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  • Indian Fast Food Titans Merge: KFC and Pizza Hut Unite under $933M Deal

    Indian Fast Food Titans Merge: KFC and Pizza Hut Unite under $933M Deal

    In a significant move within India’s quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry, Devyani International and Sapphire Foods India, two of the nation’s largest franchise operators for KFC and Pizza Hut, have agreed to join forces. The merger, approved by parent company Yum! Brands, is a $933 million deal that consolidates the operations of the two QSR chains under a singular operator in India.

    Details of the Deal

    The merger process is expected to be completed within 12 to 15 months, subject to regulatory and shareholder approval. Stock exchange filings reveal that Devyani will acquire exclusive franchise rights for the entire Indian market as part of the agreement. Moreover, Devyani will assume control of 19 KFC outlets in Hyderabad, currently directly managed by Yum! India.

    In recent times, Yum! Brands’ Indian operations have been divided between Devyani and Sapphire Foods. While Devyani, a part of Ravi Jaipuria’s RJ Corp, runs several outlets, Sapphire Foods, backed by Samara Capital, operates its own distinct territories.

    Objective of the Merger

    The primary aim of this consolidation is to generate efficiencies driven by scale in the face of increasing costs, escalating competition, and fluctuating consumer demand.

    Ravi Jaipuria, non-executive chairman of Devyani International, expressed confidence that the merger would “allow us to realize meaningful economies of scale, leverage a unified technology platform, and strengthen our supply-chain capabilities.” He added that these advantages would “unlock sustained value creation and long-term growth for our shareholders, customers, employees, and partners.”

    About the Companies

    Devyani International, one of India’s largest QSR operators, manages over 2,000 outlets across India and international markets. It operates several other renowned global food and beverage brands, including Costa Coffee, Tea Live, New York Fries, and Sanook Kitchen.

    On the other hand, Sapphire Foods India, which was established in 2015, operates more than 1,000 KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell restaurants across India and Sri Lanka in dine-in, takeaway, and delivery formats.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the value of the merger deal between Devyani International and Sapphire Foods India?
    The merger deal is valued at $933 million.

    What is the expected timeline for the completion of the merger?
    The merger is expected to be completed within 12 to 15 months, pending regulatory and shareholder approvals.

    What is the primary goal of the merger?
    The merger aims to achieve efficiencies driven by scale amid rising costs, intensifying competition, and uneven consumer demand.

  • Yum Brands Eyeing Potential Pizza Hut Sell-Off Amid Underperformance

    Yum Brands Eyeing Potential Pizza Hut Sell-Off Amid Underperformance

    Yum Brands, the parent company of Pizza Hut, is currently exploring strategic alternatives for its pizza arm, which may include a potential sale. This move comes as Pizza Hut’s performance has been an underwhelming aspect of the business, failing to match the success of other sectors within the company.

    Strategic Review Initiated

    On Tuesday, Yum Brands disclosed that the company had commenced a formal evaluation of strategic alternatives for Pizza Hut. The purpose of this review is to unlock the brand’s full potential and optimise the value for the company’s stakeholders.

    In a statement, Christopher Turner, Yum Brands’ CEO, noted the Pizza Hut team has been diligently tackling business and category-specific challenges. However, the brand’s performance suggests that further action is required to unlock its full value. He further hinted that these goals might be more effectively achieved if Pizza Hut was not under the Yum Brands umbrella.

    A New Approach

    Turner stated that a new approach, which could potentially involve selling the business, may allow Pizza Hut to realise its full potential. However, he did not elaborate on what other approaches might be under consideration.

    Yum Brands has noted that no specific timeline has been set for the completion of this strategic review. Likewise, the company has not guaranteed that this process will result in a transaction.

    For guidance on this strategic review, Yum Brands has engaged the services of Goldman Sachs and Barclays as their financial advisors.

