Sal's Authentic New York Pizza

What Sal's Authentic New York Pizza does

Sal's Authentic New York Pizza operates a franchise pizzeria chain delivering authentic New York-style pizza to consumers in New Zealand and Australia. The business was founded in Auckland in 2009 by Nick Turner and Ciaran, building on the 1975-founded "Sal's Pizza of Little Neck" of Salvatore Leo, whose secret family recipe and pizza-making techniques form the technical and brand foundation. The menu centers on 18-inch New York pies, individual slices, half-pizza specials, sides (garlic knots, Buffalo wings, mozzarella sticks, Zeppole), and Ben & Jerry's dessert, with a 12-inch gluten-free base and Nutzarella plant-based cheese option. Sal's emphasizes ingredient authenticity by importing New York Hard Spring Wheat Flour, California Vine Ripened Tomatoes, and Wisconsin Mozzarella from the United States.

The company monetizes through a primarily franchise-driven model: franchisees pay fees and ongoing royalties for access to the brand, training, and supply chain, while corporate generates revenue from franchise fees plus corporate-owned store sales. Direct customer revenue streams include dine-in service in traditional pizzeria booths, takeaway, in-house delivery (including a distinctive Segway delivery service in Auckland CBD), third-party delivery via Uber Eats, online ordering through sals.co.nz, and a B2B catering vertical ($8.50-$20 per person for groups of 20+). The company also sells branded merchandise and gift cards.

Sal's has scaled to 40+ franchise locations across New Zealand—including Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Queenstown, Dunedin, Invercargill, and others—and executed its first international expansion into Melbourne, Australia with two stores (Flinders Lane and Exhibition Street). The brand is marketed through sports sponsorships including the naming rights of the Sal's NBL basketball league (extended through 2023), Badminton NZ, Auckland Tuatara Baseball, and local beach volleyball/tennis series, supplemented by Facebook, Instagram, and an active "Slice of Sal's" blog. The company is privately held (legal entity NZ Waterworks LLC LTD) with 501-1000 employees and no disclosed funding rounds, M&A activity, or public revenue figures.

Name

Sal's Authentic New York Pizza

Legal name

NZ Waterworks LLC LTD

Website

https://sals.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Sal's Authentic New York Pizza is a privately-held franchise pizzeria chain operating 40+ locations across New Zealand and 2 in Melbourne, Australia, serving authentic New York-style pizza made with imported US ingredients to consumers via dine-in, takeaway, delivery, catering, and merchandise.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pizza Restaurants

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Pizza Fast Casual (THAFABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Pizza QSR (THAFAAAB)

Keywords

• Authentic pizza restaurants
• Pizza franchise opportunities
• Catering services
• Quick service restaurant
• Pizza delivery services

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dine-in and Takeaway Pizza Sales: Core revenue stream from selling individual pizza slices, half pies, and full 18-inch New York pizzas across all franchise locations. Customers can dine in with booth seating or take away.
2. Franchise Fees and Royalties: Sal's operates as a franchise business. Franchisees gain access to a proven business model, comprehensive training, ongoing support, and the Sal's brand name. Revenue is generated through franchise fees and ongoing royalties from franchisees.
3. Catering and Events: Dedicated catering service for events and group functions, offering three packaged tiers at $8.50, $16, and $20 per person. Minimum 20-person orders with 24-hour notice required.
4. Merchandise and Gift Cards: Sale of branded merchandise including T-shirts, hoodies, hats, and gift cards through the Merch section of the website.
5. Delivery Orders: Revenue from delivery orders placed through Sal's own delivery service (including Segway delivery in Auckland CBD) and third-party platforms such as Uber Eats.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sal's Authentic New York Pizza operates a franchise chain of pizzerias selling authentic New York-style pizza by the slice, half pie, and full 18-inch pie, alongside sides, desserts, and beverages. The company also offers catering packages for events, online ordering and delivery services, branded merchandise, and franchise opportunities to operators across New Zealand and Australia.

