LOUISVILLE, KY. – Papa John’s International unveiled the company’s planned expansion in Germany. With its franchise partner PJ Western Group, Papa John’s will open 250 restaurants in the German market over the next seven years.

PJ Western is one of Papa John’s largest global franchisees in Central and Eastern Europe and has opened the first seven Papa John’s in Magdeburg and Leipzig and plans to open another six stores in Halle and Merseburg by the end of the summer. The company is looking for new franchisees to accelerate the Papa John’s expansion into Germany.

“More people around the world are being introduced to the ‘BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA.’ promise of Papa John’s, thanks to the work of our partners like PJ Western Group,” said Jack Swaysland, chief operating officer, International at Papa John’s. “This expansion into Germany follows a record year of sales and growth that has positioned Papa John’s to further accelerate development in international markets. We are excited to expand our partnership with PJ Western.”

In 2019, PJ Germany, together with PJ Western, acquired 13 existing locations of another pizza restaurant with plans to convert each site into a Papa John’s restaurant. The COVID-19 global pandemic initially postponed that project.

“We are excited to expand our business farther west into the heart of Europe,” said Christopher Wynne, chief executive officer and founder of the PJ Western Group, which currently operates 200 Papa John’s restaurants, in addition to ten dough production plants in Europe and Asia. “We are excited to bring great pizza and innovation to the German pizza market.”

Papa John’s continues to focus on rapid global development in Brazil, Japan and Southeast Asia. The quick-service chain is currently in 50 countries and territories. In recent years, Papa John’s has entered 12 new countries, including France, Spain, Tunisia, Iraq, the Netherlands, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Pakistan and Portugal.