    Questions & Answers

    Why is Yum Brands considering selling Pizza Hut?
    The company is exploring different strategic options for Pizza Hut, including a potential sale, to maximise the brand’s potential and the value for the company’s shareholders.

    What is the timeline for this strategic review?
    Yum Brands has not set a specific deadline for the completion of the review.

    Has Yum Brands guaranteed that this review will result in a transaction?
    No, the company has stated that there is no assurance that the review process will lead to a transaction.

  • Yum China calls time on Chinese brand

    Yum China calls time on Chinese brand

    Yum China Holdings, the owner of the KFC and Pizza Hut restaurant chains in China, has decided to shut down its struggling fast-food brand, East Dawning, after it failed to survive the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The company said in its annual report that the remaining five outlets of the Chinese-style quick-service restaurant (QSR) brand would cease to operate within 2022.

    “The brand was severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic,” the report said. “As a result, we have decided to wind down operations of the brand.”

    The annual report, filed to the Hong Kong stock exchange, did not provide financial data for East Dawning, which was established by Yum on the mainland in 2005. The chain kicked off with about 100 restaurants nationwide located mainly at airports and train stations. But the number has fallen drastically over the years amid stiff competition. By 2012, the chain had dwindled to 30 restaurants, and by 2020 only eight outlets of the brand remained.

    Disease outbreak dealt a fatal blow to the brand, but it has not been successful over the past decade due to stern challenges from a raft of local restaurant chains,” said Chen Xiao, CEO of Shanghai Yacheng Culture, a consultancy dealing with marketing and branding for foreign and local companies. “After all, the five outlets and the brand are of little value to Yum’s businesses in China.”

    East Dawning, in Chinese, literally means that the east is lit up by the light of dawn.

    Su Shi, a poet during the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127) wrote in his poem the Red Cliffs that a group of friends were so obsessed with a dinner party on a boat that they did not notice the east was lit up by the light of dawn.

    East Dawning was the first Chinese-style fast-food brand created by Yum to tap the market potential on the mainland. It combines KFC’s business model with Chinese cuisine. The menu includes steamed pastries such as buns, and Chinese tea.

    The fast-food brand has been eclipsed by the rise of Chinese restaurant chains such as Da Niang Dumpling and Yang’s Dumplings which are adept at cooking Chinese food to appeal to local tastes.

    China’s catering sector has taken a beating from the coronavirus outbreak over the past two years as lockdown measures and social distancing rules have kept customers at bay.

    In 2020, restaurants across the mainland reported total revenue of 3.95 trillion yuan (US$625 billion), down 15.4 percent on the year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

    In the first half of 2021, the catering industry raked in sales of 2.17 trillion yuan, up 48.6 per cent from a year ago, but virtually unchanged from the same period of 2019.

    Yum China, whose other brands include Little Sheep, Huang Ji Huang and Coffii & Joy, operates more than 11,700 outlets on the mainland.

    It reported net profit of US$525 million in 2021, down 15 per cent from the previous year. Revenue grew 19 per cent to US$9.85 billion.

    Its shares trading in Hong Kong were changing hands at HK$378 (US$48.37) on Monday afternoon, having slumped 8 per cent from their initial public offering price of HK$412 in September, 2020.

  • Pizza Hut, KFC sales shrink in China as Covid-19 locks restaurants out

    Pizza Hut, KFC sales shrink in China as Covid-19 locks restaurants out

    Running restaurants in China is tough when a big part of the population stays home to avoid catching the coronavirus.

    Yum China , operator of KFC and Pizza Hut in the country, gave a glimpse of the current predicament in results posted after the U.S. close Wednesday. It has temporarily closed more than 30% of its restaurants in China, and business has been bad even for the ones that remain open. Sales during the Lunar New Year holiday were down 40%-50% compared with last year, excluding newly opened outlets.

    The company, which was spun off from Yum Brands in 2016, said it may report operating losses for this quarter—and even for the full year if the trend continues. Yum China’s New York-listed shares fell 3% in after-hours trading.

