Unfazed by the public's weakened purchasing power and the declining food delivery trend in the country, The Pizza Company is upbeat about achieving a 15% sales growth this year, largely thanks to its guaranteed 20-minute delivery service and strategic focus on attracting a younger customer base.
Thunyachate Ekvetchavit, chief operating officer of Minor Food, the operator of The Pizza Company, said although people's purchasing power remains a challenge, particularly in upcountry areas, the group is focusing on offering services that customers perceive as 'value for money'.
To enhance customer appeal, Mr Thanyachate highlighted initiatives such as a flagship 'Buy One Get One Free' promotion and the introduction of a small pizza set tailored to solo dining, and a growing trend of smaller meals.
Despite a trend suggesting a decrease in food delivery in Thailand, Mr Thunyachate said The Pizza Company has still seen robust demand for its delivery service, noting that 45% of The Pizza Company's total sales stem from delivery channels at present, a significant increase from 25% prior to the pandemic.
In addition, The Pizza Company has enhanced its delivery services standards, ensuring a 20-minute delivery time for orders from 40 designated stores in the Greater Bangkok area within a 3-kilometre radius, covering 30% of total pizza delivery sales.
This move helps address the issue of long waiting times while ensuring that customers receive their pizzas while still hot and fresh.
The company's guaranteed delivery time is being attained for around 95% of all orders at present. For customers who don't receive their delivery on time, the company provides a complimentary pizza order coupon as a form of compensation. The brand provides a 30-minute delivery guarantee for other locations in the country, encompassing 70% of total delivery sales.
Typically, each outlet in Thailand records between 2,500 and 3,000 delivery transactions per month.
"This will also distinguish us from other online delivery aggregators, which take longer to deliver such products," said Mr Thanyachate.
Patt Pongwittayapipat, general manager of the Pizza Company, said the brand aims to open 25 more outlets in Thailand this year, with a 300-million-baht budget. Of the total, 10 will be in Bangkok, and the other 15 upcountry and in second-tier cities.
The brand aims to not only open outlets within malls but also standalone stores to extend its reach to late-night delivery services, attracting more customers, said Mr Patt.
As of the end of 2023, The Pizza Company had over 420 outlets in Thailand and 170 outlets overseas, covering eight countries.
It was the top-grossing brand for Minor Food, sharing around 13-14% of total revenue.
In a market valued at 10-11 billion baht, The Pizza Company commands a dominant market share of over 70%. The brand has tapped into over 60% of the 7 million households in Thailand in total. In 2023, The Pizza Company reported a 10% sales growth from 2022, propelled by a significant rebranding campaign and the introduction of its membership programme known as 'The Pizza Club Card'. The brand aims to achieve a 100% growth in club card sales within this year, building on its existing base of 300,000 members.
This year, the company has hired Putthipong 'Billkin' Assaratanakul and Krit 'PP' Amnuaydechkorn to serve as its dual presenters, aiming to grow the number of its "young generation" customers from a 25% base at present.