Product overview

Sal's Authentic New York Pizza operates a pizza restaurant chain with over 35 locations throughout New Zealand and expansion into Australia. The core product is authentic New York style pizza, featuring Large 18" pies, individual slices, and half-pizza options. Key varieties include Pepperoni, Cheese, Hawaiian, Buffalo Chicken, Nonna, Fire Island, Veggie, and specialty pizzas. The company offers complementary products including Buffalo Wings, Garlic Knots, Mozzarella Sticks, and Zeppole desserts. Additional services include catering packages, online ordering via website and Uber Eats, merchandise sales, and franchise opportunities. The company is known for using imported authentic ingredients including New York Milled Hard Spring Wheat Flour, Wisconsin mozzarella, and California tomatoes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Large 18-inch New York Pies Signature 18-inch New York-style pizza pies available in varieties including Pepperoni, Cheese, Hawaiian, Buffalo Chicken, Veggie, Brooklyn, Meatball, Staten Island (Vegan), Nonna, and Fire Island. Made with slow-risen dough using New York Milled Hard Spring Wheat Flour, Wisconsin mozzarella, and California tomato sauce. Sold to individual customers for dine-in, takeaway, or delivery across all franchise locations.
• Pizza by the Slice Individual slices of New York-style pizza served on paper plates with the authentic 'New York Fold' eating experience. Available in Cheese ($7.00) and Pepperoni ($8.50) varieties and many specialty options. Sold to individual walk-in and delivery customers.
• Gluten Free Pizza Base 12-inch Gluten Free pizza base option for customers with gluten intolerance. Available as a substitute on any pizza. Note: toppings and ingredients may still contain traces of gluten. Sold to individual consumers with dietary restrictions.
• Half Pizza Specials Half-sized pizza portions combined with sides and drinks, including Grand Central ($37), Queens Meal ($42), Taste of New York ($52), and New York's Finest combos. Sold to individual customers for dine-in, takeaway, or delivery.
• Buffalo Wings Free Range Buffalo Wings made with the Authentic 'Original 1964 Buffalo' recipe. Available in HOT Buffalo Sauce, Black Garlic, Christopher St Rub, or Bronx BBQ flavors, served with Blue Cheese or Creamy Ranch sauces. 350g ($20) and 700g ($36) sizes. Sold as a side item to individual customers.
• Catering Services Dedicated catering service for events and group functions. Three pre-set packages: $8.50 per person (1 slice + 1 garlic knot), $16 per person (2 slices + 2 garlic knots), $20 per person (2 mozzarella sticks). Minimum 20-person orders with 24-hour notice required. Offered to businesses, schools, sports clubs, and organizations.
• Franchise Opportunities Franchise program offering operators access to a proven business model, comprehensive training, ongoing support, and the Sal's brand name, premium recipes, and supply chain. Targeted at entrepreneurs and business operators in New Zealand and Australia seeking to own a Sal's pizzeria.
• Sal's Branded Merchandise Branded merchandise including T-shirts, Hoodies, Hats, and Gift Cards available for purchase through the company's online Merch section. Sold to consumers and gift-givers.
• Zeppole (Dessert) Sal's signature dough fried golden brown, tossed in cinnamon and sugar, and powdered with icing sugar. Available with vanilla custard, chocolate, or raspberry coulis dipping sauces. 4-piece for $5.50 or 8-piece for $8. Sold as a dessert item to individual customers.
• Online Ordering Service Full online ordering system accessible via sals.co.nz enabling customers to order dine-in pickup (Click & Collect), takeaway, or delivery. Available across all store locations and supplemented by Uber Eats integration and Sal's own delivery including Segway delivery in Auckland CBD.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Badminton New ZealandminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Sal's is proud to support Badminton New Zealand, sharing pizza love at local events and supporting the NZ Badminton League which showcases the best talent in the country at events in Waitakere, North Shore, and SKY City.
• Uber EatscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2020Delivery partnership with Uber Eats enabling customers to order Sal's pizza through the Uber Eats platform. Sal's was first introduced on Uber Eats around the 10-year anniversary in 2019. The partnership extends Sal's delivery reach to customers who prefer ordering through third-party apps.
• Basketball New ZealandcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Sal's holds naming rights sponsorship of the Sal's National Basketball League (NBL), extended for 4 years through 2023. The league features 8 NZ franchises and 1 Australian team (Tasmania's Southern Huskies), with all games broadcast on Sky Sport. Sal's NBL is described as a 'fan-first national competition' and supports grassroots basketball development in NZ. Games are streamed live in all Sal's pizzerias.
• Basketball New Zealand (NBL League General Manager Justin Nelson)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Strategic partnership with Basketball New Zealand extended for 4 years. The partnership supports young Kiwi basketball players and provides a pathway to reach new heights via the Sal's NBL and grassroots basketball. The league is described as NZ's fastest growing sport.
• Auckland Tuatara BaseballminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Official partner for the 2019-2020 Australian Baseball League season. Sal's provides free pizza giveaways at every home game, streams all games live in all 29 NZ pizzerias, and 18-inch pies are available during games. Extends Sal's support of Baseball New Zealand.
• Baseball New ZealandminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership supporting Baseball NZ's vision of 'fun, friends, family and a pathway to the world.' Pizzerias team up with local clubs and communities to grow baseball in NZ. MLB games are shown live in pizzerias.
• Steven Adams Golf Invitational / Sports Pathways TrustminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Sal's supports the Steven Adams Golf Invitational and Sports Pathways Trust, designed to develop a student/athlete model to assist youth to achieve their potential in education and address inequality in education outcomes for at-risk youth.
• Local Sports Clubs and SchoolsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Sal's Player of the Day program sponsors local sports clubs and school teams by providing free pizza and branded support. Teams can email [email protected] to apply for sponsorship.
• Auckland Central Volleyball ClubminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018Sal's sponsored the 2018-2019 Beach Volleyball series with 35 game days from November to April at Mission Bay, including competitive tournaments and social games with free Sal's Pizza for all players, vouchers, and merch.
• Auckland Beach TennisminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018Sal's Beach Tennis Series 2019 ran through October 2018 to March 2019 with more than 25 events at Mission Bay, Kohimarama, Takapuna, and Browns Bay. Free entry games and larger $10 tournaments were run in association with Nic Burnie. Each event included FREE Sal's Pizza for all players, vouchers, and merch.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Pizza Hut: Global pizza QSR incumbent with broad dine-in, takeaway, and delivery presence across NZ and Australia. Less differentiated on authenticity but significantly larger scale and brand spend.
• Papa John's: Global pizza QSR chain with franchise operations across multiple markets including presence in Australia; broader portfolio player with comparable dine-in/delivery model though less authenticity-focused than Sal's.
• Little Caesars: Global pizza chain specializing in carryout/value pricing; competes in the same QSR/pizza category though with a fundamentally different value-oriented positioning vs. Sal's premium authenticity.

