Dominos's Pizza franchise owner in Turkey, Russia Eurasia aims $442 mn valuation in London floatation

Domino's Pizza has given a fresh makeover to its exquisite lineup of gourmet pizzas called Viva Roma.

The updated Viva Roma selection showcases five premium pizzas with a blend of toppings, rich cheeses such as Bocconi, Mozzarella, Cheddar, and Spicy Ghost Pepper, and a sauce crafted from Italy's finest tomatoes.

Domino's has carefully designed a refreshed menu that resonates with the changing tastes and desires of its perceptive customer base.

"As a brand, we are constantly pushing the boundaries when it comes to innovation in pizzas. Keeping in tune with this spirit of Domino’s, we are delighted to announce the unveiling of our much-loved revamped Viva Roma range of Pizzas. Domino’s Viva Roma range focuses on premium ingredients, bold taste, and authentic Italian flavours, we believe the revamped range will redefine pizza indulgence and delight our loyal customers." said Sandeep Anand, EVP and CMO Domino’s Pizza.

The revamped range is exclusively available for order at Domino's outlets in Delhi, NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, and Pune, or through the Domino’s app, offering a deal of Flat Rs. 300 off on a minimum order value of Rs. 1500.

Cloud-kitchen brand London Yard Pizza, a food brand inspired by travel and a passion for exceptional cuisine, is making a big debut in Mumbai's bustling dining scene.

With over 50 outlets across India, they are now expanding to Maharashtra and introducing their star attraction - the incredible 30-inch Monster Pizza.

"London Yard Pizza is not merely about food; it is a homage to the art of pizza-making and a jubilation of the limitless creativity that the culinary world presents. Embark on this thrilling journey with us, where every bite narrates a tale of exploration, passion, and the relentless pursuit of excellence,” shared Anand Thakkar, Founder, London Yard Pizza.

Central to their appeal is their meticulously crafted pizza. The dough, a testament to artistry, undergoes a 48-hour fermentation process, resulting in an ethereal lightness that sets it apart. The diverse range of pizzas, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, showcases the brand's commitment to delivering exceptional taste experiences.

The vegetarian range boasts creations like the velvety allure of Cream Cheese Pizza, the daring piquancy of Bhut Jholakia Pizza, and the invigorating tribute to nature in Farm Fresh Pizza amongst others. For non-vegetarian aficionados, the Hot Tandoor Pizza pays homage to tradition in a contemporary flourish, while the London Fiesta Pizza captures the vibrant essence of a global celebration. Reimagined classics include the tantalising Chicken Tikka Pizza and the rich tapestry of flavours in Butter Chicken pizza to name a few.

“Each pizza creation is a canvas for us to infuse global inspirations with local flavours, resulting in a tantalising journey of taste. Our commitment to excellence drives us to craft pizzas that are not only visually stunning but also deliver an explosion of flavours with every bite,” added Chef Rahul Kokitkar, the culinary maestro at London Yard Pizza.

With an investment plan of 40 to 50 crore and a projected turnover of 135 to 150 crore, the brand envisions establishing 50 to 75 outlets across Maharashtra in the coming months, spreading the magic of their delectable pizzas far and wide.

Jubilant FoodWorks Limited, India’s largest foodservice company, today announced its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2023.

Revenue from Operations of Rs. 13,097 million increased 5.6% versus the prior year. The growth was driven by Domino’s Delivery channel sales which increased by 8.4%. The ADS of mature stores, came in at Rs. 81,049, up by 2.7% sequentially. The Domino’s LFL came in at -1.3%. 

In a challenging inflationary environment with key input costs holding firm, the company was able to expand its operating margins sequentially on account of higher productivity led-cost optimization initiatives. EBITDA came in at Rs. 2,764 million and EBITDA margin was 21.1%, higher by 97 bps sequentially. Profit After Tax came in at Rs. 752 million and PAT margin was 5.7%, higher by 195 bps sequentially. 

Shyam S. Bhartia, Chairman and Hari S. Bhartia, Co-Chairman, Jubilant FoodWorks Limited commented, “Our performance reflects our continuation of the strategic direction we have opted for in the current inflationary environment. We continue to bolster our value proposition further, look inwards to improvise our systems and processes while expanding margins and finally continue to make investments further to strengthen our unique competitive advantages in operations and technology.”

The Company opened 30 new stores in India, resulting in a network of 1,891 stores across all brands. With the addition of 23 new stores and entry in one new city.

Domino’s India expanded its network strength to 1,838 stores across 394 cities. 

The Company opened four new restaurant for Popeyes and entered two new cities – Manipal and Coimbatore - taking the network tally to 17 restaurants across four cities.

In Hong’s Kitchen, two new stores enhanced the network to 15 stores across three cities. In Dunkin’, one new coffee-first store was opened. 9 out of 21 Dunkin’ stores are now as per the brand’s new Coffee-first identity.  

The enrolment to loyalty program – Domino’s Cheesy Rewards – grew by 23.5% versus the prior quarter to 16.8 million and the loyalty order contribution reached 48% in June 2023. Consumer engagement remain elevated with all time-high quarterly app downloads at 10.0 million, up by 22.0% and MAU(App) came in at 10.3 million.  

In Sri Lanka, the system sales growth was 13.1% and the Company opened two new stores taking the network strength to 50 stores.

“Our strategy of customer first and technology forward has started to yield positive results. ADS for mature stores grew by 2.7% sequentially, decline in ticket size was arrested, app-installs, loyalty enrolments reached a new peak, and we executed efficiently to expand EBITDA margin by 97 bps versus the previous quarter. I remain confident in our strategies and the organization's ability to overcome the slower growth phase and emerge stronger out of it,” added Sameer Khetarpal, CEO and MD, Jubilant FoodWorks Limited.

Incorporated in 1995, Jubilant holds the exclusive master franchise rights from Domino’s Pizza Inc. to develop and operate the Domino’s Pizza brand in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal, Dunkin’ restaurants in India and Popeyes restaurants in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. In 2019, Jubilant FoodWorks launched its first owned-restaurant brand ‘Hong’s Kitchen’ in the Chinese cuisine segment which now has 15 stores across three cities. 
 

