QSR Media interviews Anthony Russo, Founder, Pizza Capers about their international expansion

1/. Why did you decide to take your brand OS?

It is a natural progression once your own market is captivated. We had an opportunity to go into a fantastic country and we were confident with Singapore as our first OS venture. The majority of our due diligence returned positive results. We had a lot of email enquires into our HQ about when we would open in Singapore. And to date it has proven very successful. In fact, the current franchisees are looking for sites for the next 2 shops. And Singapore is the first stepping stone into the rest of the Asia.

2/. What challenges did you face taking your brand OS?

Initially it was “how do we make this happen”?. But we surrounded ourselves with knowledgeable people who were passionate about our brand and vision, and together we worked towards the overseas expansion.

3/. What changes did you have to make to your brand or menu offering for it to translate to the local palette?

We didn’t need to do too much. Our research showed the Singaporean market wanted something very similar to what was being served in Australia. We did create some new pizzas with a halal twist and we created a new website specific to Singapore.

4/. What resources/assistance from Australian Government agencies have you used and what has been your experience?

We haven’t used any as yet. We have discussed a few ideas with DFAT but we haven’t needed any assistance.

5/. How did you choose your OS Markets?

We thought NZ might have been the first country to test, but their current economy didn’t look favourable for foreign investment. So we decided and Asian country, and we had the most interest from Singapore, so naturally we decided to follow where our noses went.