Just a day before the official opening of Pizza Hut, Honeydew Village Shopping Centre was abuzz with festivities as the restaurant launched their first store in South Africa.
On Wednesday 17 September, well-known figures in the entertainment industry made way to witness the historic event.
MCs of the day were 5Fm Radio Presenter Poppy Ntshongwana and comedian Chris Forrest.
“Honeydew is more than just a store location. It’s about a home-grown feel, a deeper community consciousness and a favourite, familiar authentic neighbourhood restaurant,” explained Randall Blackford, GM for Pizza Hut Africa.
In his opening speech, Blackford highlighted that their brand brings all of its global brand value and equity, while at the same time tailoring its offering to cater for the unique South African customer. “Pizza Hut is a global brand with a South African heart.”
He mentioned that they have customised a unique South African experience to make the global brand more meaningful to its customers.
“Our goal is to be a part of the communities we find ourselves in and we are making sure we’re seamlessly interwoven into the South African landscape. We want to treat our customers to something experiential – from our comforting and inclusive store environments to our locally inspired pizza varieties, making sure our customers always feel at home.”
Making their brand more relevant to South Africa, their menu is localised with options like André’s boerie pizza with toppings like boerewors, bacon, red onion and jalapenos.
For those who love veggies, their feta and roasted veggie pizza will definitely be a winner.
The brand will also bring its well-loved international favourites such as the supreme pizza, the meat lover’s pizza, its famous side options and desserts.
A performance by the MES Joshua and Youth Development Programme entertained guests who attended the launch.
The Youth Development Programme is a social development organisation that empowers children and youth within the inner city of Johannesburg; acts as servant leaders and contributes to the moral regeneration of the city – an initiative that Pizza Hut looks forward to partnering with.