Way to go for GOPIZZA: 2,000 stores by end-2024

CEO aims to make it the most accessible pizza brand from Southeast Asia to the world.

IN just a few years since it started as a food truck in 2016, GOPIZZA has rapidly risen to prominence within the fast-food industry, driven by innovation and strategic expansion.

Speaking to Retail Asia, GOPIZZA’s CEO Jay Lim said the company’s mission to make pizza more affordable has clicked. Following the example of McDonald’s he also wanted his brand of pizzas made quick and personalised.

“The reason why I started this business in 2016 is because I felt that pizza is too expensive and always slow, because you have to deliver it, and also you get leftovers, so it’s too big,” Lim said.

Accessibility and innovation

GOPIZZA’s vision is to become the most accessible pizza brand globally. In working towards this goal, Lim emphasised ongoing efforts to enhance operational efficiency and product quality whilst maintaining competitive pricing.

This led the company to developing an exclusive range of cutting-edge kitchen technologies, including the Parbake Dough and “GOVENS” or the automated ovens capable of baking pizzas in just three minutes.

Lim proudly told Retail Asia how these technologies and product innovations are now being showcased by GOPIZZA at GS 25, Korea’s largest convenience store chain.

'“All these technologies basically made it possible to increase the accessibility of pizza, and eventually it became so accessible that it went into convenience store chains,” he said. “We aim to reach customers through diverse retail chains, ensuring pizzas are available anytime, anywhere, within minutes."

Doubling global presence

With a tested formula for success, what GOPIZZA is now working on is to double its global sales this year. This explains the brand’s aggressive expansion initiatives across seven countries.

Since May, GOPIZZA has successfully launched 250 units within GS 25 locations, said Lim.

And his pizza train is still moving full steam ahead with an additional 350 outlets set to open by mid-July.

By the end of the year, Lim expects to reach a total of 2,000 GOPIZZA stores.

Singapore, India, Thailand, and Indonesia have been identified as key markets for this growth. Lim is also building around these countries for their strategic importance in his company’s vision.

He highlighted India’s rapid economic growth and Singapore’s strategic importance in Southeast Asia, whilst pointing out recent investments and expansion plans in Thailand and forthcoming focus on Indonesia due to its vast market potential.

Lim also cited plans to open multiple stores monthly in India and expand aggressively in Thailand, partnering with major retail chains such as GS 25 in Korea and potentially 7-Eleven in various markets.

“I would say it was a hard journey; but this year, we kind of proved it worthwhile,” he said.