Project Pie

Dec 13, 2021

Listed pizza restaurant chain operator Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures Inc., on Monday said it re-opened a Project Pie store and will expand the brand in the country in the coming years. Project Pie is an artisan pizza concept brought to the Philippines in 2013. The chain is well-known for its build-your-own pizzas but it many of its stores, which were mostly in shopping malls, were shuttered. A Project Pie branch has opened at Shopwise Hypermarket in Makati, which is a rebirth of the brand, the company said. Shopwise is a retail chain by Gokongwei-led Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc.(RRHI). “We are delighted to reopen Project Pie at Shopwise. It is a well-loved brand with a solid patronage clamoring for us to bring it back. We are launching with a couple of stores, Antipolo and Makati, and are looking to build another handful of outlets next year,” Vicente Gregorio, Shakey’s president and CEO said. The Gokongweis are strategic investors of Shakey’s through JE Holdings, a private investment company of the family. JE Holdings has diverse interests across several industries including banking and retail. This year, RRHI has embarked on a store modernization program for its Shopwise outlets to elevate the guest’s shopping experience through a facelift of the outlet and the “premiumization” of its products, services, and food selections. “Pizza is immensely popular among Filipinos, and we are excited for the launch of Shakey’s Project Pie in Shopwise. The concept of an artisan and upscale pizzeria is very much in line with our strategy to reinvigorate our hypermarket to serve customers better through delightful complements to their shopping experience,” Robina Gokongwei Pe, RRHI president and CEO, said. “We’re making a lot of changes to reposition Shopwise to become the go-to premium hypermarket for shoppers, and our direction is headed towards making shopping more enjoyable. Aside from the diversity of our merchandise and updating the look of our stores, our partnership with Shakey’s for Project Pie is a collaborative effort to achieve this,”Stanley Co, Managing Director of Shopwise Hypermarket, said. Shakey’s has been accelerating its store expansion program, exceeding its initial plan of opening 30 new stores for the year. The company has been rolling out proven store formats with faster payback, such as ghost kitchens, DelCo, and drive-through stores, strengthening its off-premise business. “Our store formats are designed to capture specific dining occasions. Nowadays, family shopping trips to the supermarket are often accompanied by eating out. Situating in a hypermarket with a high foot traffic is a great way to provide this captured market a convenient dining option. We believe that Project Pie is perfect for this occasion,” Gregorio said.