    KFC and Pizza Hut aren’t the only chains that have had to shut restaurants because of the outbreak, which has infected nearly 30,000 and killed more than 500 so far. Starbucks and McDonald’s have also temporarily closed some of their outlets in China. The former, in particular, could get hurt as customers opt to stay at home instead of chilling out in its coffee shops.

    Yum China could soften the blow with its delivery business, which accounted for nearly a quarter of its revenue last quarter. It said it would also try to reduce its costs. Some of these—food, labor, advertising and rent—are variable, but the company will still incur substantial fixed costs through the closure period.

  • Yum China Lifts Off Beyond Burger in KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell

    Yum China Lifts Off Beyond Burger in KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell

    Yum China has entered into a partnership with plant-based meat manufacturer Beyond Meat to trial a burger at selected KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell locations within the country.

    The agreement marks the introduction of Beyond Meat’s Beyond Burger in Mainland China.

    “We see great potential for the plant-based meat market in China,” said Yum China CEO Joey Wat. “This latest introduction … is expected to capture valuable consumer feedback across different regions in China. It will enable us to optimize flavors and processes and help assess the potential for larger-scale rollouts in the future.”

    Beyond Meat founder and CEO Ethan Brown said Chinese consumers are seeking out the nutritional and environmental benefits of plant-based meats.

    The burger will be available at five KFC locations in Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Shanghai. The Pizza Hut offering will launch at six Shanghai locations and will constitute part of the brand’s first-ever burger offering. Taco Bell will offer a taco made with the plant-based Beyond Burger patty at three stores in Shanghai.

    All Beyond Burger promotions will be sold as a three-day limited offer.

    The move follows Starbucks China launching a range of foods using plant-based meat alternatives, including two pasta dishes and a wrap featuring Beyond Meat and another dish using OmniPork.

  • Yum China reopens most stores, reports recovering footfall

    Yum China reopens most stores, reports recovering footfall

    Yum China says it is witnessing “early signs of recovery” in Mainland China as business gradually resumes and people return to work.

    However, the company, which operates KFC, Pizza Hut and Little Sheep chains, said in an update to shareholders that restaurant traffic remains “heavily impacted” as people continue to implement social-distancing measures.

    Store closures peaked in mid-February when about 35 percent of the company’s network was closed, the remainder offering only delivery and takeaway services. However, trade for those still trading significantly declined. Same-store sales for Yum China were down by between 40 percent and 50 percent year on year during the Chinese New Year holiday period.

    This week, about 95 percent of Yum China’s stores had reopened either fully or partially and about 15 percent of those continued to offer only takeaway or delivery services.

    In its update, Yum China said that while customer volumes were slowly building, they remained well down on pre-outbreak levels.

    “The pace of recovery varies by region and is slower during weekends as people avoid going out. In recent days, same-store sales were down approximately 20 percent. Sales performance fluctuates as the recovery is uneven, and the situation continues to evolve,” the company said.

    Yum China launched contactless delivery in late January, which proved popular and supported the delivery business during a period of lower dine-in traffic. “Delivery sales grew year over year, and its mix as a percentage of company sales approximately doubled.”

    Yum China also launched contactless pick-up and corporate catering services as highly sanitary options for consumers and corporate customers.

    Now that the coronavirus crisis appears to have passed its peak in Mainland China, the company is considering resuming its network expansion program. Currently paused – largely due to a shortage of construction workers and traffic restrictions – the company says it will “continue to monitor the situation and work with local authorities, resuming new store openings when conditions allow”.

    “Despite a challenging start to the year, Yum China is here for the long run, and will ensure that it remains well-positioned for the long-term growth opportunities in China.”

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  • Ikea and Pizza Hut design table based on pizza box widget

    Ikea and Pizza Hut design table based on pizza box widget

    Swedish furniture chain Ikea and Pizza Hut Hong Kong have teamed up to create a full-sized pizza table shaped exactly like the tiny plastic table (the “sava”) included in pizza boxes.

