Franchising

&pizza goes global: The Mumbai blueprint

Just five months after formation, Latitude Food Group is launching its first international expansion by partnering with The 90s Venture to bring &pizza's high-energy, fast-casual concept to India, starting with a flagship location in Mumbai by 2027.

Photo: Latitude Food Group

May 28, 2026 by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

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Latitude Food Group isn't interested in playing by the traditional corporate playbook. Just five months after its formation, the bold parent company and franchisor of &pizza has announced a massive milestone: its very first international expansion.

Through a newly signed master franchise agreement with The 90s Venture, the iconic, culture-carrying pizza brand is officially heading to India. The ambitious deal includes a commitment to open a minimum of 10 &pizza locations by 2032, with the inaugural shop set to bring its signature high-energy, counter-culture vibe to Mumbai in 2027.

Brett Willis, chief development officer. Photo: Latitude Food Group

At the center of this whirlwind growth is Brett Willis, LFG's chief development officer. Since stepping into the role, Willis has fast-tracked the brand's footprint, spearheading a domestic expansion across Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and Nevada, before swiftly charting this new international path.

"There's some serious momentum and energy right now behind &pizza, and we intend to fully leverage it," Willis said in a press release announcing the India expansion. "The 90s Venture not only aligns with our goals, but is eager to bring this differentiated, fast-casual experience to pizza lovers across India."

For a brand that has built a loyal, 14-year following on the U.S. East Coast by being the anti-"Big Pizza" — think loud music, electric atmospheres and a deeply localized, community-first approach — going global is a thrilling test of adaptability. The goal isn't just to export American fast-casual, but to seamlessly fuse &pizza's distinct DNA with local Indian culture.

We interviewed Brett Willis by email to discuss the strategy behind this rapid international leap, what it takes to find the perfect franchise partners and how LFG plans to keep the vibe authentic when taking a hyper-local brand halfway around the world.

Q: Why India and why now? With Latitude Food Group having been formed just five months ago, what specific market indicators in India convinced the leadership team that this was the right first step for international expansion?

Willis: &pizza has been building toward a moment like this for years. First, the Indian fast-casual market is finally mature enough to support a build-your-own pizza brand at scale. The QSR pizza giants paved the road., but nobody owns the fast-casual lane. Second, we found the right partner. We do not chase markets. We respond to readiness. India is ready and so are we.

Q: The first Mumbai location isn't expected to open for another year and a half. What specific milestones in supply chain development or site selection need to be met between now and that 2027 launch?

Willis: Three things have to be locked before we open a door. Site selection in priority Mumbai trade areas where our consumer already lives, works and eats. Supply chain build-out, because our format depends on dough quality and a topping system that holds up at our speed. And team build, which is the most important one. Our GMs are the brand. Between now and launch, our partner is hiring and we are training. If those three things are done right, the opening takes care of itself.

Photo: Latitude Food Group

Q: &pizza is known for its "DNA" and specific flavor profiles. How do you plan to adapt the menu for the Indian palate — particularly regarding vegetarian options and local spices — without losing the brand's core identity?

Willis: Our DNA is not a single recipe. It is a format. Oblong pies, fired fast, built any way you want them. That travels anywhere. Roughly 60% to 70% of the menu in India will look familiar to anyone who has eaten with us in the U.S. The remaining 30% to 40% is where we get to play. Vegetarian is not a compromise in India, it is a creative space, and our culinary team is excited about it.

Q: &pizza is known for its loud music and an electric atmosphere. How will you ensure this "unconventional" vibe translates to Indian consumers while still aligning with local culture as mentioned by The 90s Venture?

Willis: Energy is universal. Music, speed, attitude. That works in D.C., it works in Atlanta, and it will work in Mumbai. Mumbai already operates at our frequency. The mistake would be assuming our vibe Americana. It is not. It is independent. Loud, expressive, a little unpolished on purpose. Our partner understands the brand frame and where to localize inside it. The music, the language, the moments of surprise.

Q: What specific expertise does The 90s Venture bring to the table regarding the Indian retail landscape that made them the ideal "first international stewards" for the brand?

Willis: Operator depth. They are not a financial sponsor with a real estate thesis. They are a multi-brand restaurant operator with real American QSR experience in India, which means they understood our format, our supply chain expectations and our service standards before we ever sat down. They have site intelligence in Mumbai that would take us years to build on our own. And the part that matters most, they think like operators. Build well, build slow if you have to, and earn the next unit with the one in front of you. That matches how we run LFG.

Q. The agreement mentions The 90s Venture will be responsible for sub-franchising across India. What are the criteria for selecting these sub-franchisees to ensure the socially conscious mission of &pizza is maintained?

Willis: They must be operators first. Capital is the floor, not the criteria. We want multi-unit restaurant operators who can hire and develop GMs, who understand fast casual, and who share our view that the restaurant is part of a neighborhood, not a transaction in one. Our partner has the lead on selection. We have final say. Cultural fit is non-negotiable.

Q: Beyond being a high-energy city, what specific characteristics of the Mumbai market make it the ideal testing ground for the brand's first-ever restaurant outside of the U.S.?

Willis: Mumbai has the right ingredients for a flagship market. Density, a young consumer base with disposable income, a maturing fast-casual category and real estate options that fit our format. It also has cultural gravity. What works in Mumbai radiates across India. That matters for a build-your-own concept where the consumer is discovering the format and the behavior. Mumbai is a brand-builder market, not just a sales market.

Q:Latitude Food Group also oversees Tijuana Flats. Does this master franchise agreement with The 90s Venture pave the way for other LFG brands to enter the Indian market in the future?

Willis: It is a possibility. Not a plan. Right now, &pizza is the priority for international growth. Tijuana Flats has work to do here in the U.S. before we think about overseas. The reason we built LFG is to give each brand the operator focus it needs. We will not force a brand into a market because a door is open. Each brand earns its expansion through unit performance.

About Mandy Wolf Detwiler

Mandy Wolf Detwiler is the Pizzamarketplace.com and QSRweb.com editor for Connect Media. An award-winning journalist, Mandy brings more than 20 years’ experience covering food, people and places. Mandy has been featured on the Food Network and has won numerous awards for her coverage of the restaurant industry. She has an insatiable appetite for learning, and, yes, she can tell you where to find the best pizza slices in the country.

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