THE COLONY, Texas — Pizza Inn has been named the preferred pizza supplier for the 15th Annual Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.
According to a news release, the event is the second-largest sporting event in the world behind the Olympic Games. Pizza Inn was the only pizza supplier chosen by the vendor committee for the games, to be held Dec. 1-15.
"This is our chance to take our place on the global stage — to showcase our brand to the international community," said Tim Taft, president and chief executive of Pizza Inn. "It further underscores our commitment to growth in key markets both domestically and abroad, and it creates an enormous opportunity for us to recruit new franchisees in Asia and other countries."
Company officials said United Food Company, a division of the Abunayyan Group and master licensee for Saudi Arabia and Qatar locations, was instrumental in Pizza Inn's winning the preferred status. Currently, there are seven Pizza Inn locations in Qatar, 13 in close proximity to the Asian Games near Doha, 14 in the United Arab Emirates and 38 in Saudi Arabia.
"Pizza Inn's ability to reach thousands of customers in more than 65 restaurants in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates puts us in a unique position to activate a truly meaningful and relevant Asian Games program," said Khushru Mistry, general manager of United Food Company/Pizza Inn. "Our customers will be able to share the thrill of the Asian Games through special creative promotions, advertising and in-store activations in the Middle East."
Pizza Inn will be one of only three preferred quick-service brands featured in the Media Center. It will also have a presence in the Global Village, where athletes will be housed for the competitions. For 15 days, the world will watch 10,000 athletes, from 45 countries, participating in 39 sports and 423 events. The event will be broadcast on 108 stations around the globe.
Pizza Inn also landed two other prominent food contracts in the region, including Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Science & Technology Center SciTech, the first-state-of-the-art center housing a public science museum, planetarium and IMAX Theater in Saudi Arabia. The company has a second contract with the Arab American Oil Company [a.k.a. Saudi Aramco], with Pizza Inn being the only approved pizza supplier on four of the company compounds providing housing and all facilities for employees and families.
