Last year, Dr. Oetker launched one of the biggest product innovations in its history and introduced it with something few food brands would ever attempt: a custom opera about frozen pizza.
This summer, the brand took Suprema: A Sample Sized Opera on the road, transforming the activation into a touring, sampling-led experience designed to drive trial in its biggest opportunity market: Quebec.
Rather than building another standalone event, the brand brought a custom-built miniature opera house to major cultural festivals, including:
- Just for Laughs Festival (July 23-26)
- Old Port (August 15–16)
Built for an audience of one, the three-minute performance is timed to the exact amount of time it takes to savour a slice of Suprema, Dr. Oetker’s premium Italian-inspired frozen pizza.
The evolution reflects a broader business objective. Following a successful launch year, Suprema helped attract new shoppers to the frozen pizza category, contributed to premiumization through higher basket values and now ranks among the top-performing pizza meal items in Canada.
The activation was developed in partnership with Publicis Toronto (Creative), Publicis Sports & Entertainment (Event Production), North Strategic (PR & Influencer) and OMD (Media).
In an interview with Retail Insider, Tyler Bigden, Brand Manager, Dr. Oetker Canada, discussed the activations and the brand’s future.
Question: Suprema has become one of Dr. Oetker’s biggest product launches. What has its performance been like over the past year, and what do you attribute that success to?
Answer: Suprema has been one of our most significant product launches in recent years and has reinforced our belief that there is strong demand for premium frozen pizza in Canada. What we heard from consumers is that they are looking for restaurant-quality experiences at home without sacrificing convenience or accessibility. Suprema was designed to meet that need, combining premium ingredients, artisanal craftsmanship and broad retail availability.
We believe its success comes from delivering on that promise. Suprema offers an elevated pizza experience inspired by authentic Neapolitan tradition, while remaining accessible to Canadians through major grocery and retail partners across the country.
Beyond consumer response, we’ve seen Suprema help attract new shoppers to the frozen pizza category, contribute to premiumization through higher basket values and establish itself among the top-performing pizza meal items in Canada. That tells us Canadians are increasingly willing to trade up for products that deliver on quality, authenticity and overall experience.
Q: Why did Dr. Oetker decide to invest in a second year of this unconventional opera-themed experiential campaign instead of using more traditional marketing tactics?
A: Suprema is a product that challenges expectations of what frozen pizza can be, so we wanted a creative platform that could do the same.
Opera became a powerful way to tell the brand story because it transformed something familiar into something extraordinary, much like Suprema transforms the at-home pizza experience. Building on the momentum from last year’s activation, we saw an opportunity to deepen consumer engagement, bring the brand to life in a memorable way and continue generating trial through experiential sampling.
This year, rather than simply repeating the idea, we evolved it. The focus is shifting from a standalone theatre experience in Toronto to a touring, sampling-led activation that brings the brand directly to consumers at major cultural events in Montreal. By combining taste trial with the creativity and an extension of the original theatrical concept, we’re able to introduce more consumers to Suprema while maintaining the distinctive brand personality that helped it stand out in year one.
Q: Quebec is a major focus of this tour. What makes the province such an important growth market for Suprema and the premium frozen pizza category?
A: Quebec represents one of our biggest growth opportunities for Suprema. The province has a strong food culture and an appreciation for quality ingredients, culinary craftsmanship and elevated dining experiences, all of which align naturally with the Suprema proposition.
At the same time, we’re seeing continued growth in consumer interest for premium at-home meal solutions. As Canadians look for affordable alternatives to dining out, products that deliver restaurant-quality experiences become increasingly relevant.
That’s why Quebec is such an important focus for this year’s tour. By bringing our sampling experience directly to major cultural events in Montréal, we’re able to put the product into consumers’ hands and showcase firsthand the quality, flavour and craftsmanship that make Suprema different. For a product like this, tasting really is believing.
Q: Premium food products can be challenging to sell in a price-sensitive environment. How are Canadian consumers responding to premium frozen pizza, and what trends are you seeing in the category?
A: What we’re seeing is that consumers continue to prioritize value, but value doesn’t necessarily mean choosing the lowest-priced option. Increasingly, Canadians are looking for products that deliver a premium experience and justify their purchase through quality, taste and craftsmanship.
In frozen pizza specifically, there is growing interest in products that offer more authentic ingredients, elevated recipes and restaurant-inspired flavour profiles. At the same time, many consumers are looking for affordable alternatives to dining out. That creates an opportunity for brands like Suprema, which bridges the gap between convenience and indulgence by delivering a premium experience at home.
Q: Looking ahead, how does experiential marketing fit into Dr. Oetker’s broader retail and brand strategy, and how will you measure whether this year’s tour is successful?
A: Experiential marketing plays an important role for us because it has allowed consumers to engage directly with the product. This trial is incredibly powerful; once people taste the product and experience the quality firsthand, they understand what makes Suprema different.
This year’s program is specifically designed to support that objective. While the first year focused on creating buzz around the launch, the touring version is focused on driving awareness and sampling at scale by meeting consumers where they already are at popular summer festivals and cultural events.
Success will be measured across multiple dimensions. Trial and consumer engagement are key objectives, but we’re also looking at how the activation contributes to broader brand awareness, supports growth in Quebec, helps shift perceptions of frozen pizza as a premium category and drives continued momentum for Suprema at retail.
Ultimately, we want Canadians to see that frozen pizza can be crafted with the same care, quality and attention to detail they would expect from a restaurant experience, and the tour is an effective way to bring that message to life.
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