Papa John’s is aiming to tailor its pizza to local palates while also making sure to offer the signature pieces
After exiting the Indian market in 2017 due to underperformance, the United States (US) pizza chain Papa John’s International plans to make its return to India by October, Reuters reported. The pizza chain is looking to open around 650 stores over the next decade.
The company is following US rival Little Caesars, which marked its India opening this year with a goal of introducing 100 stores by the decade-end. The report noted that Papa John’s will set up its first store in the country in Bengaluru. The US pizza chain has Indian investment house and PJP Investments Group as its joint master franchisees in India.
The report highlighted that the company had disclosed its plan to re-enter the market in April 2023 itself. As the urban consumers are being cautious in their spending on account of slow wage growth, the report added that the fast-food chains are struggling with low sales in the country’s market.
Devyani International has been shutting down the underperforming stores, while Sapphire Foods India has been careful with its expansion plans, as per the report. The company will be facing intense competition from Domino’s Pizza, Pizza Hut and other smaller chains. The report, however, said that the fast-food segment is still underpenetrated and reaching the saturation mark will take many years. Papa John’s is aiming to tailor its pizza to local palates while also making sure to offer the signature pieces, as per the reports. (With Reuters Inputs)