Domino's Pizza India has made a big announcement that is set to change the game for quick-service restaurants (QSR) in Bengaluru. The pizza giant is now guaranteeing hot and fresh pizzas delivery within 20 minutes of ordering, making it the first QSR brand to achieve this feat in the city.

"At Domino's, we are committed to providing the best pizza-eating experience for our customers. Introducing the 20-minute delivery in Bengaluru is a testament to our dedication to excellence. By using analytics, insights, and technology, we are able to give our customers hotter, fresher, and tastier pizzas than ever before,” shared Sameer Khetarpal, CEO & Managing Director, Jubilant FoodWorks Limited.

Domino's has a proven track record of delivery prowess, having pioneered 30-minute delivery and established itself as a market leader in the QSR sector. The company has achieved this new benchmark by enhancing in-store process improvements, upgrading technology, and expanding its store network. All of these efforts have resulted in a more efficient overall delivery process without compromising the quality of the food or the safety of its delivery riders.

Domino's 20-minute delivery is available at 170 stores across Bengaluru.

The company is also committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of its delivery personnel by providing them with the necessary training and sensitization.

This new initiative is set to revolutionize the QSR industry in Bengaluru, enabling customers to enjoy their favourite pizzas hot, fresh, and within minutes of ordering.

India's largest pizza chain Domino’s Pizza has announced the launch of its first ever heart-shaped pizza.

The limited-edition product launch is supported by a special social media campaign, ahead of Valentine's Day for people who are determined to make no commitments.

The campaign #SayItWithAPizza showcases this aspect of the dating arena including all the confusion and gushing that comes along with it.

“We have always positioned Domino's as the perfect companion for special moments and creating an experience for those who share a pizza, whether it be family, friends or more. For those who aren't sure, valentine's is the perfect time to #SayItWithAPizza. The campaign has taken a unique spin on a story relatable to all the younglings out there in a situation ship,” said Sandeep Anand, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer, Domino’s Pizza India.

In a three-part Instagram reel series highlighting the protagonists' experience of ‘situationship’, the brand speaks to millennials and Gen Z in a language, attitude and format that resonates with them.

In the campaign, Domino’s acts as the catalyst to elevate a romantic relationship between two people over the course of their pizza orders, and culminate into an expression of commitment.

The limited edition heart shaped pizza is available to order in two variants: Veg Tomato Pizza and Chicken Pepperoni Pizza in regular size and can be ordered at Domino’s restaurants as well as online via the Domino’s app.

It will be available for a limited period between 12^th February and 14^th February 2023 in top metropolitan cities, viz., Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, and Kolkata.

World’s largest pizza company Domino's Pizza is continuing to expand its global reach with openings in two new countries – Uruguay and Latvia.

The first Domino's store in Latvia recently opened in the city of Riga at Deglava 100 by master franchisee Morgacita Ltd., while the first Domino's store in Uruguay opened in Montevideo at 1163 Luis Alberto de Herrera by master franchisee Alsea.

"We are thrilled to bring such a globally prominent brand like Domino's to Latvia. We are eager to offer our delicious products, exceptional service and innovative ordering technology to our new customers. This, combined with our extremely efficient delivery and carryout, will bring much success to the Latvia market,” shared Laura Tomkeviciene, COO of Morgacita Ltd.

Domino's in Montevideo is located in the heart of Uruguay's capital and features an inviting store interior and spacious seating.

"I am very pleased to announce Alsea's entry into Uruguay with the Domino's brand, as it allows us to continue with our solid growth strategy," said Armando Torrado, CEO of Alsea.

Domino's operates in more than 90 markets worldwide, with more than half of its global retail sales coming from international stores.

"Establishing our brand in Uruguay and Latvia provides an excellent opportunity for Domino's to continue growing globally," said Art D'Elia, executive vice president of Domino's International. "We have been on a mission to bring our delicious pizzas and unmatched customer service to more markets, including Uruguay and Latvia, and we look forward to serving new customers there."    

Korea-headquartered pizza brand GOPIZZA has raised INR 200 cr. (30 Billion Korean Won) in a Series C funding round co-led by GS Ventures, CJ Investment, Mirae Asset Securities, NCORE Ventures, Woori Bank, Capstone Partners, Big Basin Capital, DS Asset Management,  and Pureun Investment.

The fresh capital will be utilized for aggressive expansion plans in the country, backed by new-age robotic and AI technologies.

“Owing to our great performance in the last few years, we are delighted to announce a big round of funding. India is a key market for us and a majority of the investment will be directed to the Indian market where we plan to expand to more than 100 stores by 2023,” shared Jae Won Lim, Founder, and CEO of GOPIZZA.

GOPIZZA is known for its one-person, oval-shaped, fire-baked pizza with quick serving speed and affordable price.

With 160 outlets across South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, India, and Hongkong, it is opening its first store in Hyderabad next month.

The brand aims to reach 25 outlets by the end of 2022 and more than 100 stores by 2023.

The single-serving pizza brand will also introduce its patented in-house technology - The GOVEN, an automatic pizza oven, the 'GOBOT' a cooperative robot, and the 'AI Smart Topping Table' to ensure timely, standardized quality and service to customers at all outlets.

“The funding raised will allow us to massively scale our operations across the country and further cement our position in the Indian market in an aim to become the pan-India market leader in the segment. Our expansion plan is to launch 100 stores by 2023. The funds will also be deployed to bring the brand’s famed technology to all outlets in India providing speedy, superior quality pizzas that GOPIZZA is known for and loved by customers worldwide,” added Mahesh Reddy, CEO, of GOPIZZA India.

The brand’s strategy in India since inception has been tailored to the tastes of the market with a localized menu, different from that of Korea and Singapore. In the next few years, GOPIZZA will establish outlets in Pune, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, and some key Tier 2 cities including Chandigarh, Jodhpur, Jaipur and Kochi. Globally the brand will foray into new markets of Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and United States.

