SEATTLE– Founded in Seattle in 2004 by Joe Fugere, a fourth-generation Seattleite, Tutta Bella was born from the culinary traditions of his Italian great-grandparents, Pietro and Filomena, who immigrated to Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood.
Inspired by their heritage, Fugere opened the city’s first certified Neapolitan pizzeria, earning recognition from the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (VPN), the global authority on true Neapolitan pizza.
Now, Tutta Bella’s stone-fired, ready-to-heat pizzas are landing in the deli cases of more than 1,200 Kroger grocery stores across 40 states.
Merchandised in the fresh deli section, this launch marks a strategic evolution for the brand from a balance of neighborhood restaurants and regional manufacturing to a fast-growing national food brand with strong grocery momentum.
What started as Fugere’s tribute to his great-grandparents’ Italian cooking with a single Seattle Neapolitan pizzeria has grown into a national brand redefining the role of artisan pizza in grocery deli formats. The major grocery rollout included an initial order of more than 85,000 pizzas, and its production facility now runs double shifts to meet demand.
The timing aligns with consumer behavior. As households seek high-quality, convenient, ready-to-eat meals at home, retailers are elevating their deli departments with chef-inspired offerings.
According to Circana, the deli-prepared foods segment grew to $54.9 billion in the 52 weeks ending June 2024, with prepared meals alone representing over $30 billion.
Retailers are responding to the growth, with over half reporting plans to expand their deli and prepared foods assortment in 2024 to address demand for convenient, premium meal solutions (Progressive Grocer, 2024).
Tutta Bella delivers on that demand with premium ingredients, hand-stretched dough, and traditional preparation that mirrors the experience of dining in one of its restaurants.
“The Tutta Bella pizza found in Kroger stores is just like the pizza you’d get from a pizzeria in Naples, and now it’s something people can simply enjoy on a Wednesday night after work,” said Fugere. “This is the food my great-grandparents would have enjoyed in their homeland, and we still make it with the same care today.”
That commitment to authenticity is fueling Tutta Bella’s national growth.
This expansion follows Tutta Bella’s successful entry into regional Costco locations, positioning the brand at the forefront of deli offering innovation. Its model is designed for fresh, refrigerated placement. It is one of the few restaurant-origin brands that have successfully transitioned to refrigerated deli while maintaining quality and authenticity.
“We didn’t set out to become a national food manufacturer– it happened organically, one pizza at a time,” said Fugere. “Remembering where we came from has always guided us. This partnership with Kroger is about sharing that purpose-built food with more families at more tables without compromising what matters.”
Tutta Bella’s ready-to-heat deli section pizzas are crafted with:
- Imported Italian flour and tomatoes grown in the volcanic soil of Mt Vesuvius.
- Fresh mozzarella and hand-stretched dough.
- Stone-fired ovens at its Seattle production facility.
“This is more than just putting pizza in more deli cases, it’s about delivering a premium, ready-to-enjoy meal that’s rooted in real tradition,” said Josh Harpole Vice President of Deli, Bakery and Prepared Foods at Kroger. “Tutta Bella brings the craftsmanship of a Neapolitan pizzeria to busy weeknights, and does it with integrity, from the sourcing to the flavor. We’re proud to bring that story to shoppers across the country.”
“From Pietro and Filomena’s homeland to dinner tables across America, we’ve always cooked with purpose,” said Fugere. “That story of care, family, and doing things right is baked into every slice.”