    The product is part of a collaboration that has also resulted in a new pizza recipe using Ikea’s meatballs – and comes packed in a genuine pizza box for good measure.

    The collaboration has been advertised throughout Hong Kong in a campaign designed by Ogilvy.

    “We’ve been absolutely thrilled to see the launch of the new Ikea and Pizza Hut pizza with a fun, cheeky campaign that has proven to be quite popular with the fans already on the first day,” said Ogilvy Hong Kong executive creative director John Koay. “This is a great pizza, and this campaign really shows how collaborations can really benefit the fans – not just the brands.”

    “This campaign shows the playful side of Pizza Hut,” said Pizza Hut Hong Kong marketing director Wendy Leung, “and that our credentials can move beyond the kitchen into new and interesting collaborations with other brands.”

    The Ikea and Pizza Hut collaboration has already proven popular with 67 percent of units already sold.

  • Malaysian KFC, Pizza Hut operator QSR Brands revives IPO plan

    Malaysian KFC, Pizza Hut operator QSR Brands revives IPO plan

    Southeast Asian KFC and Pizza Hut operator QSR Brands is seeking to reboot its IPO in the fourth financial quarter this year.

    The firm was previously in talks to sell its Malaysia shares, but has since backtracked on the plan and returned to its initial IPO agenda, with its financial performance over the next two quarters crucial to the timing. The firm potentially stands to raise US$600 million in listing.

    QSR Brand’s MD Mohamed Azahari Kamil told Bloomberg the firm will make the necessary announcement at the appropriate time without further comment.

    The company has been assessing investor demand since March.

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  • Restaurant Brands posts lift in 2Q sales despite Starbucks exit

    Restaurant Brands posts lift in 2Q sales despite Starbucks exit

    Restaurant Brands posted a lift in quarterly sales largely due to the success of its 97 KFC stores in the country.

    The fast food retailer posted total sales of $259.7 million for the quarter to September 9, a 3.5 per cent increase from the previous corresponding period’s $8.8 million, despite its exit from Starbucks in October last year.

    Restaurant Brand’s New Zealand arm, which accounts for more than half of its revenue, posted a 1.5 per cent rise in operation sales to $134.8 million and a 5.4 per cent increase on a same store basis.

    Its operating divisions in Australia and Hawaii also showed strong same-store sales growth with sales increases of 5.8 per cent and 9.6 per cent respectively.

    Local KFC outlets posted an 8.8 per cent lift in sales to $113.5 million, more than making up for the group’s exit from Starbucks, which contributed $7.3 million.

    Australian KFC outlets produced sales of $62.0 million, up 5.8 per cent on both a total basis and a same store basis. Hawaiian operations sales were $62.9 million, up 6.4 per cent on a total basis and 9.6 per cent on a same store basis.

    There was 5.9 per cent decline in second quarter sales for Restaurant Brands-owned Pizza Hut stores to $10.6 million from the same period last year. Same store sales for the quarter decreased by 4.3 per cent.

    Total Carl’s Jr. sales for the second quarter were $10.7 million, an increase of 8.3 per cent on the equivalent period last year following the introduction of delivery via the UberEats platform. Same store sales for the quarter were up by 8.2 per cent.

    Total Taco Bell sales were up $38.1 million on the back of several successful promotions, an 11.1 per cent increase.

    Pizza Hut Hawaii sales were flat, $24.7 million, compared to the prior year.

    The retailer’s year to date sales rose 2.7 per cent to $442.6 million compared to the previous corresponding period.

    Company store numbers were down by 20 on the equivalent period last year to 285, primarily from the sale of the 22 Starbucks Coffee stores.

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  • Yum China speeding up expansion plans

    Yum China speeding up expansion plans

    Yum China plans to invest up to US$525 million opening between 800 and 850 new stores in the current financial year.

