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By Elana Koral, Founder, Franchise Coaches

When I sat down with Savvas Themistocleous, Managing Director of Smack Pizza, I expected our conversation to revolve around pizza.

Instead, we spoke about leadership.

We spoke about supplier relationships, landlord negotiations, franchisee support, operational discipline, and the importance of protecting margins without compromising quality.

It struck me that Smack Pizza isn’t simply selling pizza. It is building a business around a clear philosophy: customers don’t necessarily want the cheapest option—they want the best value.

At a time when many businesses are under pressure to discount, that’s a refreshing perspective.

Here are some of the biggest lessons I took away from our conversation.

Lesson 1: Compete on Value, Not Price

One of the strongest themes throughout our discussion was that quality should never become the first casualty when trading conditions become difficult.

Smack Pizza has deliberately positioned itself as a premium offering. Its dough is fermented for 48 hours, allowing it to develop a lighter texture and deeper flavour while making it easier to digest. The business has also invested heavily in sourcing quality local ingredients, working with suppliers that share its commitment to consistency rather than simply chasing the lowest price.

This isn’t about creating an expensive product for the sake of it. It’s about giving customers a reason to choose Smack Pizza because they genuinely believe they are receiving better value.

Lesson 2: Innovation Should Solve Problems, Not Create Them

Smack Pizza has introduced products such as truffle pizzas, chilli honey combinations, Buffalo chicken pizzas and Paneer Tikka options. Yet what impressed me wasn’t the creativity itself—it was the thinking behind it.

Savvas explained that they don’t simply launch products because they’re fashionable. They observe customer behaviour, test ideas, and refine concepts before rolling them out across the business. They also pay attention not only to what customers say, but to what they don’t say.

Innovation, in other words, is disciplined.

Lesson 3: Small Stores Can Be More Profitable Than Big Ones

One of the more interesting parts of our conversation centred on store format.

Rather than chasing larger, more expensive restaurants, Smack Pizza has increasingly focused on smaller takeaway-oriented stores with high throughput.

The reasoning is practical.

Larger restaurants bring higher rental costs, bigger wage bills, greater utility expenses and significantly more operational complexity. A smaller, efficient format can often deliver stronger returns while reducing financial risk.

Lesson 4: Every Rand Matters

This was probably the part of the interview that resonated with me the most.

Savvas spoke openly about reviewing supplier contracts, negotiating continuously, buying strategically, working closely with landlords, monitoring energy consumption and analysing seemingly small costs that quietly erode profitability.

He shared a simple example:

If a particular item increases by R150 a box and you’re buying multiple boxes every week, that seemingly insignificant increase can quickly become equivalent to an employee’s monthly salary over the course of a year.

Margins aren’t usually lost through one dramatic mistake.

They’re lost through hundreds of small decisions that go unnoticed.

Lesson 5: Great Franchise Support Goes Beyond Operations

Perhaps the biggest takeaway for me had nothing to do with pizza.

It had everything to do with leadership.

Savvas has experienced life as a franchisee himself. That perspective shapes how he supports his network today.

Rather than waiting until problems become crises, he believes in being present, visiting stores regularly, talking to staff, checking standards, listening carefully and helping franchisees work through challenges before they escalate.

This isn’t about policing franchisees.

It’s about partnering with them.

Questions Every Franchisor Should Ask

After reflecting on my conversation with Savvas, these are some questions I believe every franchisor should consider:

• Are we competing on price or on value?
• What genuinely differentiates our offering from competitors?
• Are we helping franchisees protect their margins?
• How often do we review supplier relationships and operating costs?
• Do our field visits feel like coaching sessions or compliance inspections?
• Are we innovating with purpose, or simply changing for the sake of change?

Final Thoughts

One of the reasons I enjoy interviewing franchise leaders is that the conversation often goes in unexpected directions.

I thought I was going to learn about pizza.

Instead, I was reminded that successful franchise systems are built on something much deeper.

They are built on clear positioning, disciplined operations, strong relationships, thoughtful innovation and an unwavering commitment to helping franchisees succeed.

Smack Pizza’s story isn’t really about pizza.

It’s about making hundreds of good decisions, every single day.

And perhaps that’s one of the most valuable lessons of all.