…All pizzas will be strictly Halal and free of pork-based products…

'Harpos Pizza' expands into SAARC region

LankaEverything.com – Sri Lanka

29-07-2008

Popular Restaurateur Harpo Gooneratne announced plans to take his popular Sri Lankan home-grown brand �Harpos Pizza� to the neighbouring Maldive Islands, as part of an ambitious plan to expand into the SAARC region. �Harpos Pizza� is already one year old in Sri Lankan market and enjoys a fast growing clientele, comprising both Sri Lankans and expatriates.

A delighted Gooneratne said that he was proud to market a Sri Lankan brand beyond the shores of this country. �The trial runs in fact proved very successful with an excellent feedback all round. Potential in the Maldives market is great. Since ours will be the only \'crispy base\' authentic Italian pizza on the island, we are confident of a very high demand and thus good sales in the local market�.

He added that his target market would be both resident Maldivians and expatriate hotel guests in Male. The operation will be initially run by three trained and skilled Sri Lankans with high speed delivery bikes taking �Harpos Pizza�, piping hot to customers around the Male island. �Depending on the success of this operation in the capital Male, we plan to expand delivery to the adjoining resort islands and will then use the traditional dhonis and bikes for quick delivery�, he said.

The range of Hapos Pizza to be marketed will be from the standard variants and Sri Lankan flavours together with a special Tuna-based pizza for the Maldivian palates, developed according to local tastes and flavours. All pizzas will be strictly Halal and free of pork-based products.

Gooneratne whose popular Colombo restaurants include �The Commons� Coffee House and �The Bay Leaf�, the City�s finest Italian restaurant, will also spearhead F&B operations at the 25 room Bed & Breakfast �Park House� property in the capital Male, owned by Maldivian entrepreneur / hotelier Abdul Rasheed.

lankaeverything.com