All 109 New Zealand locations of the world’s leading pizza franchise, Domino’s, will be offering vegan cheese pizza as a test run starting next week, the chain confirmed via phone. Auckland stores appear to have the cheese in stock already according to some customers posting on social media.
“[The vegan cheese] is a trial,” a Domino’s New Zealand representative said. “If the customers like it, we will add it to the permanent menu. The cheeses have arrived in bulk in stores across the country ready for the trial starting next week. When that is finished, we will evaluate the demand and see it [the vegan cheese] continues on our menu.”
The company has partnered with a local provider, Angel Foods, to make vegan cheese a reality. In a press release, Domino’s General Manager Scott Bush commented, “Our ongoing journey to provide customers with a menu we are proud of and one that offers more choices led us to finding the best in taste and melt after a long search of vegan cheese options.”
While Kiwis are yet to hear officially from Domino’s New Zealand about the new menu option, the chain first teased it in March. The success of the vegan cheese trial in Australia led the chain to make the vegan items permanent menu additions shortly after the launch.
https://www.facebook.com/DominosNZ/videos/10155607837082462/?t=6
Kiwis sent an influx of support and pushed the chain to pursue the trial in a crucial time for New Zealand’s food system where the demand for vegan food soars. Standard pizza bases at Domino’s are vegan by default and on its website, it offers garlic bread under a recently-added dedicated vegan section. It has yet to launch a pre-made vegan pizza option but Kiwis are familiar with hacking its menu by opting for a vegetarian with dairy cheese omitted.
Domino’s is currently offering vegan cheese options in Israel and in Australia, after the success of its three vegan pizza options, it recently announced it had added a vegan garlic bread side.
The vegan cheese will be offered for a $3 surcharge. New Zealand pizza chain Hell Pizza charges about three times that for their vegan pizzas, a customer noted.
Image Credit: Domino’s Australia