GOPIZZA’s first outlet in the country opened in Bangalore in 2019 offering one-person pizzas of superior quality at competitive prices. The brand has previously raised 20 million USD in funding from Woori Bank, Capstone Partners, Big Basin Capital, DS Asset Management, and DSC Investment.

World’s largest pizza chain Domino's Pizza has announced results for the third quarter of 2022.

According to the release, global retail sales, excluding the negative impact of foreign currency, grew 4.7% in the third quarter of 2022. Without adjusting for the impact of foreign currency, global retail sales declined 1.6% in the third quarter of 2022.

"I'm encouraged with our performance and the sequential improvements we made during the third quarter. Our team members and franchisees around the world continued to show the agility and perseverance required to operate in a volatile macro-economic environment," said Russell Weiner, Domino's Chief Executive Officer.

U.S. same store sales increased 2.0% and international same store sales (excluding foreign currency impact) declined 1.8% during the third quarter of 2022.

The decline in international same store sales (excluding foreign currency impact) was driven in part by a value added tax holiday in the United Kingdom in the third quarter of 2021 that did not recur in the third quarter of 2022. The Company had third quarter global net store growth of 225 stores, comprised of 24 net U.S. store openings and 201 net international store openings.

Diluted EPS for the third quarter of 2022 was $2.79, a decrease of 13.9% from diluted EPS of $3.24 in the third quarter of 2021.

Subsequent to the end of the third quarter of 2022, on October 11, 2022, the Company's Board of Directors declared a $1.10 per share quarterly dividend on its outstanding common stock for shareholders of record as of December 15, 2022 to be paid on December 30, 2022.

Additionally, subsequent to the end of the third quarter of 2022, on September 16, 2022 (the "Closing Date"), certain of the Company's subsidiaries issued a new variable funding note facility which allows for advances of up to $120.0 million of Series   2022-1 Variable Funding Senior Secured Notes, Class A-1 Notes (the "2022 Variable Funding Notes"). The 2022 Variable Funding Notes were undrawn on the Closing Date. The Company's existing $200.0 million Series 2021-1 Variable Funding Senior Secured Notes, Class A-1 Notes (the "2021 Variable Funding Notes") also remain in place.

Further, subsequent to the end of the third quarter of 2022, the Company sold 114 U.S. Company-owned stores in Arizona and Utah to certain of its franchisees for $41.1 million, and the Company expects to record a gain on this transaction in the fourth quarter of 2022. The accounting for this transaction is still in process as of the date of this press release.

"As we begin the fourth quarter, I believe Domino's is poised to emerge from these volatile times stronger than ever. We delivered around one out of every three pizzas in the United States before the pandemic, and we deliver around one out of every three pizzas today. Combined with our strong carryout business where we have continued to accelerate our momentum, I have never been more confident in the future of Domino's Pizza,” he shared.

Pizzas have become equivalent to comfort food for all of us. Accompanied by their gooey crusts, delicious toppings and that heavenly smell, our soul gets drawn to them very easily. But, with multiple brands popping up every day, the pizza parlours have lost their touch of uniqueness with every brand serving similar kinds of pizzas with the same taste and texture. There is hardly any variety seen in pizzas anymore.

Mumbai has welcomes the newest delivery extraordinaire — OD Pizza (Aka One degree Pizza) to sort that craving out with their delectable Neapolitan style pizzas delivered directly to customer’s doorstep, now available across Bandra as well as the newest outlet in Fort!

Known for its authentic Neapolitan style gourmet pizzas, the inimitable pizza joint is now launching a second outlet after seeing great success in Bandra.

“Pizza has always brought people and communities together, irrespective of any factor. And with OD Pizza, our goal is the same — spread love and joy through our food for everyone, right at their homes. After spending a good 1.5 years researching, perfecting every little detail and understanding the science and art behind making the best Neapolitan pizza, we launched OD Pizza in Bandra and are grateful for the love we’ve been showered with,” shared Saurabh Doshi, Founder at OD Pizza that is now launching second delivery outlet in Fort.

Everything at OD pizza is handmade or sourced carefully, including the dough, cheese, sauce and toppings. The fresh tomato sauce is made of tomatoes imported from Italy, the mozzarella is bought from the top creameries in Mumbai, the jalapeños are also pickled and their basil is grown hydroponically (so healthy for you and the environment!). We don’t know about you, but our mouths are watering already.

It is also available for delivery on Swiggy, Zomato and DotPe from 12pm till 4am.

Owners of Dominos Pizza and Dunkin Donuts in India, Jubilant FoodWorks (JFL), on Friday said its board will next month consider a proposal of splitting the equity shares of the firm. 

The board, in its scheduled meeting to be held on February 2, 2022, will consider a proposal for "alteration in the capital of the company by sub-division/ split of existing equity shares of the company having face value of Rs 10 each, fully paid up."

Shares of the company closed 0.35 per cent down at Rs 3,931.80 on BSE on Friday.

The board would also consider the standalone and consolidated financial results of the company for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, JFL said in a regulatory filing.

JFL, part of the Jubilant Bhartia Group, is India's largest food service company that currently operates more than 1,435 outlets for Domino's Pizza, Dunkin Donuts and Hong’s Kitchen.

It also has franchise rights for Popeyes, an American multinational chain of fried chicken fast-food restaurants, for India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan markets.

Pizza chain Domino’s has reportedly faced a data breach that includes internal company documents of the past seven years.

According to reports, it also involves private data belonging to over 250 employees, customer details from over 18 crore food orders and over 10 lakh credit cards that may have been saved during checkout and payments.

The breach was reported by Sourajeet Majumder, who further reported the incident to Domino’s India and Cert-In, among other authorities.

The database remains active on a dark web cyber raid forum, as mentioned in media reports, and the hackers have demanded a ransom of 50 BTC (approx. Rs 21.3 crore as of publishing) from Domino’s India, if the pizza chain does not wish their data to be traded.

