Papa Johns expansion into India: PJP’s Tapan Vaidya says UAE experience is the perfect platform
Papa Johns International, the third-largest pizza delivery company in the world, recently announced its expansion plan in India. The company has partnered with PJP Investments Group in Dubai to open 650 new restaurants across India by 2033, including the first store in Bengaluru in 2024.
“Our plan is to build out South India first before heading North, West and East. Bangalore will be our first stop followed by Hyderabad and Chennai,” said Tapan Vaidya, CEO of PJP Investments Group.
The expansion of Papa John’s in India is a significant move for the company as it seeks to establish a strong presence in one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. The partnership with PJP Investments Group, one of the company’s longest-tenured international franchisee partners, comes off the back of a successful rollout in the UAE.
UAE influence
PJP Investments Group operates over 100 Papa John’s restaurants across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan and plans to operate nearly 1,000 Papa John’s restaurants within the next 10 years.
“The UAE has been our home market, and our growth has been meteoric in the last four years,” said Vaidya. “I don’t see this pace slowing down anytime soon. The market continues to grow, with tourist numbers on the rise. We are at 83 restaurants and hope to exceed the 100 restaurants mark in a year or so.”
The partnership is a significant step for Papa Johns, as the company seeks to expand its presence in South Asia. The chain, which was founded in 1984 operates in approximately 50 countries and territories.
“Our team’s excellent execution of Papa Johns brand in UAE, KSA and Jordan provides for a perfect background platform to launch this massive expansion into India,” said Vaidya. “Rising aspirations of the middle class in India coupled with burgeoning income makes India a wonderful opportunity for us to tap into.”
Market-specific growth
The deal, said Vaidya has been in the works for 15 months and entailed thorough market research. “We worked with the brand in India to listen to the consumers, understood what works for them, spice tolerance levels for example are rather different for India than say, USA or even UAE for that matter,” he said.
“For a business model of this magnitude to work, one needs a product of the highest quality which Papa Johns provides via their brand promise of ‘Better Ingredients, Better Pizza’. For this venture, the brand will work with us to create items meant for the Indian consumer, including a variety of vegetarian options.”
