BROADER RANGE

Founded in 2017, east PIZZAS started out as an Edinburgh-based pizzeria set up by co-founders Roly Simpson and Rob Marshall. Their vision was to bring authentic, restaurant-quality sourdough pizzas into the home without compromising on ingredients or flavour. 

Today, their stylish website focuses on shop products, the wholesale operation and a carousel of Instagram-style video snippets. The business has grown into a successful e-commerce and foodservice pizza brand, producing 250,000, 72-hour-proved sourdough doughballs a month for a customers – and recently took its first steps into retail. 

And in terms of consumer expectations around toppings, there’s still a strong demand for the classics. 

“Pepperoni remains consistently at the top of many customer wish lists,” said Simpson. “What’s changed is that people increasingly expect higher-quality versions of those familiar favourites, rather than cheaper or overly processed alternatives. 

“Alongside this, there’s growing interest in slightly more elevated toppings, with customers enjoying a broader range of flavours and combinations. Overall, the trend feels less about novelty for novelty’s sake, and more about better quality, greater variety and thoughtful combinations that still feel accessible and familiar.” 

IN THE LONG TERM

As for future menu innovation, east PIZZAS is aware that one thing cannot be compromised on: quality.

“Consumers are becoming more informed and more selective – particularly younger generations, who care not just about flavour but about how food is made, where ingredients come from and the values behind the brand. As a business, our role is to supply the best quality product we can, and to work with partners who care as deeply about their ingredients as we care about our sourdough and process.

“We tend to stay away from short-term viral trends, which can be fleeting and difficult to sustain operationally. Instead, we focus on longer-term shifts in how people eat – cleaner ingredients, better sourcing and honest, well-made food.” 

And key to this journey is transparent recipes, with fewer unnecessary additives and an emphasis on ingredient quality and consistency. 

“We’re navigating ongoing cost pressures and operational challenges like everyone in food and hospitality right now. The key for us is staying close to our customers – listening carefully to what they value and continuing to deliver the best product we can within those realities.

“Strong relationships with suppliers and partners are essential, as is remaining flexible,” concluded Simpson.

For more info, visit eastpizzas.com.