New vegan pizza by Ralph Ruthe and Dr. Oetker

Some April Fool’s jokes are easily discovered. Others, however, do not seem outlandish at all or even too good to be true! When Ralph Ruthe- self-named “Witzbildmaler” (Comedic-Image-Painter) - announced a new frozen pizza called “Die Ofenfrische Döner Vegan” on his social media accounts on April 1st in 2021 in cooperation with Dr. Oetker, his community was quick to call him out on the joke. But as audience reactions showed, this unconventional product idea caused a lot more of an appetite than confusion: “My followers were excited about the collaboration but also quite disappointed that the product was not actually for sale”, Ruthe explains, “Now that changed and the pizza has become a reality, that’s awesome!”

Die Ofenfrische Kebab Style Vegan with comic cover-creations by Ralph Ruthe

Although in slightly different form, the April Fool’s pizza has found its way into the frozen section: As of September 2023 the Dr. Oetker Die Ofenfrische Kebab Style Vegan is available as a special edition in Germany. Kebab style instead of Döner vegan? “The reason for this change is largely based on food legislation specifications. Döner can loosely be translated as ‘to rotate’ and is usually cut from a skewer. Kebab on the other hand means ‘fried’ or ‘barbecued meat’. We use a meat alternative made of pea protein for our pizza that is not made on a skewer. That is why the new product is called Kebab Style Vegan”, Max Steuernagel, Brand Manager for Die Ofenfrische at Dr. Oetker Germany explains. Other recipe components include a fruity cocktail sauce, a cheese alternative based on coconut oil as well as onions and green peperoni.

Going vegan is possible for everyone!

"I tried following a vegan diet for the first time about 20 years ago and failed because I missed a lot in terms of enjoyment. Today, there are an incredible number of delicious, plant-based products to buy everywhere, and a vegan diet is definitely no longer complicated", says Ralph Ruthe with certainty.

Whether baking mix, dessert from the refrigerator or in powder form, baguette or pizza - the selection of vegan offerings by Dr. Oetker is also growing continuously. This is especially good for animal welfare and climate protection and meets the objectives of the Dr. Oetker Sustainability Charter, in which the company commits to introducing more products for a nutrition-conscious and sustainable lifestyle.

In Germany alone Dr. Oetker is currently offering five vegan alternatives in the pizza and snack assortment: