‘We Aimed to Make Pizza Under $5 in 5 Minutes’: Jae Won Lim of GoPizza on Tech and Taste

GoPizza, a fast-casual pizza chain, is changing the pizza industry with its AI-driven approach to making pizzas. Founded by Jae Won Lim, GoPizza is a tech-driven enterprise that’s set to make a global impact. Starting in South Korea, GoPizza has rapidly expanded its footprint and is now on the brink of becoming a “soonicorn” company. 

Jay (Jae), an engineer with a passion for food, saw an opportunity to change the pizza industry. GoPizza’s innovation is “Goven,” a robotic oven that can cook a pizza in just three minutes. This technological marvel ensures that each pizza is cooked to perfection, maintaining the same high standards across all locations. Additionally, GoPizza employs artificial intelligence to manage orders and optimize delivery routes, enhancing efficiency and customer satisfaction. 

AsiaTechDaily recently conducted an exclusive interview with Jae Won Lim, where he detailed the remarkable journey of GoPizza and its latest expansion initiatives. 

Could you share when the technological aspect became a part of your journey? How did GoPizza integrate technology initially, and how has this integration evolved over the years?

There are four different technologies that we mainly develop and also commercialize. The first is the parbaked dough, which is a pre-made dough that we supply to the store, and store part-timers will just open it and use it right away like toast bread. The second is the Govens. The third is the AI smart topping table, and the fourth is the GoBot station, which cuts the pizza and keeps it in a warm queue before it’s served.”

Also, with the parbaked dough combined with a gas-fired oven, which is super high temperature, you can cook pizza in 3 minutes. But while selling at the food truck, I realized it’s very difficult to use a high-temperature oven because you have to keep rotating the pizza. You have to do that to cook multiple pizzas, which is very labor-intensive.

So I made an oven that rotates and regulates the fire according to the temperature. Combining parbaked dough with an automated oven made our initial dream come true. The initial technology wasn’t seen as tech but as a necessary method to cook pizza faster and easier. That’s how we started using different methods to make pizza.

Could you share how GoPizza’s expansion started and the inspiration behind your patented ovens and AI systems? When did you decide to expand internationally?

The initial goal of GoPizza was to become the McDonald’s of Pizza, a very accessible brand where customers can enjoy the product under $5 within 5 minutes. When we created the Goven and parbaked dough, we expanded quickly in Korea, having 30 stores in less than a year. We realized maintaining consistency across stores was difficult, so we developed the AI smart topping table to oversee the entire process, ensuring accuracy and consistency.

We wanted to be a global brand from day one, similar to McDonald’s. Going overseas was a no-brainer for us, and to operate efficiently, we needed different methods to grow faster and more consistently.

In light of your innovations in parbaked dough and AI systems, how does GoPizza maintain its competitive edge amidst the tech-driven evolution of the food tech industry? What are your long-term strategies?

It’s crucial that what you do is for the customers. GoPizza was born because I, as a customer, wanted fast, affordable, and personal-sized pizza. Our developments, like parbaked dough and AI smart topping tables, were to deliver a unique product to customers. Many food tech brands end up not being able to sell their food while developing tech. 

We ensure our brand is loved by customers first, selling around half a million pizzas monthly and serving 6 to 8 million people yearly. We’re a pizza company loved by customers before being a food tech company.

An interesting example of our food and tech focus is our partnership with GS25, the largest convenience store chain in Korea. We’re installing our Mini Goven in their stores, selling both pizza and the oven. This dual revenue stream is a perfect example of how we’re utilizing our technology to maximize growth.

Jay, in assessing the broader Asian market, how do you perceive the reception of GoPizza compared to your upcoming entry into Western markets? What challenges, if any, have you encountered in Asia, and how has the market responded?

Outside of Korea, we’re mostly in developing nations. In high-growth countries like India and Indonesia, people start eating pizza as the economy improves. We believe the market is small compared to Western countries now, but the growth rate is much higher. We’re investing in these markets to see big results in 5 to 10 years. Korea serves as our cash cow to support this expansion.

We’re excited about Western countries because pizza is a staple there. By offering a more accessible type of pizza—cheaper, faster, and more personal—we think we can compete effectively. One challenge in Asia is the instability, so we focus on our Korean heritage to make customers interested in our brand. Korean side menus and toppings attract customers, and they appreciate our affordable, high-quality, personal pizzas.

GoPizza is more than just a pizza chain; it’s a tech-driven company that’s changing the fast food industry. Under Jae Won Lim’s leadership, GoPizza is making its mark globally with its pizza-making approach. As it moves closer to becoming a soonicorn, GoPizza is a shining example of how technology can transform traditional food businesses.

Lim shared insights into the inception of GoPizza, from a food truck to patented ovens and AI systems that revolutionized pizza baking. This interview is available on our YouTube channel, where you can get a comprehensive view of GoPizza’s evolution and its ambitious plans for the future in the global food tech industry. 

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