US-based pizza chain Papa John’s has laid out its strategy to re-enter the Indian foodservice market, aiming to launch this year.

The company’s return comes after a one-year delay from its original 2024 schedule, showing a cautious approach in a domain led by competitors such as Pizza Hut and Domino’s Pizza.

Papa John’s is said to be preparing for long-term growth as it navigates the challenges of inflationary pressures on consumer spending.

The pizza chain had previously exited India in 2017 due to branding and operational challenges.

This time, Papa John’s is tying up with Indian franchisees to leverage local expertise in supply chain management, real estate and technology.

This partnership aims to ensure that the new outlets resonate with Indian tastes, a factor that was said to have been missing in its previous foray into the market.

With more than 5,900 locations worldwide, Papa John’s considers India a critical market for its international expansion plans.

Unlike established markets where product innovation can be focused, emerging markets like India require a balance of location, pricing and operational efficiency. Restaurant India informed

The company’s revised strategy includes a plan to scale up to 650 outlets across the country in the next ten years.

However, the expansion will begin with a measured approach, initially targeting metropolitan cities before branching out to smaller cities, marking a departure from aggressive launches by its competitors.

In November 2024, Papa Johns named Jenna Bromberg as its new marketing director.

The pizza chain reported total revenue of $507.78 million for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024, a decrease of 1.3% from $514.53 million in the same period in 2023.

The decline was driven by lower revenue in its US fee segment, primarily due to a combination of lower volume and commodity prices.

“Papa John’s to re-enter Indian foodservice market” was originally created and published by Verdict Food Servicea trademark owned by GlobalData.

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