Family-owned pizza chain Little Caesars Pizza has announced Paula Vissing as its new Chief Operating Officer.

Vissing has been with Little Caesars since 2011 and most recently served as the Senior Vice President of International.

In the newly created role, Vissing will oversee all domestic and international operations during a period of incredible growth for the world’s third largest pizza brand.

“Paula has an impressive track record within the company and has successfully led our international division for the last five years, which continues to see record-breaking results year after year,” said David Scrivano, President and CEO of Little Caesars by adding that she is a highly respected and proven leader within Little Caesars and there is nobody better suited to oversee global operations.

As the Senior Vice President of International, Vissing was responsible for all Little Caesars locations in more than two dozen countries and territories.

Under her leadership, Little Caesars experienced the largest period of international growth in the company’s 60+ year history. Previously, Vissing was Vice President of Purchasing and Quality Assurance, where she led cost-saving and sourcing initiatives that supported Little Caesars’ growth in the U.S. Vissing has also led global supply chain expansion, enabling international development efforts across the globe.

 “It is an exciting time for the company as we continue to experience exponential growth both in the U.S. and internationally, and I am honored to have the opportunity to oversee the global operations of Little Caesars,” says Vissing.

Owners of Domino's Pizza and Dunkin' Donuts chains in India, Jubilant FoodWorks, on Tuesday announced that it has formed a wholly owned subsidiary in the Netherlands to explore business opportunities in the food service industry in the European country.

"Jubilant Foodworks Ltd has incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary company "Jubilant Foodworks Netherlands B.V." on February 15, 2021. (It has been) incorporated as a wholly owned subsidiary of the company for exploring business opportunities," said Jubilant in a regulatory filing.

However, it did not share more details about the new venture.

Jubilant also started Chinese cuisine restaurant Hong's Kitchen and biryani restaurant Ekdum! Biryani.

May Interest: Jubilant Foodworks to invest Rs 92 Crore in Barbeque Nation, acquire 10.76% Stake

In December 2020, it also acquired 10.76 per cent equity stake in Barbeque-Nation Hospitality Ltd for Rs 92 crore.

Jubilant FoodWorks reported a 21.71 per cent increase in consolidated profit at Rs 123.91 crore in the third quarter ended December 2020.

Domino’s Pizza has appointed Sarah Barron, ex-chief growth officer at Costa Coffee, as its new chief marketing officer.

Sarah will take over from interim CMO Simon Wallis from this month.

Simon is also international managing director and will now move to the new role of chief transformation officer from 1 February.

Sarah has worked with Cadbury for more than 11 years, where she rose to the position of managing director on premium brand Green & Black’s.

In 2016, she joined Costa as chief marketing officer, rising to CGO in 2019.

“I’m delighted to welcome Sarah to the Domino’s team. She brings a wealth of expertise from some great brands, as well as hugely valuable experience of working within a franchise business,” shared Dominic Paul, chief executive of Domino’s Pizza Group.

Owners of Domino’s pizza and Dunkin Donuts in India Jubilant FoodWorks enter the list of top 100 companies by average market cap for the period July-December 2020.

“Jubilant Foodworks enters the list of Top 100 companies in India by average Market Cap for the period July-December 2020. We were at Rank 229 in 2017. #DominosFoodSoldiers @amfiindia,” Tweeted Pratik Pota, CEO, Jubilant FoodWorks on Thursday.

Jubilant has become one of the first company in Indian hospitality sector that has recovered from the covid-19 pandemic loss. The company has been focusing a lot on opening new outlets, entering new geographies and also venturing into new segments by opening a Chinese and a biryani brand.

In December, the QSR major has also bought 10.76% stake in casual-dining chain Barbeque Nation for Rs 92 crore.

Also Read: Jubilant Foodworks to invest Rs 92 Crore in Barbeque Nation, acquire 10.76% Stake

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 Pizza has launched country’s first plant-based pizza called, ‘The Unthinkable Pizza’, shared Jubilant Foodworks in its regulatory filings.

The pizza is made from plant based proteins and is 100% vegetarian and yet has the sensory properties of chicken, shared Jubilant.

“We are delighted to launch India’s first plant protein-based product, The Unthinkable Pizza. This innovative and 100% vegetarian product will allow Indian consumers to experience the plant-protein wave sweeping across the world. Domino’s has always brought pioneering innovations to the Indian market, and we are happy to once again be the first to bring this trend to India,” shared Pratik Pota, chief executive officer & Whole-time Director of Jubilant FoodWorks.

Introduced after extensive consumer testing, the new pizza will be available at all Domino’s restaurants across Delhi NCR, Mumbai, and Bangalore.

Domino’s is running 1,264 restaurants in India. Jubilant FoodWorks holds the India franchise for Domino's Pizza and Dunkin’ Donuts brands.

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 restaurant chain PizzaExpress has decided to close 73 of its 449 UK restaurants due to coronavirus lockdowns and higher costs.

This would also impact over 1100 jobs at the restaurant chain.

Also Read: PizzaExpress to close 15% of its UK biz

According to the reports, rental costs at PizzaExpress have become unsustainable and launched a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) to improve its finances by cutting rental agreements and temporarily moving from quarterly to monthly rents.

"Hard as this process is, it will protect the jobs of over 9,000 of our colleagues," Zoe Bowley, MD, UK and Ireland said in a statement.

This is not for the first time, in the last five months we have seen many restaurants closing outlets and cut thousands of jobs, seeking to restructure their businesses in the face of the pandemic.

May Interest: PizzaExpress to close over 50 restaurants in UK

The pizza chain said it would seek approval for the CVA proposals from its creditors on Sept. 4.

PizzaExpress said earlier this month that 166 of its restaurants are now open and further reopenings are under way.

Earlier this month, Chinese buyout firm Hony Capital decided to cease control of PizzaExpress, which it bought for 900 million pounds ($1.19 billion) in 2014, to creditors in a debt-for-equity swap.

