[Report] Unveiling 'No Brand Pizza'... Following Burger Success with Cost-Effectiveness

Visited Gangnam Daechi-dong 'No Brand Pizza' 1st Store
Many Pizza Shops in Academy District
Competing with Topping-Filled, Cost-Effective Pizzas
Eco-Friendly Drinks Served Only in Cans
Plans for Additional Stores Not Yet Decided

Exterior view of the Daechi branch, the first store and test location of 'No Brand Pizza' located in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] "Since I pass by this road every day, I’ve been watching it for a few days thinking, 'I should try it once it opens.' If it’s good, I’ll come often."

Shinsegae Food opened the first 'No Brand Pizza' store on the 10th in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Daechi-dong, where the first store is located, is in the middle of a cram school district with fierce competition, having more than twenty pizza stores within a 2 km radius. Shinsegae Food plans to compete head-on by emphasizing cost-effectiveness here. Park, a high school student living nearby, said, "I often buy No Brand Burger with my friends, so I was curious," and expressed anticipation, "If it tastes good, I think I’ll come often, so I want to try it soon."

No Brand Pizza is a pizza franchise launched by Shinsegae Food following No Brand Burger, emphasizing cost-effectiveness. From the large glass window at the entrance engraved with the phrase "Why Pay More?" it highlights its price competitiveness. No Brand Burger, launched in 2019 with a reasonable price, surpassed 170 stores in two and a half years, and No Brand Pizza plans to target the market with a similar operating system and strategy. A Shinsegae Food official explained, "As a comprehensive food company covering everything from food manufacturing to ingredient distribution, we were able to purchase ingredients at low prices, reducing costs."

The counter inside the 'No Brand Pizza' Daechi branch where you can place orders and pick up food.

Upon entering the store, the friendly atmosphere felt from the exterior continues inside. While No Brand Burger emphasizes cleanliness and sophistication with its bright yellow brand color and neat typography, No Brand Pizza fills the store with an appetite-stimulating orange and stainless steel gray, giving a hygienic impression. Additionally, the brand character ‘Piver,’ which was not present in No Brand Burger, is used throughout the store along with a bold handwritten slogan, creating an overall light and comfortable atmosphere.

Orders can be placed using the kiosk installed right at the entrance or further inside at the counter. At the counter, customers can see and order slice pizzas directly. Prices are set affordably at 2,900 won to target students in the nearby cram school area. Whole pizzas range from 14,900 won to 23,900 won, about 20% cheaper than global pizza brands. The menu is limited to nine types of pizza, and the pizza size is unified to one large size, which was also notable. Additionally, only canned cola and cider are provided, avoiding the use of paper cups and the like.

No Brand Pizza's 'All About Cheese (left)' and 'Too Much Pepperoni'.

On this day, customers could sample the signature menu, the 'Too Much Pepperoni' pizza, which was impressive at a glance with its generous pepperoni topping. Shinsegae Food explained that it has about 30% more toppings than the same size pepperoni pizza from global brands. The dough, quickly baked at a high temperature of 70℃, was soft and chewy.

The approximately 132㎡ (about 40 pyeong) store has around 30 seats centered around a large bar table shaped like a food truck. Standing tables are also installed, making it convenient for a quick meal. However, No Brand Pizza plans to operate primarily as a takeout and delivery franchise rather than dine-in in the future. The first store will be used as a test store for menu and service development.

Shinsegae Food said it does not yet have plans for additional No Brand Pizza store openings. However, the industry expects that, considering No Brand Burger took about a year from opening its test store to starting franchising, active additional openings will likely occur after confirming the successful establishment of the first store.

When entering the entrance of 'No Brand Pizza' Daechi branch, you can place an order through the kiosk.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.