Papa Murphy s International LLC

What Papa Murphy s International LLC does

Papa Murphy's International LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canadian multi-brand restaurant franchisor MTY Food Group Inc. (TSX: MTY), founded in 1981 in the Pacific Northwest and now headquartered in Vancouver, Washington. It operates the largest Take 'n' Bake pizza brand in the United States, with over 1,000 franchised and corporate-owned locations across approximately 40 U.S. states, Canada, and the UAE, supported by a franchise network whose largest operator (Tom Lovelace) runs 96 locations producing $60 million in annual revenue. The company's core product is fresh, made-to-order pizzas prepared with daily-made dough, fresh vegetables, and butcher-quality meats, sold uncooked for the customer to bake at home in 12–18 minutes — a model that sits between frozen retail pizza and traditional pizzerias.

The product portfolio centers on customizable Create-Your-Own and Specialty Pizzas, with extensions into Stuffed Pizzas, Calzones, Crustless Keto-Friendly Pizzas, and Dairy-Free Cheese options (Violife brand), alongside sides, salads, desserts, and a children's Mini Murph kit. The company runs an aggressive limited-time-offering calendar (Detroit-Style launch, Papa's Picks value line at $9.99, Summer Selects at $8.99–$10.99, Valentine's HeartBaker, Triple Pepp). Digital ordering runs through the Olo platform via papamurphys.com and native iOS/Android apps, with MySLICE Rewards relaunched in November 2025 as a points-based loyalty program.

Revenue is generated primarily through franchise royalties and product supply to franchisees, supplemented by company-owned store sales and delivery fees. The franchise model, combined with shared procurement and corporate infrastructure through parent MTY Food Group's 7,000+ location platform, provides operational scale. However, the company is currently operating in a declining pizza category, with MTY's November 2025 strategic review actively exploring a potential full or partial sale of Papa Murphy's.

Name

Papa Murphy s International LLC

Legal name

Papa Murphy's International LLC

Website

http://www.papamurphys.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Papa Murphy's International LLC is the largest Take 'n' Bake pizza chain in the United States, operating over 1,000 franchised locations across approximately 40 states, Canada, and the UAE. It sells fresh, made-to-order uncooked pizzas that customers bake at home, serving individual consumers, families, and community fundraising programs through its franchise network and digital ordering stack.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quick-Service Pizza Restaurant

NAICS

Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing (3118)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Pizza QSR (THAFAAAB)

Keywords

• Take-and-bake pizza
• Quick-service restaurant
• Franchised pizzeria
• Fresh pizza meals
• Custom pizza orders

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Franchise Operations: Revenue generated from over 1,000 franchised and corporate-owned locations. Franchisees pay fees and purchase products from the company.
2. Direct Product Sales: Direct pizza and menu item sales to consumers through online ordering, pickup, and delivery from company-owned and franchised locations.
3. Delivery Services: Third-party delivery service fees charged to customers for delivery orders, facilitated through Olo platform integration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Papa Murphy's sells fresh, made-to-order Take 'N' Bake pizzas that customers purchase uncooked and bake at home in 12-18 minutes. The menu spans Create Your Own and Specialty Pizzas, Stuffed and Crustless/Keto pizzas, Calzones, Mini Murph kids' kits, Salads, Sides, and Desserts, with lifestyle options including dairy-free (Violife) and gluten-free (Udi's) crusts. Distribution is through over 1,000 franchised and corporate-owned locations plus online/app ordering for pickup and delivery.

Product overview

Papa Murphy's is a quick-service pizza restaurant chain operating the Take 'N' Bake format as its core product and unique differentiator, where customers purchase fresh, made-from-scratch pizzas to bake at home. The product portfolio centers on customizable Create Your Own pizzas and pre-designed Specialty Pizzas (including Chicken Bacon Artichoke, Cowboy, Gourmet Vegetarian), complemented by Stuffed Pizzas for deeper-dish preferences and Calzones as an alternative format. Health-conscious offerings include Crustless Keto-Friendly Pizzas and Dairy-Free Cheese Pizzas using Violife brand. The family-oriented product line features Mini Murph kids' pizza kits. Supporting products include Salads & Sides (Garlic Knots, 5-Cheese Bread, various salads), Desserts & Drinks (Cookie Dough, Cinnamon Wheel, beverages), and the Papa's Picks value sub-brand. The MySLICE Rewards loyalty program enables point accumulation and redemption, while a Fundraising Program and Delivery Service extend the brand's community and convenience positioning. The company serves customers in the US, Canada, and UAE through over 1,000 franchised and corporate-owned locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MySLICE Rewards: Loyalty rewards program where customers earn points for pizza purchases and redeem for free food rewards.

