Dodo Brands banks on local flavours for global expansion
Local adaptation is at the heart of the Moscow-based QSR’s strategy.
Dodo Brands is doubling down on local menu adaptations and community experiences to fuel its international growth, aiming to operate 4,000 Dodo Pizza and Drinkit outlets worldwide by 2030.
David Sweeney, global franchise development executive at the Moscow-founded company known for its pizza and coffee concepts, said local adaptation is at the heart of its strategy. In Nigeria, the chain incorporated plantain into its menu to reflect local tastes.
“It’s something that people really appreciate and makes us stand out from the crowd in that market,” he told QSR Media.
Dodo is preparing to enter Spain, Qatar, Moldova, and Montenegro as it targets $1.5b in systemwide revenue, according to its website.
The quick-service restaurant (QSR) has expanded to more than 1,300 outlets across 24 countries, including Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Its speciality coffee brand Drinkit has also grown to more than 105 stores in eight cities across three countries, with Dubai, Almaty, and Astana among its key hubs.
Sweeney said menu adjustments are central to how they compete with larger rivals.
“In the Middle East, we’ve gone beyond pizza by adding high-level, high-quality pasta products as well as rice bowls, allowing us to meet a wider range of dietary habits whilst keeping operational flow consistent.”
Dodo also seeks to integrate into communities through partnerships and events. In the UK and Türkiye, it has supported sports sponsorships and cultural activities to build local visibility. In Lithuania, some stores serve as gathering spaces with children’s play areas. “Our stores are more than just QSR outlets—they are community spaces,” he said.
The company also has a flexible franchise model. Sweeney said Dodo avoids over-restricting operators and allows them to combine formats, such as housing Dodo Pizza and Drinkit under one roof.
“This gives them the ability to balance different dayparts and differentiate cash flows whilst staying with the same franchisor,” he said.
Consumer trends are shaping operations as well. “The single biggest shift has been a move to a cashless society,” Sweeney said, noting that it boosts convenience and efficiency for both customers and franchisees.
Group dining is also shaping menu choices. “If one person wants pizza, another wants pasta, and a third just wants a drink, they’d normally turn to an aggregator,” he said. “Our approach is to prevent that by widening the choice within our own menu, so families and groups stay within our ecosystem.”
Sweeney will discuss the company’s strategy at the QSR Media Middle East Conference & Awards 2025 on 9 September in Dubai.
