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Domino’s, India’s leading pizza chain, has introduced a refreshed Cheese Burst lineup featuring three new flavors: Hot and Fiery, Creamy Makhani, and Korean Sweet Chilli. Expanding on the popular Classic Cheese Burst, this new range is designed to appeal to Gen Z’s taste preferences, reinforcing Domino’s position as a key destination for cheese lovers across the country. Each flavor aims to offer a unique experience, adding bold, indulgent options to the Cheese Burst range.

To support the new flavors, Domino’s is launching its #RespectTheMoment campaign, which encourages customers to enjoy the Cheese Burst experience fully. The campaign emphasizes “drool-worthy” moments, aligning with the rich, indulgent appeal of this popular pizza crust.

Chella Pandyan, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer at Domino’s India noted, “Domino’s Cheese Burst is an iconic product that has been much loved by our customers for more than a decade now. We wanted to re-energise the franchise for both its loyal base as well to reach out to a new generation of customers.”

The new Cheese Burst flavors bring distinct tastes: Hot and Fiery offers a spicy profile, Creamy Makhani incorporates classic Indian flavors, and Korean Sweet Chilli blends sweet and tangy spices. These options add variety to Domino’s lineup, reflecting the brand’s adaptability to evolving tastes.

The Cheese Burst crust upgrade is available for all core Domino’s pizzas, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Customers can add the Cheese Burst option for Rs 75 on Regular Pizzas and Rs 99 on Medium Pizzas.

Domino’s Pizza, India’s largest pizza chain, has introduced Cheesiken and a new range of chicken-based products, designed to appeal to chicken enthusiasts. This expansion marks a significant step in Domino's efforts to cater to diverse tastes and enhance its menu offerings.

Cheesiken is a unique addition to the Domino’s menu, featuring a bed of grilled chicken topped with sauces, cheese, vegetables, and rice. This innovative dish combines the flavors of cheese and chicken in a novel way. Chella Pandyan, Chief Growth and Marketing Officer at Domino’s India, commented, “We constantly evolve our portfolio to align with consumer expectations. This new portfolio and the introduction of Cheesiken represent our passion for culinary creativity and our commitment to continually enhancing our menu. We are excited to bring these new offerings to our customers.”

The Cheesiken range is available in three flavors: Cheesy Garlic, Tangy Tomato, and Hot and Fiery. Each variation is designed to satisfy different spice preferences, offering a tasty and filling meal option suitable for lunch, dinner, or any time. Starting 15th July, the new chicken range will be available in Tamil Nadu and Kerala at affordable prices.

To promote the launch of Cheesiken, Domino’s has released a TV commercial highlighting the appeal of its newest offering. The TVC, conceptualized by FCB Interface, showcases the irresistible nature of Cheesiken and aims to attract customers to try the new menu items.

Domino’s, India’s largest quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain, has announced the opening of its 2000th store in the country. 

The brand celebrated this occasion by opening seven new stores in its seven operating regions nationwide. 

Domino’s Pizza India opened its first store in New Delhi in 1996, and today serves over 200mn pizzas annually through 2,000 stores spread across 421cities.

“We are humbled to achieve the milestone of 2000 stores in India making us the first QSR in India to cross this mark. We expect to add 180 stores of Domino’s in the current financial year,” shared Sameer Khetarpal, CEO & MD of Jubilant FoodWorks Limited.

While the first 500 stores in the country took over 16 years, the last 500 have come only in 29 months reaffirming the brand’s commitment to accelerated expansion in India. 

Domino’s is often the first international chain to enter new cities like Sasaram, Sultanpur, Madikeri, Girdih and Baramati. The company continues to creatively expand its store presence across multi-tier cities in the form of High-street stores, mall stores, highways, colleges and airport terminals, covering a varied set of occasions in the life of customers. 

Domino’s has opened one new store every two-days post Covid – offering its customers great taste and value through dine-in and under 30-mins delivery. World-wide Domino’s operates more than 20,000 stores.

Art D'Elia, Executive Vice President-International at Domino's Pizza, Inc., stated, "On behalf of Domino's International, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the entire Domino’s India team for this incredible milestone of 2000 stores. India is the largest market outside of the U.S. in the global Domino's network. The growth story of Domino’s India is truly a benchmark for all of us. This achievement stands as a testament to the various strategic choices the team has made over three decades to deliver the best pizza experience to our valued customers. "

Celebrating the 2000-store milestone, Domino’s India has also won a prestigious award from the Guinness World Record for the 'Largest Pizza Box Number.’ 

To celebrate and thank all pizza lovers, Domino’s has announced upto ₹2000 discount, among other offers. This is valid from June 11 to June 13, 2024. 
 

World’s largest pizza chain, Domino's Pizza Inc. (NYSE: DPZ) has brought Carryout Tips. 

Now the largest pizza company in the world, known for its value innovation, is launching You Tip, We Tip – a promotion that tips customers who tip their delivery drivers, beginning April 29.

"Domino's drivers have been hustling to deliver hot, delicious pizzas since 1960, and we love that customers have been tipping them for their great service since day one," said Kate Trumbull, Domino's senior vice president and chief brand officer.

She also pointed that, these days, everywhere you go, there's a tip screen. “The pressure to tip is real, even when no extra service is provided. So, we decided to flip the script and show our appreciation by tipping customers back,” she added.

The company said "You Tip, We Tip" is the first program of its kind among major quick-service restaurant chains.

Founded in 1960, Domino's Pizza is the largest pizza company in the world, with a significant business in both delivery and carryout pizza. It ranks among the world's top public restaurant brands with a global enterprise of more than 20,500 stores in over 90 markets.
 

The third-quarter results from local franchisees of Domino's and McDonald's revealed a decline in Indians' frequency of dining out for pizzas and burgers.

Analysts observed that intense competition and the impact of inflation suppressing demand are anticipated to exert pressure on their earnings in the short run.

Jubilant Foodworks, the operator of Domino's restaurants, experienced an unexpected decline in profits.

Meanwhile, Westlife Foodworld, responsible for operating McDonald's restaurants in the southern and western regions of India, reported a more significant profit drop than anticipated.

In an effort to boost demand, quick-service restaurant (QSR) operators in the country have employed various strategies, including introducing more affordable menu options, offering increased discounts, and reducing packaging expenses.

Despite these measures, they have been unsuccessful in encouraging Indians to dine out more frequently, primarily due to elevated inflation.

These companies, which include the same ones, enjoyed significant gains during the festive season last year, benefiting from an increase in Indians dining out more frequently following several years heavily affected by the pandemic.

The deceleration in demand after the high base of 2023 has not only impacted their earnings but has also led to a negative same-store-sales growth (SSSG), deviating from the typical 5 percent.

Although the weakness in demand "may be approaching its lowest point," achieving the previous same-store-sales growth (SSSG) levels is improbable, according to Karan Taurani, an analyst at Elara Capital.

Amnish Agarwal, an analyst at Prabhudas Lilladher, mentioned that the margins of the two companies are not expected to experience a "substantial rebound." Taurani also noted that the increasing competition from smaller players would continue to put pressure on margins.

