Papa Johns (pzza, +0.53%) is the latest restaurant chain to experiment with new ingredients in a bid to stay on trend with consumers' evolving palates.
The pizza purveyor has launched two pilot programs that incorporate organic produce and gluten-free crusts in its menu at select U.S. locations. Papa Johns organics pilot focuses on four toppings (Roma tomatoes, green peppers, yellow onions, and mushrooms) available only in the Lexington, Ky. market. Its gluten-free crust will be available in four Los Angeles, Phoenix, Nashville, and St. Louis.
"We just think this is a trend that is going to be out there, and we want to be the first in our industry to have organic produce on our menu," chief ingredients officer Sean Muldoon told Fortune in an interview. Papa John's is partnering with online organic delivery provider Green BEAN Delivery to source the produce it will need from family farms across several states.
For Papa John's, both test programs are aimed at tilting menu items toward trends that consumers say they care about today. About half of all U.S. households buy organic produce, and around 13% of produce that is grown in the U.S. today is from certified organic farms. Muldoon says that figure could rise to 20% by 2020. "That was telling us this is where the consumer is going," he said, adding it points to increased attention toward health and wellness.
