CiCi’s Pizza tapped into the popularity of food-focused reality television this week to create and offer a new dessert pizza.
The Coppell, Texas-based pizza buffet brand challenged “Food Network Star” contestants to create a pizza with “bold, kicked-up flavors,” and the winning Fiery Mango Tango dessert pizza was introduced in restaurants Monday. It will be featured systemwide through Aug. 16.
“When Food Network asked if we’d be interested in doing this challenge, we knew it would be fun,” said Darin Harris, CiCi’s CEO.
Harris also appeared in Sunday’s first-run airing of the “Food Network Star” episode, which was pre-taped to give the company plenty of time to prepare stores with the new pizza flavor.
“I’m very pleased to say the Fiery Mango Tango pizza hit the mark and excited to hear how our consumers react to this new explosion of flavor,” Harris said in a statement.
The dessert pizza featured a combination of pineapple and mango with cream cheese icing and jalapenos.
The pie was created by chef and fitness trainer Eddie Jackson Jr., owner of the Houston-area Caribbean Grill food truck, who also touted the pizza to his @Fitchefeddie Twitter followers.
Here it is!! My creation from last nights episode of #FoodNetworkStar on #FoodNetwork https://t.co/4aCjcJmcCV
— Eddie Jackson (@fitchefeddie) July 13, 2015
Twitter user @MeghanMartin17 reacted favorably after trying the new buffet pie on Monday: “Had the opportunity to try @fitchefeddie's pizza today @CiCis_Pizza. IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT."
Had the opportunity to try @fitchefeddie's pizza today @CiCis_Pizza. IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT #FoodNetworkStar pic.twitter.com/oTgSc53TWi
— Meghan Martin (@MeghanMartin17) July 13, 2015
The competition was part of the show’s “Improv” episode, which challenged contestants to create a pizza with unlikely ingredients.
The television pizza and its five-week run on the buffet menu are part of CiCi’s new market positioning. Harris recently outlined that shift and its emphasis on the tagline: “Better. Believe It.”
In Nation’s Restaurant News’ latest Top 100 census, CiCi’s Pizza ranked No. 93 in the latest year rankings, down from No. 91 the preceding year. U.S. systemwide sales were up slightly, to $441.6 million.
CiCi’s Pizza, founded in Plano, Texas, in 1985, has more than 450 restaurants in 32 states.
Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected].
Follow him on Twitter: @RonRuggless