Great news for the Hell Pizza chain – Warren Powell, Callum Davies and Stu McMullin, who first opened Hell Pizza during 2003, have re-purchased the New Zealand franchise back from the NZ owners of Burger King!

Meanwhile Tasman Pacific Food Group see potential to expand the number of Burger King outlets from 71 to over 100, so they say the deal with the Hell founders allows it to focus on the one business of Burger King now.

Hell founder Powell believed Tasman Pacific had tried to meet the market by offering lower prices.

The Hell trio would do the opposite, lifting quality and offering novelties like crocodile pizza.

Hell was never meant to be only pizza and in the early days they offered everything from curries to milkshakes. They plan to start integrating other products back in.

“You’ve got to educate the market, you can get great tasting food at home,” Powell said.

Over in Aussie,  Hell is able to charge about  of $25 for a pizza and the recession offered opportunities, they said.

“In New Zealand a lot of people who would normally go out and have a restaurant meal for $70-$80 will now instead go to Hell and spend $40-$50,” McMullin said.

Meanwhile many franchisees are happy to have the soul and passion of the original business back behind the Hell Pizza brand.

Source: NZ Herald 13/5/09