Amidst one of the toughest years the restaurant industry has ever endured, Papa Murphy’s International announced that its total U.S. systemwide sales grew to $630 million in 2009, up over 7 percent from 2008. The take ‘n’ bake pizza chain ended the year with 1,185 locations, opening 83 in 2009. Same-store sales were up more than 2 percent, while most industry watchers estimated the pizza category to be down about 7 percent.
“There’s a lot to be proud of,” says CEO John Barr, commenting on 2009’s results. “We share this pride, of course, with our hundreds of franchisees, our field support teams, and our vendor partners. Franchisors don’t succeed unless their franchisees are successful, so I’m confident 2009 was a year that made everybody happy.”
In addition to the company’s stellar sales and store openings, 2009 included additional highlights. The chain moved into new territory; franchising agreements signed last year equate to over 130 future stores, many in major markets new to Papa Murphy’s. They include Charlotte, North Carolina; Greensboro, North Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina; and Savannah, Georgia.