The company’s cheese-filled crusts and pizzas topped with pineapple were unable to create a foothold in a competitive market.
Domino’s has closed the last of its 29 restaurants in Italy, bringing to a halt an ambitious strategy to introduce American pizza to the birthplace of the cuisine.
2015 marked the debut of Domino’s in Italy, at a time when the company already had more than 22,000 locations globally.
It initially launched outlets in Milan before spreading to other cities, such as Rome, Bologna, and Turin.
According to a report by NBC at the time, the company intended to win over clients with “purely Italian” ingredients such as “100%” tomato sauce and mozzarella, as well as goods such as prosciutto di parma, gorgonzola, grana Padano, and mozzarella di bufala campano.
It aimed for a 2% market share and planned to open hundreds of restaurants in the country by 2030, relying on its delivery service as a competitive advantage.
However, when dining out was banned during the pandemic lockdowns, traditional pizzerias in Italy expanded their delivery services.
And there was intense competition from meal delivery apps such as Glovo, Deliveroo, and Just Eat, according to Bloomberg, which broke the story.
Domino’s Italian news was greeted by social media users with a noticeable lack of astonishment.
Never attempt to sell ice to an Eskimo, advised one Twitter user.
“May we all have the irrational confidence of the Domino’s executive who proposed opening in Italy,” an additional commentator wished.
Domino’s in the United States, had collaborated with the Italian company ePizza SpA for the franchise arrangement.
In April, EPizza SpA filed for bankruptcy in Italy.
Domino’s Pizza Group is a franchisee of Domino’s Pizza Inc, which is publicly traded in the United States and operates shops only in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
