Yum! Brands Appoints Pizza Hut Division CEO to Drive Global Brand Strategies and Growth

Yum! Brands, Inc. announced that Aaron Powell, 50, former President of Kimberly-Clark Corporation’s Asia-Pacific Consumer Business, will join the Company as global Pizza Hut Division Chief Executive Officer, reporting to Yum! Chief Executive Officer David Gibbs, effective September 20. In this role, Powell will assume global responsibility for driving Pizza Hut Division’s growth strategies, franchise operations and performance. Today’s announcement concludes Yum! Brands’ search for Pizza Hut Division’s top leadership post.

“We couldn’t be happier to welcome Aaron to the Yum! Brands and Pizza Hut family and believe this global brand division leadership structure will enable the Pizza Hut U.S. and international teams to further implement best practices worldwide and continue...

Pizza Hut Expands Partnership with Beyond Meat for New Plant-Based Beyond Pepperoni Pizza Topping

Pizza Hut and Beyond Meat have reunited. The two innovation leaders are entering another milestone in their partnership with the debut of Beyond Pepperoni, a plant-based version of Pizza Hut's #1 selling pizza topping, and a first for both brands. Beginning today, the Beyond Pepperoni Pizza will be available as a test in nearly 70 locations across five U.S. markets for a limited time, only at Pizza Hut.

Beyond Pepperoni was co-developed by Beyond Meat and Pizza Hut's culinary teams and is made from simple, plant-based ingredients like peas and rice, with no GMOs, soy, gluten, hormones, antibiotics or cholesterol. As part of its ongoing partnership with Beyond Meat...

Pizza Hut Partners with Contentsquare for Experimentation and Improved Digital Customer Experience

Contentsquare, the leader in digital experience analytics, has partnered with global restaurant chain Pizza Hut, to help the brand optimize customer experiences across its digital channels.

The Digital Ventures team at Pizza Hut leveraged Contentsquare’s customer behavior insights to make meaningful discoveries as to how consumers interact with certain areas of their website.

Since adopting the platform, the team has identified several opportunities to drive experimentation, tailor personalization, and optimize customer journeys across the Pizza Hut site.

In a recent interview, Tristan Burns, Global Head of Analytics at...

Yum! Brands Reports Second Quarter Results

Yum! Brands, Inc. reported results for the second-quarter ended June 30, 2021. Worldwide system sales excluding foreign currency translation grew 26%, with 23% same-store sales and 2% unit growth. Second-quarter GAAP EPS was $1.29, an increase of 91% over the prior year quarter. Second-quarter EPS excluding Special Items was $1.16, an increase of 41% over the prior year quarter.

DAVID GIBBS COMMENTS

David Gibbs, CEO, said “Our strong second-quarter results, led by record unit development and 23% same-store sales growth are a testament to our iconic brands, world-class talent, and best-in-class franchisees. I’m proud that each of our divisions reported positive same-store sales growth on a 2-year basis, a step up...

Yum! Brands Annual Global Citizenship & Sustainability Report Shows Company's Commitment to Growth

Yum! Brands, Inc. released its annual Global Citizenship & Sustainability Report, highlighting the Company’s strategic investments in socially responsible growth, risk management and sustainable stewardship of its people, food and impact on the planet. Yum! and its KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and The Habit Burger Grill brands made progress in critical areas including climate action, food safety and creating greater equity and opportunity across its system.

“2020 marked a turning point for communities and businesses around the world, as the pandemic deepened existing societal issues and inequalities"...

Yum! Brands Undertakes to Acquire Dragontail Systems

Yum! Brands and Dragontail Systems Limited, an innovative provider of technology solutions for the food industry, announced that they have entered into a binding agreement under which Yum! Brands would acquire Dragontail by way of a share scheme of arrangement in accordance with Australian corporations law (referred to as the Scheme).

If the Scheme is successfully implemented, the addition of Dragontail to Yum! Brands’ growing technology portfolio is intended to give Yum! Brands the ability to scale Dragontail’s artificial intelligence (AI) kitchen order management and delivery technology globally.

Australia-based Dragontail’s platform is focused on optimizing and managing the entire food preparation process from order through delivery. Its AI-based solution automates...

Pizza Hut Canada Partners with Beyond Meat to Launch Beyond Italian Sausage

Beyond Meat and Pizza Hut announced an expansion of their global partnership to bring new plant-based protein menu items to Canada. Beginning today, fans in the west end of the GTA (Mississauga, Etobicoke, Milton and Oakville) and Edmonton can order three new offerings featuring Beyond Italian Sausage™ Crumble. The new Beyond Meat topping is exclusive to Pizza Hut and available on pizzahut.ca or through the Pizza Hut app for contactless delivery or pick-up.

The delicious new menu items include...

Yum China Reports First Quarter 2021 Results

Yum China Holdings reported unaudited results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2021.

Impact of COVID-19 Outbreak and Mitigation Efforts

Yum China reported substantial year-over-year growth in the first quarter, as the Company began to lap prior year periods that were impacted by COVID-19. System sales growth was mainly attributable to same-store sales growth, new unit contribution and substantially fewer temporary store closures. Operating Profit growth was further driven by lower commodity prices and productivity gains.