Jubilant reported a profit of INR 657.1 million (USD 7.9 million), marking the fifth consecutive quarter of decline and significantly below analyst projections of INR 902.6 million. Additionally, its revenue growth decelerated for the seventh consecutive quarter.

Meanwhile, Westlife recorded its initial decline in revenue in three years, and its profit of INR 172.4 million fell considerably short of analyst expectations, which were pegged at 331.1 million rupees, according to LSEG data.
 

Jubilant Foodworks Ltd (JFL), the company behind popular fast-food brands Domino's Pizza and Dunkin' Donuts, disclosed a consolidated net profit decrease of 18.23%, amounting to Rs 65.70 crore in the December quarter.

In the corresponding period of the previous year, Jubilant Foodworks Ltd (JFL) recorded a consolidated net profit of Rs 80.36 crore, as stated in a regulatory filing.

Nevertheless, the company reported a 3.47% rise in revenue from operations for the quarter, reaching Rs 1,378.11 crore, compared to Rs 1,331.81 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year.

The increase was propelled by a 6.2% rise in sales through Domino's Delivery channel. The average daily sales for mature Domino's stores amounted to Rs 80,111," stated JFL in its earnings report.

JFL recorded total expenses of Rs 1,311.94 crore in the December quarter, reflecting a 6.68% increase.

In the December quarter, the total revenue of JFL, the largest food service company in India, increased by 2.71% to reach Rs 1,382.27 crore.

In the quarter, JFL expanded its presence in India by inaugurating 58 new stores, bringing the total count across all brands to 2,007.

The company launched 40 additional outlets for its primary quick-service restaurant (QSR) brand, Domino's, marking entry into 10 new cities. According to JFL's earnings statement, this expansion increased the Domino's network to 1,928 stores spanning 407 cities.

JFL accelerated the expansion of the U.S.-based fried chicken brand Popeye by inaugurating 10 new restaurants, bringing the total network count to 32 establishments.

JFL expanded its Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) brands Hong's Kitchen and Dunkin' by launching four new restaurants each, bringing their cumulative counts to 22 and 25, respectively.

"Sustained delivery growth, highest ticket in nine quarters without a price increase in the last six quarters, adept cost optimisation making way for investments behind category development, and the accelerated expansion of Popeyes as an additional growth driver were the distinctive highlights from our quarter." said JFL Chairman Shyam S Bhartia and Co-Chairman Hari S Bhartia.

On Wednesday, shares of Jubilant Foodworks concluded at Rs 519.60 on the BSE, reflecting a 1.82% increase.

Domino’s, one of India's largest food service brand, has announced that it has joined Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) Network. 

With this integration, Domino’s catalogue will be seen on all apps that a consumer is shopping from across a network that is rapidly developing, while seamlessly facilitating transactions. 

Customers in Delhi NCR can order Domino’s Pizza via ONDC, and other cities will be live soon.

“We are delighted to announce our partnership with the ONDC Network, marking a significant milestone and step forward for our brand in India. We aim to serve millions of customers who are looking to order food through the ONDC network,” shared Sameer Khetarpal, CEO & MD, Jubilant FoodWorks Limited.

This will enable Domino’s to expand its customer base by making its products available to buyers from all ONDC seller apps based on geographical proximity, paid promotions or through product or brand search. 

The move will help the brand grow its presence across the country and help achieve its mission expanding touchpoints and occasions for consumers to enjoy pizza.  

As an adopter of ONDC Protocol, Domino’s is proud to represent everything that is innovative in products and technology. The brand has already established its reputation as a market disruptor with its innovative range of products. By joining ONDC Network, Domino’s aims to create multiple consumer touchpoints through disruptive innovations. 

“Domino’s joining ONDC is a significant development with the potential to create ripple effects for the F&B category on Open Network. Their vast selection is now more accessible and represents a major expansion of choices for consumers nationwide. When a brand like Domino’s embraces the open protocols, we move closer to our vision of a truly interoperable ecommerce ecosystem that serves sellers and buyers everywhere without any filters,” added T Koshy, MD & CEO at ONDC.

India's tech stack is growing rapidly, and initiatives like ONDC Protocol are playing a crucial role in driving innovation and growth. Domino’s has already made a name for itself in the market with its innovative product portfolio. By coming onboard ONDC Network, the brand is well-positioned to take its products to new customers across the country. 
 

Domino's Pizza Inc, the largest pizza company in the world, has named Sam Jackson its executive vice president of human resources, reporting directly to Chief Executive Officer Russell Weiner, effective Nov. 4.

Jackson joined Domino's in 2018 as the vice president of human resources, developing and driving talent strategies for the company. In that role, he led the human resource business partners’ teams, as well as the company's pandemic and future of work strategies. 

Most recently he served as vice president for the office of the CEO – a position he's held since April 2022.

"Sam's many years of global experience in human resources across organizations and roles, as well as his understanding of our company, our business priorities and strategies, make him uniquely qualified to fill this role," Weiner said.

Prior to joining Domino's, Jackson spent almost 12 years at Target where he held various roles across real estate, supply chain, store design and human resources, inclusive of leading human resources for Target's headquarters in India. 

Jackson holds a Bachelor of Arts in international studies from Brigham Young University, as well as a Juris Doctorate from Hamline School of Law, where he focused in dispute resolution and employment/labor law.
 

Domino's Pizza Inc, the largest pizza company in the world, and Microsoft have joined forces to create the next generation of pizza ordering and store operations with generative AI technology and cloud computing power. 

Together, the companies will leverage the Microsoft Cloud and Azure OpenAI Service to transform Domino's consumer experiences by enhancing the ordering process through personalization and simplification.  

With Microsoft as its primary cloud provider, Domino's has already been experimenting with data and AI capabilities to make store operations smarter, simpler and more robust. 

"We are thrilled to co-innovate with Microsoft using Azure AI technology to advance the future of pizza ordering and store technology powered by secure, connected data and simplified processes," said Kelly Garcia, Domino's executive vice president & chief technology officer by adding that the collaboration over the next five years will help them serve millions of customers with consistent and engaging ordering experiences.

Leveraging Azure OpenAI for the customer experience is also an important element of the collaboration.

"As consumer preferences rapidly evolve, generative AI has emerged as a game changer for meeting new demands and transforming the customer experience. Through our strategic partnership, Domino's continues to be a customer-first leader in the quick service restaurant industry," said Shelley Bransten, Microsoft corporate vice president, global retail, consumer goods and gaming industries.

Domino's expects to begin piloting generative AI-powered solutions to stores and customers within the next six months.
 

QSR chain Domino's Pizza has announced plans to shut all 142 restaurants in Russia.

The restaurants are owned by franchise group DP Eurasia that will file for bankruptcy for its Russian unit, DP Eurasia, reported CNN.

"With the increasingly challenging environment, DP Eurasia immediate holding company is now compelled to take this step, which will bring about the termination of the attempted sale process of DP Eurasia as a going concern and, inevitably, the group's presence in Russia," DP Eurasia said in a statement.

