ATLANTA — Papa John’s International Inc. plans to open 50 new restaurants by 2028 in partnership with franchisee Nadeem Bajwa and his company, The Bajco Group, which has grown over the past 20 years to become one of the company’s largest domestic franchisees.
Furthering Bajwa’s goal to own 500 Papa Johns restaurants, the new agreement will expand its footprint in The Bajco Group’s existing markets across the Midwest and in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Florida, adding to the more than 200 restaurants the franchisee and his team currently operate.
“Nadeem’s story is a clear example of how Papa Johns supports its franchisees to build shared success,” said Joe Sieve, company chief restaurant officer “After starting his Papa Johns journey as a delivery driver, today he is one of the strongest ambassadors for the opportunities Papa Johns presents to its team members and franchisees. Nadeem’s confidence in the brand and expertise in the industry reinforces why he knows there has never been a better time to grow with us.”
A proponent of paying it forward and creating future opportunities for his team members to build their own businesses, Bajwa credits the company’s business model and strong brand equity as integral to his success.
“Signing this deal, I am as excited today as I was 20 years ago when I opened my first restaurant,” Bajwa said. “Papa Johns is not just about business. My team members are my family – and that’s a whole different ballgame. I’m proud that in partnership with Papa Johns, I have been able to pursue my own aspiration, and watch my own team members go from starting their first jobs to becoming leaders.”
Earlier this year, Papa Johns announced the Back to Growth Program (B2G Program), a new development incentive program designed to accelerate growth in North America as part of its Back to Better 2.0 strategy. The new program will boost restaurant-level margins during the first five years of operations of new restaurants – equating to a 600-basis point of annual cost savings in restaurant P&Ls – which is expected to significantly improve cash-on-cash returns for franchisees, add scale in key markets and attract growth-oriented franchisees.
In tandem with this program, Papa Johns is making significant investments to strengthen its North America development infrastructure. To attract new, growth-oriented franchisees and support current developing franchisees, Papa Johns is strengthening its development team through several key hires who will specifically focus on unlocking accelerated franchisee growth.
Papa John’s opened in 1984 in Louisville. Co-headquartered in Atlanta and Louisville, it is the world’s third-largest pizza delivery company with more than 5,900 restaurants in 50 countries and territories. For more information about the Company or to order pizza online, visit www.papajohns.com or download the Papa Johns mobile app for iOS or Android.
The Bajco Group is a privately held business with its principal office in Canfield, Ohio, and a satellite in Lahore, Pakistan. Its affiliated companies own and manage 200+ Papa John’s Pizza restaurants across 10 states in the U.S. and a commercial real estate portfolio across Midwest region of the United States.
