Hell finally opens Australian store – but it might not be the same taste Kiwis are used to

Pizza joint Hell has finally opened its first store across the ditch, 15 years after it went into liquidation in the same market.

But Kiwis in Australia might not get the exact taste they were used to when they have a slice, as the pizzas were made from local ingredients.

Hell opened its Brisbane store this week. Hell has a 77-strong franchise network in New Zealand and planned to first grow its footprint across Queensland before looking at nationwide expansion.

Hell chief executive, Ben Cumming, said opening in Brisbane first was a deliberate choice.

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“Brisbane is a forward-thinking city which has changed substantially over the last 10 years. It’s got great infrastructure for us to establish Hell in Australia, but it’s also forecast to keep growing in size and culture.

“It’s a great fit for us and our plans for expansion across the country,” he said.

Hell was initially aiming to open up another four stores in the state over the next 12 months and says it differs considerably from other Australian consumer offerings due to its focus on using local, high-quality ingredients with high animal welfare standards.

“Doing this already establishes us as a market leader in Australia.”

But Kiwi Hell lovers living in Australia might not experience the exact version of the pizza, as the chicken in Australia was not free-range, instead only SPCA-approved, and its meat and produce were all sourced from Australia.

“We have worked hard to secure the best we can get our hands on in Australia and already lead the market there – which means SPCA-approved chicken, free-range eggs and stall-free pork,” Cummings said.

“New Zealand is arguably more progressive in this area, so Kiwis may be used to slightly different standards here compared with what is available in Australia, but as a brand we’ve always been at the forefront of ethical, sustainable and high-quality ingredients, and will continue to do that in Australia too.

“While some ingredients on the menu are from New Zealand, it’s not sustainable – environmentally or financially – to ship or air-freight the large quantities of many of the ingredients we require from across the Tasman, which would have a large carbon footprint and is another reason we source locally.”

The company was no stranger to Australian shores, having been there before. Hell was forced to exit Australia around the time of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis due to internal funding issues.

Steve Willis, who is heading up the Australian operations, said this time was different, as they’ve taken a very deliberate approach in setting Hell up for Australian success in 2023.