Pizza Hut Restaurants UK owner hires new CEO for Europe: Pizza Hut Restaurants UK owner Directional Pizza has hired Gino Casciani as its new chief executive for its European operations – effective from Tuesday, 9 September. Casciani joins with a proven track record of operational and commercial leadership across international markets. His career includes senior roles at Pret A Manger, KFC, Taco Bell and Odeon Cinemas Group, and most recently, as global chief operating officer of Sushi Daily at KellyDeli Group, where he oversaw 1,500-plus sushi concession sites across Europe, Mexico and the Middle East. Casciani also brings significant experience from within the Yum! ecosystem, having served as vice-president of international operations and managing director for its Taco Bell and KFC businesses across the UK and Europe. At Directional Pizza Group, Casciani will be responsible for leading brand modernisation and accelerating growth across the UK and Europe. Emily Curtis, chief people officer at Directional Pizza, said: “Gino’s arrival comes at a pivotal moment for Directional Pizza, as we begin to transform the way Pizza Hut shows up across our markets. His extensive experience within other major quick service restaurant brands and strong leadership skills will be key to unlocking that next chapter of innovation and brand growth.” Directional Pizza, part of US-based private equity firm Directional Capital, owns and operates 240-plus Pizza Huts across the UK, Sweden and Denmark. In January, it acquired the operations of Heart With Smart, which manages the operations of the UK Pizza Hut dine-in restaurant business, via a pre-pack deal that saw the transfer and continuing operation of 139 restaurants across the UK. Propel later revealed that Directional Capital paid £10m to acquire Heart With Smart, and that Heart With Smart owed more than £50m as it collapsed before being rescued. Directional Capital also acquired franchisee Nine Group’s portfolio of 38 Pizza Hut Delivery sites in December 2024. Heart With Smart features in the UK Food & Beverage Franchisee Database while Pizza Hut features in the UK Food & Beverage Franchisor Database. Both databases are available exclusively to Premium Club subscribers. The next UK Food & Beverage Franchisee Database will be sent out next Wednesday (13 August), featuring ten new additions and updates to existing entries. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

KFC UK system sales up 5% in second quarter and year to date: Yum! Brands has reported KFC system sales in the UK were up 5% for the second quarter ended 30 June 2025, compared with the previous year. In the year to date, KFC UK system sales have increased 5%. The UK accounts for 6% of KFC’s system sales worldwide. Globally, KFC like-for-like sales in the quarter were up 2%, with US like-for-like sales falling 5% – system sales worldwide increased 6% to $8,721m. Operating margin was down 3.6% while operating profit increased 9% to $365m. KFC opened 566 gross new restaurants in 58 countries during the period. Meanwhile, Pizza Hut system sales in Europe, including the UK, were flat – the continent accounts for 11% of Pizza Hut’s system sales globally. Year-to-date sales have fallen 2% in the region. Pizza Hut system sales in the quarter were down 1% globally to $3,116m, with like-for-likes down 1%. US system sales, which account for 42% of global sales, were down 5%. Operating margin was down 5.8% while operating profit dropped 15% to $80m. Pizza Hut opened 254 gross new restaurants in 32 countries during the period. Taco Bell like-for-like sales increased 4% and system sales were up 6% to $4,275m. Operating margin was down 0.7% while operating profit increased 5% to $262m. Taco Bell opened 50 gross new restaurants in ten countries during the period. Yum! Brands’ total revenue in the quarter was up 10% to $1.93bn and 11% to $3.72bn in the year to date.