Another pizza chain for New Zealand?

posted on 7th June 2017

US pizza giant Papa Johns has announced that it is looking for local developers to establish 100 stores around New Zealand . The company has 5,000 outlets in 45 countries around the world compared to Pizza Hut's 15,000 (93 in NZ) and Domino's 12,000 (114 in NZ). The other major player in New Zealand is locally-owned Hell Pizza, which has 66 stores here. The fast-growing Sal's has 12 stores. A new brand from Kosova, Proper Pizza, is also due to enter the market later this year with the help of Stuart Deeks, who brought Esquires Coffee to New Zealand.

Papa Johns last looked at the New Zealand market in 2004, but its search for a master franchisee here was unsuccessful. At that time, Pizza Haven was a major player here, Pizza Hut had bought and close Eagle Boys and Domino's had yet to enter the market.

University of Canterbury associate professor Ekant Veer said Kiwis have a love of fast food, but a fourth pizza chain was risky business.

'One hundred stores – that's a lot. We've already got Pizza Hut, Domino's at that low end line. We've got Hell's pizza which takes that upper end, and then we've got the various restaurateurs.'

'I don't think New Zealanders are as closely aligned with pizzas to set up 100 stores,' Veer said.

Fast food was on of the biggest spending categories for most New Zealanders, he said.

'Cheap and nasty seems to be the way we like to eat out.'

'There's still space for good fast food but directly competing with other fast food places is probably not the way to do it,' Veer said.

Read more at http://www.stuff.co.nz/busi...

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