The Co-op has introduced a new Detroit-style pizza range to its chilled aisles as it looks to bring a growing US food trend into the UK grocery market.

The retailer has launched two Detroit-style pizzas priced at £5.25, offering shoppers a square, deep-based pizza designed to replicate the style that originated in the US during the 1940s. While the format has gained traction in independent restaurants and specialist pizza outlets across the UK, it has rarely appeared in supermarket own-label ranges.

The move positions Co-op as the only major UK grocer currently offering an own-label Detroit-style pizza nationally, potentially giving the retailer a point of differentiation within the highly competitive chilled pizza category.

Unlike more familiar pizza styles found in supermarkets, Detroit-style pizza features a thick, airy base and a distinctive caramelised cheese crust created by baking cheese around the edges of the dough.

The style sits somewhere between the thin crispness of Italian or New York-style pizzas and the heavier Chicago deep-dish format, offering a softer interior with a crisp outer edge.

According to Co-op, the category innovation comes as consumer interest in the format grows in the UK.

Online searches for “Detroit pizza” have risen significantly since 2024, while a number of specialist Detroit-style pizza restaurants have opened in major cities including London, Manchester and Edinburgh.

Tessa Weston, product development manager for pizza at Co-op, said the retailer had looked to the US market for inspiration when developing the range.

“As a retailer known for our award-winning range of delicious pizzas, we wanted to bring something different to the market and after travelling to the US we found inspiration in authentic Detroit pizzas with their perfectly crispy crusts,” she said.

The pizzas are produced using a two-stage dough proving process designed to create the light, focaccia-like texture associated with the style. The dough is stretched into oiled pans with cheese placed around the edges before baking to create the signature crispy crust.

Co-op said it worked with suppliers to source bespoke baking pans in order to replicate the authentic preparation method.

The new range launches with two varieties: Detroit Style Cheeseburger Pizza and Detroit Style Double Pepperoni Pizza.

The cheeseburger variant includes tomato sauce, mozzarella, mild Cheddar, spiced minced beef, pickled gherkins, pink pickled onions and Red Leicester cheese, and is served with a sachet of burger sauce designed to be added after cooking.

Meanwhile, the double pepperoni version features tomato sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni slices, smoky pepperoni crumb and mild Cheddar cheese.

The launch reflects continued experimentation within the chilled pizza category as retailers seek to differentiate their ranges through new formats, flavours and international food trends.

With pizza remaining one of the UK’s most popular ready meal options, introducing a less familiar style could help Co-op appeal to shoppers looking for novelty within a well-established category.

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