Adrien Ellul tucks into a PizzaExpress meal at one of his three restaurants in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is proving a recipe for success for UK-based restaurant chain PizzaExpress, which has opened three outlets in four years and is planning further expansion.

Since the successful launch of its first restaurant, San Marzano in Soho, one of the famed dining and entertainment districts of Central, two more outlets have followed in prime shopping and commercial precincts on Hong Kong Island: Pacific Place and Taikoo Shing. Director and general manager of PizzaExpress (Hong Kong) Limited Adrien Ellul believes the company is on track for achieving its goal of five restaurants in five years.

All will be operated under the PizzaExpress brand, which has 330 restaurants in the UK and another 42 restaurants in 13 countries.

"Hongkongers are spoilt for choice when it comes to restaurants and the only way to win them over is with the right offer," he said. "I think we have achieved that because our restaurants are about high quality produce and authentic food served in stylish surroundings, at value for money prices. They are viewed as places where you can go to catch up with friends, talk business, celebrate a special occasion or take the kids out for a treat."

Mr Ellul said Hong Kong was the ideal place in the region to launch PizzaExpress. It is a cosmopolitan city and a popular place for visitors from Europe, who are already familiar with the brand.

Optimism fuels growth

"We chose Central for our first location as this area is popular with expatriates and many of them know our brand. We are also keen to open branches in Kowloon as winning over local Chinese customers is key to a successful entry into China," he said.

Mr Ellul commented on Hong Kong's rebounding economy and the record tourism arrivals, which has put "everyone in a good mood". "People are going out and spending more," he said. "Most restaurants are benefiting from this surge in optimism."

The company aims to continue to grow without compromising quality or service, he said.

"We are passionate about our product and will continue to explore ways and means of making it better. We certainly plan to have more outlets in Hong Kong and we think there is room for at least five or six more. Festival Walk in Kowloon Tong is one of our favourite shopping malls, but it is hard to tell when something will become available. We will continue to be discerning in our choice of locations and this will obviously narrow down the opportunities for us to expand."

He added that the company intends to replicate in the Chinese mainland the successful business model it is developing in Hong Kong.

"The mainland is still very much in our sights, but we need to consolidate our business here in Hong Kong before we can contemplate a move."
 
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