New Zealand quick service restaurant Hell Pizza opens its new Australian store in Brisbane.

This is not the first time the quirky brand has launched here. However Steve Willis, who is heading up Australian operations, said the focus is different this time.

“Australians loved Hell, and what it delivered the first time we were here, so we know that the pizzas we make hit the mark.

“Expanding into a new market during a pandemic, with supply chain issues, inflation and limited labour, has been challenging, but it’s meant we’ve had to work hard to get the brand set up – and at every point, it’s allowed us to make sure we’ve got things right,” he said.

Hell Pizza Brisbane launch kick-starts Queensland expansion

Ben Cumming, Hell CEO, said launching the brand in the Queensland capital was a deliberate choice.

“Brisbane is a forward-thinking city which has changed substantially over the last 10 years. It’s got great infrastructure for us to establish Hell in Australia, but it’s also forecast to keep growing in size and culture. It’s a great fit for us and our plans for expansion across the country,” he said.

The pizza business has an initial plan to open a further four Queensland stores within the next 12 months.

Cumming said the brand’s ethos of using high-quality, local ingredients, with high animal welfare standards, will appeal to Australian consumers.

“Hell appeals to people who care about what they eat and choose brands that reflect their values, like offering SPCA-approved chicken, free-range eggs, and stall-free pork. We’re not a mainstream offering, and we don’t make any apologies about that, which is why the time is right for us to enter Australia,” he said.

“While it’s taken us longer than planned to open the doors, that’s what we love about Hell. We take risks and push boundaries when others would take the safe option,” he said.

Hell has built a footprint of 77 stores over 23 years in New Zealand.

This story was originally published on Franchise Executives.