A new option available at the local Topper’s Pizza should be welcome news to lactose-intolerant pizza fans. The chain has added lactose-free mozzarella to the menu, a Canadian first.
Robbie Patel is the owner of the Topper’s on Yonge Street in Newmarket. He’s been a franchisee with the chain for 10 years, so he is no stranger to pizza.
“All my staff, I tried it as well. It tastes exactly the same,” he said. “I made sure all my neighbours tried to get their opinion as well.”
The cheese is made by a company called Lactalis with Canadian dairy. The lactose is removed during production. Patel said it’s just like regular cheese in taste and looks, even browning when it’s cooked.
In the past, Patel has had to serve pizzas with just sauce and toppings and no cheese for people who are lactose intolerant. He said “our goal is to cater to them.”
A survey for Topper’s by Angus Reid Forum found that 26 per cent of Ontarians surveyed said they had some sort of food allergy or sensitivity, which included lactose intolerance.
Sixty-five per cent said allergy-free options are limited in terms of taste or availability and 51 per cent said they are willing to pay more for these options.
The lactose-free cheese isn’t the first alternative-option available at Topper’s. The pizza chain also offers a vegan pizza made with soya. Patel said it’s a good choice for people who want plant-based but it is definitely different from traditional cheese in taste and texture, unlike their new menu item.
The lactose-free mozzarella is a Canadian first. While there might be mom and pop shops that serve something similar, Topper’s is the first pizza chain in the country to offer the product.
It first became available at all 37 Topper’s franchises across Ontario on July 18. Patel said it’s been popular so far.
“I’ve seen people travelling from Vaughan, Richmond Hill coming in to try the lactose free. It’s a new experience for them. I’ve seen people coming from all over, from different towns. There was one guy from Uxbridge came in the other day as well,” he said.
