At the 2026 International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas last month, ORA-1929 ranked 22nd in the world in the Traditional American category, one of the competition’s most competitive divisions. The recognition follows Bérard’s earlier qualification for the French Pizza Championship finals, earned through preliminary rounds in Nice in early March.
But beyond the ranking, the result points to a shift in how pizza is being made and understood.
Founded by Boris Bérard, ORA-1929 is built around Einkorn, one of the oldest known wheat varieties, paired with a natural sourdough fermentation process. The approach is designed to produce what the company calls a “gluten-friendly” crust: not gluten-free, but structured in a way that may be easier to digest.
Einkorn has never been hybridized like modern wheat and retains a simpler gluten structure. When combined with a long fermentation process, much of that gluten is broken down before baking. The result is a dough that maintains the texture and flavor of traditional pizza while aiming to be more accessible to those with gluten sensitivities.
While gluten-free pizza has become widely available, it often comes with trade-offs in structure and taste. ORA-1929’s works within the framework of traditional dough, refining it rather than replacing it.
The methodology, referred to as the “Einkorn Sourdough Blueprint,” was presented at the expo as a model for restaurants and mobile kitchens, targeting a growing segment of diners who have opted out of pizza altogether.
With its top-25 finish in Las Vegas and a place in the upcoming French National Final, ORA-1929 enters its next phase with momentum and with a concept that challenges the idea that accommodating dietary needs requires compromise.
