Vancouver, Wash. — Papa Murphy’s Holdings, Inc. has signed expanded store development agreements with Waterman Acquisition Company, LLC to develop an additional 12 new Papa Murphy’s pizza stores in Huntsville and Birmingham, Ala., and two stores in Raleigh, N.C., over the next 4 years. Currently there are 42 Papa Murphy’s stores located in Alabama and North Carolina.
According to a recent study by AggData, Papa Murphy’s is the fastest growing chain in Alabama with a 43% growth rate in the area. Waterman owner and area developer Boyd Simpson, a franchise owner with Papa Murphy’s since 2011, says, “After experiencing significant growth with our Papa Murphy’s stores in these markets over the last 5 years, I knew it was time to expand our portfolio and add these additional locations.”
The deal with Waterman modifies existing area development agreements and increases the store count from 12 to 24 in Huntsville and Birmingham, Ala., and from 10 to 12 units in the portion of Raleigh, N.C., operated by Waterman.
According to Jayson Tipp, chief development officer and senior vice president of technology, the expansion in the southern U.S. signals the company’s commitment to expanding its brand across the country and bringing its signature take-and-bake, fresh pizza model to underserved markets. “Consumers are attracted to our brand because of our commitment to customer service, high quality products that make meal preparation for families easy with our bake-at-home model,” Tipp says.
Papa Murphy’s Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1981 and currently operates more than 1,500 franchised and corporate-owned fresh pizza stores in 38 states, Canada and United Arab Emirates. For more information, visit www.papamurphys.com.
SOURCE: Papa Murphy’s Holdings, Inc.