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As a city, Baku shifts effortlessly from ancient stone to glass towers, from quiet courtyards to light reflections in the Caspian Sea. History rises from the walls of the Old City, the Flame Towers interrupt the skyline, and cafés hum with activity.
Sitting inside one of Pizza Mizza’s newest branches — part of Azerbaijan’s fastest growing pizzeria chain — that same contrast shapes the dining experience. The room is warm and softly lit; couples lean in over shared plates, families unwind, and students stay longer than they planned. This isn’t a pit stop. Pizza Mizza is a place that invites you to linger.
Rewinding back to 2018, the story was very different. The business was languishing and a little unsure of itself. With EBRD and European Union (EU) support, the company received tailored advisory that enabled the founders to redefine their brand and upgrade the customer experience, which has brought them to where they are today.
Where flavour meets ambition
Aslan Hajiyev, Pizza Mizza’s co-founder and CEO, moves through his latest restaurant on Darnagul avenue with the ease of someone who has grown alongside it. He is an attentive host, smiling to greet staff, and gesturing towards a corner table where a new pizza is being tested. Growth here is steady, intentional, and quietly ambitious.
His confidence is justified. Today, Pizza Mizza is one of Azerbaijan’s top pizzeria chains, with 14 branches and a 16% market share, but its story began as a modest experiment back in 2014.
The business started as a small, family-run startup, built by two young entrepreneurs – brothers Aslan and Anar Hajiyev, who launched the venture when they were just 26 and 28 years old respectively.
Fresh dough, Gouda based cheese blends and halal certified ingredients form the backbone of their offer. The brand’s signature cheese — developed with the help of their longtime friend, Düsseldorf‑based food technologist Elmar Hasanzade — gave Pizza Mizza a distinct identity of its own. Their early concept was also shaped by New York’s iconic pizza culture, whose bold flavours and fast‑paced creativity left a lasting mark on the co‑founders.
But despite strong customer praise, the early years exposed deeper challenges.
The company’s branding was weak, digital visibility was low and dine in experiences lacked the atmosphere the founders envisioned.
A turning point: rebranding with EBRD support
Everything began to shift in 2018, when Pizza Mizza received advisory support through the EBRD’s Advice for Small Businesses programme, backed by the EU.
Consultants helped the founders articulate the experience they wanted to deliver. A new identity was shaped including unified visuals, elevated packaging, modern interiors and a stronger online presence.
Where once Pizza Mizza depended on delivery for nearly four out of every five orders, the redesigned spaces drew people back to the table. Dine ins rose from 22% to 38%, and daily sales soared 14 times. Even the average order value doubled – a quiet confirmation that customers weren’t just visiting, they were indulging.
This work culminated in the Elmlar branch – a pilot project with open kitchens, terraces, warm textures and a clear fast casual concept. It outperformed all previous branches, validating this new path forward.
The success encouraged Pizza Mizza to rethink its business model entirely. Whereas delivery once dominated, most of its sales now come from dine‑ins and takeaways.
Four formats – express, mall, mid size, and full capacity – allowed the brand to grow across diverse neighbourhoods while keeping its identity intact. Customers responded immediately: dine ins and takeaways soared, and the company’s ratings on aggregator platforms climbed to the top of the market.
Innovation at the table
A selection of trial pizzas is currently being developed and co-founder Aslan is hands-on in this process. He says, “the kitchen is experimenting with balanced contrasts, pairing sweetness with heat, richness with acidity, and other thoughtfully structured flavour combinations”. The result, he adds, “is very Azerbaijani”.
Local culture has always embraced fusion and layered flavours and influences rather than choosing one over another.
Even the company name carries its own nod to Azerbaijani culture, repeating a word with an added “m” – pitsa mitsa – is affectionate, playful, and familiar for locals. It sets the tone before the first bite.
A slice of resilience
The Covid 19 pandemic was another turning point for the business. Instead of panicking, the company adapted its business model overnight, offering 24/7 contact free delivery and family sized lockdown bundles.
Consequently, instead of shrinking, Pizza Mizza grew. This agility not only carried Pizza Mizza through the crisis – but strengthened it. A quiet confidence became the foundation for a new kind of ambition. In a market long dominated by established players with loyal customer bases and deeply rooted brand names, an opportunity to compete with these recognised global brands presented itself. Aslan does not dismiss the scale or systems of his rivals but speaks instead about proximity. Local businesses listen differently. They notice faster. They adapt without committee meetings.
Attention, above all, is paid to people. The staff are young, confident and empowered. Many joined as students or first-time employees.
Training, development, and internal growth are treated as investments rather than costs. Aslan and Anar believe in open management, in explaining decisions, in creating a sense of ownership, which builds trust within the hierarchy.
Looking forward: the Blue Ribbon journey
Today, Pizza Mizza is preparing for expansion backed by the EBRD and EU though the Bank’s flagship Blue Ribbon programme.
Tailored advisory support will help Pizza Mizza structure its growth by introducing an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that unifies finance, inventory, and operations, along with Robotic Process Automation (RPA) tools that automate repetitive tasks.
Support will also focus on strengthening human resource management, developing a long‑term franchising model, securing global quality certifications, and advancing the company’s commitment to sustainable operations.
An international adviser will help Pizza Mizza streamline operational workflows and design replicable systems, training frameworks and quality assurance mechanisms that can travel beyond Azerbaijan’s borders. It is the kind of structured growth the founders see as essential to scaling sustainably.
With plans to open nine more branches and build a new production facility, the company is poised to elevate Azerbaijan’s fast casual dining scene regionally. Its long term vision includes franchising, entering new regional markets, and continuing to enhance customer experience through technology, sustainability initiatives and premium quality standards.
“Every slice carries a piece of our journey,” Aslan says with a smile. “It blends the German precision Elmar brought us, the creative spark of New York’s iconic pizza culture, and the warmth of home you only find in Azerbaijan. That mix is our identity – it makes Pizza Mizza feel familiar and new at the same time. Now, with the EBRD and the EU beside us, that flavour no longer has to stay within our borders. We finally have the structure, systems, and support to grow – without losing our soul.”