Unlocking Growth via an Innovation Pipeline of Craveable Crusts

The CHALLENGE

To stay ahead of competitive threats, the client team from a leading global pizza chain needed to unlock new growth opportunities—both by reigniting relevance in their current pizza crust portfolio and by imagining bold, new offerings that could inspire future demand.

The APPROACH

With shifting consumer expectations and competitive pressure mounting, Burke and Seed Strategy partnered with the client to reimagine the role of crust—not just as a product feature, but as a brand-defining asset. Facing the potential discontinuation of an underperforming core crust, the teams crafted a multi-phase approach to drive relevance and reinvention.

The journey began with a deep analysis of existing knowledge, followed by targeted qualitative research and dynamic co-creation workshops. These efforts unlocked a foundational insight: crust had evolved into more than a base—it was now a bold flavor carrier, emotional connector, and source of brand distinction.

Fueling this insight with compelling data—more than half of consumers cited crust as a key driver of pizza satisfaction—the teams developed a clear strategic path. By embracing pizza’s role as a “cheat meal” and amplifying flavor expectations, the team helped build a robust, insight-led innovation pipeline that transformed a vulnerable product space into a powerful growth platform.

The OUTCOME

The project identified pizza crust as a strategic growth lever, illustrating how the brand is distinct and innovative while also getting ahead of customer desire.

Ultimately, our team delivered a two-pronged growth solution:

• The current crust option was repositioned for better alignment of its characteristics and benefits with customer expectations, which significantly improved customer feedback.
• A multi-year innovation pipeline of new crust options spanning everyday uses and opportunities to experiment with flavor and texture. The pipeline included new ingredients, new forms, craveable seasonings, and flavor enhancers.