Pizza is a popular food item around the world, and in South Africa, Roman’s Pizza is one of the most prominent pizza restaurant chains. Founded in 1993 by Arthur Nicolakakis in Pretoria, the chain was originally named Little Caesar’s. In 2002, the franchise was rebranded and renamed Roman’s Pizza.

The franchise’s business model is based on seeking minimized prices while maintaining quality. Roman’s Pizza was well-known for its “two in one” pizza promotions until the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns in March 2020, which forced the restaurant industry in South Africa to close its doors.

In June 2020, when food houses and restaurants reopened, Roman’s Pizza discontinued its “two in one” pizza promotion, while some of their prices also increased, probably to maintain the profitability of the franchise. This move undoubtedly must have had a negative impact on their customer base.

Roman’s Pizza has a wide selection of pizza flavours on their menu, and their delivery services are generally good. However, there are other places that offer better pizza flavours at the same or better rates now that the “two in one” promotion has been discontinued. This has resulted in Roman’s Pizza losing some of its market share in the industry.

The restaurant industry in South Africa was one of the hardest-hit sectors during the 2020 pandemic lockdown, and many businesses in the food sector had to close their doors. Thousands of jobs were lost in the food industry over the 2020 lockdown months in South Africa, as probably over the rest of the world.

Pizza Wars

The competition in the pizza industry in South Africa is fierce, with each player trying to outdo the other with innovative pizza flavours, deals, and promotions. To stand out from the crowd, some pizza makers have started using unusual toppings such as fruit, caramelized onions, and even aloe vera, while others offer classic toppings like pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, peppers, and olives. The key to creating a good pizza is to strike a balance between adventurousness and simplicity when choosing your toppings.

Improvising on Pizza Toppings

Pizza is a dish that can be customized to suit anyone’s taste buds. While most people stick to, some pizza makers have taken to using unusual toppings to make their pizzas stand out from the crowd.

An unusual topping that some people seem to enjoy is fruit. While it may seem odd to put fruit on a pizza, it can actually be quite delicious. Pineapple is a classic example, but other fruits like peaches, figs, bananas and even strawberries can be used to add a sweet and tangy flavour to your pizza.

Another popular option would be to transform bolognese mince into a pizza topping, adding some freshly chopped jalapeño and avocado’s on top, or use pulled pork, thinly sliced Russians, cold meats and various veggies as toppings.

For a more savoury option, you could try adding roasted garlic or caramelized onions, which will give your pizza a rich, earthy flavour. Whatever toppings you select, remember that the beauty of pizza is that it’s entirely customizable, so experiment and find your own perfect combination.

Aloe vera, for example, is a popular ingredient in health drinks and skincare products. Some pizza makers have started using aloe vera on pizza to add a unique flavour and health benefits to the dish, or even started incorporating Spekboom into their toppings. Other unusual toppings that have been used on pizzas include cream cheese, chocolate, and even insects.

Keep it simple

Whatever topping you decide on, have a clear flavour profile in mind when selecting your pizza toppings. Too much of a mix may throw out your flavour buds, making it unclear as to what you want to taste, while too little, or too plain a topping, may just be boring.

Be adventurous. But be smart. When selecting toppings, it is essential to strike a balance between adventurousness and simplicity.

DIY Basic Pizza Recipe

Pizza is a simple dish that anyone can make at home with the right ingredients and toppings. To make your pizza, you will need flour, baking powder, salt, olive oil, warm water, tomato sauce or paste, shredded mozzarella cheese, and toppings of your choice.

Pizza Dough

2 cups of flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of olive oil
3/4 cup of warm water

Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add the olive oil and warm water and stir until a soft dough forms. Knead the dough for 5–10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes. Form a ball and roll the pizza dough out to the thickness you require.

Basic Toppings

1/2 cup of Tomato Sauce, Tomato Paste, Tomato Purée or even Pasta Sauce
2 cups of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Your choice of toppings (e.g., Pepperoni, Mushrooms, Onions, Peppers, Olives, etc.)

Preheat your oven to 425 °F (220 °C). Roll out the pizza dough into a circle and transfer it to a greased pizza pan. Spread the tomato sauce over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edges. Using a spatula or marinating brush works very well. Top with your selection of pizza toppings, herbs, and spices and grill in your oven, or pizza oven, if you have one.

Unconventional Pizza Toppings

Fruits

Adding fruits like pineapple, peaches, figs, or strawberries can add a sweet and tangy flavour to your pizza. For example, a Hawaiian pizza with ham and pineapple is a classic example of sweet and salty flavours that complement each other.

Caramelized onions

Cooking onions low and slow until they are sweet and caramelized can add a rich, earthy flavour to your pizza. Pair them with goat cheese or blue cheese for a delicious combination.

Eggs

Adding eggs to your pizza can make it richer and more filling. You can crack an egg on top of the pizza before baking it or create a breakfast pizza with bacon, sausage, and scrambled eggs.

Truffle Oil

Truffle oil is a luxurious ingredient that adds a unique earthy flavour to your pizza. Drizzle it on top of your pizza before or after baking for a delicious touch.

Mac and Cheese

Top your pizza with mac and cheese and bacon bits for a delicious treat.

Honourable Mentions

If you use a baking tray in an oven, wetting some baking paper and placing it under your pizza base before placing it in the oven can prevent it from burning, or drying out completely.

If you are using a topping like avocado pieces, add that to the pizza after it has baked to keep its taste fresh and wholesome. Cooked avocado and mince don’t always complement each other, although it can depend on the flavour enhancers you used for your mince.

Selecting and mixing different types of cheeses as your pizza base cheese topping can enhance the flavour. Spreading some cream cheese on the pizza base, before topping it with the tomato paste, makes a big difference to the overall taste of a pizza.