Wegmans' Market Cafe pizza shop is stocking Conte's Bake in the Bag pizza in its freezer so gluten-free customers can order a pie on the spot or call in for pick up. The pizza is cooked is a sealed bag so cross-contamination isn't a worry.
In an interesting twist, the pizza is also available in the freezer in the Nature's Market Place, a section of the supermarket where most gluten-free items are sold. A customer can purchase the pizza from the market and get it baked in the pizza shop or take it home to bake.
You only pay for the cost of the pizza no matter which way you choose.
Trish Kazacos, a registered dietitian who is Wegmans nutritionist and is gluten free herself, said offering gluten-free pizza is a joint venture between the cafe and market place. "It gives everyone lots of flexibility," she said.
As it launches, the pizza will be available in the 40 of Wegmans 81 stores in six East Coast states. Some cafes have an oven with an open flame and the bagged pizza can't be cooked in them. A list of stores where it will be available will be posted soon on Wegmans Fresh Stories blog.
Conte's pizza comes in three flavors, cheese, pepperoni and margherita, but availability will vary, with some stores only carrying two until the program gets fully underway. It's a good idea to call ahead to check.
The system addresses two problems that can come up when serving gluten-free pizza along with regular pizza - cross contamination and reliable availability. Conte's bagged pizza is also sold at Chuck E. Cheese's pizza locations throughout the U.S.
When it comes to preparing gluten-free pizza in shared pizza shop, this product has a lot in the bag. And it's nice to see restaurants using it to make gluten-free pizza available.
Amy Ratner
1 comment:
Its good to see more restaurants offering GF choices!
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