The annual International Pizza Expo is returning to Las Vegas, Nevada for three days between March 28-30. The event, now in its 39th year, is the largest pizza trade show in the world. Pizza Expo features suppliers from around the world and educational workshops taught by top industry professionals. This year, Pizza Expo will be hosting 41 seminars, nine workshops, and 10 demos. Over 1,000 booths and more than 550 exhibitors are expected. A full list of all the exhibitors taking part in this year’s Pizza Expo can be seen here.
According to Pizza Today, the leading magazine for pizza makers and operators, the pizza industry is thriving. In their annual State of the Pizzeria Industry Report, which provides analyses of the market and a roundup of issues and trends for the year, the pizza market is expected to increase by $42.2 million by 2025. The report was compiled by surveying over 750 pizzeria owners from all 50 states in the country.
(Photo Credit: Pizzatoday.com)
“This report provides a deep and insightful look at the current state of the pizza industry and offers valuable advice and guidance for pizzeria owners and operators,” said Jeremy White, the Editor-in-Chief of Pizza Today.
The increase in sales is due to the growing popularity of plant-based toppings, pizzeria owners keeping up with the latest trends, and more consumers opting for pizza as a meal, according to the report. The report also detailed New York-style pizza as the country’s favorite, closely followed by Chicago thin. “With 65% of consumers saying their pizza consumption will remain the same next year and 18% saying it will increase slightly, I am confident that this report will help others in the industry succeed and thrive in today’s competitive market,” said White.
Pizza Expo is known in particular for its three competitions: International Pizza Challenge, World Pizza Games, and International Italian Sandwich Championship.
(Photo Credit: Steve Marcus via Las Vegas Weekly)
International Pizza Challenge
Created in 2007, the challenge is divided into four divisions: traditional, non-traditional, pan, and Neapolitan. Each competitor will have the chance to bake their signature pie on the spot, which will then be presented for tasting to a panel of accredited chefs. The winners of each division will then face off against each other in a mystery ingredient bake-off for a cash prize of $5,000 and the title of 2023 Pizza Maker of the Year.
World Pizza Games
This competition tests the dough-handling and pizza-adjacent abilities of pizzaiolos. Pizza makers will be able to compete for first place in six divisions: freestyle acrobatic dough tossing, fastest dough, largest dough stretch, fastest pizza box folding, pizza triathlon, and tandem team competition. Each winner will be awarded $1,000.
International Italian Sandwich Championship
This competition, now in its third year, will judge the best sandwich seen on the menu of a pizzeria, Italian restaurant, or bakery. Sandwiches can be hot or cold, traditional or Italian-inspired, and be presented on any type of bread, roll, or bun. Judging will be based on technique, presentation, flavor balance, and taste. The first-place sandwich maker will receive a trophy and $2,000, while second and third-place will receive $500 and $250 respectively.
Asia London Palomba
Asia London Palomba is a trilingual freelance journalist from Rome, Italy. In the past, her work on culture, travel, and history has been published in The Boston Globe, Atlas Obscura, The Christian Science Monitor, and Grub Street, New York Magazine's food section. In her free time, Asia enjoys traveling home to Italy to spend time with family and friends, drinking Hugo Spritzes, and making her nonna's homemade cavatelli.