    Most of the new stores will be KFC outlets and of its new cafe chain Coffii & Joy.

    The protections were included in the company’s second-quarter results released overnight, which showed total system sales up 10 percent year on year to US$2.12 billion, with KFC leading the way at 12 percent. Sales at Pizza Hut rose by 4 percent.

    While sales were up, much of the growth was driven by network expansion. Same-store sales grew 4 percent, with a 5-per-cent increase at KFC and a 1-per-cent increase at Pizza Hut.

    Restaurant margin slipped from 15.1 percent to 14.7 percent, however, operating profit rose 6 percent from $193 million to $204 million.

    Net Income increased 24 percent from $143 million to $178 million, primarily due to the increased operating profit and a gain from the company’s equity investment in Meituan Dianping.

    During the quarter, Yum China opened 178 new restaurants taking its store count to 8751 across more than 1300 cities.

    “We continued to capitalise on market opportunities across China with aggressive, KFC-led store expansion,” said Yum China CFO Jacky Lo. “With a strong cash payback period for new KFC stores and many untapped opportunities, we intend to continue to rapidly expand our store footprint in the second half of the year.

    “Looking forward, we expect overall sales growth to moderate as KFC begins to lap several key sales drivers, including successful value campaigns that we initiated in the second half of last year. However, we remain confident that our strong foundation and commitment to innovation throughout our business will power continued growth for Yum China. We will continue to create new and exciting menu items, and leverage our leadership in digital, data and delivery to meet the evolving needs of our consumers.”

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  • Pizza Hut Malaysia Plans More Store Openings

    Pizza Hut Malaysia Plans More Store Openings

    The 400th Pizza Hut Malaysia store has opened at Central I-City Shah Alam.

    To celebrate the landmark moment in the franchise’s history, Pizza Hut is giving 4000 pizzas to diners, as well as an additional 400 pizzas to 10 local charities. It was also selling its personal-sized pizzas for just RM4 (around US$1) at the end of last month.

    A statement by COO Loi Liang Tok revealed that the brand intends to open its 408th store by the end of the year, with new locations in Sabah, Sarawak, Perak and Penang. The brand is also rolling out an upgraded serving system in its fast casual delco stores, equipped with faster food preparation equipment and some self-service features.

    “The expansion of offerings through our new store format and the enhancements of our existing stores enable us to up our ante in staying relevant and help us to serve our community better,”

    QSR Brands MD Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azahari Mohamed Kamilw, “while offering vibrant dining experiences and staying delightful.”

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  • Mexican investor Bought three quarters of Restaurant Brands

    Mexican investor Bought three quarters of Restaurant Brands

    Restaurant Brands has announced Mexican investor Finaccess Capital SA de CV now has a controlling stake in the company after acquiring three quarters of the company’s shares.

    The deal closed on March 26 following Finaccess’ offer through its subsidiary, Global Valar SL, for up to 75 per cent of Restaurant Brands New Zealand shares at NZ$9.45 cash per share.

    Finaccess informed Restaurant Brands, the New Zealand franchise operator of Pizza Hut, KFC and Carl’s Jr, on Tuesday that it has paid shareholders for shares taken up under the partial takeover.

    The Mexico-based company, which also has a stake in AmRest, which operates KFC and Pizza Hut among other brands across Europe and China, said in its offer letter last year that it chose not to make a full takeover bid because there were benefits to Restaurant Brands remaining on the NZX and ASX.

    “By remaining a public company, Restaurant Brands will have access to capital to fund future growth while also providing existing shareholders an opportunity to continue participating in the business over the long term,” Finaccess said at the time.

    Restaurant Brands today also announced the appointment of Jose Pares Gutierrez and Emilio Fullaondo Botella as directors, and resignation of Stephen Copulos, Vicky Taylor and David Beguely as directors.

    As required by the NZX Listing Rules, Gutierrez and Botella will each stand for re-election at Restaurant Brands’ next annual meeting of shareholders.