Casual dining chain PizzaExpress is planning  to close over 50 stores in UK.

According to reports, the pizza chain has cited financial restructuring to combat the effects of the pandemic crisis as one of the reason for the closures.

The economic impact of the Covid-19 virus is putting pressure on restaurants across the country and according to Sky News PizzaExpress is considering closing "around 75" of its 470 UK outlets through an insolvency process called a company voluntary arrangement (cva).

However, the final number of closures had not been decided yet and would depend on how talks with landlords go. The talks are expected to be held by next week.

The restructuring also includes the takeover of control by the company’s bondholders from Chinese investor Hony Capital. Hony Capital bought the group back in 2014 for £900m.

Domino's Pizza, Inc is offering customers a new way of contactless carryout option, Carside Delivery.

Via this option customers can choose when placing a prepaid online order, and it is now available in stores across the U.S.

"Domino's is all about providing a delicious, hot meal, the way customers want it – whether via carryout or delivery," said Dennis Maloney, Senior VP & Chief Innovation Officer, Domino's.

Domino's Carside Delivery gives customers the option to stay in their vehicle while a team member delivers their order to them, making for a convenient, contactless carryout experience.

When customers place a prepaid digital carryout order, they'll see the option for Domino's Carside Delivery. Once they make that selection, they will be prompted to add their vehicle color, make and model, which will be used to identify them when they arrive at the store.

Customers can also select where they'd like their order placed – the passenger side, back seat, trunk or the option to decide when they arrive. Customers can notify the store when they arrive by hitting the "I'm here" button on Domino's Tracker® page or by replying "HERE" to Domino's opt-in text, and a team member from the store will bring the order to their vehicle.

Domino's Carside Delivery is currently available from 4-9 p.m. in stores across the nation. Additional hours may vary by location. To find the nearest Domino's location or to place an order, visit dominos.com.

Jubilant FoodWorks on Wednesday reported a 57.96 per cent decline in consolidated net profit at Rs 32.53 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown.

The company that operates fast food chains Domino's Pizza and Dunkin' Donuts, had posted a net profit of Rs 77.38 crore in January-March quarter a year ago, Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd (JFL) said in a BSE filing.

Revenue from operations rose 4.11 per cent to Rs 908.75 crore during the quarter under review as against Rs 872.82 crore in the corresponding quarter last fiscal.

“There was a sharp drop in revenue in March due to COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent national lockdown, which impacted the overall quarter's performance adversely", Jubilant said in a statement.

Total expenses for the quarter rose 13.64 per cent to Rs 875 crore as against Rs 769.91 crore a year ago.

The group also added 17 new restaurants during the quarter that includes 13 Domino’s outlet and two restaurants each for Dunkin' Donuts and Hong's Kitchen brand.

"Our strong run in Q4 was interrupted by the onset of coronavirus and the consequent lockdown,” said Pratik Pota, CEO, Jubilant FoodWorks.

However, the company also closed three Domino's Pizza restaurants in January-March quarter.

Global pizza giant Domino's Pizza Inc will join the Standard & Poor's 500 .SPX, despite having last month withdrawn its long-term growth outlook after closing stores because of the coronavirus pandemic.

S&P Dow Jones Indices said on Wednesday it is promoting the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based pizza delivery chain from its S&P MidCap 400, one of several changes it announced to its indexes.

While withdrawing its forecast for two- to three-year sales growth, Domino’s said US same-store sales were up 7.1% in late March and much of April, as diners under lockdown ordered home delivery more often.

Domino’s kept company-owned US stores open but said about 1,750 international stores were temporarily closed.

Pizza Hut is using advanced analytics to optimise online sales during the lockdown when all its restaurants are closed.

Speaking at last week’s Retail Expo virtual event, Tristan Burns, analytics lead for Pizza Hut Digital Ventures (PHDV), described how the company’s e-commerce arm interrogates data to reduce friction for customers without decreasing the value of their online orders.

The digital ventures arm of the company works across Pizza Hut, which is organised on a national franchise basis.

He cautioned peers not to overdraw lessons from the current coronavirus crisis, and said customer behaviour at present might indicate some trends that might hold validity for the future, but it was too hard to be sure of that.

According to him the current pandemic, from a conversion optimisation perspective, had created an abnormal situation that must be carefully watched. In the UK, the restaurants are closed and customer collection is not available, but pizza delivery is still happening. All transactions are therefore online, and all are distributed by contact-free delivery, not collection.

“It is hard to say, but it is unlikely that things will go back to exactly normal, with the same ratios of collection versus delivery as before or as now,” shared Burns by adding that if you have to optimise in the short term for coronavirus, then do use your current data, but if you are thinking more long term, I would be careful not to look too deeply into the current data about customer behaviours.

While restaurants across the globe have seen impact on sales due to Novel corona virus, Domino’s has managed to remain at the top.

The pizza chain reported that same-store sales at domestic stores (6,126 units) grew 1.6 percent in Q1 in the US.  A majority of U.S. stores and all supply chain centers are open. CEO Ritch Allison said domestic sales were similar to Q4 in January, but the numbers began to take a hit in February and March.

The brand is completely closed in 14 international markets and partially closed in 23 more. In total, 1,400 units have temporarily shuttered internationally. Most of those are in France, Spain, New Zealand, and Panama. International same-store sales (10,933) grew 1.5 percent in Q1. Comps dipped 0.2 percent in the period from February 24 to March 22. As of March 22, 143 stores opened internationally in Q1 and 104 shut down, for a net of 39.

“As we manage through this challenge across the globe, I am proud to say that we are prioritizing the health and well-being of our team members, franchisees, and the communities we serve. We take our responsibility seriously for continuing to provide convenient and reliable delivery and carryout experiences to the communities where those services have been deemed essential during this extraordinary time,” shared Ritch Allison, CEO, Domino’s.

