California Pizza Kitchen® Elevates Taste with Newly Reimagined, Oven-Ready Pizzas

NORTHBROOK, Ill., Nov. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- California Pizza Kitchen^®, known for creating innovative pizzas in both its iconic restaurant chains and in the freezer aisle of grocery stores, today announced that it has completely reimagined six of its classic oven-ready pizza recipes, created a completely new recipe, and added two new, exciting limited-edition offerings to the California Pizza Kitchen lineup found in grocers' freezer cases.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131108/AQ13389)

The announcement, made at an event hosted by TV personality Maria Menounos in Los Angeles, is a continuation of a brand-wide update for California Pizza Kitchen that began with a reinvention of the restaurant menu earlier this year and continues in 2014 with updated restaurant spaces. In the grocery store, consumers will experience new and improved recipes with premium ingredients and flavor combinations in the California Pizza Kitchen oven-ready pizzas, reimagined with an eye toward California creativity and easy, at-home entertaining.

"In my line of work, I'm always on the road, so one of my favorite ways to unwind is to invite friends over for a fun, relaxing 'Girls Night In,'" said Menounos.  "On those nights, I want to prepare something delicious, but it has to be easy so that I can spend time with my friends. The new California Pizza Kitchen oven-ready pizzas are ideal for easy entertaining and give me restaurant-quality taste from my own oven. From the premium ingredients to the new crispier crust, there's a perfect pizza for any occasion."

The new, restaurant-inspired California Pizza Kitchen oven-ready pizzas have been upgraded with even more premium ingredients like leafy basil and Gouda cheese, bringing an elevated and upscale taste experience. The California Pizza Kitchen pizzas are topped with enhanced sauces and more cheese, improving the most popular varieties of California Pizza Kitchen oven-ready pizzas.

"Since launching in 1998, it has always been our goal to take our consumers on a culinary journey that is unlike anything they have ever experienced," said Todd Macsuga, Director of Marketing for Nestle Pizza. "We know that our consumers are always on a quest for more premium ingredients and have sophisticated tastes. For us, that means bolder, unexpected ingredients, flavors and a superior Crispy Thin Crust in our newly reimagined California Pizza Kitchen oven-ready pizzas."

Flavorful Varieties. Reimagined.
In addition to elevating the taste of six California Pizza Kitchen Crispy Thin Crust classic flavors – BBQ Recipe Chicken, Margherita, White, Signature Pepperoni, Sicilian Recipe and Four Cheese, the line has added the California Pizza Kitchen Fire-Roasted Vegetables pizza to its repertoire. Previously a limited edition pizza, the Fire-Roasted Vegetables pizza -- a Crispy Thin Crust topped with roasted red and yellow peppers, spinach, garlic, roasted red pepper sauce, mozzarella, smoked Gouda, Parmesan, Asiago and Romano cheeses -- became such a consumer favorite that it's earned a permanent place in the oven-ready pizza line-up.  

In addition, California Pizza Kitchen has introduced two limited edition Crispy Thin Crust varieties:

• California Pizza Kitchen Greek Recipe: Crispy Thin Crust pizza topped with creamy tzatziki sauce, vine-ripened tomatoes, kalamata olives, red onions, spinach, oregano and a blend of cheeses.
• California Pizza Kitchen Spicy Chipotle Chicken: Crispy Thin Crust topped with grilled white-meat chicken, roasted corn, black beans, poblano peppers, four types of cheese and a spicy chipotle lime sauce.

California Pizza Kitchen Restaurants: Truly Inspired Dining Experience
Like the updated oven-ready pizza recipes, the California Pizza Kitchen restaurant dining experience is evolving and expanding to be at the forefront of innovation and relevance. The new restaurant menu – which includes a new hand-tossed crust recipe – is designed to be more individual and attractive to consumers who dine out today.

All of the new California Pizza Kitchen reimagined frozen pizza varieties are available now in the grocery store freezer case for a suggested retail price of $6.79. For more information about the entire line of California Pizza Kitchen oven-ready pizza products as well as entertaining tips from Maria Menounos, visit www.cpkfrozen.com.

ABOUT NESTLE
Named one of "The World's Most Admired Food Companies" in Fortune magazine for sixteen consecutive years, Nestle provides quality brands and products that bring flavor to life every day. From nutritious meals with LEAN CUISINE® to baking traditions with NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE®, Nestle USA makes delicious, convenient, and nutritious food and beverage products that make good living possible. That's what "Nestle. Good Food, Good Life" is all about. Nestle USA, with 2012 sales of $10 billion, is part of Nestle S.A. in Vevey, Switzerland — the world's largest food company with a commitment to Nutrition, Health & Wellness — with 2012 sales of $98 billion. For product news and information, visit Nestleusa.com or Facebook.com/NestleUSA.

About California Pizza Kitchen
Born in Beverly Hills in 1985, California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) is a leader in authentic California-style cuisine and is widely known for its innovative menu items. California Pizza Kitchen provides a range of California-inspired dishes, from signature hand-tossed and hearth-baked pizzas, to imaginative salads, pastas, entrees, soups, sandwiches and cocktails. A Southern California classic, CPK incites international cravings in more than 11 different countries. For more information on California Pizza Kitchen visit cpk.com or cpkfrozen.com for our oven ready pizzas. Follow them on Twitter @calpizzakitchen, like on Facebook at www.facebook.com/californiapizzakitchen and stay connected through http://instagram.com/californiapizzakitchen #cpknextchapter.   

SOURCE Nestle USA