Products and services

• Take 'N' Bake Pizza Papa Murphy's signature take-and-bake pizza format where customers order fresh, made-from-scratch pizzas to bake at home; dough is made daily, vegetables sliced fresh, and butcher-quality meats used.
• Create Your Own Pizza Build-your-own pizza allowing customers to select crust type, sauce, cheese, and up to 5 toppings for customization.
• Specialty Pizzas Pre-designed premium pizzas including Chicken Bacon Artichoke, Gourmet Vegetarian, Cowboy and others with gourmet toppings and signature sauces.
• Stuffed Pizzas Deep-dish style pizzas with two layers of original crust stuffed with toppings, including Big Murphy's Stuffed, Chicago-Style Stuffed, and 5-Meat Stuffed varieties.
• Crustless Keto-Friendly Pizzas Low-carb, crustless pizza options for keto and health-conscious customers, including Create Your Own Crustless and pre-designed varieties like Cowboy and Chicken Bacon Artichoke.
• Dairy-Free Cheese Pizzas Pizzas made with Violife Dairy-Free Cheese (Mozzarella-Style Shreds) for customers with dairy restrictions, available as Create Your Own and specialty varieties.
• Calzones Hand-crafted calzones with crispy exterior and melty cheese interior, served with dipping sauce. Includes Create Your Own and specialty varieties.
• Mini Murph Make 'n' Bake pizza kit for kids allowing children to be pizza chefs with personal-sized ingredients, available with pepperoni, cheese, and dairy-free options.
• Salads & Sides Hand-crafted salads (Garden, Chicken Caesar, Mediterranean, Italian, Club) and sides (Garlic Knots, 5-Cheese Bread) to complement pizza orders.
• Desserts & Drinks Dessert items including Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Cinnamon Wheel with Cream Cheese Frosting, and 2-Liter Pepsi products.
• MySLICE Rewards Points-based loyalty program where members earn 10 points per pizza purchased and redeem for free food rewards including Large Specialty Pizza, 5 Cheese Bread, Salads, and Cookie Dough. Includes birthday rewards and exclusive member offers.
• Fundraising Program Community fundraising program allowing organizations to partner with local Papa Murphy's locations through Peel-A-Deal card sales and Donation Days to raise money for schools, sports teams, and community groups.
• Delivery Service Delivery service allowing customers to order Papa Murphy's products online for home delivery through the company website at participating locations, fulfilled via the Olo platform.
• Papa's Picks Value pizza sub-brand featuring bold-flavored specialty pizzas at accessible price points, including Meaty Italian, 4-Cheese, and Double Shredded Pepperoni varieties.
• Summer Selects Seasonal limited-time promotional offering featuring select oven-ready pizzas at promotional pricing during summer months.
• Detroit-Style Pizza Limited-time Detroit-Style square pizza with crispy edges and gooey cheese in the Take 'N' Bake format, offered in Mini Cup Pepperoni or 2-Topping Create-Your-Own.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fresh pizza ready in 12-18 minutes of baking time
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• OlocoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline ordering platform provider that powers Papa Murphy's website and mobile app ordering functionality. Olo processes online orders, payment transactions, and coordinates with third-party delivery partners for delivery fulfillment.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pizza Hut: Global pizza QSR chain with dine-in, carryout, and delivery; explicitly named alongside Papa Murphy's as a chain facing declining category sales. Competes across price tiers and occasion types.
• Domino's Pizza: Largest pizza QSR chain in the US by unit count and system sales, competing directly for pizza occasions. Both brands operate franchised models and compete on price, speed, and digital ordering — making it the most direct comparable.
• Papa John's: Premium-positioned pizza QSR with strong digital and loyalty programs (Papa Rewards). Closest comparable on premium ingredient positioning, digital infrastructure, and franchise-driven growth.
• Little Caesars: Value-positioned pizza QSR known for Hot-N-Ready carryout model. Competes intensely on price/value, the same axis Papa Murphy's Mix 'n' Match and Summer Selects promotions target.
• Marco's Pizza: Mid-tier franchise pizza chain with similar store count and franchise-heavy model. Most comparable peer on unit economics and franchise development approach.

Emerging players

• Blaze Pizza: Fast-casual build-your-own pizza concept. Represents the fast-casual pizza segment Papa Murphy's could shift toward if the brand evolved its dine-in/experience proposition.
• MOD Pizza: Fast-casual assemble-your-own pizza chain with strong unit-level brand. Provides a read on how Papa Murphy's would compete if it invested in dine-in and customization as core differentiators.

Broad incumbents

• Yum! Brands: Multi-brand restaurant franchisor owning Pizza Hut, KFC, Taco Bell, and Habit Burger. Relevant as a potential acquirer profile and as a benchmark for multi-brand franchise operating models.

Others

• DiGiorno: Nestlé-owned leading frozen pizza brand. While not a restaurant competitor, it competes for at-home pizza occasions and is the primary CPG substitute for the Take 'n' Bake model.

Regional players

• Mountain Mike's Pizza: West Coast-focused family pizza chain with dine-in, carryout, and delivery. Comparable on family-occasion positioning and franchised expansion, though primarily California-concentrated.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/papamurphys
• Facebookfacebook.com/papamurphyspizza
• Instagraminstagram.com/papamurphys
• Pinterestpinterest.com/papamurphys
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/60400

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Papa Murphy s International LLC