GOPIZZA enters Kerala, plans 500 outlets ahead of 2029-30 IPO

GOPIZZA India is accelerating its multi-brand expansion strategy, targeting 500 outlets over the next three years across its brands—GoPizza, Gochujang and Dalcomi—while earmarking an additional ₹50 crore to scale its Korean food businesses. The expansion is expected to pave the way for a potential India initial public offering (IPO) by 2029-30.

The company will make its Kerala debut next month with its first outlet at Lulu Mall in Kochi, followed by stores in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode. It also plans to open an outlet at Cochin International Airport by December as it doubles down on high-footfall locations.

“We continue to prefer malls because they offer built-in footfall and make customer acquisition much easier without significant marketing spends,” Mahesh Reddy, Co-Founder of GOPIZZA India, told businessline.

The expansion comes as the company evolves from a single-brand pizza chain into a broader Korean food platform. Alongside its flagship GOPIZZA brand, it now operates Korean street food chain Gochujang and Korean dessert brand Dalcomi, with the aim of catering to a wider consumer base and increasing wallet share.

While GOPIZZA continues to account for nearly 80 per cent of the company’s sales, Gochujang contributes around 14 per cent and has been witnessing strong consumer traction, particularly in locations such as Lulu Mall, where demand for authentic Korean street food extends beyond pizza.

Geographically, the company is prioritising southern markets including Hyderabad and Chennai. Hyderabad, where it already operates 10 stores, has also emerged as a strong market for Gochujang.

Beyond the South, GOPIZZA plans to expand into Pune, Ahmedabad, Gurugram and Noida before entering Mumbai. Reddy said the company is intentionally delaying its Mumbai entry, citing higher real estate costs and slower store rollouts compared with other cities.

To accelerate expansion, the company is also evaluating master franchise partnerships in select markets, although it intends to remain selective to ensure operational profitability and maintain brand standards.

Looking ahead, GOPIZZA plans to introduce a fourth Korean food brand while exploring adjacent categories such as Korean fashion and skincare through partnerships with authentic Korean companies, positioning itself as a broader Korean lifestyle platform in India.

The expansion is backed by the company’s recent $25 million Series C funding round. Of this, around ₹50 crore has already been deployed towards expanding the GoPizza network.