NEW YORK — Banza, the rapidly-growing maker of chickpea-based comfort foods, is hoping to see a surge in its frozen pizza sales due to retail expansion that will bring its products to Walmart beginning Aug. 31. 

Banza launched Banza Pizza in October 2020 in Whole Foods Market, Wegmans and Target, and recently rolled out to Stop & Shop, Kroger, Albertsons, Safeway and Meijer. The pizza also is available on Thrive Market, Fresh Direct, Amazon and eatbanza.com as part of the company’s growing e-commerce presence.

The pizza products feature a crust made from chickpeas, olive oil, yeast and oregano that has a crispy texture with a sturdy, doughy center, according to the company. Pizza varieties include four-cheese and Margherita.  The brand also is offering a two-pack of plain crusts

“Our mission is to inspire people to eat more chickpeas and other beans because of their benefits to human health and the environment,” said Mike Tarullo, chief operating officer at Banza. “This means making nutritious foods available everywhere people shop, and in every aisle of the store. We’re proud to have made a better-for-you pizza that delivers on the classic pizza experience people love, while helping people get more chickpeas into their diets.”

In addition to growing its retail presence, in June Banza announced its first restaurant partnership with Oath Pizza as a permanent menu offering. Banza’s chickpea crust replaced the pizza chain’s previous gluten-free and cauliflower crusts and marked the first time a chickpea pizza crust was available at a national pizza chain.

In addition to pizza, Banza offers pasta, rice and macaroni and cheese.