UK Volume 21

uk.superbrands.com Superbrands UK Annual Vol.21 Since 1965 , when Peter Boizot opened the first PizzaExpress restaurant in London’s Soho , the same values of ‘great food, evocative music, and distinctive design’ have remained central to the brand’s DNA. As the one recipe that has never been changed, this powerful vision has created an iconic brand Market PizzaExpress has a long history of success and whilst the UK-wide lockdown hit the hospitality industry particularly hard, the brand remains resilient. 2020 sees the sociable pizzeria continue to roll out its FutureExpress programme that is designed to enhance not only its physical estate, but the overall customer experience. PizzaExpress continues to work closely with industry bodies such as UK Hospitality to help professionalise and promote the restaurant industry, instilling the belief that hospitality is and will remain a viable and attractive career option. Product PizzaExpress continues to adapt in line with consumers’ ever-evolving tastes, needs and dietary demands, leading the industry with its innovative menus. The team at PizzaExpress works tirelessly to source the finest ingredients for favourite recipes customers know and love. This year saw the return of the Calzone following overwhelming demand from customers, along with the launch of the online Homemade Favourites series, featuring iconic recipes for fans to make themselves at home during the lockdown period. As dietary requirements continue to evolve, the brand constantly innovates. Demand for the vegan menu grows year-on-year and this year, the lighter Leggera range achieved endorsement from Weight Watchers. PizzaExpress’ Dough Balls continue to be a crowd- pleaser, having celebrated 50 years on the menu. New recipes are in development to take this icon into the future. Achievements Industry awards have recognised the innovative menus PizzaExpress provides. This has included the 2018 FreeFrom Eating Out Awards and the PETA Vegan Food Award for the Vegan Giardiniera pizza in 2017. Furthermore, the brand was awarded the Best Restaurant Chain for Vegans in the 2019 Viva! Awards. As part of its FutureExpress rollout, the distinctive new design at PizzaExpress Langham Place has been shortlisted in the 2020 Restaurant & Bar Design Awards. PizzaExpress has also been recognised by the Good Housekeeping Institute as the UK’s ‘favourite high street restaurant’ and by Which? magazine for being the ‘healthiest and tastiest pizza on the high street’. PizzaExpress has also won marketing awards for its use of technology and launched its new app in 2018, which offers exclusive rewards for customers, and achieved the number two slot in the iTunes free app charts, second only behind WhatsApp. Building upon Peter Boizot’s original vision, the brand has been closely associated with charitable causes, continuing the founder’s original aim, to raise funds for the Venice In Peril charity. PizzaExpress also works with Macmillan Cancer Support, with one simple goal: to bring people together so that no-one faces cancer alone. Fundraising activity has seen teams and customers raise more than £2m for the charity over the past two years through initiatives such as Go Green Week. Recent Developments PizzaExpress has continued to invest and innovate to ensure it remains relevant for the future. The first phase of its FutureExpress transformation programme saw 25 new format pizzerias launched, with excellent results. Starting with Langham Place, Oxford Circus, the brand rolled out physical transformations across selected ‘test and learn’ sites at pace. The first quarter of 2020 saw several