Bluebell Group, a leading omnichannel brand partner and operator in Asia, has announced its joint venture with Alice Pizza, a renowned Roman pizza leader.
The partnership brings the rectangular, pan-baked recipe to Asia, with the first store opening on September 12 on Queen’s Road East in Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
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“Since the entry of the Idea Taste of Italy fund in 2019 in the ownership of Alice Pizza, we have maintained the tradition of Roman pizza with the aim of taking it to the world and making it known to more and more people. We think Bluebell is the right partner to enter the Asian market thanks to its great experience and professionalism,” says Claudio Baitelli, CEO, Alice Pizza. “It is a challenging goal but we are confident that the strong collaboration that has been established between our teams will lead to great success.”
“I am very excited to partner with the Alice Italy team to open the first restaurant in Asia, selecting Hong Kong as the first market in this part of the world; I was impressed by their success and fast expansion in Italy. The food scene in Hong Kong is ultra-competitive but we believe Alice Roman pizza concept will find a good space in this category with high Italian quality products at fair prices,” says Bluebell Greater China managing director, Samy Redjeb. “I would like to thank the Alice team for their level of commitment and spirit of partnership which was a key element for this venture.”
Founded by Domenico Giovannini, Alice Pizza originated in central Rome on Via delle Grazie, near Vatican City. This pizza style, initially popular as a convenient street food, has its roots in Rome and is now widespread across Italy.
Alice Pizza, established in 1989 as Italy’s first pizza chain, sells a staggering 7 million kilograms of pizza annually. Their unique offering involves freshly baked pizzas cut to each customer’s desired size and quantity, available for purchase by weight.
“Thanks to the collaboration with Bluebell Group, our artisanal preparation handed down to our pizza makers for three decades using quality Italian ingredients has now arrived in Asia,” says Alice Pizza founder Domenico Giovannini. “I am thrilled that Hong Kong customers will be able to enjoy the original Roman pizza – the same freshly cooked and freshly cut sensations and satisfaction that our Italian patrons savour every day.”
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The Bluebell Group manages over 150 brands and has an expanding gourmet portfolio including the Italian gourmet chocolate brand Venchi. Bluebell Group has also introduced the retail concept of Cioccogelateria in duty-free locations in Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Australia. Bluebell will oversee Alice Pizza’s local marketing, retail operations, and the realisation of their vision to introduce Roman pizza culture to Asia.
Retail in Asia is part of the Bluebell Group.