Restaurant Brands eyeing US Pizza Hut changes

Pizza Hut New Zealand is interested in trying to follow global trends but they would not be making any drastic changes in the near future.

Pizza Hut in the US is set to undergo a revamp with everything from the boxes to the brand and menu coming under the change, as the company aims for a refresh of the 56-year-old business, and New Zealand will be watching closely to see how the revamp goes.

Russel Creedy, chief executive of Restaurant Brands which owns Pizza Hut, said while Pizza Hut New Zealand was always interested in trying to follow global trends and give their customers the broadest range of menu options, they would not be making any drastic changes in the near future. He did add however that the company would be keeping an eye on the changes in the US market.

"It's a US initiative so nothing has been touted for the international market at all but everybody is watching with interest to see what happens in the states," Creedy said.

"Like all of these things, if it's a roaring success and builds a new direction for the brand then certainly other markets around the world would take up maybe bits of it or all of it."

Globally, the company has already put efforts into expanding their digital platform which included online menu and ordering services, but the latest revamp in the US would also see a new logo and branding, and an expansion on the original menu, with a series of low calorie "skinny" pizzas featuring a thinner base and healthier topping choices.

A range of new crust options would also be available with flavours including curry crust and honey sriracha.

Despite the radical changes from Pizza Hut in the US, Creedy said for the moment, the company would be sticking with their business direction.

"Every couple of weeks the promotional pizzas will change and there will be an innovative new base or flavour or something like that, but it's really just business as usual," Creedy said. "I don't forsee a major change in direction. So we'll continue to innovate around the exisiting customer preferences but that's what we've been doing for the last three years anyway."

Creedy said the new flavours sounded interesting, adding that it was always great to see innovative new takes on original products, but said the New Zealand company would be waiting to see the success of the US's new direction before committing to any changes.