LOUISVILLE, Ky .--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Papa John's International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA), in partnership with its largest franchisee Drake Food Service International (DFSI), today announced an expanded partnership with DFSI to open over 220 Papa John’s restaurants by 2025. This includes more than 170 across Latin America, Spain and Portugal, where DFSI currently operates in excess of 280 locations.
As part of the agreement, DFSI plans to open 50 new restaurants in the UK over the next four years, where it recently purchased over 60 Papa John’s restaurants in London, making it the brand’s largest franchisee in the country. Under the terms of this expanded partnership, DFSI will operate more than 560 Papa John’s restaurants in total by 2025.
“This growth of our partnership with Papa John’s will accelerate our efforts to deliver on our ambitious business goals, through opening new restaurants and inviting new subfranchisees to join us and grow our base of passionate Papa John’s customers around the world,” said Ignacio Astete, CEO of DFSI, which holds master franchise rights for Papa John’s in Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, Spain, Portugal and Guatemala. “Our leadership in operational excellence and technology, coupled with our commitment to the creation of shared value, combined with the love that Papa John’s has built for its brand among people across the world, has created a foundation for continuing our joint success into the future.”
“As a master franchisee of Papa John’s, DFSI has proven to be a valued and strategic partner in accelerating our development in international markets,” said Jack Swaysland, Chief Operating Officer, International at Papa John’s. “Together with DFSI – now our largest franchisee in the UK – we look forward to introducing new customers to the BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA.® promise of Papa John’s.”
DFSI began operating Papa John’s restaurants in 2015 and has managed the growth of the Papa John’s brand in several of Papa John’s highest-performing international markets, including Chile. Through this expanded partnership, DFSI has now also become the country’s largest Papa John’s franchisee in the UK, one of Papa John’s best performing markets in 2020, and which continues to perform well in 2021.
In September of 2020, Papa John’s announced a new international headquarters in the UK to accelerate its strategy for international development, streamline operations and facilitate greater collaboration among teams to better support franchises around the globe – both existing and new – to successfully grow. Papa John’s is currently in 49 international countries and territories around the globe. In recent years, it has entered 11 new countries, including Spain, Portugal, Germany, Cambodia, the Netherlands, Pakistan, France, Tunisia, Iraq, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Poland.
About Papa John’s
Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) opened its doors in 1984 with one goal in mind: BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA.® Papa John’s believes that using high quality ingredients leads to superior quality pizzas. Its original dough is made of only six ingredients and is fresh, never frozen. Papa John’s tops its pizzas with real cheese made from mozzarella, pizza sauce made with vine-ripened tomatoes that go from vine to can in the same day and meat free of fillers. It was the first national pizza delivery chain to announce the removal of artificial flavors and synthetic colors from its entire food menu. Papa John’s is headquartered in Louisville, Ky. and is the world’s third-largest pizza delivery company with more than 5,500 restaurants in 49 countries and territories as of June 28, 2021. For more information about the Company or to order pizza online, visit www.PapaJohns.com or download the Papa John’s mobile app for iOS or Android.
About Drake Food Service International
DFSI started operations in Chile in 2015 by acquiring 32 Papa John’s restaurants and by the close of 2021 is expected to manage 381 restaurants in seven countries. DFSI delivers growth and shared value by building a disruptive entrepreneurial environment driven by technology, a highly engaged talented team and conviction to make a positive impact in the. Our company guiding principles are Service, Excellence and Respect. For more information about the Company www.drakefsi.com.
