Small pizzerias grab bigger share

THE PIZZA MARKET in India appears to be mirroring a trend visible in the fastmoving consumer goods (FMCG) industry, as food inflation and the need for more options drives consumers towards cheaper and new alternatives.

- VIVEAT SUSAN PINTO

Small and regional pizza players are eating into the share of bigger rivals, data sourced from the industry indicate. This comes at a time when players such as Jubilant FoodWorks, the master franchisee of Domino's in India, are responding with a brand refresh, more combo offers and new pizza toppings. The rise of food aggregators such as Swiggy and Zomato, say experts, has also contributed to the growth of smaller pizza brands over the last few years.

Conversations with analysts and industry executives indicate that local pizzerias and regional chains now constitute nearly 30% of the ₹8,300-crore pizza market in India. Five years ago, this number was under 15%. Moreover, local chains may continue gaining share as the market remains competitive, experts said.