Direct peers

• Hell Pizza: New Zealand-founded premium pizza chain with similar positioning around creative/gourmet pizzas and a young, brand-conscious customer base. Operates a comparable franchise/store model in NZ with comparable price points.
• Eagle Boys: Australian pizza delivery and takeaway chain (now part of Pizza Hut Australia) competing in similar dine-in/takeaway/delivery segments with comparable price points in the Australian market.
• Domino's Pizza Enterprises: Master franchisee and operator of Domino's Pizza across Australia, New Zealand, and several other markets; largest pizza chain in the region with comparable dine-in/takeaway/delivery model and strong digital ordering infrastructure. Closest direct competitor to Sal's in NZ and Australia.
• Crust Pizza: Australian gourmet pizza franchise chain operating dine-in and delivery locations; comparable premium-product positioning and franchise-led growth model, making it a direct competitor in the Australian market Sal's is entering.

Emerging players

• Blaze Pizza: US fast-casual build-your-own pizza chain with similar dine-in experience and premium positioning; comparable to Sal's on the 'fast-casual authentic pizza' positioning, though currently primarily North American.
• Mod Pizza: US-based fast-casual pizza chain with strong menu customization and dietary-inclusivity positioning (similar GF/vegan option breadth to Sal's). Relevant peer for benchmarking the fast-casual pizza model Sal's operates in.

Others

• Uber Eats: Third-party delivery platform that is both a Sal's distribution channel and an indirect competitor (driving aggregations and customer ownership away from restaurant brands). Material ecosystem participant relevant to Sal's delivery economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SalsNYpizza
• Instagraminstagram.com/salspizzanz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sal-s-pizza-nz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sal's Authentic New York Pizza