Μake us preferred on Google Pizza Fan has returned to efood with lucky “Peinata,” deals (in-app promotional deals) after about three weeks away because of the tax evasion case. At the same time, its return to the Wolt platform comes with generous discounts, and equally tempting offers are available on its online store. This is clearly a coordinated effort to persuade consumers to choose the chain for their meals again.
The chain kept its promise, with 107 of the network’s 109 stores operating normally from today, Wednesday, and taking orders.
Pizza Fan’s Big Bet
The company’s lawyer, Michalis Markoulakos, had announced the chain’s restart date in advance. He noted that all pending issues with the ordering systems had been resolved after the Anti-Money Laundering Authority decided to temporarily unfreeze the company’s accounts, and that the company “will come back as we knew it.”
The company’s roughly 2,500 employees, who have been anxious about the chain’s future, can also breathe a sigh of relief. This follows reports that a new strategic investor is being sought to take over from Kostas Antaras.
The main goal, and at the same time the big bet, is now to bring customers back. “The response to the reopening is extremely critical for it to keep operating,” Pizza Fan’s lawyer had stressed. “It has to restart for everyone,” he had said, adding that “people know Pizza Fan, not Antaras.” The company estimates it lost about 5 million euros in revenue while the stores were closed, as monthly revenue had reached 8 million to 9 million euros.
Pizza Fan’s Owner And Management
The chain’s owner, Kostas Antaras, remains in pretrial detention awaiting trial after the tax evasion case came to light. The case emerged after the October 22 operation and the arrests that followed. At its center was the “kerasma” app, through which, according to the authorities, orders were recorded without receipts being issued. The investigation reportedly concerns practices dating back to 2016 and taxable income of more than 150 million euros. The company disputes the charges and the calculations, and the criminal proceedings are ongoing. The suspension of operations affected 109 stores and about 2,500 employees, and orders through delivery platforms were also temporarily halted.
