The lockdown is fuelling a significant expansion at Apache Pizza, with the chain opening 20 new stores this year and creating 300 jobs.
It will bring its total workforce to 2,740 across 190 outlets. It’s the largest pizza chain in the country.
Apache said it sold 5.3 million pizzas in Ireland between January 2020 and April this year.
Founded in 1996 by Robert Pendleton and Emily Gore Grimes, the business in celebrating its 25th anniversary this month.
The chain is now co-owned by Food Delivery Brands and OKR Group.
Based in Spain, Food Delivery Brands is the largest non-US pizza delivery firm. It operates a number of brands and is the largest Pizza Hut master franchisee in the world.
OKR also owns the Burger King franchise in Ireland. It opened its first outlet in Dublin in 1981. OKR was established by the late Pa O’Leary. His son Ger continues to control the business.
Apache Pizza said that its overall sales jumped 12pc last year, which saw it add 195 jobs and open 13 stores.
Its online sales also rose 12pc in 2020, while total sales have risen 17pc in the first four months of 2021.
The 300 new jobs being created this year include roles such as supervisors, managers, customer service representatives and delivery couriers. The company is also seeking franchisees.
“Being local is what is driving our plan to open 20 new stores and to create another 300 new jobs by the end of this year,” said Martin Lyons, CEO of Apache Pizza.
“Our online sales have grown by 12pc because we invested in making online ordering easier and more accessible prior to Covid-19,” he said. “We capitalised on that throughout the pandemic as people spent more time at home and ordered in.”
So-called quick service restaurants, such as McDonald’s, Burger King, Supermac’s and others have largely fared well during the pandemic as consumers were restricted in their out-of-home dining options.
Apache rival Domino’s Pizza announced last month that it’s adding 350 new jobs across its existing 85 stores in Ireland, adding to the 2,000 people it already employs here.
