Australian pizza group Pizza Capers, after opening its 100th store, has announced another 100 outlets in the pipeline, with further expansion into South-East Asia, and plans to start stores in the US and Europe. The company has opened its 100th store in Mackay in Central Queensland, bringing the number of Pizza Capers stores in Australia to 99. The company also has a store in Singapore in South East Asia. Fifteen outlets are company-owned and eighty-five are franchised, and a further thirty new stores... ...Read more »

German food group Dr Oetker has admitted it has had a “sluggish” start to 2011 with all its business lines – apart from chilled products – “falling below target”. The company, which makes products from baking ingredients to pizza, reflected on the first months of 2011 after reporting its sales figures for 2010. Dr Oetker booked an almost 9% rise in turnover for 2010, as sales grew at home and abroad. The Ristorante and Chicago Town pizza maker said it would not... ...Read more »

Australia’s second largest pizza maker, Eagle Boys Pizza yesterday (Thursday, 24 March) cooked up Australia’s largest ‘out of the box’ sculpture, made entirely out of Eagle Boys pizza boxes and packaging. Brisbane’s King George Square came alive as sculptors Rodd Brennan & Crew transformed over 5000 Eagle Boys’ pizza boxes and packaging into a 3.25m2 pizza box sculpture to launch the franchisor’s new gourmet pizza range. Complete with eight slices of... ...Read more »

Australian pizza chain La Porchetta has announced the launch of a branded iPhone app, created by software development company itakeaway, as well as a multi-platform launch on itakeaway’s own apps. Using itakeaway’s technology, La Porchetta will be rolling out the system through more than 70 La Porchetta locations, in both Australia and New Zealand, to increase ordering and efficiency. In addition to its own branded iPhone app, launching April 1st, La Porchetta will incorporate the itakeaway... ...Read more »

Australian pizza maker Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Limited (DMP) has been riding high, after announcing a $10.2 million half-year Net Profit After Tax – up 16.9% on the corresponding period last year – at its half-yearly results. The company attributed the robust profit to strong core operations which saw the company achieve same store sales (SSS) growth of 9.1% above the same corresponding period last year. The ANZ market experienced double digit SSS growth of 10.9% for the first half... ...Read more »

Italy’s number one selling frozen pizza, Dr. Oetker, has fast become one of Australia’s favourites since entering the market with its range of Ristorante frozen pizzas. Dr. Oetker Ristorante pizza entered the Australian market 12 months ago, selling in all Coles supermarkets nationwide. Its Mozzarella pizza recently became the number one selling frozen pizza in Coles. The German company expanded even further last month with the acquisition of Simplot’s frozen pizza business in Australia.... ...Read more »

German food group Dr Oetker has acquired Simplot’s Australian and New Zealand pizza business. The company announced on Friday that the acquisition would include the Papa Giuseppi’s brand, all frozen private-label pizza made by Simplot and the pizza assets at Simplot’s facility in the Melbourne suburb of Pakenham. The Papa Giuseppi brand was previously licensed to Nestlé, and purchased by Simplot in October 2009. The companies said Simplot would continue to work closely with Dr... ...Read more »

Gourmet pizza chain Pizza Capers has capped off a year of stunning growth by selling more than 15 million pizzas throughout Australia. It’s a big achievement for Australia’s fastest-growing gourmet pizza company, which has grown from two stores to more than 90 stores in only six years. Pizza Capers co-founder Scott Geiszler said he was proud of Pizza Capers’ sales success. “Fifteen million pizzas is a fantastic achievement. We’re another step closer to our goal of being... ...Read more »

Social networking is exploding at a rapid rate and now in a world first, Pizza Hut Australia is rewarding customers and their friends on Facebook with free pizza in the new Pizza Hut ‘Feed a Friend’ campaign. Every time you place an order at www.pizzahut.com.au you receive two virtual slices – one for you and one for a friend on Facebook. When you or your friends collect 4 virtual slices, you get one free real pizza from Pizza Hut. The more your order, the more virtual slices you can... ...Read more »

A Dominos pizza store in Quakers Hill has been fined $116,000 and its director $13,500 for multiple breaches of the NSW Food Act, Primary Industries Minister Steve Whan said today. “This is a very significant fine and represents one of the worst examples of food safety and hygiene breaches that we’ve seen in this state,” Minister Whan said. “The Court found that the Dominos store and its director were guilty of a sustained and ongoing disregard for the cleanliness, maintenance... ...Read more »