Durban - Scooters, the pizza delivery chain, expected to grow turnover for the year to February by 23 percent to just below R100 million, Carlo Gonzaga, the managing director, said this week.
The results, which were on target with budget, included the Western Cape for the first time after Scooters opened four new outlets there this financial year.
The chain holds about 5 percent of the pizza market, about 70 percent of which is still held by independents.
Its five-year target is to increase this to 15 percent.
Scooters opened 14 new stores this year, increasing the total to 52, which are now spread throughout South Africa.
A further 15 new stores in 2004 would grow turnover by another 20 percent, while real growth was just under 12 percent, Gonzaga said. A further 30 to 45 new stores would be opened within the next five years.
The company has sold over 5 million pizzas and has created 700 permanent jobs and 550 casual jobs since it was launched in 2000.
"We ended financial 2004 better than last year in all phases of the business," said Gonzaga.
"In the previous year we got over the mythical hurdle of critical mass at about 40 stores. Since then there has been a big change in the company, which has moved from investing in the business to capitalisation."
The shareholders include three executive directors, three non-executives and Nando's, Scooters' strategic partner.
Nando's, which delisted last year, is one of South Africa's biggest global food companies, with an equal spread of its approximately 320 stores in South Africa and offshore.
Apart from opening a second store in Botswana within the next two months, Scooters would focus on conquering South Africa this year, said Gonzaga.
There were still quite a few avenues for growth in terms of satellite stores in high foot-traffic areas, and Scooters' goal remained to become the leading pizza delivery chain in South Africa in terms of performance.
Over half the stores were already the number one chain in the areas where they operated, he said.