Food & Beverage

California Pizza Kitchen launches chickpea crust at some stores

Photo: Provided.

June 22, 2021

Less than two weeks after 50-store Massachussetts-based Oath Pizza announced it was replacing its cauliflower with chickpea crust, global chain, California Pizza Kitchen said today it's introducing a chickpea crust as well, according to a news release.

The new veggie-based crust will be available in select restaurants in the Southern California and Florida markets for guests to order as the base for any CPK pizza, which the chain sees as a way to add protein and fiber to meals while cutting carbs. CPK's crust is made with chickpeas, chia seeds and a touch of honey, and it's designed for diet- and health-focused customers particularly. "Chickpea Crust represents the very best of CPK culinary - first to market, creative, and most importantly, the product brings new health benefits while maintaining the incredible California inspired pizza taste our guests love," says CPK CEO Jim Hyatt. "We have incredible business momentum following a challenging pandemic year and Chickpea Crust is another example of how we are moving CPK forward."

As demand for veggie-based food and alternatives continues to rise, CPK has put an enhanced focus on expanding its creative, California-inspired roster of veggie-based options, including Cauliflower Pizza Crust, the recently launched Plant-Based BBQ Chicken Pizza and now, Chickpea Pizza Crust. With this introduction, guests can now choose from four crusts, including Original Hand-Tossed, Crispy Thin, Cauliflower and Chickpea, satisfying any palette.

"At CPK, we've always been proud to answer the question 'what's next?' for our guests, before they ask. We did it with gluten-free crust, then with Cauliflower Pizza Crust, and now we're thrilled to innovate once again with the introduction of Chickpea Pizza Crust," Brian Sullivan, CPK senior vice president of Culinary Innovation, said in the release. "We're excited to finally share what we've been working on, and to continue bringing bold and creative culinary ideas to our guests."

CPK's Chickpea Pizza Crust will be available in Southern California in the following locations: Huntington Beach, Lakewood, Long Beach Marketplace, Manhattan Beach, Marina Del Rey, Rainbow Harbor (Long Beach), Redondo Beach, Rolling Hills, and Santa Monica. It will also be available throughout Florida, including: Boca Raton, Coconut Point, Fort Lauderdale, International Plaza (Tampa), Millenia Mall (Orlando), Naples, Palm Beach Gardens, Pembroke Lakes Mall, Sarasota, Sawgrass Mills, Waterford Lakes and Wellington Green.

CPK currently has more than 200 restaurants globally.