US Pizza in talks to set up express outlets

With the aim of widening its footprints across the country, US Pizza Pvt Ltd has initiated talks with leading multiplexes like Pyramid Saimira Theatre Ltd (PSTL), PVR Ltd and Adlabs Cinemas for setting up its franchisee outlets of which PSTL will itself be opening 200 such outlets.

Moving from its large and medium format outlets, US Pizza is also focussing on integrated townships and malls for setting up express outlets.

Moreover, eyeing the national and state highways as a huge market for the food and beverages industry along with other entertainment formats, US Pizza will be setting up outlets of an average size of 1,500 sq ft at HPCL petrol bunks across the country. It has already tied up with the PSU on a 90 : 10 revenue-sharing basis.

According to Akbar Khwaja, Managing Director, US Pizza Pvt Ltd, the company will be setting up in all 150 outlets by the end of December 2008, including large formats and express outlets. Although, most of its outlets are franchisees, US Pizza recently opened its largest flagship outlet of 5,000 sq ft at Ahmedabad.

This will also act as its training and experimentation (T&E) unit. Talking of the company's export plans, Khwaja said, "We have a confirmed order of a minimum 5,000 pizzas per day from Norway for which we are expanding our central kitchen for exports at Bangalore.

We will begin our exports from mid-January 2008 and are expecting a turnover of around Rs 10 crore. We are also in talks in Vietnam for a master franchisee for our outlets."

With the expansion of outlets in the anvil, US Pizza is expecting a turnover of Rs 50 crore for the financial year 2007-08, while Khwaja added that the company intends to have a turnover of Rs 85-90 crore for fiscal 2008-09.

The company is also introducing the latest technology for interactive ice-cream which it imported from Japan at its flagship stores across the country.