    Ted van Arkel and Hamish Stevens will each remain on the board as independent directors, and Van Arkel will continue as chairman, until Restaurant Brands’ next annual meeting of shareholders on July 10. Both have announced their intention to retire as directors at the conclusion of that meeting.

    Gutierrez, the CEO of Global Valar SL and its parent, Finaccess Capital, is also the chairman of the board and a proprietary director of AmRest Holdings SE, the director of the board of Crown Imports, Chicago, Il, vice chairman of the board of MMI, Toronto, Canada, director of the Board of DIFA, Mexico, and former member of the Beer Chamber of Mexico.

    Botella, a senior executive with over 23 years of experience in the beer industry, has previously worked in a number of finance roles for Grupo Modelo, including four years as chief financial officer.

    Following the acquisition of Grupo Modelo by AB InBev in 2013, Gutierrez oversaw significant cultural and organisational changes at AB InBev (Mexico) as vice president, human resources (to 2017) and vice president, Projects until his resignation in January 2019.

  • Pizza Hut Singapore appoints BLKJ as Singapore creative agency of record

    Pizza Hut Singapore appoints BLKJ as Singapore creative agency of record

    Pizza Hut Singapore appoints BLKJ, an independent creative agency, as Agency of Record to resonate with young adults while maintaining its strong heritage among families. BLKJ, one of the fastest growing independent creative agencies in Singapore, was established in 2017. BLKJ will be managing all Pizza Hut’s upcoming campaign launches. They will lead all marketing efforts in content creation, creative designs and art direction. BLKJ will be tasked to deliver innovative ideas and refresh the Pizza Hut brand in Singapore.

    “We were bowled over by the boldness of their ideas, their appreciation for the brand challenges and spot on solutions to win the hearts of the Millennials. Most of all, it was a meeting of minds and we believe this is fundamental to any successful partnership,” says Joyce Tan, Senior Director, Marketing & Food Innovation, Pizza Hut Singapore. “We launched ‘Your Slice of Simple’ campaign last year and believe that BLKJ is a strong partner to help reinforce and cement this positioning for our brand.”

    The appointment was made following a three-way agency pitch. Pizza Hut was particularly drawn to BLKJ’s good grasp of the category and the Pizza Hut brand. The decision to partner with BLKJ was made after a stringent evaluation process which involves key marketing and senior stakeholders.

    “We are very excited to be working with Pizza Hut. Firstly it’s a great brand with the potential for creating ground-breaking work. Pizza Hut’s positioning of ‘Your Slice of Simple’ is a great place to start from. Secondly, from the word go the chemistry between the two parties was great. Both of us want to make Pizza Hut more successful than it’s ever been before,” says Rowena Bhagchadani, CEO and Co-Founder, BLKJ.

    The appointment will be further enhanced with the launch of Pizza Hut’s new brand campaign in March 2019. With the addition of BLKJ, Pizza Hut will continue to rekindle the simple and delicious pizza experience, further emphasising an alternative to “foodie complexity”. The partnership with BLKJ will elevate Pizza Hut brand among millennials in Singapore and brings captivating ideas to life.

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  • Yum China to face challenges this year

    Yum China to face challenges this year

    An aggressive store rollout program is helping Yum China achieve sales growth, but its Pizza Hut business continues to struggle. In year-end results released overnight, Yum China said fourth-quarter system sales rose 6 per cent in constant currency, but same-store sales rose by a more modest 2 per cent. The company, which owns the Chinese operations of KFC and Pizza Hut, opened 819 new stores last year, taking its combined network to 8484 stores across more than 1200 cities. The company plans between 600 and 650 additional stores this calendar year.

    For the full year, total system sales grew 5 per cent over 2017, with a solid 7 per cent growth at KFC partially offset by a 1 per cent decline at Pizza Hut, (excluding foreign exchange impacts). Same-store sales increased 1 per cent overall, up 2 per cent at KFC and down 5 per cent at Pizza Hut.