Given the market uncertainty arising from COVID-19, subsequent to the end of the first quarter, the Company took a precautionary measure and borrowed the remaining availability of $158 million under its outstanding variable funding notes to improve its already strong cash position. These borrowings, along with the Company's estimated current unrestricted cash as of the end of the first quarter, provide the Company with more than $300 million in cash on hand to provide enhanced financial flexibility.

After McDonald’s, Domino's Pizza has introduced 'zero contact delivery" across all its 1,325 restaurants in the country due to Coronavirus outbreak.

The new delivery model –

The aim of this new delivery model is to ensure safety of both customers and the delivery staff. It will allow its customers to receive their order without coming in contact with a delivery staff. The latest version of the “Zero contact delivery” will be available in the latest version of the Dominos app. For the customers to avail the service, they need to select the "Zero contact delivery" delivery option while placing an order and pay digitally from the latest version of the Domino's app.

Pratik Pota, Chief Executive Officer & Whole Time Director said, "We have launched Zero Contact Delivery. Customers can place an online order through the Domino's app, ask for Zero Contact Delivery and pay digitally. We will then deliver the Domino's pizzas to customers without any physical contact with our guests. Customer and Employee safety is our number 1 priority and we are taking all measures towards that." Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd (JFL), the licensee for Domino's Pizza in India also added that they have adopted more hygiene and sanitation protocols in all their stores for delivery.

How does the new “Zero contact delivery” work?

After the safe delivery expert arrives with the order, he will place it in front of the customer's door in a carry bag before moving back to a safe distance. The Safe Delivery Experts will wait to ensure that it has been collected. Regarding hygiene, Domino’s also stated that its restaurants, delivery bikes, delivery bike boxes, and pizza delivery hot bags were being sanitised every four hours. Not just this, they also ensured that their pizzas were baked at 245 degree Celsius.

Other fast food giants with “zero contact delivery”

Before  Domino's, earlier this week our favourite fast food giants such as  McDonald's, Zomato has also started "zero contact delivery" in the country. Apart from this, Starbucks is also nailing at preventive methods for the outbreak of the disease. It is heartwarming to see these outlets coming up with preventive method to help combat the disease.

Domino's Pizza Group has announced that its long-serving Chairman Stephen Hemsley will step down from the board. The move comes four months after the British pizza delivery chain announced the retirement of its Chief Executive Officer.

Hemsley was hired as Domino's non-executive Chairman in March 2010. He will exit from the company on December 29.

Domino's Senior Independent Director Ian Bull will be assuming the role of an Interim Chairman.

The company said, “The search for a new chairman is progressing, and will be followed by the appointment of a new CEO.”

In August, Chief Executive Officer David Wild retired after the company said earlier this year that it was considering replacing its CEO and Chairman in the wake of the Financial Reporting Council's revised corporate code that emphasised the need for boards to refresh themselves.

Domino's Pizza Group, which is a franchise of US-based Domino's Pizza Inc, has been struggling to control costs in its international business. It is in the process of exiting four of its loss-making global operations.

Growing Pizza Market

The Italian food format stood third in preference after Indian and Chinese five to six years ago. However, recent studies show that pizza is the biggest and the most profitable segment in the Quick Serve Restaurant (QSR) format.

The Indian pizza market is dominated by Jubilant Food Works and Yum Brands, who own the widely recognisable brands Domino’s and Pizza Hut, respectively. However, other brands such as Sbarro, Papa John’s and Marco’s Pizza are also competing to spread their base in India. Thus, with the increase in the number of players, the market is ripe for investors.

Serving pizza via franchise route

Global and domestic pizza brands in India are expanding their stores through the franchise route throwing many opportunities for entrepreneurs in the country. Be it Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Papa John’s,  Sbarro, Neopolitan Pizza or any other pizza brand, the majority of them are spreading their footprints via a franchise model in India. Domino’s Pizza has Jubilant FoodWorks Limited as it Master Franchisee.

Prospects in smaller cities

The Indian fast food market, which used to concentrate only in the metropolitan cities, has been witnessing a robust growth pan-India over the past few years. Tier II and III cities are the focus of the leading pizza makers due to huge opportunities there.

In the pizza segment, competition is getting intense as franchisors are significantly ramping up their presence across tier-II and tier-III cities of India. There exists a tremendous growth opportunity for franchisors in these areas as an educated middle-class population is becoming more sophisticated with respect to standardised food consumption.

Continuing with its global growth momentum, Domino's Pizza has launched its first store in the Czech Republic. The new outlet has been opened by Domino's, through a partnership with master franchisee Daufood Czech Republic S.R.O.

Jose Marti, Chief Executive Officer of Daufood, said, “I am so proud of the team that helped bring the global Domino's brand to the Czech Republic. We look forward to sharing our delicious products, excellent customer service and prompt delivery with the citizens of Brno.”

Domino's first store in Czech Republic is unveiled at Vinohrady area of Brno. The new store features the new pizza theater design, a refreshing and inviting interior, stylish seating, as well as a front-row seat to watch all the action of pizza-making.

The pizza chain will launch the second location in Brno's city center, with additional locations planned for next year.

Joe Jordan, Executive Vice President of international, Domino's, stated, “Establishing ourselves in the Czech Republic provides an excellent opportunity for our brand to continue its global momentum. With a terrific, proven master franchisee like Daufood, we are confident that Domino's will be able to establish itself as the pizza delivery brand of choice in Brno.”

Also Read: Indian Pizza Market Offers A Mouth Watering Opportunity For Investors

Domino's is now operating in over 85 markets worldwide, with more than half of its global retail sales coming from international stores. It is the largest pizza company in the world based on global retail sales.

Growth in Pizza Market

The Italian food format stood third in preference after Indian and Chinese five to six years ago. However, recent studies show that pizza is the biggest and the most profitable segment in the Quick Serve Restaurant (QSR) format.

The Indian pizza market is dominated by Jubilant Food Works and Yum Brands, who own the widely recognisable brands Domino’s and Pizza Hut, respectively. However, other brands such as Sbarro, Papa John’s and Marco’s Pizza are also competing to spread their base in the country. Thus, with the increase in the number of players, the market is ripe for investors.

