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Few foods enjoy global adoration quite like pizza. From the bustling pizzerias of Naples to late-night slices in New York City, pizza transcends borders, cultures and mealtimes. But behind the gooey cheese, crisp crust and tangy sauce lie surprising facts, mind-blowing numbers and stories as flavourful as the dish itself.

In recognition of the currently running Porcupine Ridge Pizzeria Challenge here's a deep dive into the world of pizza!

• Pizza dates back over 2 000 years. While modern pizza as we know it emerged in Naples in the 18th century, flatbreads with toppings were eaten by ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks. The word “pizza” was first documented in 997 AD in Gaeta, Italy.
• The Margherita Pizza was born in honour of a queen. Legend has it that in 1889, Neapolitan pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito created a pizza in honour of Queen Margherita of Savoy. He used tomatoes (red), mozzarella (white) and basil (green) to mimic the Italian flag, and thus, Pizza Margherita was born!
• According to industry estimates, over five billion pizzas are sold globally every year. That’s enough pizza to stretch around the Earth nearly 50 times if laid side by side.
• Pizza is a staple in American diets. With over 3 billion pizzas sold annually in the U.S. alone, Americans consume 350 slices every second in the U.S. That also translates to 100 acres of pizza per day (or 40 full-size rugby fields!).
• The South Africa pizza market - which includes chilled and frozen pizzas - had a sales value of almost R1,5 billion in 2023 and increase of 12.35% from 2022. Pizza in restaurants has a fairly large footprint, with one source reporting that the “pasta and pizza” category accounts for around 22% of menu items among foodservice outlets in South Africa.
• The most expensive pizza costs over R200 000 (US$12,000). It is the Louis XIII Pizza, crafted by chef Renato Viola in Italy, and features lobster, caviar and 24-karat gold flakes, and it’s served in your home by a private chef.
• The first pizza delivery was to Italy’s King Umberto I and Queen Margherita, who were so curious about pizza that they had it delivered to their palace. This royal delivery helped popularise pizza among the upper classes, which had previously dismissed it as peasant food.
• In 2001, Pizza Hut became the first company to deliver pizza to space. A salami pizza was sent aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket to the International Space Station. Cost of delivery? A cool R17,5 million.
• In 2012, chefs in Rome baked the world's largest pizza named Ottavia, spanning 1,262 square meters. It was 100% gluten-free and took 48 hours to prepare.
• In Japan, popular pizza toppings include squid, mayo and corn. The Japanese pizza market is worth over R26 billion, proving that local flavour combinations work.
• Back home, salami appears to be a top contender according to several pizza places, with combinations like bacon, avo and feta growing yearly. The latter topping is virtually unheard of outside South Africa.
• In Brazil, pizza is often served as a sweet dish. Think chocolate pizzas topped with strawberries, M&Ms or even marshmallows. Pizza in Brazil is so beloved that São Paulo has over 6 000 pizzerias.
• In countries like Italy, France and the U.S., you can find 24/7 pizza vending machines that prepare and bake pizzas in under three minutes. Talk about fast food evolution.

Pizza is more than just a comfort food; it’s a global phenomenon, a culinary canvas and a cultural connector. Whether it’s served on a paper plate at a party or with gold flakes on a silver tray, pizza manages to bring people together like few other dishes can. So the next time you bite into a slice at your favourite restaurant, remember you're not just enjoying a meal, you're indulging in a centuries-old tradition, one delicious layer at a time. Just don’t  forget to vote!

How the Porcupine Ridge Pizzeria Challenge works

Any restaurant in South Africa that makes and sells pizza and holds a valid liquor license can enter. Participating pizzerias must feature at least two Porcupine Ridge wines (a red and a white or rosé); display in-venue promotional material (POS packs, tent cards, stickers); and encourage diners to vote via QR codes or the official site: https://votepizza.wine/.

Voting is open to the public until October 31, with each voter allowed up to 10 votes per email address.

So what’s up for grabs? For restaurants, the rewards are delicious, with the winning pizzeria receiving bragging rights, a bespoke winner’s paddle, Porcupine Ridge marketing collateral and wine valued at R40 000 as well as R900 in vouchers and three cases of wine to award to their waiting staff. Those restaurants placed second and third are also awarded Porcupine Ridge marketing collateral, wine and vouchers for their top-performing team members,

For voters, there’s even more to celebrate, including weekly prizes of a case of Porcupine Ridge wine and EarthFire pizza accessories. At the close of the challenge, a grand prize winner will be chosen and will take home an EarthFire Tabletop Pizza Oven, a year’s worth of pizza from their favourite finalist (up to R2 000), and five cases of Porcupine Ridge wine – a total prize value of almost R10 000.

For more details and to vote, visit: https://votepizza.wine/