Casey’s General Stores Pizza has a loyal following because of this key ingredient

If you haven’t had Casey’s General Stores Pizza, it is time to discover this cult favorite pizza.

For many people pizza is more than just a favorite food and Casey’s General Stores Pizza has loyal fans who crave that freshly made pizza. While some people might question pizza from a convenience store versus a restaurant, there are a few key ingredients that make this pizza one of the most popular in the nation. Will you be convinced to enjoy a slice?

Pizza can be a hotly debated topic. While some people call Chicago Deep dish a casserole and others scoff at the idea of folding a pizza, pizza preferences run the gamut. From favorite toppings to crust preferences to even the way a pizza is sliced, finding a middle ground might be more difficult that not spilling on your shirt.

Still, everyone can agree that a great pizza is worth making a special trip. While not exactly the chicken sandwich wars, just randomly ordering a pizza from any location is usually not the case. Although a pizza promotion might make people try something new, most pizza fans are loyal to a particular establishment.

For many people, Casey’s General Stores pizza has been their go-to pizza. While the brand is the fifth most popular pizza chain, the secret is out on this pizza. Now, more people are making a point to get a fill-up and a slice. It goes to show that a great tasting pizza is the most important thing.

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Farrokh Larijani, Senior Manager of Menu Strategy and Product Development from Casey’s General Stores. Even as more people are becoming familiar with Casey’s General Stores pizza, people are wanting to know why this pizza holds such loyal appeal.

According to Larijani, it is about the ingredients. Larijani, “to Casey’s, the key ingredients to a great pizza are made-from-scratch dough, real whole-milk mozzarella cheese, hand-cut veggies and quality meats. We want just the right amount of each ingredient for the best pizza. And, we’re never shy about how much cheese we put on our pizzas.”

While the cheese makes each bite indulgent and comforting, it is more than just a big bite of gooey cheesy goodness, a pizza is nothing without its dough. Casey’s pizza is all about that freshly made dough.

Larijani said, “Fresh made-from-scratch dough is the backbone of a good pizza. If the crust of a pizza isn’t right, you might as well toss it out. Casey’s uses a time-tested recipe that perfectly balances the taste of each ingredient with a warm, thin and chewy crust on every pie.”

While that attention to all the ingredient details is important, the brand needs to ensure consistency across all locations. Consumers want to be able to trust that the pizza in one location will be the same at another location 100 miles away.

According to Larijani, “With more than 2,200 locations across 16 states, consistency is key to pleasing our loyal pizza fans. To ensure the pizza quality and service across all locations is the same, every kitchen team member learns pizza making craftsmanship—from rising the dough to boxing the finished pie— team members are taught the art of making Casey’s pizza.”

For Casey’s that art of pizza making is key to changing people’s minds. Breaking down misconceptions can sometimes be harder than the crust on a frozen pizza. Still, for Casey’s, the proof is in the first bite.

Although not a blind taste test, the first bite can lead to becoming a pizza fan. As Larijani said, “Once people realize our pizza, its toppings and our other food offerings are made-to-order with high quality, fresh ingredients, it dawns on them they aren’t consuming “gas station pizza.” Rather, it’s restaurant quality food from a convenience store.”

After tackling the perception hurdle, Casey’s General Stores knows that it needs to keep in pace with its pizza competitors. While other brands might take on celebrity endorsements or promotions, Casey’s looks to embrace bigger food trends.

For example, breakfast has become an important food trend. Casey’s breakfast pizza has delighted consumers and keeps them coming back for more. In some ways, they were ahead of the food trend.

Larijani said, “Breakfast pizza is a famous staple at Casey’s and the talk of the Midwest. And, it’s been on trend for us for years – we started offering breakfast pizza in 2001. When a morning craving hits, guests can choose between three breakfast pizza options: sausage, bacon, or veggie. Each option is packed with scrambled eggs, topped with shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese, and choice of cheese sauce or sausage gravy. Another popular trend varietal in addition to our breakfast pizza (also known as #bizza) is our taco pizza. Our team is always monitoring the latest food trends and working to incorporate new ideas into our pies.”

From breakfast pizzas to taco pizzas, much food trend research is behind all of those offerings. Over the years, Casey’s pizza has had a variety of limited edition pizza flavors. Still, the consumers’ flavor preferences will always come into play.

Of course, everyone has one pizza that is their preference. For Larijani, the pizza focuses on simplicity. “I like to keep my pizza simple with one or two toppings max, this helps keep the crust stay crispy. If I go with beef, then I add fresh mushrooms for an extra umami punch. Most of the time, I can’t go wrong with straight up pepperoni and always thin and chewy on the crust.”

Whether your pizza preference is simple, adventurous or somewhere in between, it is time to discover Casey’s General Stores pizza. Sometimes the best pizzas are hidden in plain view.

What is your favorite pizza? Do you know a pizza secret that you would like to share?