As we all know the humble pizza is crowned one of the most popular foods consumed at restaurants across the UK. Positively, when it comes to delivery/take away services, time and time again the pizza market has proved to be one of the most resilient sectors.
It’s no secret everybody enjoys a decent pizza, and some passionate entrepreneurs transform their love of pizza into their livelihood. If you’re thinking about starting a pizza business, having the best equipment and accessories can weather the pressures of daily use so that you can attend to your customers’ every need.
So, if you’re ready to take the leap to the perfect pizza restaurateur, keep reading to find out what equipment you will need to open and get your delicious pizzas flying off the shelves in no time.
Choose the right pizza oven.
First things first, the commercial pizza oven is the cornerstone of any lucrative pizza shop.
The right oven will not only transform your pizza into a gastronomic experience for your customers but will also impact the pace and production of your operation. There are a wide range of options that include but aren’t limited to: electric deck ovens, conveyor ovens, wood-fired ovens and gas-fired ovens. Your choices will all come down to the kind of pizza you will be offering. American deep pan? Thin crust? Authentic Neapolitan? Metre long pizza? You will also need to consider the volume and speed with which you will need to operate depending on footfall and location, and whether you will offer takeaway and delivery.
The perfect pizza prep fridge
Another fundamental piece of equipment every great pizza business requires is a good pizza prep fridge, also known as a prep bench. This piece of kit will enable you to top a pizza in no time at all while ensuring your ingredients are kept within safe temperature ranges. One of the errors a new pizza entrepreneur will want to avoid is purchasing the wrong type of pizza prep fridge for your business. The costs can stack up rapidly if you’re throwing food away or worse still, making pizzas with unsafe ingredients.
Identify your ideal dough mixer.
A quality dough mixer is the heart of any pizzeria and will be vital to creating the perfect dough. When you are choosing your dough mixer, you will need to consider what KG dough batches you will be mixing in order to choose the right model for you. Eliani and ItalMix are great pizza mixers on the market. The Eliani range of spiral dough mixers are extraordinarily sturdy and reliable and are known throughout the industry as THE machines to use for serious pizza makers and restaurateurs. Eliani produces spiral dough mixers with capacities from 1KG to 160KG of dough. ItalMix produce twin arm mixers that knead the dough just like real human arms. The ItalMix range offers the possibility of kneading different types of products, with different consistencies and water content percentage.
Pizza peels – turning and launching
For those not in the know, a pizza peel is a kitchen utensil which resembles a large flat shovel. Launching peels are designed to load your pizza into the oven correctly, and turning peels are used to spin your pizza to get an even bake, and then remove them from the oven. Both types of pizza peel are crucial for any pizza restaurant. Peels can be made from metal (anodised aluminium or stainless steel) or wood. They range in size to suit your pizza and are round, square, or rectangular. Handles also vary in length but we can cut them down to the space available in your kitchen.
Pizza boxes
Pizza boxes allow for the branding and logo of your service, and with today’s consumers desiring more environmentally friendly solutions, ensure your preferred packaging is recyclable. Consider the strength of the boxes versus the price trade-off and try not to be tempted with flimsy low-cost cardboard that may allow oil from your pizza to drip through.
Don’t underestimate heated bags.
It might seem easier to overlook this step but bear in mind you don’t want to risk negative feedback circulating regarding cold pizzas arriving. Delivery bags have improved immensely over the years. Keep your eyes peeled for the lining of the bag. Ideally, it should be “breathable,” allowing moisture to escape, while layers of insulation make sure the bag retains heat. Find bags which are durable and stain-proof and the right size for the quantity of pizzas you will be delivering in one trip.
Find your preferred pizza slicer.
There are many slicers available to suit your budget and volume of production. You can choose from heavy-duty pizza rocker cutters to low-cost pizza cutter wheels which have colour coded handles for meat/vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free pizzas.
Racks and shelving solutions
There are specialist racks designed to hold pizza pans, screens and disks. These racks are a great addition to any tidy and efficient pizza kitchen, used for storage and quick access. Consider the size of your kitchen, the number of pizzas you will be dishing out, and the size of your pans.