Sarpino’s Pizzeria, a Chicago-based pizza chain, has partnered with Field Roast to bring plant-based pepperoni to its restaurants throughout the Midwest and Southeast.

Field Roast Classic Pizzeria Plant-Based Pepperoni is the first pepperoni alternative on the market to be made with pea protein, not soy; while offering the same protein per serving (6g) as traditional pepperoni (non-GMO and made without artificial flavors). It’s crafted with fresh spices including whole pieces of fennel, cracked black pepper, garlic and paprika.

“Menuing Field Roast Plant-Based Pepperoni was a no-brainer for us. It has the flavor and texture we were looking for in a vegan pepperoni,” says Rebecca Kroupa, director of R&D for Sarpino’s USA. “Before we launched our full vegan menu in May 2020, we spent a lot of time researching ingredients and conducting focus group tastings to make sure our plant-based menu offerings were delicious and appealed to meat-eaters, flexitarians and vegans.”

Of Sarpino’s 41 franchised locations, 33 of them serve a full vegan menu featuring specialty pizza, calzones, pasta, sandwiches, salads and cheesy breadsticks. According to Kroupa, the vegan menu offerings have attracted a new customer base who were previously restricted to what they could order from a traditional pizza menu.

The plant-based pepperoni recently launched in Florida locations, where it is already the No. 2 selling vegan menu item, behind the vegan sausage calzone. It will roll out in all Sarpino’s Pizzeria locations that serve a vegan menu this month. The plant-based pepperoni will be available in a variety of applications, including pizza, calzones and sandwiches.

Sarpino’s pizza is made with premium Wisconsin-aged cheese, shredded daily with no fillers and using only high-quality ingredients. Their menu offers regular and vegan options for free delivery and curbside pick-up. Pizzas, calzones, sandwiches, salads and more. Full menu at GoSarpinos.com. Sarpino’s — Real Italian Flavor, Made with Love and Care.