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Hell Pizza

Hell
Company typeLimited
IndustryFast food
Founded1996; 28 years ago (1996) in Kelburn, Wellington
HeadquartersNew Zealand
ProductsPizza, Pasta, Salads
Websitehellpizza.nz
Plant-based burger pizza

Hell Pizza is a New Zealand–based pizza chain. It was established in Wellington in 1996 and has since expanded around New Zealand.

Franchises have also operated at various times in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, South Korea, India and Queensland, Australia.[1]

History

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Hell Pizza was founded by Warren Powell, Callum Davies, and Stuart McMullin in 1995 as a pizza shop in Kelburn, Wellington, next to Victoria University of Wellington.[2] Davies was inspired by the quirky imaging of The Fish, a radio station in Taupō, to give his restaurant more personality.[3] The second store was opened in Hataitai, Wellington. By then, it was also one of the first fast food stores to allow online ordering.[4]

The founders sold the New Zealand master franchise rights to Tasman Pacific Foods (the New Zealand master franchisee for Burger King) for $15 million in 2006.[3] They purchased the rights back in 2009.[5][6]

In 2009, Hell had 61 stores in New Zealand.[6] It had six stores in Brisbane and was planning nine more around South East Queensland. It was also trialing stores in Fulham, London, and Dublin, Ireland.[5][6]

In July 2010, after hackers attacked the Hell Pizza customer database, 230,000 customers were advised to change their passwords.[7]

In 2012, Hell had 65 stores in New Zealand. It had three stores in South Korea and was planning seven more. It had two stores in Queensland, but eight others had closed. A pizza bar in New Delhi and its stores in London, Dublin, and Vancouver were still operating.[1]

In 2016, Hell Pizza had 66 outlets, all in New Zealand.[8]

As of November 2022, Hell Pizza had 77 outlets across New Zealand, with 61 in the North Island (including 28 in Auckland) and 16 in the South Island.[9] The only major urban areas that do not have a Hell Pizza outlet are Nelson and Gisborne.

Marketing

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The Hell theme is used in the menu. Hell Pizza offers seven standard pizzas which are named after the seven deadly sins.[3] The chain also offers discounted pizzas on Friday the 13th.[10][11]

The company is known for its controversial advertising.

Wikinews has related news:

On 31 October 2006 Hell announced through a press release it would be promoting its "Lust" pizza by distributing 170,000 branded condoms.[12] The Family First Lobby said Hell has "crossed the line of what is decent and acceptable advertising material to be put in letterboxes of families".[13] It was later revealed that the condoms failed to comply with New Zealand labelling and packaging requirements, and remaining stocks were destroyed.[14]

In November 2008, while under management from Tasman Foods, Hell Pizza New Zealand apologised for an advertisement featuring the skeletal remains of Sir Edmund Hillary, Heath Ledger, and the Queen Mother, dancing on gravestones. The apology was made to Hillary's family, which complained the ad was in "extremely poor taste". The ad was withdrawn from the company's website on 3 November.[15]

In October 2021, Hell Pizza drew media attention and controversy after launching an advertisement campaign telling Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg "to go to Hell" in response to her remarks criticising New Zealand's efforts to address climate change. Hell Pizza CEO Ben Cumming confirmed he has sent a personal invitation to Thunberg to witness the company's efforts to address climate change, environmental pollution, and reduce waste. The company had attempted to secure a large billboard for the advertisement in Thunberg's hometown of Stockholm, but local authorities had deemed it offensive.[16][17]

Labelling

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In June 2019, the fake meat of a burger pizza, made by Beyond Meat, met food standards but caused controversy as it was labelled as a "burger" pizza but contained vegan burger patties.[18]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Rogers, Claire (14 January 2012). "Hell fires its pizzas around the world". stuff.co.nz. Dominion Post.
  2. ^ "The history of Hell Pizza". stuff.co.nz. 11 April 2016.
  3. ^ a b c Janes, Andrew (2 December 2006). "It's a $15m hell of a way to eat pizza". The Post. p. C3.
  4. ^ "Snackmasters NZ Season 2 Ep. 5". www.tvnz.co.nz. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Hell Boys back as Burger King plans for future". scoop.co.nz. Tasman Pacific Foods. 13 May 2009.
  6. ^ a b c Slade, Maria (13 May 2009). "Hell trio return to pizza chain". APN News & Media. New Zealand Herald.
  7. ^ Barratt, Joseph (25 July 2010). "Police called over pizza hack". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  8. ^ Walters, Laura (4 March 2016). "The evolution of New Zealand's pizza industry". stuff.co.nz.
  9. ^ "Hell Pizza". hellpizza.com. Hell Pizza.
  10. ^ Nadkarni, Anuja (26 January 2020). "What it takes to run Hell Pizza's most successful store". Stuff. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  11. ^ Hendry-Tennent, Ireland (13 August 2021). "Kiwis devastated as Hell Pizza increases price of iconic Friday 13th special". Newshub. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  12. ^ "HELL distributes condoms to promote Lust". Scoop. Hell Pizza. 31 October 2006. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  13. ^ "Hell's Pizza sinks to offensive advertising". Scoop. Family First Lobby. 2 November 2006. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  14. ^ Hurley, Bevan (31 July 2011). "Free condoms weren't up to scratch". Herald on Sunday. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  15. ^ Tedmanson, Sophie (3 November 2008). "Pizza company apologies for an ad featuring Hillary, Ledger, and the Queen Mother". London: Times Online. Retrieved 3 November 2008.[dead link‍]
  16. ^ Templeton, Sarah (5 October 2021). "Hell Pizza tells Greta Thunberg 'go to Hell' in controversial campaign". Newshub. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  17. ^ "How dare they! 'Greta Thunberg can go to Hell' - Kiwi company's message to environmentalist". The New Zealand Herald. 5 October 2021. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  18. ^ Taunton, Esther (17 September 2019). "Hell Pizza escapes formal action over Beyond Meat stunt". Stuff. Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
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