Also Read: Top 8 QSR Segments That Are Steaming Hot Franchise Opportunities

Prospects in smaller cities

In the pizza segment, competition is getting intense as franchisors are significantly ramping up their presence across tier-II and tier-III cities of India. There exists a tremendous growth opportunity for franchisors in these areas as an educated middle-class population is becoming more sophisticated with respect to standardised food consumption.

Domino’s will soon launch custom electric bikes for pizza delivery across the United States through a partnership with Rad Power Bikes. With this launch, the pizza giant aims to become more competitive with on-demand apps such as DoorDash, GrubHub and UberEats.

Later this year, Domino’s will deploy hundreds of e-bikes across corporate-owned stores in Baltimore, Houston, Miami and Salt Lake City.

The e-bikes supplied by Rad Power Bikes will be able to hold 12 large pizzas at a time in attached Domino's Heatwave bags. These e-bikes are equipped with small integrated motors to assist with pedaling, and can run for up to 40 miles before needing a recharge.

The e-bikes have also been customized to hold pizza, drinks and sides.

Tom Curtis, Executive Vice President of corporate operations, Domino's, said, “Domino's tested e-bikes in a number of corporate-owned stores across Houston, Miami and New York earlier this year, and those stores saw improvements in overall delivery and service. They also experienced labor benefits, as the stores were able to hire from a wider pool of candidates, including those who might not have a car or driver's license. Plus, stores that were already delivering with traditional bikes saw improved team member satisfaction with e-bikes.”

Brian Rinckenberger, Commercial Sales Director for Rad Power Bikes, stated, “We built a tailored delivery solution for Domino’s that is setting an exciting example for how e-bikes can be used to benefit business efficiency and employee satisfaction. We’re proud that the partnership with Domino’s, which began with one franchise owner in Seattle several years ago, is now expanding nationwide.”

Greg Keller, Seattle Domino’s franchisee, added, “While delivery on a traditional bike solved many of our traffic and parking issues, the hills in Seattle were tough on even our best cyclists. E-bikes were a game-changer for us, and we’ve been delivering with them for three years now. We have been able to save money, provide better service, increase hiring and maintain a happy workforce.”

Domino’s, an American multinational pizza restaurant chain, will soon add vegan beef to its menus across Australia. The new soy-based beef will be featured on three pizzas, including Beef & Onion, Beef Loaded Burger, and Beef Taco Fiesta.

With this launch, Domino’s is targeting Australia as it is the third fastest growing vegan community.

Developed for Domino’s by a company in Brisbane, the plant-based beef has no artificial colours and is low in saturated fat and higher in protein.

Nick Knight, CEO of Domino’s Australia and New Zealand, said, “Pizza is our passion and we want to ensure that everyone can share in the joy of pizza, regardless of their religious, ethical, dietary, or lifestyle choices.”

“Our existing Beef & Onion Pizza is among our top five most popular pizzas nationally, and beef is our second-highest selling topping, so we already know it’s a product our customers love. We set out to share this love by serving up a range of tasty plant-based pizzas that offers our customers more choice at no extra charge,” he added.

Domino's Pizza, the largest pizza company in the world, is partnering with Nuro, the robotics company transforming local commerce, on autonomous pizza delivery using the custom unmanned vehicle known as the R2 later this year.

With this partnership, the global leader in pizza delivery will use Nuro's unmanned fleet for serving select Houston Domino's customers who place orders online. The partnership will further expand Nuro's autonomous delivery operations, which have safely and successfully been running in the Houston metro area since March 2019.

Kevin Vasconi, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Domino's, said, "We are always looking for new ways to innovate and evolve the delivery experience for our customers. Nuro's vehicles are specially designed to optimize the food delivery experience, which makes them a valuable partner in our autonomous vehicle journey. The opportunity to bring our customers the choice of unmanned delivery experience, and our operators an additional delivery solution during a busy store rush, is an important part of our autonomous vehicle testing."

Cosimo Leipold, Head of Partner Relations, Nuro, added, "We are excited to expand our autonomous delivery service in Houston with Domino's delivery. Domino's delivers millions of pizzas around the world every day, and the company shares our passion for focusing on the customer experience. We see incredible opportunity in offering Nuro's world-class autonomous technology to Domino's customers, accelerating our shared mission to transform local commerce."

Domino’s is planning to expand its pizza category with new giveaway policy.

The pizza chain is planning to grow its customer base with new ‘Point of Pies’, reported CNBC.

“Domino’s new promotional program, Points for Pies, is meant to grow the overall pizza space as well as Domino's customer base,” said Ritch Allison, CEO, Domino’s.

The campaign, enabled by Domino's technology, gives consumers 10 rewards points for each photo of a pizza clicked they send to Domino's, even if it isn't a Domino's pizza. People can submit once a week, and once they hit 60 points, Domino's will give them a free pizza.

"We don't know the exact number of how many customers will come on board with us, but as the leader in the pizza category, we see this as a great opportunity not only to grow the overall pizza category, but also to invite new customers in to download our app and to try our product," shared Allis.

He added that when a customer tries Domino’s product, the brand has got the opportunity to bring them back.

Domino's tech approach to pizza isn't new, last summer, the pizza chain rolled out "hotspots," an initiative that allowed customers to order pizza to non-traditional places like the park or the beach through its app.

The project could compound the boost in sales Domino's will already get from this weekend's Super Bowl.

"It's a huge day for us, Super Bowl Sunday. We're typically up about 40 percent over a normal Sunday. We'll sell about 2 million pizzas and about 4 million chicken wings,” added Allison.

Domino's shares inched up 0.8 percent in Wednesday's trading session, settling at $277.06. The company is expected to issue its next earnings report in February.

The pizza chain, Domino's has planned to deliver pizzas to the great outdoors at U.S. beaches, parks and landmarks to hand over pizza, cheesy bread and other food on its menu.

