Papa Murphy's
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Papa Murphy's is a take-and-bake pizza company based in
Vancouver, Washington Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington, located in Clark County. Incorporated in 1857, Vancouver has a population of 190,915 as of the 2020 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Was ...
. It began in 1995 as the merger of two local take-and-bake pizza companies: Papa Aldo's Pizza (founded in 1981) and Murphy's Pizza (founded in 1984). The company and its franchisees operate more than 1,300 outlets in the United States, Canada and the United Arab Emirates. Papa Murphy's is the fifth-largest pizza chain in the United States. On April 2019, it was announced that the company would be acquired by
MTY Food Group MTY Food Group is a Canadian franchisor and operator of numerous casual dining, fast casual, and quick service restaurants operating under more than 70 brand names, some of them through wholly owned subsidiaries. Headquartered in the Montreal bor ...
for $190 million.


History

The chain of take-and-bake pizzerias traces its history back to 1981, when the Papa Aldo's Pizza chain was founded in Hillsboro, Oregon. Three years later, Murphy's Pizza chain began operating in
Petaluma, California Petaluma (Miwok: ''Péta Lúuma'') is a city in Sonoma County, California, located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Its population was 59,776 according to the 2020 census. Petaluma's name comes from the Miwok village na ...
. Both chains were later acquired and consolidated by Terry Collins into Papa Murphy's. The chain was incorporated as Papa Murphy's International, Inc. In 2003, Papa Murphy's was voted "Best Pizza Chain in America" by ''Restaurants and Institutions'' Magazine. The company was merged with PMI Holdings, Inc. in 2004. Papa Murphy's won the platinum award for Consumers’ First Choice in pizza chains in 2006, and was also winner of ''Pizza Today'''s 2001, 2006, 2008, and 2009 Chain of the Year. Papa Murphy's Pizza was voted No. 1 Rated Pizza Chain for the third consecutive year, according to more than 10,500 respondents in Zagat's 2012 Fast-Food Survey. In 2013 QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) Magazine recognized Papa Murphy's with a 2013 Franchisee Satisfaction Award and in 2014 as top Top Pizza Chain and was rated first for both quality and healthy food. In 2010, the chain sold out to
Lee Equity Partners Lee Equity Partners is an American private equity firm focused on growth capital investments in middle-market companies across a range of industries. The firm, which is based in New York City, was founded in 2006 by Thomas H. Lee, the notable p ...
of New York City. Sales for the chain totaled $702 million in 2011, which grew to $800 million in 2012 from 1,350 outlets. Reuters reported in 2013 that Papa Murphy's New York parent, Lee Equity Partners, was preparing a public offering for the take-and-bake pizza chain. Official plans for the IPO were announced in March 2014. Papa Murphy's ranked No. 5 on ''Forbes'' magazine's list of the top 20 restaurant franchises to buy in 2011. Papa Murphy's (FRSH) was added to the Nasdaq May 2, 2014, raising $64.1 million in shares.Papa Murphy's shares rise modestly on public debut , Corporate News content from Nation's Restaurant News
/ref> Following a loss in the third quarter of 2016, the company announced that it would launch its first national advertising campaign in 2017. By 2017–2018, the franchisor was struggling, dipping in and out of losses and profitability. In May 2019, it was taken over by Canadian private food conglomerate
MTY Food Group MTY Food Group is a Canadian franchisor and operator of numerous casual dining, fast casual, and quick service restaurants operating under more than 70 brand names, some of them through wholly owned subsidiaries. Headquartered in the Montreal bor ...
, and removed from the NASDAQ. In October 2022, Papa Murphy's was sued in a class action lawsuit alleging the company had been secretly wiretapping the private conversations of everyone who had communicated via the company's online chat feature.


Operations

Orders are available by walk-in, online order, or call-in. Some stores have a drive-thru window where customers can pick up call-in orders. As part of the take-and-bake concept, the pizzas are made at the store but are not baked there. According to '' Nation's Restaurant News'', take-and-bake pizzerias typically have lower costs because they require less restaurant space and equipment. As a result, they are often able to undercut the national pizza giants. Papa Murphy's also offers salads, dessert items, and soft drinks in various sizes.


See also

*
List of pizza chains of the United States This is a list of pizza chains of the United States. This list is limited to pizza chain restaurants that are based, headquartered or originated in the United States. Pizza chains of the United States * &pizza * America's Incredible Pizza Compa ...


References


External links

* {{MTY Food Group Take and bake pizzerias Pizza chains of the United States Companies based in Vancouver, Washington Restaurant chains in the United States Restaurants in Washington (state) Restaurants established in 1981 1981 establishments in Washington (state) Companies formerly listed on the Nasdaq 2014 initial public offerings 2019 mergers and acquisitions Pizza franchises American subsidiaries of foreign companies