Regular Bitesize readers may recall the talented Emi Takakura who returned from her global culinary travels a couple of years back determined to make her mark on the food scene here. She swiftly set about launching Spoond, a gorgeous European style hot chocolate that secured a coveted gold Blas na hEireann award in its first year. Now the Irish Japanese entrepreneur has set her sights on producing Slice of Life, a new frozen pizza range made with wholesome and locally sourced ingredients that she describes as ‘Ireland’s healthiest pizza’.
A recent graduate of the Bord Bia/Teagasc Food Works accelerator programme, Takakura says that taste and nutrition were central to the creation of the new product, which she developed in collaboration with food expert Dr John Collier.
“We wanted to create a pizza that tastes just as good as the most indulgent takeaway pizza but that comes with health benefits, high protein and low calories.”
In keeping with this aim, the crust is made with cauliflower instead of traditional bread dough while each 10-inch Slice of Life pizza has around 600 calories, coming in almost 28% lower than existing products. Produced in Ireland, each pizza contains three of the recommended five a day vegetable servings, and is made using Irish grown vegetables, with all other ingredients sourced from Irish suppliers.
Currently available in three delicious flavours – Pepperoni, Cheesy Margarita and Caramelised Onion and Cherry Tomato – the range can now be found in freezers at Lidl and independent stores throughout the city. RRP €6.95.