First quarter sales were impacted by regional resurgences of COVID-19 before the Chinese New Year and tightened public health measures across China. The tightened measures and...

Yum! Brands Reports First-Quarter Results

Yum! Brands reported results for the first-quarter ended March 31, 2021. Worldwide system sales excluding foreign currency translation grew 11%, with 9% same-store sales and 1% unit growth. First-quarter GAAP EPS was $1.07. First-quarter EPS excluding Special Items was also $1.07, an increase of 67% over the prior year quarter.

David Gibbs Comments

David Gibbs, CEO, said “First-quarter results reflect encouraging momentum across our business, including solid 2-year same-store sales growth and a meaningful uplift in unit development, underpinned by the focus and collaboration of our franchise partners and restaurant teams around the world. During the quarter we took important steps to further boost our digital and marketing capabilities through the acquisitions of...

Yum! Brands Announces Approved Science-Based Targets to Address Climate Change 

Yum! Brands, parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and The Habit Burger Grill restaurants, announced it will decrease its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 46% by 2030 in partnership with its franchisees, suppliers and producers as part of its broader strategy to address climate change. Additionally, Yum! pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The science-based targets (SBTs) are consistent with reductions required to keep warming to 1.5ºC and have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.

“Climate change is one of the top priorities of our Recipe for Good strategy, and we’re investing significantly in sustainable growth to address this issue by working closely with our brands, franchisees and suppliers,” said David Gibbs, Yum! Brands CEO. “We believe in the collective power of Yum! and...

Pizza Hut Launches a Digital Carryout Option

After becoming the first national pizza brand to offer Contactless Curbside Pickup, Pizza Hut is doubling down on safety and convenience and launching The Hut Lane™, a dedicated digital order pick-up window available at over 1,500 locations across the country with more to come.

As customer preferences shifted during the early months of the pandemic, Pizza Hut adapted to offer a way for customers to place digital orders without ever having to leave their vehicles. The Hut Lane represents the next evolution of this breakthrough experience, offering safety, convenience and speed without customers ever having to park their cars.

"We are giving our customers a variety of options to optimize their pizza-eating experience as we build on our business momentum," said Nicolas Burquier, Chief Customer & Operations Officer, Pizza Hut. "Not only do we offer industry-leading, innovative menu items that are only...

Beyond Meat Announces Global Strategic Agreements with McDonald's and Yum! Brands 

Following the release of its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2020, Beyond Meat announced a global strategic partnership with McDonald's and Yum! Brands to offer signature plant-based menu items.

As part of the three-year global agreement with McDonald's, Beyond Meat will be the preferred supplier for the patty in the McPlant, a new plant-based burger being tested in select McDonald's markets globally. Additionally, Beyond Meat and McDonald's will explore developing other plant-based menu items together, including options for chicken, pork, and eggs, as part of McDonald's broader McPlant platform.

The announcement further solidifies the relationship between McDonald's and Beyond Meat, which began in 2019 with the test of...

Yum! Brands Reports Fourth-Quarter Results

Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM) today reported results for the fourth-quarter and year ended December 31, 2020. Fourth-quarter GAAP EPS was $1.08, a decrease of (32)%. Full-year GAAP EPS was $2.94, a decrease of (29)%. Fourth-quarter EPS excluding Special Items was $1.15, an increase of 15%. Full-year EPS excluding Special Items was $3.62, an increase of 2%.

DAVID GIBBS & CHRIS TURNER COMMENTS

David Gibbs, CEO, said “Yum! enters 2021 a stronger company primed to profitably grow system sales this year and beyond. Despite the challenges of 2020...

Pizza Hut to Offer Holiday Meal Box 

With the holiday season in full swing, Pizza Hut is crossing cooking off the to-do list by delivering the ultimate gift: the Triple Treat Box.

Arriving just in time for the holidays, each Triple Treat Box features a three-in-one meal, packed with two medium one-topping pizzas, five breadsticks and 10 Cinnabon Mini Rolls. Pizzas are available on...

Pizza Hut Announces Partnership with Beyond Meat

Pizza Hut has announced a partnership with Beyond Meat, to bring a plant-based meat pizza to the masses with the nationwide launch of new Beyond Pan Pizzas, the Beyond Italian Sausage Pizza and the Great Beyond Pizza.

This first-in the-category national launch makes plant-based meat pizzas more widely available everywhere, giving consumers more choices and even more reasons to love Pizza Hut.

The new Beyond Pan Pizzas include...

Yum China Reports Third Quarter 2020 Results

Yum China Holdings, Inc. reported unaudited results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2020.

Impact of COVID-19 Outbreak and Mitigation Efforts

Third quarter operations improved, although still impacted by reduced traffic at transportation and tourist locations, the delayed and shortened school holiday and the other lingering effects of the COVID-19 outbreak. Dine-in volume has been recovering, while delivery and takeaway remained popular options. The Company's primary focus continues to be safety, efficiency and driving traffic. We launched attractive digital and membership campaigns with...