Papa John’s Pizza to Relaunch in India from Bengaluru, Targets 650 Stores

American pizza chain Papa John’s International is set to make a comeback in India after exiting the market in 2017. The company plans to open 650 stores across the country over the next decade, starting with Bengaluru later this year.

The relaunch was announced by its new master franchise owner, Pulsar Capital, which acquired rights from Dubai-based PJP Investments Group. Pulsar’s Managing Partner Vish Narain shared the plan in a LinkedIn post earlier this month, also confirming his appointment to the Board of Directors at Papa John’s Pizza India.

PJP Investments, owned by Dubai private equity firm Levant Capital, holds Papa John’s franchise rights in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and previously India. It currently operates over 120 Papa John’s outlets in those markets and had earlier announced similar expansion plans for India in 2023, which were later shelved.

The renewed push comes as Papa John’s struggles in its home market. In the March quarter, North America comparable sales fell 2.7%, while international comparable sales rose 3%. Total revenue grew just 1% year-on-year to $518 million.

In India, the chain will face stiff competition from Pizza Hut, operated by Devyani International and Sapphire Foods India with a combined 950 outlets, and market leader Domino’s Pizza, which runs over 2,200 stores nationwide.

In an interview with Reuters, Narain said the fast-food “category is under-penetrated, so we are many years away from saturation.”

Papa John’s plans to adapt its menu to Indian tastes while continuing to offer its signature pizzas, following the approach of rivals who localise their offerings, as per the news agency. KFC serves a paneer zinger burger, Domino’s offers a chicken tikka pizza, and Subway sells a potato-patty sandwich.

Pulsar Capital is betting on India’s long-term growth potential, like global consumer brands such as Hindustan Unilever and brewer Heineken, which continue to invest heavily in India.