Barstool Sports And Happi Foodi Launch Frozen Pizza Line
Digital media company Barstool Sports is capitalizing on its founder Dave Portnoy’s longstanding YouTube series, One Bite Pizza Reviews, with the launch of One Bite Pizza.
Produced in partnership with frozen food company Happi Foodi, the line debuted this week in 3,5000 Walmart stores and online at Walmart.com, OneBite.app, FreshDirect.com and HappiFoodi.com. Available in 5 Cheese, Pepperoni, 3 Meat and Supreme, a 4-pack retails for $49.99 online, or $6.48 in Walmart. Though, contrary to its name and Portnoy’s catch phrase of “One Bite. Everybody Knows The Rules,” each pizza is in fact a complete 12-inch pie.
Since launching in 2018, Portnoy’s YouTube Channel has amassed an audience of 483,000 subscribers who tune in to watch Portnoy rate pizzerias. The channel has already spawned a mobile app, One Bite, which allows users to rate and review pizza shops in their area.
In a press release, Barstool Sports said One Bite Pizza was inspired after Portnoy had to suspend his reviews due to the Covid-19 pandemic and was forced to turn to purchasing frozen pizzas. The brand touted its use of vine ripened tomatoes and an “Italian” stone baked crust for an “authentic pizzeria experience.”
Happi Foodi, which launched in 2018, sells an array of frozen products including keto bowls, cauliflower crust pizzas, sides, appetizers and breakfast items in retailers including Walmart, Sprouts Market, Safeway and Albertsons. The brand’s proposition is to push its commitment to bold flavors and “chef-driven” products, while also offering shoppers healthier or cleaned up versions of classic freezer aisle staples.
“Partnering with Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports has created a revolution in how packaged foods are innovated, marketed and sold” Sam Rockwell, CEO of Happi Foodi, said in a release. “We are excited to leverage our development and distribution capabilities to make One Bite Pizza a success.”
The introduction of One Bite Pizza comes as the frozen food aisle has undergone a renaissance, particularly the pizza segment. However, much of the recent innovation in that subcategory has centered around the use of plant-based cheese and meats or crusts made from alternative ingredients such as cauliflower or chickpeas.
Frozen food as a whole has been a “pandemic powerhouse,” as described by the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI). Pizza specifically, the AFFI noted, was one of the most frequently purchased frozen foods during the pandemic — generating $6.1 billion in sales and 19% dollar growth — as it offered a family friendly and relatively inexpensive option for consumers who suddenly had to make more dinners at home.
Looking at Amazon’s top selling frozen pizzas, while the top performers include Rich’s Home Zucchini Pizza Crusts and Caulipower Stone-Fired Margherita Pizza, the list also contains The Original Gino’s East of Chicago Deep Dish Pizza and a 160 pack of Totino’s Pizza Rolls.
Barstool has successfully used its far-reaching platform to promote CPG products before. As part of its partnership with High Noon hard seltzer, which was integrated across a variety of Barstool Sports’ programs starting in 2020, the media company’s Instagram handle @Nooners has close to 46,500 followers. The brand also collaborated with Owen’s Craft Mixers on a special release and promotional campaign last year.
The pandemic has made more shoppers head down the frozen aisle to begin with, and seeing a brand that capitalizes on one of their favorite YouTube personalities, might be enough to motivate them to make a swap — especially if it’s one rated a ten.
“Between Dave’s equity in pizza, Happi Foodi’s expertise in packaged consumer goods and Barstool’s megaphone, we have the opportunity to drive unprecedented growth,” Rockwell said.