With this announcement, Domino’s becomes the third chain in Russia to exit after McDonald's and Starbucks left last year.

The pizza chain may still continue to operate in Russia if purchased by another franchisee. Both McDonald's and Starbucks in Russia are now operated by local groups who bought the franchises and changed the names to local brands.

Domino's said it has not provided support for the Russia market since early 2022.
 

QSR chain Domino's UK Pizza Group, the franchisee for the master agreement for Domino's stores in the UK and Ireland, has named Andres Rennie as CEO.

Rennie will join the UK firm in August succeeding Elias Diaz Sese, who has been serving as Domino's Pizza Group's (DPG) interim CEO since October 2022.

The group owns, operates and franchises Domino's stores in the UK and Ireland.

According to Reuters, Rennie spent more than 20 years with Domino's Pizza in Australia and he served as CEO of France and Belgium, and CEO of Domino's Australian, New Zealand and European business.

“'Rennie "is an energetic and entrepreneurial leader with an incredible track record of delivering growth in Domino's businesses around the world," said Matt Shattock, board chairman in the release.

Domino's Pizza Inc, the largest pizza company in the world, has entered into a new global agreement with Uber that allows US customers to order Domino's products through the Uber Eats and Postmates apps with delivery by the trained delivery experts of Domino's and its franchisees.

According to the official release, the initial rollout of the agreement will begin this fall in four pilot markets, with ordering on the Uber Eats and Postmates apps anticipated to be enabled across the country by the end of 2023.

"Domino's has a history of successfully entering new marketplaces. We are the leader in the delivery and carryout pizza marketplaces in the US. In addition, Domino's sells more food on its digital platform than any pizza company in America. Now that aggregators are at scale, the next logical marketplace for us to enter is order aggregation,” shared Russell Weiner, CEO, Domino’s.

This deal could also bring Uber Eats orders to Two-Thirds of Domino's stores around the World.

This unprecedented agreement will also create the opportunity to unify Domino's international markets under a single master agreement that leverages the global scale of both brands. Domino's and Uber Eats currently have 27 international markets in common. This agreement has the potential for incremental orders from Uber Eats to 70% of Domino's stores around the world, including the US.

"Domino's and Uber both have a sustained track record of leadership in technology and innovation. We're excited to announce this unique partnership with Domino's globally—both starting as their exclusive third-party marketplace partner in the US and making their menu available to our consumer base around the world,” added said Uber's CEO Dara Khosrowshahi.

Domino's international markets that currently do not partner with Uber Eats will begin the assessment process for transitioning this year.

Founded in 1960, Domino's Pizza is the largest pizza company in the world that operate more than 20,000 stores in over 90 markets.
 

Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has launched the innovative NEW RAGI SUPER CRUST Pizza in Gujarat.

The state is a prominent contributor to India's agricultural industry, has made significant strides in producing and promoting millets.

The esteemed Chief Minister of Gujarat, Honourable Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel, graced the event with his presence.

Domino's latest menu addition aligns with the United Nations' declaration of 2023 as the International Year of Millets. This launch is going to promote the nutritional and ecological benefits of millets, encouraging their global consumption.

The NEW RAGI SUPER CRUST Pizza is a culinary fusion of Domino's pizza expertise and the wholesome goodness of ragi (finger millet) promising an appetizing and nutritious experience for customers. Prepared by Domino’s expert chefs, the pizza features superior quality millet ingredients like Finger Millets Flour, Whole Wheat Flour, and Plain Oats, combined with a multi-seed mix of Flax seed, Watermelon seed, Pumpkin seed, and Sunflower Seeds.

“Gujarat's vibrant millet production provides a wealth of ingredients for inventive cuisine. We are thrilled to unveil the Domino’s NEW RAGI SUPER CRUST Pizza in a state revered for its culinary richness. Our goal is to align with the Government of India’s vision of making 2023 truly the year of Millets. We believe this innovative range will create memorable pizza-eating experiences for our customers,” shared Shyam S Bhartia and Hari S Bhartia, Chairman and Co-Chairman of Jubilant FoodWorks Limited.

As Gujarat continues to demonstrate its potential, the Jubilant Bhartia Group sees the state as a prime location for investment and expansion.

Committed to contributing to Gujarat's development, Jubilant FoodWorks has unveiled plans to establish a state-of-the-art food processing park in the Sanand Industrial Area, reinforcing the company's belief in Gujarat's potential and commitment to job creation.

Domino's Pizza Inc. is introducing more convenience than ever to delivery customers across the US with Domino's Pinpoint Delivery.

This will be a new technology that allows customers to receive a delivery nearly anywhere, including places like parks, baseball fields and beaches.

How does it work? It's easy! Customers with the Domino's app can select Domino's Pinpoint Delivery, drop a pin on the map and get pizza delivered virtually anywhere.

Domino's is the first quick-service restaurant brand in country to deliver food to customers with the drop of a pin.

"Domino's is proud to be the first quick-service restaurant brand in the US to deliver food to customers with the drop of a pin. We're always striving to make customers' experiences even better and more convenient, and Domino's Pinpoint Delivery does exactly that,” shared Christopher Thomas-Moore, Senior VP & Chief Digital Officer, Domino's.

With Domino's Pinpoint Delivery, customers can receive their order at a countless number of dynamically created hyper-local spots without a typical address.

Domino's Pinpoint Delivery allows customers to track their order with Domino's Tracker®, see their driver's GPS location, view an estimated time of arrival and receive text alerts about their delivery. Domino's will also alert customers when their delivery expert arrives at the pickup spot, at which time they can activate a visual signal on their phone, which will help the driver spot them.

"Domino's has a long history of innovating within the delivery space, dating back to 1960 – from pioneering pizza delivery to launching the industry-first Domino's Tracker®, and rolling out the largest electric pizza delivery fleet in the country," added Moore by pointing that delivery innovation is at the core of who they are, so they're thrilled to give customers a new delivery option by allowing them to receive their order nearly anywhere, with the drop of a pin.

Operator of Domino’s Pizza, Dunkin Donuts and Popeyes in India Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd (JFL) on Thursday declined the news about acquiring stake in QSR chain Restaurant Brands Asia Ltd, formerly known as Burger King India Ltd.

One of the largest QSR operator in the country, Jubilant FoodWorks completely termed the news false and baseless citing that the company is not involved in any such discussions or negotiations nor considering the aforesaid acquisition.

“The Company strongly refutes any information appearing in the news about the Company,” shared Jubilant in its filing.

Earlier, there were reports that Everstone Capital is in talks with JFL and one more player to offload its entire stake in Restaurant Brands Asia.

Burger King is the 2^nd largest burger chain in the world entered India by opening its first restaurant in 2014 at Select CityWalk Mall, Delhi.

The brand today operate close to 400 restaurants of Burger King and BK Cafe.

JFL is part of the Jubilant Bhartia Group and is India's one of the largest food service company. It also holds the master franchisee rights of QSR chains like Domino’s, Dunkin and Popeyes.

Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd witnessed a significant 70% drop in its consolidated net profit for the March quarter, amounting to Rs 28.54 crore. The decline can be attributed to increased expenditures and rising costs of raw materials.

According to a regulatory filing by Jubilant FoodWorks, the company's consolidated net profit for the year-ago period stood at Rs 96 crore. However, in the current period, the company reported a decline in net profit to Rs 28.54 crore.

Jubilant FoodWorks reported that consolidated revenue from operations in the fourth quarter amounted to Rs 1,269.85 crore, compared to Rs 1,175.97 crore in the year-ago period.

The company also stated that total expenses increased to Rs 1,205.15 crore from Rs 1,038.27 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Additionally, the cost of raw materials consumed in the quarter rose to Rs 290.96 crore, up from Rs 254.96 crore in the same period of the previous fiscal year.

Jubilant FoodWorks, the company holding exclusive master franchise rights for Domino's Pizza Inc in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal, as well as exclusive rights for Dunkin' and Popeyes restaurants in several countries, announced the opening of 61 new stores in India during the fourth quarter.

The company also mentioned that it expanded its network by adding 56 new stores and entering six new cities, bringing the total number of Domino's stores to 1,816 across 393 cities.

Jubilant FoodWorks also expanded its restaurant portfolio by opening one new Popeyes restaurant and one new Hong's Kitchen restaurant, bringing the total number of stores for each brand to 13.

Additionally, the company introduced three new Dunkin' coffee-first stores, with eight out of the 21 Dunkin' stores now aligning with the brand's new "Coffee-first" identity.

In the fiscal year that ended on March 31, 2023, Jubilant FoodWorks recorded a consolidated net profit of Rs 353.03 crore, marking a 15.56% decline from the previous year's net profit of Rs 418.09 crore.

During the fiscal year 2022-2023, Jubilant FoodWorks reported consolidated revenue from operations of Rs 5,158.25 crore, representing an increase from the previous fiscal year's revenue of Rs 4,396.12 crore.

According to Chairman Shyam S Bhartia and Co-Chairman Hari S Bhartia of Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd, in the fiscal year 2022-2023, the company achieved a turnover of Rs 5,000 crore.

They attributed this success to their commitment to enhancing the consumer experience across their brand portfolio, substantial investments in commissaries and digital assets, and a steadfast focus on maintaining strong financial discipline. These efforts have positioned the company for sustained growth in the future.

Want the convenience of ordering a delicious meal from your car, but without waiting in long drive-thru lines? Domino's Pizza Inc has got it for you.

In a new technological development, Domino’s has become the first quick service restaurant brands in the U.S. to offer easy on-the-go ordering via CarPlay.

Customers have two ordering options via Domino's app on CarPlay: "Tap to Order" or "Call to Order." Tap to Order lets customers submit their saved Easy Order or one of their most recent orders, while "Call to Order" allows them to place the order of their choice, hands-free, by talking to a customer service representative.

"Domino's has been known as the industry leader when it comes to pizza and technology, and we're constantly striving to continue providing the best experience to customers. That's why we launched Domino's app on CarPlay," said Christopher Thomas-Moore, Domino's senior vice president and chief digital officer.

He also mentioned that CarPlay is an alternative to drive-thru as customers still have the convenience of staying in their car, and can place an order from wherever they are, without waiting in a long drive-thru.

In addition to placing an order via Domino's on CarPlay, customers can also track the status of their order via Domino's Tracker®. Domino's app on CarPlay is the brand's newest AnyWare™ ordering platform – a suite of technology that allows customers to order from wherever they are, using whatever device they prefer. Other AnyWare ordering platforms include ordering via Apple Watch or with an emoji via text.

Domino's Pizza, which is among the biggest pizza chains globally, has announced its decision to abandon its efforts to establish a presence in the birthplace of pizza.

Media reports suggest that ePizza, Domino's Italian franchise partner, has started liquidating the company's assets in Italy in an attempt to recoup some of its initial investments.

This follows the closure of the pizza chain's outlets in Rome and Milan last year.

According to Xinhua news agency, the company's social media accounts have not been updated since last year and its Italian website was reported to be inactive as of Thursday.

Despite unsuccessful attempts to reach ePizza on Thursday, the US-based press office of Domino's Pizza has acknowledged the reports regarding the company's departure from Italy, as confirmed by Xinhua news agency.

Although Domino's Pizza is considered the largest pizza chain globally, generating $12.3 billion in annual revenue, the company, which has been around for 63 years, failed to establish a successful presence in Italy.

In 2015, Domino's Pizza made an entry into the Italian market with an ambitious plan of opening as many as 880 stores. However, the company was only able to reach a peak of 29 locations before closing down its last outlets in Rome and Milan last year.

Pizza's origin is unclear, but there are records from ancient times of soldiers cooking flatbread with toppings on their shields.

An ancient Roman poem, dated back to the first-century BC, describes locals cooking bread and cheese on hot ashes, referred to as "pinsa," a term that is still used today to describe certain types of Roman pizza.

While the origins of pizza are uncertain, the modern version of the dish is believed to have originated in Naples during the 18th century. It was initially a popular and filling meal among the lower classes.

Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd reported a 40% slump in third-quarter profit as higher expenses outweighed a rise in orders at restaurants run by the Indian franchisee of Domino's Pizza and coffee chain Dunkin' Donuts.

After the results were announced, the company's shares dropped 8.8% to a more than eight-month low of 444.1 rupees.

According to the corporation, the combined earnings for the three months ending in October and December fell from 1.34 billion rupees to 803.6 million rupees ($9.82 million).

Sales increased 10% to 13.32 billion rupees, led by an increase in Domino's order volume.

As a result of historically high inflation, margins were compressed, according to Jubilant CEO Sameer Khetarpal.

Jubilant's overall expenses increased by more than 18% as a result of higher cheese and vegetable prices.

Jubilant's ambitious expansion into country's smaller towns and cities over the past few quarters has further hurt its profit margins.

During the quarter, the firm opened 64 restaurants in India, entering 16 new cities, and also holds the franchise rights for Popeyes locations across the continent.

India is Domino's second-largest market after the United States - where it is a delivery-first business - accounts for a sizeable percentage of topline.

According to analysts, the American brand owns more than 70% of the Indian pizza market.

From 26.4% last year to 22% this year, the earnings margin before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation decreased.

Rival Westlife Foodworld Ltd reported a 74% increase in quarterly profit on Tuesday. The company manages McDonald's franchises in west and south India.

According to Reuters, Jubilant had explored moving some of its operations away from the food delivery services Swiggy and Zomato in July of last year.

Jubilant FoodWorks Limited (JFL), India’s leading food services player has launched the first Popeyes®, in Chennai.

The brand is best known for its bold and famous Louisiana ‐style fried chicken and its signature chicken sandwich, which became a phenomenon in the United States and the rest of the globe.

