As shoppers warm up to the frozen aisle, pizzas remain an attractive option as they cover a wide range of bases from big night in sharing to the ‘meal for tonight’ solutions. Find out how to optimise your frozen pizza performance in-store.
Frozen pizza is no longer just a back-up meal; it has become one of the strongest drivers of growth in the frozen aisle. Accounting for a quarter of all savoury frozen sales in the convenience channel [Circana], pizza and bread represent a huge sales opportunity for those retailers who get the balance right between core range, availability, and merchandising.
The frozen aisle continues to attract shoppers looking for quick, reliable ‘meal for tonight’ solutions. For many, it’s a destination for impulse decisions, whether that’s an easy kids’ dinner, a quick lunch, a midweek fix, or a weekend ‘fakeaway’. Clear ranging, impactful displays, and top-selling SKUs are critical to meeting these needs and building loyalty.
Dr. Oetker dominates the frozen pizza category, with a 63% share of value sales in convenience, spread across its two key brands: Chicago Town and Ristorante [Circana]. Within its portfolio, Chicago Town is the UK’s No.1 frozen pizza brand, worth £169m and holding a 23% share of value in the total market. In convenience, the brand is even stronger, at £35m and with a 45% share [Circana]. Chicago Town reaches 9.8m buyers, over a third of households [Kantar]. Deep Dish remains the top sub-brand, while Chicago Town Takeaway continues to own ‘big night in’ occasions, and subs are among the fastest-growing products in the sector.
In 2025, the brand is backed by its ‘Feed Your Urge’ campaign, spanning TV, outdoor, radio, and digital channels, aimed at repositioning frozen pizza from a ‘standby’ to a ‘standout’.
Thin crust pizza accounts for over 50% value sales in convenience and Ristorante is the No.1 brand in the sector, with 31% share of value, +12% in the last year [Circana]. Ristorante offers shoppers thinner, lighter pizzas and variety beyond cheese and pepperoni, making it an essential range-builder for retailers.
Merchandising & SKU recipe for success
Frozen pizza is one of the biggest drivers of growth in the frozen aisle, but unlocking its full potential depends on the right mix of ranging, space and execution. Dr. Oetker outlines six key steps to success, which provide retailers with a simple yet powerful recipe for driving frozen pizza sales:
1. Allocate the right space
With frozen pizza accounting for around a quarter of savoury frozen sales in convenience [Circana], retailers should reflect this with strong fixture presence, equivalent to about 4.5 shelves within a three-door savoury cabinet.
2. Deliver variety
Cheese and pepperoni make up almost 90% of sales [Circana] and should never be out-of-stock. However, expanding with flavours like Meat Feast or Hawaii, where space allows, helps attract a wider shopper base and increases incremental spend.
3. Maximise visibility
Grouping pizzas together creates clarity for shoppers and makes the fixture easier to navigate. Front-facing displays ensure maximum impact, while tidy ‘penny stacking’ keeps smaller spaces organised.
4. Communicate price clearly
Price-marked packs (PMPs) reassure shoppers on value and drive purchase. For non-PMP products, clear and visible shelf-edge labels are essential.
5. Stock the core ranges
Chicago Town Deep Dish remains the No.1 sub-brand in convenience [Circana] and is an essential for quick, tasty solutions. Alongside it, Chicago Town Takeaway dominates ‘big night in’ occasions. To broaden appeal, retailers should also include thin-base options such as Ristorante or Chicago Town Thin, which meet demand for lighter pizzas.
6. Leverage promotions and meal deals
Reserving freezer space for promotions or cross-category ‘meal for tonight’ deals can lift sales further, especially during key occasions like sporting events. Pairing pizza with frozen desserts or snacks is an effective way to encourage trade-up and bigger baskets.
To see a selection of core products in the range, visit the gallery below:
For more information on Chicago Town, please click here.
For more information on Ristorante, please click here.
