Pizza consumption is trending at its highest level in the past four years, and showing growth for pizza-focused concepts across channels. To maintain this momentum and stay ahead in the competitive pizza space, operators must innovate and adapt to consumers’ evolving demands for unique, high-quality and better-for-you pizza ingredients and add-ons, according to Technomic’s 2016 Pizza Consumer Trend Report.

“Today’s consumers are less beholden to their standard pizza orders, as emerging players push the envelope of what’s expected on a pizza menu,” explains Deanna Jordan, manager of consumer insights at Technomic. “New chef-designed specialty pizzas positioned as customizable thought-starters will serve to convey kitchen skills and allow for the personalization these consumers increasingly expect.”

Key report takeaways:

Pizza consumption is trending up; consumers average 4.0 pizza occasions per month, up from 3.4 in 2014.

Unique toppings are increasingly key; 39% of consumers, up from 32% two years ago, say that new and innovative toppings are highly important in creating a good pizza.

More consumers are demanding transparency in the pizza occasion; 32% of consumers, up from 25% in 2014, say it’s important to know the nutritional content of the pizza they eat.