2 minute read

Calabrian Chili Is Climbing Menus Fast

If it feels like spicy food is everywhere, that’s because it is. Diners are craving spice more than ever, and they’re moving beyond familiar ingredients like sriracha or crushed red pepper in favor of globally inspired spice. Enter Calabrian chili, a Southern Italian pepper known for its smoky, fruity flavor and steady-building heat. 

With Scoville heat units typically ranging from 25,000 to 40,000, Calabrian chili lands between a jalapeño and a habanero. It delivers warmth that lingers without overwhelming, making it approachable for a wide range of spice seekers.

Once found mostly in pastes and oil infusions, Calabrian chili is now gaining traction across foodservice, particularly on pizza menus. In fact, menu mentions have increased 73% over the past four years among pizza-serving restaurants,¹ earning Calabrian chili a place on Datassential’s list of 2026 trending ingredients.

That menu momentum is matched by diner interest. Calabrian chili ranks among the top five “interested in trying” flavors for both Millennials and Gen X diners.² And in pizza-related conversations online, mentions of Calabrian chili are up 25% in the past two years,³ signaling growing curiosity around this bold, regional flavor.

Trending Flavor, Turnkey Format

Trending ingredients get attention, but turning trend into traction takes more than just flavor. It takes a format that works well with how your kitchen runs. From back-of-house execution to front-of-house consistency, even the best ideas can fall short if they don’t align with operational realities.

To help operators bring this trending heat to life without adding labor, requiring new training or complicated prep, Hormel Foodservice is introducing two new innovative, ready-to-use pizza toppings:

HORMEL^® THE PERFORMANCE PEPPERONI^® Hot Calabrian Chili Pepperoni

FONTANINI^® Hot Calabrian Chili Sausage Crumble

Both deliver consistent, layered heat in an operator-friendly format. There’s no sauce to mix, no oil to portion and no guesswork on spice levels. Just flavorful proteins with real, Italian-imported Calabrian chilis, ready for pizzas, sandwiches, pastas and more.

Why Spicy Ingredients Are Built for LTOs

Limited-time offers are where spicy trends shine. They create menu excitement, drive trial and give operators a low-risk way to test something new.

Calabrian chili is ideal for your next LTO; it adds premium perception, works across dayparts and formats and brings built-in storytelling through global flavor cues.

Here are five bold builds to bring it to life on your menu:

1. Lemon-Ricotta Calabrian Pizza

Creamy lemon-ricotta sauce layered with mozzarella, FONTANINI^® Hot Calabrian Chili Sausage Crumbles and thinly sliced red onion. Baked until golden and finished with fresh basil and a dollop of Calabrian chili sauce.

2. Spicy Italian Grinder

A grinder-style build with BREAD READY^® Hot Ham Capocollo, HORMEL^® THE PERFORMANCE PEPPERONI^® Hot Calabrian Chili Pepperoni, shredded lettuce, sharp provolone, pickled onions and creamy garlic spread on toasted hoagie bread. Finished with Calabrian chili aioli and Italian vinaigrette for a spicy, savory twist.

3. Spicy Calabrian Sausage Pizza

FONTANINI^® Hot Calabrian Chili Sausage Crumbles on tomato sauce with a mozzarella-provolone blend. Finished with sliced Calabrian chilies and a drizzle of honey for a balanced “swicy” flavor.

4. Spicy Rigatoni alla Vodka

Rigatoni tossed in vodka sauce with FONTANINI^® Hot Calabrian Chili Sausage Crumbles. Finished with shaved Parmesan for a rich, comforting bowl with heat and depth.

5. Calabrian Chili Heatwave Pizza

A bold combination of HORMEL^® THE PERFORMANCE PEPPERONI^® Hot Calabrian Chili Pepperoni and FONTANINI^® Hot Calabrian Chili Sausage Crumbles on tangy tomato sauce and mozzarella. Finished post-bake with a Calabrian chili aioli drizzle for craveable, layered heat.

1 Datassential, Menu Trends 2025
2 Datassential FLAVOR database, 2024
3 Social listening data via Tastewise, 2025