Pizza and mozzarella are favorites around the world

The foods we eat are part of who we are. Every culture has its own great specialties with flavors and cooking styles that reflect their history and surroundings.

However, there is one food that has broken through boundaries like none other.

Wherever you travel, you’re bound to find several restaurants serving pizza. There are so many great reasons. It’s an inexpensive meal that is quick and simple to prepare. Most important, it’s oh so delicious.

While pizza has its origins in Italy, it truly has become a global food. More than 5 billion pizzas are sold around the world every year.

Latin America, which has its own rich and delicious food traditions, is just as much a part of global pizza trends.  Pizza sales were up 20% in Latin America in 2021, accounting for $12.5 billion.

Pizza touches upon some qualities shared by people around the world.

There’s a communal aspect. It is a meal best enjoyed with friends or family, whether cooked at home or during a special night out at the pizzeria. Pizza offers comfort. It’s a fun food eaten without formalities.  Pizza also invites us to get creative. It’s a versatile meal that can be topped to meet just about any preference.

The world loves pizza, and by extension, the world also loves mozzarella cheese. The Italian-style cheese is the most frequently used variety for pizza, offering just the right taste and texture to complement the sauce, crust and toppings.

More mozzarella is produced than any other cheese in the United States, and pizza is the key reason. US cheesemakers produced 4.45 billion pounds of mozzarella in 2020, according to the US Department of Agriculture. That year, US mozzarella production topped second-place cheddar by an incredible 650 million pounds.

Mozzarella’s stretchy texture creates great visual appeal when lifting a hot slice from the pan. It offers a smooth mouthfeel and creamy flavor that doesn’t overpower. Instead, it melds with the array of flavors arriving from the toppings.

If you’re at a pizzeria and noticed the cheese tastes great, there’s a chance it’s mozzarella from Agropur. We’re the cheesemaker of choice among restaurants that aim to serve the highest quality mozzarella. Made in the United States, Agropur’s award-winning mozzarella is produced using the pasta filata process, which gives the cheese its optimal stretch and delicate flavor profile.  Click here to learn more about Agropur mozzarella.

Resources:

Hynum, Rick. The 2021 Pizza Power Report. PMQ. 2022. https://www.pmq.com/pizza-power-report-2021/