“Consumers across the world love the Louisiana‐style Cajun flavors of Popeyes®. As a company, we are focused on bringing the finest taste of our brands, building it and expanding it to multiple cities. We offer consumers a chance to enjoy the unique blend of spices and Cajun flavoured fried chicken. Our launch in Chennai with the first store at Phoenix Marketcity Mall is a testament to that commitment of the larger strategy,” shared Sameer Khetarpal, CEO and MD of Jubilant FoodWorks Limited.

The flagship entry of Popeyes® was marked in India with the opening of its first restaurant in Bengaluru, followed by rapid expansion to 12 restaurants across the city in less than a year, underlining the growing popularity of the brand among Indian guests.  

Popeyes® India menu features the world‐famous Chicken Sandwich along with an array of fried chicken offerings that are freshly sourced and antibiotic‐free, with no added MSG. Complementing the menu are wholesome meal options such as Rice Bowls and Wraps in vegetarian options, too, to ensure the best Popeyes® experience for all guests.

“The Cajun flavoured chicken has created a craze in various countries, and a similar response was witnessed amongst chicken‐loving consumers in India, post the brand’s debut in Bengaluru. We look forward to serving our guests and recreating the same excitement and loyalty for Popeyes® and its signature dishes in Chennai,” added Gaurav Pande, Executive Vice President & Business Head of Popeyes® India.

With more than 3900 restaurants in over 30 countries, the popularity of Popeyes® has been unbroken and the brand has seen successful launches in many countries, most recently with hundreds lining up to try Popeyes® in UK, Korea, Romania, China, Indonesia, and more. Popeyes® is now riding the bandwagon to treat Chennai makkal with lip‐smacking and delicious flavours of its Louisiana‐style Cajun chicken.

American multinational pizza restaurant chain, Domino’s Pizza opened its second outlet in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand at Tapovan and a new outlet in Bhubaneswar at Nandankanan road.

In January 1996, Domino's Pizza launched its first location in India in New Delhi. The company currently has more than 1,500 outlets across the nation.

Domino's Pizza's master franchise is held by the Indian food service company Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd. in Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and India

Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd. has introduced a number of well-known brands to India throughout the years, including Dunkin' and Popeyes. The business brought Popeyes, an American fried chicken fast food chain, to Bengaluru in January of this year.

Established in 1960, Domino's Pizza is a transnational American chain of pizzerias. The Domino's Farms Office Park in Ann Arbor Township, Michigan, is home to the company's headquarters. There are pizzerias under the brand in 5,701 cities and more than 83 countries worldwide.

Alamar Foods, Domino’s franchisee for Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan, as well as Egypt and Morocco has successfully opened its 600^th outlet in Dubai.

Located at Uptown Mirdif in Dubai the new outlet had a special event to celebrate its launch, which was attended by Domino's CEO Russell Weiner and other key members.

"We always believe that our franchisee relationships are our most valuable asset. The Domino's development into the MENAP region has been successful in large part thanks to Alamar Foods,” shared Weiner by adding that they are thrilled to collaborate with Alamar Foods that has given their extensive experience in franchising and business operations.

"We are proud to commemorate this significant event and delighted to welcome everyone to the 600th Domino's store located at Uptown Mirdif, Dubai," added Filippo Sgattoni, Group CEO, Alamar Foods.

The business is dedicated to assisting the area through showcasing local talent, forming alliances with influential local businesspeople, and interacting with the neighbourhood.

Domino's Pizza, India's largest pizza chain has launched 20-minutes delivery across 20 zones.

The brand is positioned to provide its consumers with a great pizza-eating experience. To achieve this, it has constantly focused on multiple aspects, such as product innovation, taste, pricing, and guest service.

“We at Domino's are committed to providing the best pizza-eating experience to our consumers, and the 20-minutes delivery promise is a big step in that direction. With this initiative, customers will now get hotter, fresher and tastier pizzas from 100s of Domino's stores across India,” shared Sameer Khetarpal, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Jubilant FoodWorks Limited by adding that this has been made possible through a three-pronged approach using analytics, insights and technology to give customers higher service levels across multiple pin codes in India, wherein service and quality are the number 1 priority.

“In our endeavour to raise our service levels, we are clear that we will do so without compromising our riders' safety,” he added.

The brand earlier pioneered 30-minutes delivery and established itself as a market leader in the QSR sector.

The unparalleled 20-minutes delivery announcement that underlines Domino's delivery prowess is a benchmark proposition revolutionizing the QSR sector.

Domino's India 20-minutes delivery is being driven by enhancing and optimizing in-store process improvements, dynamic resource planning, technology upgradation and interventions for improved operational efficiencies, and expanding stores within the vicinity.

These steps help the brand optimize the overall timing of the entire process, ensuring the delivery of hotter, fresher and tastier pizza in 20 minutes without compromising the food quality and the safety & well–being of its delivery riders.

"India is the largest market outside of the US in the global Domino's network. Domino's India growth trajectory has been phenomenal in the recent past, and we believe there is huge potential ahead for us. India is a great example of successfully driving consumer-centric strategies across all business verticals. The 20 minutes delivery launch, in which pizzas are delivered hotter, fresher and tastier, is just another example of the consumer-centric approach of India,” added Russell Weiner, Chief Executive Officer, Domino's Pizza.

The 20-minute delivery has been introduced in 20 zones across 14 cities in India.

Domino’s Pizza, India’s largest pizza chain, has launched a new range of gourmet pizzas – Viva Roma.

The new range of scrumptious pizzas, which defines authentic Italian taste in every sense, also brings a touch of gourmet to the experience of its consumers.

“We are elated to launch the Viva Roma range - a new range of pizzas from the house of Domino’s. The introduction of gourmet pizzas reiterates our philosophy of keeping innovation and consumer-centricity at the core of its business to provide the best food experience. Through this premium range, we are aiming to gives consumers a flavour of Italy’s authentic pizzas,” shared Sandeep Anand, EVP and CMO Domino’s Pizza.

The Domino’s Viva Roma range features eight premium pizzas, topped with a mix of delectable, indulgent cheese like Bocconcini, Burrata and Parmesan, and a sauce made from the finest tomatoes of Italy. The succulent toppings sprinkled with flavourful garnishes on a crisp thin-crust base make for a great authentic Italian pizza experience.

The new range is also strategically important to the brand as it is crafted to cater to the palates and taste buds of customers who desire a luxurious yet authentic Italian experience whilst adding a new taste profile to the portfolio. The new range of Domino’s Pizza will mark the brand’s entry into the category that offers consumers authentic Italian pizzas. 

The new range is available to order at the nearest Domino’s restaurant. One can also order the delicious Viva Roma range online through Domino’s India website and Domino’s app.

The brand has also launched an offer on the range whereby the consumers can get INR 100 off on the purchase of any gourmet pizza by using the coupon code ‘sliceofrome’. This offer is applicable/ available in select cities- Delhi/NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Chennai on the Domino’s app only.

