CDLH sell portfolio of 15 Pizza Hut delivery stores

CDLH, acting on behalf of Yum! III (UK) Ltd, the Pizza Hut franchisor in the UK, has sold a group of 15 franchised Pizza Hut delivery stores across central Scotland completing October 2020. Key to the success of the brand, Pizza Hut impressed upon CDLH the importance of finding the right franchisee.

Alan Creevy, Director in charge of the sale, comments, “we were approached back in January 2020 by Yum! to put in place a marketing strategy for 15 Pizza Hut carry out/home delivery stores across central Scotland. The stores are all in excellent locations, including Edinburgh’s Stockbridge, Morningside and Glasgow’s West End. We reviewed the sites and then, of course, the world changed and the COVID-19 pandemic became the only focus.

We commenced marketing the sale in mid-May, prior to the lifting of the UK lockdown.  The lockdown restrictions prevented face-to-face meetings, but electronic marketing proved an excellent medium, with video conferencing, telephone, and email allowing a full marketing campaign.  To avoid any business disruption our marketing was carried out on a wholly private and confidential basis to targeted purchasers. After significant interest, a preferred bidder was chosen in July 2020 and after due diligence, the sale of the portfolio was completed to an existing and successful Pizza Hut franchisee in October”.

The preferred bidder, Shujah Choudhry has been part of the Pizza Hut family for over 15 years and has the capability and experience to add these further 15 Huts to his roster. He demonstrated an admirable base of existing, strongly performing Huts and is a fantastic example of a Pizza Hut franchisee understanding the importance of that role within a vast, global brand.

Neil Manhas, General Manager, Pizza Hut Delivery UK says “We are delighted to confirm the sale of 15 of our Pizza Hut Delivery stores to the Zain Hut Group, an existing Pizza Hut franchisee run by Shujah Choudhry. Our franchise model is absolutely integral to our brand as we continue to grow both in the UK and internationally. It’s through hardworking franchisees like Shujah that we’re able to understand local intelligence and respond to our customers needs accordingly. We’re so pleased to see Shujah growing his Huts and we wish him and his team every success in developing his newly acquired Scottish stores.”

Alan Creevy commented further, “The COVID-19 pandemic has not affected all hospitality businesses equally. The takeout and home delivery sector remain buoyant and agile entrepreneurial operators have adapted quickly to satisfying a continuing customer demand for high quality service in a safe and controlled environment.  Whilst there are of course significant negative effects in the sector and, there is no doubt, some businesses, particularly large city centre hotels, have been hit hard, other often smaller businesses continue to adapt and evolve to meet their customer needs. Due to the franchise model and a team of carefully selected franchisees, Pizza Hut Delivery has been able to adapt quickly and safely during lockdown, delivering more than 565,000 additional meals during the height of lockdown, than in the same period in 2019.”  

For further information contact alan.creevy@cdlh.co.uk