Domino's Pizza® Signs Development Deal in South Africa

Taste Holdings to Convert, Build Pizza Stores in Seven African Countries

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Apr 10, 2014, 11:11 ET

ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Domino's Pizza (NYSE: DPZ) continues its global momentum as the recognized world leader in pizza delivery by announcing an exclusive 15-year master license agreement with Taste Holdings to develop the Domino's brand in seven Southern African countries, including South Africa. The agreement includes a 15-year renewal option.

Taste Holdings, based in Johannesburg, operates nearly 150 restaurants under the Scooters Pizza and St. Elmo's Pizza brands in the Republic of South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Franchisees of both brands will be offered the opportunity to convert their stores and operate under the Domino's brand.

"Scooters Pizza has been providing pizza lovers across South Africa with their favorite Italian takeaway for the last 14 years," said Carlo Gonzaga, Taste Holdings chief executive officer and founder of Scooters Pizza. "With the conversion to Domino's Pizza, that is not going to change. If anything, things are only going to get better from here, as customers will now have access to the world's largest and most established pizza delivery brand; one that is synonymous with outstanding quality products, friendly service and unbeatable delivery standards."

Domino's Pizza currently operates more than 10,800 stores in more than 70 countries, holding the number one pizza delivery and carryout position in 38 of those markets, including the United Kingdom, India, South Korea, Turkey, Australia and France.

"We're very excited to be working alongside our new partners in establishing Domino's as the preeminent pizza brand in South Africa and in the other markets where Taste Holdings is already established," said Ritch Allison, Domino's Pizza executive vice president of international.

About Domino's Pizza®

Founded in 1960, Domino's Pizza is the recognized world leader in pizza delivery, with a significant business in carryout pizza. It ranks among the world's top public restaurant brands with its global enterprise of more than 10,800 stores in over 70 international markets. Domino's had global retail sales of over $8.0 billion in 2013, comprised of nearly $3.8 billion in the U.S. and over $4.2 billion internationally. In the fourth quarter of 2013, Domino's had global retail sales of over $2.5 billion, comprised of over $1.1 billion in the U.S. and nearly $1.4 billion internationally. Its system is made up of franchise owner-operators who accounted for over 96% of the Domino's Pizza stores as of the fourth quarter of 2013. The emphasis on technology innovation has helped Domino's reach an estimated $3 billion annually in global digital sales. Domino's generated approximately 40% of sales in the U.S. from its digital channels in 2013, helped by the introduction of ordering apps for iPhone^®, Android^™, Windows Phone 8^® and Kindle Fire^™. Domino's ordering apps now cover nearly 95% of the U.S. smartphone market. Continuing its focus on menu enhancement, Domino's established itself as a player in the pan pizza market with the launch of its Handmade Pan Pizza, featuring fresh, never-frozen dough, in October 2012.