Vocelli Pizza is bringing an imported Italian crust format to every one of its locations, debuting Di Marco's Pinsa Romana crust chainwide on May 18, 2026. The move marks a notable menu pivot for the Pittsburgh-based pizza chain and signals growing mainstream interest in Pinsa as an alternative to traditional round pizza crust.
Pinsa Romana, an oval-shaped Roman-style crust, is typically made with a blend of flours — often including rice, soy, or wheat — and fermented longer than conventional dough, producing a lighter, crispier texture with a higher protein profile. For operators watching consumer demand shift toward better-for-you options, the format offers a differentiation play that doesn't require a full menu overhaul. Vocelli's rollout suggests the format is ready for quick-service and fast-casual scale, not just artisan or upscale dining.
According to CEO Toni Bianco, the chain's R&D team spent more than a year evaluating Pinsa crust suppliers before settling on Di Marco, the Italian company widely recognized as the originator of the modern Pinsa format. "Our R&D team worked for over a year tasting various Pinsa crusts, but nothing compared to Di Marco's quality," Bianco said. "As the inventors of Pinsa, Di Marco's is the best partner for Vocelli Pizza."
The supplier choice carries weight beyond quality assurance. Partnering directly with Di Marco positions Vocelli to market the crust's authenticity and provenance — increasingly important signals to ingredient-conscious consumers. It also puts sourcing pressure on competing chains that may look to follow with similar offerings, since Di Marco's capacity and import logistics are not unlimited.
The launch fits into a broader pattern of pizza operators investing in crust innovation to recapture diner attention in a crowded delivery and takeout market. As restaurant menu differentiation strategies continue to evolve, high-protein and alternative-flour formats are emerging as a practical lever for chains seeking to appeal to fitness-oriented and health-aware guests without abandoning core pizza identity. Coverage from Food & Beverage Magazine has tracked similar better-for-you reformulation trends accelerating across the broader food and beverage industry over the past several years.
Vocelli Pizza operates across multiple states in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast United States. The Pinsa Romana crust is available now at all Vocelli locations.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
