Papa Murphy’s Opens Over 100 Stores in 2016 and is Primed for More

With more than 1,500 locations across the country, it’s clear that Papa Murphy’s has figured out a successful recipe for growth. The brand’s expansion efforts are incredibly strategic— Papa Murphy’s targets key development markets and then saturates the area in order to boost brand awareness. Using this strategy, the leading take ‘n’ bake pizza brand opened up 104 stores in 2016, signaling that it’s building on strong momentum as the new year continues to get underway.

15 of those stores opened in the month of December alone, also showing that Papa Murphy’s is gearing up for even more growth in 2017.

“When we open new stores we have the opportunity to introduce more consumers to the Papa Murphy’s brand,” said Gary Payne, vice president of franchise sales for Papa Murphy’s. “Our growth continues to be fueled by our unique positioning within the thriving pizza industry and we’re excited to continue building on our strong momentum going forward.”

Part of what makes Papa Murphy’s stand out in the pizza industry is its take ‘n’ bake approach. The brand attracts both consumers and business owners because it doesn’t serve sub-par pizzas that are lukewarm by the time they are delivered. Instead, Papa Murphy’s allows its customers to customize made-to-order pies that are then baked fresh at home and served piping hot.

That one-of-a-kind business model is what ultimately inspired Ryan McCallister, a multi-unit Papa Murphy’s franchisee based in Colorado, to grow alongside the brand.

“The quality that we offer our customers is much higher than any other pizza chain out there. Our dough is made in-house, we chop vegetables in our stores every single day and we only use 100% whole-milk mozzarella that we shred ourselves. That’s what gives us the upper hand,” said McCallister. “There’s also a strong family dynamic that’s fueling Papa Murphy’s growth. Our product is something that brings people together over the dinner table for a fresh and delicious meal. That’s something that’s missing from traditional pizza delivery brands, and it’s why we stand out from the competition.”

Beyond Papa Murphy’s product advantage, the brand’s innovative approach to development incentives is fueling more growth. The Growth Market Development Incentive Program is designed to encourage continued growth in priority development cities across the U.S. by reducing the franchise fee and waiving the royalty fees for the first 12 months that a new store is open. The program applies to entrepreneurs who sign an ADA or MSS agreement to open a minimum number of stores within five or fewer years.

Papa Murphy’s franchise opportunity is also uniquely affordable for prospective franchisees given that its locations do not require traditional restaurant equipment like ovens and freezers. Startup costs range from $274,620 to $499,243, including a $25,000 franchise fee.

“Our top priority as a franchisor is supporting our local owners. At the end of the day, they’re the ones fueling our growth as a brand and creating loyal fans. That’s why our programs and Support Center teams focus their energy on providing owners the tools and resources that they need to succeed during the development process and beyond,” said Payne.

Cassie has over five years of digital and traditional media experience. She joined NLA after working as a television news producer in both Milwaukee and Chicago, and now specializes in aligning strategies across the board for her clients, ultimately building buzz and telling compelling stories through content marketing, social media, digital campaigns and traditional PR. Cassie has a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast and Electronic Communications from Marquette University.

In her spare time, Cassie enjoys traveling and exploring what new cities have to offer in addition to spending time with her friends and family.