EBRD and EU help Azerbaijani pizza chain to grow its brand and increase sales

An EBRD advisory project has helped a local chain of pizzerias in Azerbaijan to promote it brand and raise customer loyalty, with funding from the European Union under its EU4Business initiative. Pizza Mizza has significantly increased sales and expanded its staff.

The first restaurant of Pizza Mizza opened in 2014 and the company grew its branches and employees steadily every year. But the management came to the realisation that growth needs both an overarching concept and consistent delivery.

This necessity led Pizza Mizza to turn to the EBRD’s business advisory programme for help, and consultants with EU funding assisted the company in identifying an optimal marketing strategy. Insights into customer preferences and analysis of the competitive landscape made the owners reconsider Pizza Mizza’s previous concept and adopt a different approach to its customers.

Since the end of the project, orders, turnover and employees have increased by 30, 50 and 82 per cent respectively. During the pandemic, Pizza Mizza was one of the quickest chains in the country to react, launching discount campaigns and 24/7 delivery with a contact-free option. The company even managed to launch a new branch.

To date, more than 300 small and medium-sized companies have benefited from the EBRD’s Advice for Small Businesses programme with EU funding in Azerbaijan.

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