Mohamed Abdullah, CEO of Canadian 2 for 1 Pizza
Incepted in 1996, Canadian 2 for 1 Pizza is more Singaporean than Canadian. A totally homegrown brand, its CEO Mohamed Abdullah, who took up the position in 2021, has recently begun its internationalization effort, expanding into India, Indonesia, and Malaysia. ET’s T. Shanmugaratnam had a conversation with Mohamed about what defines the brand and his aspirations for it.
Enterprise Tomorrow (ET): How is Canadian Pizza different from other pizza outlets?
Mohamed Abdullah (MA): I see the market in terms of three segments. One of the
segments is very sophisticated. This segment of people seeks taste, quality, and a quiet place. Usually the top Italian and artisan pizzas. The next segment of people are those not price sensitive. [DRK2] Canadian Pizza’s focus however is the third group – the middle-class group – with big families, more mouths to feed and who are more price sensitive. We cater to this segment by keeping our prices low and by not focusing on having a wide range of items on the menu. We give them value for money. Our biggest competitors are Domino’s and Pizza Hut. We are third, in terms of market share. We are different from these two because unlike them we are not an MNC. Also, unlike our two competitors, Canadian Pizza is controlled from Singapore whose top management reside here. This allows us to focus on the Singapore market, and introduce pizzas catered for them.
ET: How locally relevant is Canadian 2 for 1 Pizza?
MA: Because we are Canadian 2 for 1 Pizza, we do carry international flavors. Beyond that, we have pizzas catered for the Indians, for the Chinese as well as for the Malays. We also have meat-free pizzas to cater to vegetarians. So, we have something for every key demographic in Singapore.
ET: What are some of the challenges you faced as an entrepreneur?
MA: People know us to have a certain value, certain image, and certain branding. We are cemented in people’s minds as “Canadian Pizza is this.” To come out of that is very difficult. I have made very big, bold moves in the company, to try and break out of that. With the currently challenging situation now, where costs are going up, given our price-sensitive brand, I can’t tinker with that too much, even with our competitors raising
their prices. That is my biggest challenge.
ET: Why did you decide to sponsor the local S-League?
MA: The decision to sponsor the local S-League was driven by several key factors. Firstly, pizza has always been associated with group gatherings, and in Singapore, watching soccer in groups is deeply ingrained in our lifestyle. While we initially contemplated sponsoring the English Premier League, we recognized the strength of our local brand and felt a strong desire to support our local league. Singapore’s commendable efforts to excel in soccer further fueled our commitment to contribute to the growth of the sport. Through thorough research, we discovered numerous
opportunities in soccer, motivating us to take an active role in its promotion.
Drawing inspiration from nostalgic memories, such as the Milo truck outside my school during sports days, we envisioned a similar concept for Canadian Pizza. We wanted to recreate this image by deploying food trucks selling pizzas outside all soccer matches. This would not only offer delightful meals to soccer enthusiasts but also create a unique and enjoyable experience during sporting events.
In line with our commitment to supporting local events, we recently launched our food truck on Monday, 31st July 2023, coinciding with one of the SPL games at Bishan Stadium. Additionally, we are thrilled to announce that we will be co-sponsoring the EPL with Starhub for season 23-24, starting from August 2023. This opportunity perfectly aligns with our vision of bringing people together through the joy of soccer and the
camaraderie of sharing a scrumptious meal.
ET: How is Canadian Pizza trying to be more sustainable in its practices?
MA: We were the first pizza company among the top 3 QSR pizza companies in Singapore to introduce meat free pizzas. Initially we had a very big response. However, in this market, the moment we introduce a meat free product, people will ask for more – vegan, keto and so on. But we have kept it very simple, meat free, which is an alternative for vegetarians.
We also realized there’s a lot of plastic usage in our business, to tie and more easily carry pizza boxes. To address that, we have just introduced stackable pizza boxes, another first in Singapore, with carry handles that are fully recyclable. Now pizza boxes can be stacked and carried together without the need for a plastic bag. This significant step greatly contributes to our sustainability efforts reducing plastic waste and promoting eco-friendly practices. Beyond that, we are also thinking of using biodegradable material going forward.
ET: How did COVID-19 and work-from-home impact Canadian pizza?
MA: Before COVID-19, there were only a few major players doing food delivery service – McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, PizzaHut etc. Grab was new to the food delivery business then, and so was Food Panda as far as I can recall. Not many were used to ordering in through these platforms. Everyone was at home, with nothing to do but order food. And we were one of the first movers. In fact, we were already in the market, doing
delivery. Our business grew fivefold. COVID-19 made us famous again.
ET: What is key to business success?
MA: Never give up. You know the destination, you know how to get there, but the journey is not going to be smooth. This is where I apply what I do in my other job, as a pilot. It’s going to be turbulent. In order get to your destination, you need to steer yourself. You must equip yourself with knowledge and hard work. That’s how I look at my business. I knew where I want to bring this business, and what I need to do to achieve that. I don’t know what I am going to face but I am preparing myself. We’ll take it as it comes.