In all, Domino's said it will deliver to 150,000 outdoor locations including under the Gateway Arch in St. Louis; by the Las Vegas welcome sign; or next to a statue of soul singer James Brown in Augusta, Georgia. The locations show up on the company's app or website as "Domino's Hotspots."

Delivery is a key part of the company's business, and it has been aggressive in making it easy to order through tweets, text messages and Amazon's voice-activated Echo. But competition has grown from other fast-food chains that are offering more delivery options. McDonald's has a deal with online service UberEats, and the parent company of KFC and Taco Bell recently teamed up with Grubhub to expand delivery.

Domino's says it tested the service last fall in Miami, where customers ordered outside hotels and the zoo. Dennis Maloney, the company's chief digital officer, wouldn't say how many deliveries were made during the test, but said it was enough to decide to roll it out nationwide.

Franchisees chose the hotspots, including local dog parks and airports. Drivers will pull up to the curb to meet customers, Domino's said, and people can tell the app what they're wearing so they're easier to spot.

Shares in Domino's Pizza Inc., which is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, closed Monday up $2.03, or almost 1 percent, at $232.35.

DP Eurasia, second master franchisee owner of Domino's Pizza brand in Turkey, Russia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, has announced its intention to float on the main market of the London Stock Exchange, the telegraph reported. 

DP Eurasia NV, which has 571 stores, plans to open roughly 70 stores this year, with 40 in Russia and 30 across its other three geographies. 

In the next few years, it expects to open 70 to 90 stores annually. 

The company has been owned by Turkish Private Equity Fund II and DP Eurasia NV's chief executive Aslan Saranga since 2010.

Domino's Pizza has opened its Facebook Messenger bot to allow people to make entire orders. Dom the pizza bot first made its debut last summer ahead of Pizza Hut.

Now the full menu, including pizzas, wings, and other food, can be ordered without ever leaving Messenger.

The bot makes no use of a payments beta created for the Messenger platform last fall. Rather, all deliveries made must be paid for in cash.

Before starting the bot craze or investment from major tech firms, in 2015 Domino's asked customers to tweet pizza emojis to make orders. The company also has a Google Home conversation action.

Super Bowl Sunday is one of the five busiest delivery days of the year for Domino’s in the United States. This year the company expects to sell 12 million pizzas, five times greater than a typical Sunday.

Ahead of the Super Bowl, it’s been a somewhat active week for food orders with conversational commerce. Starbucks too has recently launched an Alexa skill for customers to make preset orders. TGI Fridays also launched a Twitter bot that takes orders and promises appetizers for a penny if you send the bot a football emoji.

Several chain stores have taken steps to make it possible for customers to order food with a bot or intelligent assistant.

Wingstop and Pizza Hut both have an Alexa skill and Facebook Messenger bot, while startups like Olo and Allset are using Messenger bots to compete in the fight for lunch.

Jubilant FoodWorks Limited, India’s largest food service Company, has appointed of Pratik Pota as Chief Executive Officer.

Pota will join the company by end of February 2017 succeeding Ajay Kaul.

He will assume the role and responsibilities as CEO and Whole time Director and Key Managerial Personnel of the Company with effect from April 1, 2017.

Speaking on the appointment, Shyam S. Bhartia, Chairman and Hari S. Bhartia, Co-Chairman, Jubilant FoodWorks, said, “We welcome Pratik to Jubilant, and are confident that with his rich experience and leadership, he will take the business to greater heights.”

An alumnus of IIM Kolkata and BITS Pilani, Pota joins the company from PepsiCo India where he was Chief Operating Officer, Foods & Beverages (Company Owned Operations).

Prior to this, he has held various leadership roles at Bharti Airtel and Hindustan Unilever.

He has over twenty-four years of experience in FMCG and Telecom Industry.

“I feel privileged and humbled to be given an opportunity to lead India’s largest food service Company. The Indian food services industry is poised for rapid growth and JFL, being the frontrunner, is well positioned to leverage this opportunity. I look forward to be a part of this exciting journey,” added Pota.

A delivery boy with a Domino’s Pizza outlet in Lajpat Nagar allegedly molested a five-year-old girl on Sunday afternoon. The 27-year-old accused was arrested a few hours after the child’s family approached the police.

The delivery boy identified as Amit has been working as a delivery boy from last four months.

According to an statement issued by the Domino’s, the pizza chain immediately terminated the services of the accused and are extending their full cooperation to ensure a thorough investigation.

The girl, a Class I student, lives in a joint family in the Ashram area and her father is a software engineer in a city outside Delhi. And ahs placed order for his family.

“The delivery boy brought the pizza around 11.45 a.m. We assumed that he had left once we collected our order from him. But, within minutes my niece came running to us trembling and sweating, and indicated to us that the delivery boy had misbehaved with her,” the girl’s uncle told The Hindu .

Some family members rushed out to catch the suspect but he was allegedly seen speeding away on his motorcycle.

The girl was climbing the stairs when Amit switched off the light in that area and molested her before she escaped and informed the family.

The family said one amongst them called the police control room (PCR) while some others visited the outlet to catch the suspect, who lives in Dakshinpuri.

“We demanded that Amit’s colleagues hand him over to us, but they hid him in the outlet. Some even claimed that he had resigned long ago,” alleged the girl’s cousin brother.

A spokesperson with Domino’s Pizza, however, denied the allegation.

“No one at the outlet tried to shield the accused. There could have been a miscommunication. We are always ready to report such incidents to the authorities,” added the spokesperson.

The police registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and arrested Amit. A senior police officer said he had confessed to the crime.

Everstone Capital has acquired Domino's Pizza's Indonesia franchise by picking up 51 percent stake for USD 20 million, stated a media report.

F&B Asia Ventures, a part of Everstone which specialises in creating a portfolio of food and beverage brands across South Asia and India will look after this new investment. The company plans to expand its operations of 60 branded pizza outlets in six Indonesian cities, including Jakarta and Bali.