Support for pineapple on pizza growing in Canada

It was an idea first invented in Canada in the 60s, but a new survey found more and more Canadians want pineapple on their pizza.

They survey showed growing acceptance of the divisive flavour combination across the country. Two years ago, 66 per cent of Canadians tolerated or liked pineapple on their pie, according to Research Co.‘s Mario Canseco. Now, 73 per cent would “definitely” or “probably” indulge in the sweet and savoury mix.

“There are some regional disparities when Canadians ponder whether pineapple belongs on a pizza,” says Canseco. “The dish is particularly popular in Alberta (90 per cent), followed by British Columbia (83 per cent), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (77 per cent), Ontario (76 per cent), Atlantic Canada (72 per cent) and Quebec (55 per cent).”

73% of Canadians say they would “definitely” or “probably” eat pizza with pineapple, up seven points since July 2019.https://t.co/ac2uklS0wk

— Mario Canseco (@mario_canseco) October 30, 2021

Beyond that, Canseco says our topping choices often take us back to our roots.

“Europeans tend to go with the flow — pepperoni, green pepper, mushrooms — but South Asians are more likely to be adding other ingredients: Lots of onion, lots of chicken, not a lot of pork understandably,” he said.In 1962, cook and businessman Sam Panopoulos of Chatham, Ontario, was the first person to add canned pineapple to a pizza.

Pineapple pizza doesn’t necessarily rank at the top of the list, though.

“The number one ingredient is pepperoni. If you’re asking somebody to make the ultimate Canadian pizza, it has pepperoni, it has mushrooms — almost 50 per cent ask for mushrooms — and then the third ingredient would be green peppers,” said Canseco.

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Unsurprisingly, Canadians’ love for poutine hasn’t waivered much, with 77 per cent in B.C. saying they would dig in.

Only 44 per cent like ketchup on their steaks, down two per cent from two years ago.

The same survey found Canadians are losing interest in the plant-based meat, with a 10 per cent decline in those asked from two years ago. Now, half of all those asked said they wouldn’t eat a plant-based burger.