Pizza Express to venture into chicken with launch of Mac & Wings brand

Pizza Express is to expand into selling chicken wings and mac & cheese across the UK as part of a new concept aimed to help push the pizza chain’s growth ambitions.

The boss of the UK restaurant chain said it continues to “focus” on its core pizza brand, but has recognised a “huge appetite” for chicken from customers.

It will roll out its new Mac & Wings delivery brand to more than 300 sites across the UK from March 3.

The launch comes on the back of significant growth in chicken across the restaurant and fast-food sectors.

Rivals such as Dominos have launched their own chicken concepts in recent months, while a raft of US-founded chicken brands, such as Wingstop, Popeyes and Raising Cane’s have opened sites across the UK.

Pizza Express said its chicken wing products will be baked, rather than fried, unlike most competitors, and it believes there is still enough room in the UK market for strong growth.

Paula MacKenzie, Pizza Express chief executive, told the Press Association that the business has been “working on the concept for a number of months” after recognising customer demand.

She said: “There is a competitive context but we are launching the concept because we believe we can do something exciting and different.

“It is something we are able to do alongside pizzas in our kitchens, but it is important that the brand does feel like it has its own identity.”

The Mac & Wings products will be sold across the UK as its own brand through Deliveroo, but they will made by Pizza Express chefs within the restaurant chain’s kitchens.

Its menu will include a selection of baked wings, in flavours such as hot honey, and buttermilk chicken tenders, served with a choice of dips including spicy tomato & chilli, garlic butter and “pizzanaise”.

Ms Mackenzie said the business will initially be delivery only on the back of strong demand for takeaway chicken on delivery platforms such as Deliveroo.

But she said the group will “keep an open mind” to potential expanding the brand into bricks and mortar restaurants.