    Full-year revenue reached US$8.42 billion with net Income up 78 per cent to $708 million, from $398 million.

    Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China, said the results marked the ninth consecutive quarter of system sales growth since the company was spun off from former US parent Yum! Brands.

    “This strong growth was led by accelerated new store openings and a robust performance at KFC, which delivered 3 per cent same-store sales growth and 9 per cent system-sales growth during the quarter. Although Pizza Hut’s sales remained soft, we are pleased to see same-store traffic growth of 1 per cent and positive trends in customer feedback.”

    Wat said the aggressive store rollout program last year further strengthened the company’s market position, laying a solid foundation for growth.

    “While the macro backdrop is relatively soft, with our resilient business model and leadership in digital and delivery, we are confident that we have the right strategy and capabilities to maintain our growth trajectory and capitalise on the long-term potential of the China market,” she said.

    Among the highlights of last year was exceeding 160 million members of the company’s KFC loyalty program and 50 million members of the Pizza Hut program, increases of 50 million and 15 million, respectively.

    Mobile payments accounted for 65 per cent of the company’s sales in the fourth quarter, an increase of 11 percentage points year on year. Digital payments accounted for more than 86 per cent of company sales in the quarter, an increase of 14 percentage points.

    And delivery services – now offered in 1118 cities – accounted for 19 per cent of sales in the fourth quarter of 2018, an increase of three percentage points year on year.

  • Pizza Hut India betting big on delivery in 2019

    Pizza Hut India betting big on delivery in 2019

    Pizza Hut India has announced that the company will focus on delivery as a key driver of business growth in 2019 and introduce various initiatives to further enhance the delivery experience for consumers. Coherent with this aim, the brand has launched a rider tracking feature across its digital ordering platforms – mobile-site, mobile app and desktop site. The feature is available across all cities where Pizza Hut has delivery services.

    The rider tracking feature has been launched by Pizza Hut as a solution based on key behavioral findings of the brand’s large consumer base, majority of whom are tech-savvy, on-the-go millennials. The findings have shown that consumers choose brands which adapt to their lifestyle, understand their preferences and enable them to take charge. Also, with changing consumer habits, pizzas have evolved from being a special occasion treat to becoming a part of everyday food consumption in India. Therefore, hassle-free and seamless food ordering and delivery experience has become a vital deciding factor, apart from taste and quality. Rider-tracking is an enabler of the convenience that consumers are seeking, further bolstered by value offers.

    Commenting on the launch of the feature, Prashant Gaur, Chief Brand and Customer Officer, Pizza Hut India Subcontinent said, “At Pizza Hut, we take a lot of pride in serving the freshest and the tastiest pizzas to all the pizza lovers in the country. Apart from great taste, elevating the overall experience across every consumer touchpoint is our biggest focus, and we are implementing this strategy through initiatives like rider tracking feature and value offers. We are confident that these initiatives will further enable us to stay relevant and blend even more seamlessly into the daily lives of our consumers.”

    The upscaling of the delivery channel comes at a time when Pizza Hut India Subcontinent has achieved strong business results with 10 successive quarters of positive Same Store Sales Growth. The brand has been steadily expanding its physical store footprint and launched its 500th physical store in the Indian Subcontinent. Pizza Hut also pioneered the Fast-Casual Delco (FCD) concept in India, which offers a seamless integration of dine-in, takeaway and delivery channels, all under one roof. The company recently upgraded all its digi-tech assets including the website, m-site and mobile app. These initiatives have enabled Pizza Hut to deliver on the promise of providing the easiest, fastest and the tastiest pizza experience to consumers in India. As a result, Pizza Hut has been voted the most trusted brand in India for the 12th time in a row (as per a reputed media house) and was awarded the prestigious EFFIE Gold in the Foods and Confectionery category in 2018 for its outstanding consumer-centric performance.

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