Australian pizza maker Eagle Boys Pizza has recorded an 80 percent jump in inquiries from potential franchisees during January, February and March this year.

Eagle Boys Pizza managing director Todd Clayton said “Following a rough 2009 many people are gravitating towards industries which have shown resilience and continued growth during the downturn. They are seeking franchise systems such as Eagle Boys which provide a strong support base for franchise owners.

“While these potential franchisees want the freedom of owning their own business, they donÕt want the risk of going at it alone.

“The inquiries have come predominantly from experienced business owners and people with management experience, with interest also coming from previous franchisees of competing pizza retailers.”

Clayton said Eagle Boys has seen sales climb since the March launch of 31 new menu items — the biggest overhaul of its menu in the companyÕs 23 year history.

“The new menu sales results certainly show that Australians have sophisticated taste buds and are looking for a premium pizza without the gourmet price tag. During the first three weeks, sales spiked by more than 15 percent and online ordering traffic increased beyond our expectations,” he added.

Eagle Boys PizzaÕs latest claim is the new Vegetarian Bianco pizza, being touted by the franchise as containing the least saturated fat of any pizza from a large pizza chain in Australia. It is one of a line up of new pizza additions on the menu, at a time when the Queensland based chain is eyeing up expansion in Sydney.

Read about Eagle Boys’ expansion plans here.