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partners in pizza S
rinivas Gandewar is in partnership with one of the biggest brands in the world – and it’s working very well for him. ‘I bought my first Pizza Hut store in Kerikeri in 2017 and I now own three more, with another two planned by the end of 2022,’ he says happily. ‘The franchisor looks on me as their partner, and cares about me – I feel my well-being and my profitability are equally important to them. ‘For me, Pizza Hut has it all. It is a low-risk investment with a very high success rate among store owners. That success is built on a superb reputation with the public and a dedicated support team based here in New Zealand. Without such a brand, I could never have expanded so far and so fast.’
Buying power reduces costs, increases profits Pizza Hut New Zealand is part of Restaurant Brands, which operates a number of highly-successful food brands around the country and overseas. That gives franchisees access to considerable resources and massive buying power, as Mike Connell, Franchise Development Manager of Pizza Hut, points out. ‘We have 105 stores in New Zealand, with more being built right now, and our aim is smart expansion. We’ve done a lot of work in terms of our new stores offering the best possible return on investment for franchisees, with smaller footprints and package prices to suit different locations and investment levels. We have a number of great opportunities for both greenfield and infill locations throughout the country, and we are looking for new people to add variety and energy to the business.’ Mike has been interviewing potential franchisees recently and says many people are nervous about approaching such a famous brand. ‘They want to know, “Do I need food experience? Do I need management experience, or a huge amount of money?” Well, no – they don’t! ‘All we need is a great attitude and a willingness to learn and work hard. We have operators from all walks of life: a former air steward, a food scientist, someone from the construction industry ... If you want to deliver great customer service and are passionate about the Pizza Hut brand, that can be enough – and our track record makes raising the funding easier for the right people. After all, we are the most globallyloved pizza brand, and our product speaks for itself.’
No hesitation Jatinderpal (JP) Sahota has been a Pizza Hut franchisee for almost seven years and now owns four stores on Auckland’s North Shore. He has no hesitation in recommending the brand to potential buyers. ‘When I joined, I found the training and support programmes to be really well-structured, and over the years the ongoing operational support the brand has on tap is excellent. Having been established here since 1974, franchise.co.nz – PUTTING PEOPLE IN BUSINESS
Pizza Hut is looking for people around the country eager to start their journey into business ownership
they’ve obviously learned a few things on the journey,’ he smiles. ‘And as well as the support from Pizza Hut, there are many experienced franchisees to interact and work with,’ says JP. ‘We are all passionate and energetic, and this helps the brand to grow and improve all the time. From my perspective as an operator, the strong purchasing power has helped us to keep costs in control and maintain healthy profit margins. That’s a very important element for any franchisee and, if you are keen to get into a great business, it’s one of the things that makes Pizza Hut so good.’
Knowing a good thing The fact that Pizza Hut’s franchisees include so many multi-unit operators says a lot. ‘Our franchisees know a good thing when they see one,’ says Mike. ‘Srinivas and JP are among many who have used the Pizza Hut brand to build their own business empires, and that same opportunity still exists for new franchisees. ‘Our chief focus now is to extend the network into regional towns unfortunate enough not to have a Pizza Hut yet, so there are some real opportunities out there for new franchisees. Our 12- to 14-week training period ensures that no-one will take over their store until they have all the skills they need to provide excellent service and an excellent product. We have a highly-experienced management team to support you – I have been more than 20 years with the brand, and many of us have extensive franchise support experience, so we know what it’s really like and what help you need to succeed.’
Make your dream a reality Srinivas sums up his experience in Northland. ‘Getting any business to reach its full potential takes systems and hard work. The Pizza Hut training will help you avoid many mistakes and, as I’ve proved four times already, if you are prepared to follow the Pizza Hut system, you can’t go wrong. ‘The success of any business is linked to the level of excitement and energy you bring to the day-to-day operation that staff and customers will feel. Pizza Hut made my dream of successful business ownership a reality.’ Mike concludes, ‘Come and talk to me about a new business career with Pizza Hut. I’m always pleased to have a coffee and talk with the next generation of franchisees, and see them grow from start-up to success stories. Call me now – I look forward to seeing you!’
Advertiser Info
Pizza Hut www.restaurantbrands.co.nz Contact Mike Connell P 0-9-525 8700 M 027 282 6713 mike.connell@rbd.co.nz
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