This Pujo, to celebrate the biggest festivities of the east and be part of the fervour, Domino's Pizza, India's largest pizza chain has announced the launch of a new range of 6 new delectable pizzas inspired by the traditional Bengali palate. Taking a cue from the authentic local relishes, often prepared and enjoyed during Durga Pujo, the most celebrated festival in the eastern region, Domino’s has introduced pizzas in Bangla's famous flavours - Kasundi, Kosha, and Malai.

Domino’s, known for consistently innovating its menu to cater to the varied tastes and preferences of consumers across India, has always considered the eastern region one of its flagship markets. The launch of this new range is strategically aligned with the focus on east India and the festivities people celebrate here. This is the first time any QSR brand has crafted its menu inspired by Bangla cuisine and the flavours of the eastern region of India.

In-depth research conducted by Domino’s to understand the tastes and preferences of the consumers in the region revealed that the local cuisines dominated the consumers' palate. The brand found this opportunity as a sweet spot to offer consumers a differentiated product, bringing the best of both worlds - the goodness of pizza with the authentic flavours of Bangla.

Speaking about the launch, Sameer Khetarpal, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Jubilant FoodWorks Limited, said, “At Domino's, our endeavour has always been to cater to our consumers' ever-evolving preferences. The eastern region is a key market for us and our team has focused on developing new flavours of pizzas that capture the Bangla essence. By launching the new range of pizza during the Pujo season, we are elated to be a part of the celebrations and the festivities. We look forward to expanding the range and growing further in this region.”

Pizza chain Domino's Pizza is closing its 29 local stores in Italy after locals failed to embrace American pizza, shared a Bloomberg report.

The QSR chain had a franchising agreement with local franchisee e Pizza SpA starting in 2015.

EPizza SpA had hoped to open more than 800 Italian locations but failed to do so and had filed for bankruptcy in April, after it struggled to make enough sales during two years of pandemic restrictions, as per a document filed in a Milan court.

"We attribute the issue to the significantly increased level of competition in the food delivery market with both organized chains and 'mom & pop' restaurants delivering food, to service and restaurants reopening post pandemic and consumers out and about with revenge spending," ePizza said in a report to investors accompanied by its Q4 2021 results.

Domino's had high hopes when it entered the Italian market in 2015, signing a 10-year franchising deal with ePizza. It planned to introduce a large-scale pizza delivery service to the country, which was absent at the time, the court filing said.

By the start of 2020, ePizza was managing 23 stores in Italy and six more through a sub-franchise partner, reported CNN.

Jubilant Foodworks Ltd (JFL) on Monday reported an 8.8 percent decline in its consolidated net profit at Rs 96 crore in the fourth quarter ended March 2022, impacted by higher expenses.

The company had posted a consolidated net profit of Rs 105.3 crore in the same period previous fiscal, Jubilant Foodworks Ltd (JFL) said in a regulatory filing.

Consolidated revenue from operations during the quarter under review stood at Rs 1,175.97 crore as against Rs 1,037.86 crore in the year-ago period, it added.

In Q4 the company opened 80 new restaurants of Domino's Pizza in India, while in the whole of FY22 a total of 230 new restaurants were opened in the country, taking the total to 1,567 restaurants as of March 31, 2022, across 337 cities, JFL said.

It has also appointed Sameer Khetarpal as CEO & Managing Director and Key Managerial Personnel of the company, effective September 05, 2022. Sameer Khetarpal will succeed Pratik Pota who resigned earlier this March.

“Sameer, with his strengths in building digital first businesses in related spaces will provide the necessary leadership to our business. He is a strong, dynamic and values-driven leader with an impressive track record of delivering consistent high-quality performance in tough consumer businesses,” shared Shyam S. Bhartia, Chairman and Hari S. Bhartia, Co-Chairman, Jubilant FoodWorks.

Sameer joins Jubilant from Amazon. Prior to Amazon, he served as a Partner at McKinsey and Company, where he served several hi-tech clients on topics related to business building and transformation, and was instrumental in building data driven service lines used by several Fortune 500 companies. Sameer has previously worked with GE Capital and Hindustan Unilever.

“As India’s largest food service company, JFL is uniquely poised to scale non-linearly across multiple businesses and geographies. The company has an exceptional track record of innovation and serving customers with exemplary standards. I am honoured to join Jubilant FoodWorks and look forward to working closely with the Jubilant team, to serve millions of customers by building businesses driven by technology and operations excellence,” added Khetarpal.

Pizza chain Domino’s has launched its latest offering Paratha Pizza.

With this innovation and delicious products, Domino’s has redefined the Indianization of the menu by bringing a super exciting fusion of Paratha & Pizza, which gives consumers the best of both worlds.

“At Domino’s, we focus on understanding our consumers and their evolving preferences. These insights helps us drive innovation in our menu and has made Domino’s the most preferred QSR brand amongst consumers. We hope that this launch will stimulate consumption and build excitement through flavours familiar to the Indian taste palate,” shared Sandeep Anand, Chief Marketing Officer & EVP, Domino’s Pizza.

With the launch of the new Paratha Pizza range, Dominos is trying to bring together two of the most loved dishes, the goodness of Paratha and the Cheesiness of Pizza.

Crafted for discerning Indian taste buds, the Corn and Cheese Paratha Pizza is a delicious fusion of corn stuffed paratha and cheesy pizza. The Paneer Paratha Pizza – an epic fusion of paratha and pizza with melting cheese and soft paneer stuffing – is sure to satisfy indulgent cravings. The Chicken Keema Paratha Pizza promises the goodness of cheesy pizza coming together with flavourful and meaty filling in an epic crossover.

The new range is available at all 1500 Domino’s Pizza restaurants across India and can be ordered at Domino’s restaurants as well as online via Domino’s app.

Pizza chain Domino's has announced the promotions of Joe Jordan to the role of President, U.S. & Global Services and Art D'Elia to the role of Executive Vice President – International, effective May 1, 2022.

Jordan and D'Elia will both report to Russell Weiner, current Chief Operating Officer and President – Domino's U.S. and incoming Domino's CEO (effective May 1, 2022.)

"Joe and Art are extremely talented executives who have 15 years of Domino's experience between the two of them," said Weiner by adding that both are incredible leaders whose insights, expertise and values embody what makes Domino's such a special place to work.

As President, U.S. & Global Services, Jordan will be responsible for leading the Company's U.S. business and key global centers of excellence. He most recently served as Executive Vice President – International of Domino's since April 2018, after serving as Senior Vice President – Chief Marketing Officer of Domino's from May 2015 to April 2018.

As Executive Vice President – International, D'Elia will be responsible for overseeing the Domino's business in more than 90 countries around the world. D'Elia most recently served as Executive Vice President – Chief Marketing Officer of Domino's since July 2020. He joined Domino's in January 2018 as Senior Vice President – Chief Brand & Innovation Officer.

Founded in 1960, Domino's Pizza is the largest pizza company in the world, with a significant business in both delivery and carryout pizza. It has over 18,800 stores in over 90 markets.

India’s largest pizza chain Domino’s Pizza has opened its 1500^th restaurant at The Sky Mark Building, Noida.

