NEWS FROM PIZZAEXPRESS

MORE ON TOP, LESS ON THE BOTTOM!

New style Leggera pizzas make the American Hot permissible for weight watchers


PizzaExpress, the first to offer a deliciously skinny 500 calorie pizza, continues to transform lighter options on the high street with the launch of its new style Leggera.

Bringing indulgent ingredients back on the menu for calorie-conscious diners, the new Leggera pizzas are characterised by a new lighter, crispier dough base, allowing space for previously off-limit toppings including pepperoni and goats cheese, while remaining under 500 calories.

Leggera fans will now be able to enjoy PizzaExpress favourites without troubling the waistline. The new American Leggera, which has all the punchiness of its classic cousin, is topped with pepperoni, light mozzarella and tomato, with the new American Hot Leggera offering a welcome twist on this, getting its kick from a dosing of jalapeno peppers. The Padana Leggera, topped with goats cheese, spinach, red caramelised onions and garlic oil, is another new addition that is heavy on taste and light on the conscience.


Model and Leggera fan Jodie Kidd, who has been eating at PizzaExpress ever since she started modelling, comments: “I love the classic Padana pizza – I adore goats cheese and with the spinach and caramelised red onions it’s a winning combination. How PizzaExpress has managed to put all that flavour onto a pizza with just 500 calories amazes me!”

Nutritionist Juliette Kellow comments: "Weight-conscious diners who want to cut down on calories but not on taste will love the new style Leggera range. They're the perfect balance of more on top, less on the bottom! And it's great to see that it's still possible to order an American Hot pizza, even if you're managing your weight".

All Leggera pizzas are inspired by a classic fresella bread from Naples – an Italian bread with a hole in the middle - where the dough at the centre of the pizza is replaced by a fresh salad of rocket and ricotta salata cheese.

The new style Leggera pizzas are available from 10th January 2012 in all PizzaExpress restaurants across the UK.

ENDS

For more information please contact Alex Whitelaw at PizzaExpress at alex.whitelaw@pizzaexpress.com or 01895 263146 / 07766 368187





Notes to Editor

The Leggera Range

• Six New Style Leggera Pizzas

Each Leggera pizza is 500 calories, at least 30% lighter in calories compared to the average of PizzaExpress’ standard pizzas, and between 4.5g and 8g in saturated fat. However, because each pizza is handmade to order by our pizza chefs, there is always room for a little variation.

American Leggera – pepperoni, light mozzarella, tomato.
American Hot Leggera – pepperoni with a choice of hot green, roquito or jalapeno peppers.
Gustosa Leggera, which is Italian for tasty – prosciutto cotto ham, light mozzarella, Portobello mushrooms, yellow peppers, thyme.
Padana Leggera – goats cheese, spinach, red and caramelised onions, garlic oil.
Pollo ad Astra Leggera – chicken, light mozzarella, sweet peppadew peppers, Cajun spices, red onions, garlic oil.
Pomodoro Pesto Leggera – marinated Santos tomatoes, fresh basil, pesto, light mozzarella, garlic oil.

• Leggera Wine

A glass of Leggera wine is the perfect complement to a Leggera pizza – together they add up to just 600 calories. PizzaExpress is the first restaurant on the high street to develop a wine that is both lower in calories and alcohol, while really delivering on taste. Specially blended for PizzaExpress, Leggera wines contain 25% fewer calories and 25% less sugar and alcohol than an average wine from its wine list. The secret behind their reduced calories and alcohol content lies in the early harvesting of the grapes, while sugar levels are still low.

• Two Leggera wines are available. The Leggera Sangiovese (9.5% ABV) and the Leggera Pinot Bianco (9% ABV).

Weight Watchers Pro Points

• American Leggera, 13 Weight Watchers Pro Points
American Hot Leggera, 13 Weight Watchers Pro Points
Gustosa Leggera, 11 Weight Watchers Pro Points
Padana Leggera, 14 Weight Watchers Pro Points
Pollo ad Astra Leggera, 12 Weight Watchers Pro Points
Pomodoro Pesto Leggera, 13 Weight Watchers Pro Points

PizzaExpress and its commitment to healthy eating

• PizzaExpress is commitment to providing handmade, delicious pizza using top notch ingredients. The restaurant group has signed up to the Government’s Responsibility Deal and is constantly working hard behind the scenes to make its menu as healthy as possible without compromising on taste. The introduction of the Leggera range in 2009, and its evolution is a key part of this work.

• In 2009 Which?, the independent consumer advice magazine, conducted a report, testing the nutritional content of pizzas from leading UK restaurant chains. The report found PizzaExpress pizzas to be the lowest in fat and calories and the best for taste.