zpizza, the worldwide leader of the better pizza segment for over 25 years with 100 stores open internationally, just opened its 5th Middle East location in Dubai. The Dubai location, a trendy, state-of-the-art site, was opened in October of 2012 by 54º East, a food & beverage company based out of the UAE who serves as zpizza’s Area Developer in the region.
Zpizza is known for its strides toward providing customers with ‘better pizza’ – better tasting, better quality, better-for-you, and better for the planet – and were recognized for these efforts by PizzaMarketplace.com on their list of 2012 Top 100 Movers & Shakers in the Pizza Industry. They have branded themselves as ‘The Pure One’, and began a pure revolution which includes everything from their fresh produce used for toppings to their dough which is prepared fresh daily from 100 percent organic wheat flour. They are also able to cater to special diets with options like gluten free crust, vegan cheese, and veggie crumble toppings. As healthy eating is a trend that is catching on everywhere, zpizza is the original franchise that applied this to pizza, allowing one of the world’s most beloved comfort foods to take part in the movement.
54º East, the franchise developer of zpizza in the UAE, is a forward thinking food & beverage company headquartered in Dubai. They are responsible for bringing other American brands like Ketchup to the region, and describe what they look for in a brand as “young, fast-paced, and setting new trends in the market.” Their tagline – “Feeding Your Lifestyle” – goes hand-in-hand with what zpizza, as a brand, represents, as they too embody a lifestyle. The company’s talent has a keen eye for recognizing top international trends in the food & beverage industry, and for that reason resolved themselves to bringing on zpizza.
54º East is in love with the concept and plans to expand, targeting about 20+ units in the UAE, in addition to hopefully acquiring further territories. While discussing what drew them to zpizza, Rafia AlMulla of 54º East, says, “They have created the new generation of pizzas with unique ingredients suitable for vegetarians, gluten free, and vegan eaters. As the healthier eating trends continue to progress there have been many copy-cat brands, but our company wanted to represent the leader and the innovator in the segment, which is zpizza.”
The first store, which opened in October, is roughly 2,000 square feet and is located at Jumeirah Beach Road in Dubai Marina – one of Dubai’s busiest neighborhoods – just a couple of miles from the beach. It offers sit-down, carry-out, and catering, as well as delivery and online ordering of their full menu – which is available through both their traditional and mobile websites. In addition to the online ordering, other unique qualities of the website include the listing of ingredients used in all the dishes, as well as the menu’s nutrition facts.
Dubai Cares, a charitable organization that helps provide quality education to children in need, joined the restaurant in the ceremonial ribbon cutting for its grand opening.
Fransmart, the franchise development company behind the expansion of many franchise brands including Five Guys Burgers & Fries, have worked alongside zpizza for a long time. Says Fransmart CEO, Dan Rowe, “Consumers love restaurants that are health-conscious and eco-friendly, so there is a lot of brand loyalty for a concept like zpizza.”
