Pizza Hut reset in focus as Devyani International appoints new CEO
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. BENGALURU : Quick service restaurant (QSR) operator Devyani International Ltd is planning to turn around its loss-making Pizza Hut business, which has proven to be an Achilles’ heel for the company over several quarters. Manish Dawar, the incoming president and chief executive, said the company will add zero net new Pizza Hut outlets in calendar 2025 and 2026, shifting attention instead to fixing the fundamentals.
A key priority is shutting loss-making stores, alongside upgrading technology, an area where Devyani has fallen behind its peers, he said, adding the clean-up exercise could take a couple of years. Pizza Hut will also see sharper marketing, a stronger innovation pipeline, and more targeted online-offline strategies as the company works to revive demand, he said. Dawar acknowledged that Devyani’s earlier operating structure, split across Yum! Brands, Sapphire Foods, and Devyani slowed decision-making and technology investments, leaving them less nimble than competitors.
The ongoing merger with Sapphire Foods is aimed at fixing that, with Devyani set to take control of technology and supply-chain operations, which management believes will help accelerate Pizza Hut’s reset. Dawar said the company has begun experimenting with promotions, value deals, and differentiated online and offline strategies, which helped deliver positive same-store sales growth in January. “We’ve started taking initiatives, and we’re seeing early results," he said.
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