New branding, store design, menus and staff uniforms have been unveiled for Pizza Hut China stores as part of Yum China’s revitalisation plan for the chain, which is facing increasing competition.
The refreshed brand identity, centered around the theme ‘Always Something New’, incorporates a redesigned logo, modern store fit out and uniforms designed by New York fashion designer Anna Sui. The company also launched a Pizza Hut Pioneer store in Nanjing that will serve to test and refine innovative dishes with customers before they are extended to other Pizza Hut China stores within the national network of more than 2200 stores.
“Connecting to a younger generation of consumers and ensuring the brand stays fresh and relevant are fundamental to our revitalisation strategy,” said Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China.
“Our refreshed brand identity marks a new chapter for Pizza Hut China, reflecting our commitment to bringing customers innovative experiences and dishes. Our upgraded stores, new logo and uniforms all contribute to a more modern, fashionable dining experience while our exciting Pioneer concept store is designed to take customers on a journey of new tastes and discovery.”
The new Pizza Hut China restaurant is designed to deliver what Wat describes as a modern and fashionable dining experience. Featuring an open kitchen, dining room, bar, indoor garden, and family dens with tasteful lighting, the space is designed to feel like a chef’s home, where customers can enjoy the freshest ingredients and classic recipes. In line with Yum China’s strategy to use in-store technology to improve the customer experience, Pizza Hut recently launched table-side ordering through mobile phones across the country.
Inspired by Anna Sui’s “edgy, retro rock ‘n roll style”, the new uniforms have been adopted across all stores in China.
Nanjing concepts
Meanwhile, Pizza Hut China’s Pioneer store in Nanjing, which opened at the end of September, will serve as a product-testing site and will enable Pizza Hut to offer and test new menu innovations with customers directly. Taking into account evolving customer preferences, the Pioneer store menu will initially feature never-before-seen dishes, such as Pizza Hut’s square Italian pizzas and “dirty” dessert series, including original takes on brown sugar ice-cream, tiramisu, and cafe lattes. Pizza Hut China intends to open more Pioneer stores in different parts of China to gain deeper insight into customers’ ever evolving preferences.
A new, smaller store format was also recently opened in Nanjing with dine-in seating options as well as the capacity to cater to the growing demand for home delivery. While the new store is smaller than regular stores, the kitchen is designed to offer the full Pizza Hut menu. Delivery is expected to account for a significant portion of sales at the store which has a separate delivery room to facilitate a fast and efficient delivery process.
