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Cape Town - Pizza Hut is the latest American fast food franchise to return to South Africa after a six-year absence.
The company re-opened its first restaurant in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
"Pizza Hut is a global brand with South African heart," said Randall Blackford, general manager of Pizza Hut Africa.
The brand will offer a local take on its menu with Andre's Boerie Pizza with boerewors, bacon, red onion and jalapenos toppings.
The localisation effort is expanded with sauces like peri-peri, BBQ or tomato.
Growth
Blackford emphasised that customers will be in for something special.
"We want to treat our customers to something experiential - from our comforting and inclusive store environments to our locally inspired pizza varieties, making sure our customers always feel at home."
As part of the Yum! Brands group, Pizza Hut aims to use SA as a launch pad for African expansion.
"Based on our experience in rolling out KFC in new African Markets, Pizza Hut plans to follow in KFC's footsteps to develop a footprint on the continent," said Blackford.
In similar vein to sister brand KFC, Pizza Hut customers can add R5 to meals to help feed people.
The company has donated R45 000 to MES Joshua Programme which feed 14 adults until at least the end of 2014.
The new store is located at Honeydew Village Shopping Centre and the chain is expected to other South African locations in the short term.
The increasing popularity in the developing world of fast food is seen as a critical factor in the growth of these chains in SA.
When Burger King opened in the country, South Africans queued for several metres outside the stores to taste the American recipe.
"Research tells us that quick service restaurants in South Africa are growing year on year, with the number of South Africans purchasing fast food growing by 7.5 million in the last four years, and set to grow by a further 3.8 million by 2017," said Blackford.
* This article has been updated to indicate that Pizza Hut is returning to SA.