The restaurant was inaugurated by Shyam S Bhartia, Chairman, Hari S Bhartia, Co-Chairman and Pratik Pota, CEO and Wholetime Director, Jubilant Foodworks Limited.

It is the 100^th Domino’s Pizza restaurant in the national capital region, making the city one of the key markets for the brand. 

“The milestone of 1500 Domino’s Pizza restaurant is not just a business success for us but a testament of customers’ love for the brand. As a market leader, we will continue to innovate and drive customers delight in their experience with Domino’s Pizza,” said Pota.

To cater to this increased consumer demand and preference, Domino’s has been expanding rapidly and opened a record 200 new Domino’s restaurants during CY2021 despite the pandemic.

The brand is now present in 322 cities across multiple store formats like Full-Service restaurant, Delco (only delivery and takeaway restaurant) and Food courts. Out of these 322 cities, Domino’s is the only QSR brand in 165 cities and its catering to the hitherto unmet consumer demand of delicious & safe food.

“We are incredibly humbled to launch our 1500^th restaurant today especially in these trying times of the pandemic. This is a milestone moment for each of us at Domino's Pizza India, which has materialized through years of relentless efforts to make pizza-eating an experience for our customers,” added Shyam S. Bhartia, Chairman and Hari S. Bhartia, Co-Chairman, Jubilant Foodworks Limited by pointing that they will continue to expand their network further and strengthen their position as India's neighborhood pizzeria and the number 1 pizza brand of India.

Operators of Domino’s Pizza and Dunkin Donuts in India, Jubilant Foodworks Ltd on Wednesday reported 58.11 per cent jump in consolidated net profit at Rs 119.82 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, 2021.

The food delivery brand shared that delivery and takeaway channels are one of the greatest contributors in the growth.

Jubilant logged a profit of Rs 75.78 crore in the year-ago period, it said in the regulatory filing.

Revenue from operations in the second quarter stood at Rs 1,116.19 crore as compared to Rs 816.33 crore in the same period a year ago.

“ The second quarter saw a strong all-round performance with revenue, profitability and store growth numbers hitting record highs.The new investments announced during the quarter will help steer the company towards its goal of becoming a multi-brand, multi-country business driven by technology and will create significant value for all stakeholders,” shared Shyam S Bhartia and Co-Chairman Hari S Bhartia in a joint statement.

During the quarter, JFL had announced key strategic investments in line with its stated goal of building a multi-brand and multi-country food business powered by technology. These included launching a reverse bookbuild process to enhance the company’s indirect shareholding in the Netherlands-based DP Eurasia N V, the fifth largest master franchisee of Domino’s Pizza, the company said.

Total expenses in the second quarter of this fiscal year were higher at Rs 963.47 crore as compared to Rs 747.01 crore in the year-ago period.

“Notwithstanding the operating challenges and inflationary headwinds, we delivered a robust topline growth, strong EBITDA margins and record new store openings. We are excited about the future and believe that we have the right strategy to lead growth in the exciting period that lies ahead,” added Pratik Pota, CEO, Jubilant FoodWorks.

K Hospitality Corp that owns brand like Copper Chimney and Irish House has signed up the franchise rights for Domino’s Pizza to expand into Ghana, Africa.

The residents of Ghana can now enjoy hot, customized Domino’s pizzas in-store or delivered safely to their doorstep from the first two stores that launched in downtown Accra in Osu and East Legon respectively.

K Hospitality Corp, has formed a 50-50 JV, Fire Foods Africa, with the Chanrai Summit Group, one of West Africa’s leading conglomerates in the supply chain sector, to bring the Domino’s brand to Ghana in Africa.

“We are elated to partner with Domino’s to bring this leading and much-loved pizza brand to the shores of Ghana, Africa. Our new JV, Fire Foods Africa, will be expanding Domino’s Pizza across Ghana, with a multi-million-dollar investment planned towards opening multiple stores over the next few years,” shared Karan Kapur, Executive Director, K Hospitality Corp.

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K Hospitality Corp is planning significant QSR format growth, and the expansion with Domino’s is part of its QSR 2030 Vision for the group to invest and build various leading formats in the QSR sector.

Pizza chain Domino’s has partnered with Nuro, the leading self-driving delivery company, to launch autonomous pizza delivery in Houston.

Beginning this week, select customers who place a prepaid order on dominos.com on certain days and times from Domino's in Woodland Heights, located at 3209 Houston Ave., can choose to have their pizza delivered by Nuro's R2 robot.

Nuro's R2 is the first completely autonomous, occupantless on-road delivery vehicle with a regulatory approval by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Also Read: Domino's starts Carside delivery in the US

"We're excited to continue innovating the delivery experience for Domino's customers by testing autonomous delivery with Nuro in Houston," said Dennis Maloney, Domino's senior vice president and chief innovation officer by adding that this program will allow them to better understand how customers respond to the deliveries, how they interact with the robot and how it affects store operations.

This collaboration between Domino's and Nuro will introduce an entirely new delivery experience to pizza lovers.

"Nuro's mission is to better everyday life through robotics. Now, for the first time, we're launching real world, autonomous deliveries with R2 and Domino's," said Dave Ferguson, Nuro co-founder and president. "We're excited to introduce our autonomous delivery bots to a select set of Domino's customers in Houston. We can't wait to see what they think."

Pizza franchisee chain Domino's Pizza Group on Tuesday announced that 2020 pretax profit rose after it booked lower costs, and that it will imminently launch a 45 million pounds ($62.2 million) share buyback program.

The pizza chain also announced that the program was in line with its new capital allocation philosophy and commitment to distribute surplus capital to shareholders.

For the year ended Dec. 27, pretax profit was GBP98.9 million compared with GBP75.1 million for 2019, the company said.

Revenue fell to GBP505.1 million from GBP508.3 million the year before.

Like-for-like system sales, excluding split stores, were up 10.3%, the company said.

The board proposed a final dividend of 9.1 pence a share.

It also mentioned that disposal of its discontinued international operations was progressing and it has exchanged the contract on the disposal of Sweden, which is expected to complete in May, and that the Iceland and Switzerland disposal processes are continuing.

The company said that trading in 2021 has started strongly, with exceptional trading over the new year period as it recorded its highest ever sales week.

Domino’s has introduced a Hindi version of its food ordering app. This move reflects that organised food players are getting aggressive about scaling their ordering platforms as deliveries and takeaways remain the mainstay for food services companies.

In the December quarter, the Domino’s app recorded its highest ever download of 7.4 million. Total app downloads stood at 51.2 million at the end of the third quarter.

The pizza chain is expected to provide more languages as it draws more consumers into its fold.

Jubilant FoodWorks’ top management said, “Our investments to strengthen digital infrastructure have continued, Domino’s launched the Hindi version of its app which is going to be a significant enabler for ordering. Going forward, we will continue to add other language support to our app to make the experience even more personalized and seamless. This dovetails well with our objective of driving robust from our own assets.”

Domino’s had finished the December quarter with 1,314 outlets in India.

Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has announced its entry into the biryani segment

Called as ‘Ekdum’, the brand is opening three restaurants in Gurgaon for delivery, takeaway and dine-in.

They are also aiming at opening more restaurants across Delhi-NCR in the next few months.

Also Read: Jubilant FoodWorks plans kiosk-based model for Dunkin' Donuts

“Ekdum will offer the widest variety of biryanis from across India to choose from. The chefs at Ekdum have brought together a selection of twenty different biryanis curated from various parts of India using authentic ingredients that bring out the unique flavours and signature tastes associated with the region,” shared the release.

In addition to biryanis, it will also offer kebabs, curries, breads, desserts and beverages starting at ₹99.

You can also place order via an app, a mobile and desktop website.

The owner of Domino’s Pizza and Dunkin’ Chain also entered into the casual Chinese category last year.

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"In line with our strategy of portfolio expansion, we are delighted to introduce Ekdum!,our new venture in the Biryani category. We see strong potential in this segment and are confident that Ekdum!, with its sharp and differentiated proposition will create a strong position for itself in the market," said Shyam S Bhartia, Chairman, and Hari S. Bhartia, Co-chairman, Jubilant FoodWorks Limited in a media release.

Jubilant runs 1,264 Domino’s Pizza restaurants across 281 cities with exclusive rights to develop and operate the pizza chain in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. It also operate 26 Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in eight Indian cities.

Domino’s UK is planning to create 5,000 new jobs and support more than 1,000 placements in the local government’s fledgling Kickstart scheme.

The new positions include pizza chefs, delivery drivers and customer service staff.

The pizza chain has also pledged to provide more than 1,000 work placements for young people in stores across England, Scotland and Wales under theKickstart scheme.

Also Read: Domino's launches vegan Pizza in UK

The successful under-25s taking up the places through the £2bn Treasury job creation scheme will receive on-the-job training and have access to new e-learning modules on key skills such as timekeeping and teamwork,” reports The Guardian.

“It was a privilege to keep our stores open during Covid-19 and to now be in a position to offer thousands more people the opportunity to become a Domino’s team member,” shared Dominic Paul, CEO, Domino’s.

It also mentioned that 80% of its store managers had started their Domino’s career as a delivery driver or pizza chef.

Must Read: Domino's starts Carside delivery in the US

“We’re also delighted to support the government’s Kickstart scheme, offering young people the chance to get back into work and to build lifelong skills through our training programmes,” he added.

Domino’s operates under license from its US parent and is running 1,184 stores across the UK and Ireland and employs more than 35,000 people.

Casual dining chain Pizza Hut may close up-to 300 restaurants as its franchisee NPC International has filed for the bankruptcy.

The restaurants that are closing are mostly dine-in locations not well suited for takeout and delivery.

According to reports, Pizza sales have exploded during the pandemic. Domino's last month reported a 30% spike in quarterly profits and it also announced hiring more than 20,000 people to handle surging orders.

Also Read: Pizza Hut, Wendy’s US Franchisee NPC Files for Bankruptcy

Franchisee NPC International on Monday in documents filed in bankruptcy court said that it had come to an agreement with Pizza Hut to close hundreds of locations.

NPC International, Inc. is Pizza Hut’s largest franchisee in the U.S., and its portfolio of 1,227 locations represents 20% of the Pizza Hut system’s restaurant base in the U.S.

Each year, NPC’s 23,000 plus team members proudly serve over 68 million pizzas to Americans in 27 states. NPC has been a leading franchisee for almost six decades, and over that time has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in building and acquiring its restaurants.

In its filing, NPC said that closing stores not designed for pick-up or delivery will allow it to invest in smaller stores that can better handle online orders.

In May, Pizza Hut’s U.S. carryout and delivery sales reached an eight-year high, according to Yum Brands Inc.

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But Pizza Hut’s U.S. system wide sales grew just 1% in the April-June period; rival Domino’s Pizza, which has smaller, carryout-focused stores, posted a 20% jump in U.S. sales.

Yum Brands in a prepared statement said the stores being closed had underperformed others owned by NPC, and that shedding them would strengthen NPC's remaining portfolio.

Dash Brands Ltd., the master franchisee of Domino’s Pizza® in China has announced that during the second quarter of 2020 a subsidiary of Domino’s Pizza, Inc. acquired a non-controlling interest in the Company for $40 million.

Based on the terms of the agreement, Domino’s Pizza is required to invest an additional $40 million in the Company in the first quarter of 2021, assuming specified performance conditions are satisfied, and may alternatively make the additional investment at its option if such performance conditions are not satisfied.

“We are very pleased to make this announcement today. We have accomplished a primary goal to deepen the commitment and build upon our relationship with Domino’s Pizza. I’m proud of the Dash Brands team and the effort they have put forth to execute our growth plan for the Domino’s brand in China. This significant investment highlights the excitement Domino’s Pizza has in our leadership to grow the brand in China,” said Frank Krasovec, Chairman and co-founder of Dash Brands Ltd.

In conjunction with the investment, Dash Brands is pleased to welcome Joe Jordan, Executive Vice President, International of Domino's Pizza, as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors.

“We are excited about our investment with the Dash Brands team as they continue to grow the Domino’s brand in China, a market with tremendous long-term potential. I am excited to join the Dash Brands Board of Directors and play a role in helping Dash Brands achieve the potential for the Domino’s brand in China that we all believe is possible,” added Jordan.

Dash Brands is running over 300 stores across nine cities in China and growing over 30% for the past 5 years.

“Domino’s leads with delivery expertise and technology innovation and through our various online ordering options, currently has approximately 85% of orders coming from digital orders,” said Aileen Wang, Chief Executive Officer of Dash Brands.

Jefferies LLC served as advisor to Dash Brands and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC served as advisor to Domino’s Pizza.

American Pizza chain Domino’s is planning to introduce vegan-friendly pizza into its menu.

The pizza giant has launched two variants of pizzas including vegan margherita and Vegan Vegi supreme with choice of topping in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

At present the same will be available from 46 stores in the country, via the brand's website and delivery app.

The Margherita features tomato sauce and vegan cheese made by Domino's, and the Vegi Supreme adds mushrooms, sweetcorn, onions, green & red peppers, and tomatoes. In addition, diners can customize their pies with any other vegan-friendly ingredients.

The pizzas come in a medium size and will be served with a side of Domino’s BBQ dip (vegan). They are priced the same as non-vegan equivalents, shared the report by Daily Mail.

According to the pizza chain, it has taken some time to develop a plant-based dough. A previous trial was deemed not up to scratch, says the company, and so a further year of trial and error was required.

"Our vegan offering has been a while coming because we’re determined to make sure it’s full of our iconic Domino’s flavour. We might not be first but we’re always the best – no compromises. Our dedicated pizza chefs are incredibly excited for our fans to try this new and improved latest dough as we believe we’ve nailed it. If they agree, and love it as much as we do, Domino’s will roll out nationwide. We’ve now busy working on some toppings and sides -so watch this space,” said Aman Prasher, chief vegan dough developer, Domino’s.