meat substitutes, liked that the pepperoni was well-seasoned. The spice reminded her of the taste of pork pepperoni. James liked that the texture was thicker and not greasy like pork pepperoni.
Planteroni's initial taste was a bit of a shock for those expecting a traditional pepperoni flavor. Though different, the flavor grows on you as the seasoning lingers.
Keep in mind, pepperoni is the only plant-based item on the pizza.
The cheese, the chain's blend of mozzarella and Muenster, is not plant-based, and it helps the pizza along, as does the crust.
In select markets, stores will offer a regular-size Planteroni pizza for $8.49. It's also offered as Slices-N-Sticks options with half Planteroni pizza and half cheese and butter breadsticks for $8. The pizza launches Monday in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, Miami and Portland, Oregon.
"Planteroni delivers a plant-based version of the delicious flavor of America’s most popular pizza topping, and you need to taste it to believe it,” Jeff Klein, chief marketing officer at Little Caesars, said in a news release. "This product is really going to surprise and delight our customers.”
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Field Roasts' plant-based pepperoni is made with pea protein and spices, including fennel, cracked black pepper, garlic and paprika, according to a news release. Field Roast debuted the pepperoni this year, and Little Caesars is the first national pizza chain to offer it.
At participating locations in the select markets, Planteroni pizza will be available for delivery on the Little Caesars app or prepaid pickup on its Pizza Portal.
Follow Sue Selasky on Twitter: @SusanMariecooks