When you hear ‘Better Ingredients, Better Pizza,’ that one brand always comes to mind, regardless of whether you had their pizzas or not. Yes! It’s Papa John’s. But who owns Papa John’s?
This pizza chain holds the third place among the most popular pizza chain giants- Domino’s and Pizza Hut. Papa John’s is a company that transformed from a company under fire to a comeback kid.
Let’s move on to understanding the intriguing journey of Papa John’s.
About Papa John’s
Papa John’s is an American pizza restaurant chain. The headquarters of the company is in the Louisville, Kentucky, and Atlanta, Georgia, metropolitan area.
It started with one young college graduate with very few resources but great ambition. John Schnatter, a college graduate, sold his 1972 Camaro for cash and started his business from a broom closet in the back of his father’s tavern in Jeffersonville, Indiana.
The following year, the first official Papa John’s outlet was opened next door, which then led to the opening of 100 franchises of the pizza chain.
Papa John’s is the fourth-largest pizza delivery restaurant in the United States and the world’s third-largest pizza delivery chain.
Who Founded Papa John’s?
After the founder, John Schnatter spurred a racial epithet in a conference call, he was replaced by the CEO, Steve Ritchie.
Then, he admitted to using racial epithets and resigned as the chairman of the board of directors. In the year 2018, the top executives of the company decided to remove Schnatter’s image from marketing materials.
It has also signed an agreement to develop 100 units of Papa John’s by 2029. Currently, the CEO of Papa John’s is Robert Lynch.
Who Owns Papa John’s?
Papa John’s is a large pizza company. The ownership of Papa John’s is spread among many different people and groups who own shares of the company. No single person or entity owns the entire company.
Top 10 Owners of Papa John’s International Inc
Stockholder | Stake | Shares owned | Total value ($) | Shares bought / sold | Total change |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
T. Rowe Price Investment Management, Inc. | 11.41% | 3,726,173 | 308,154,507 | -65,982 | -1.74% |
BlackRock Fund Advisors | 10.30% | 3,361,892 | 278,028,468 | -127,199 | -3.65% |
The Vanguard Group, Inc. | 9.30% | 3,036,870 | 251,149,149 | +42,298 | +1.41% |
Managed Account Advisors LLC | 4.04% | 1,320,496 | 109,205,019 | +343,452 | +35.15% |
EARNEST Partners LLC | 4.04% | 1,318,311 | 109,024,320 | +452,081 | +52.19% |
AllianceBernstein LP | 3.98% | 1,300,999 | 107,592,617 | -17,458 | -1.32% |
SSgA Funds Management, Inc. | 3.35% | 1,093,362 | 90,421,037 | -92,264 | -7.78% |
Westwood Management Corp. (Texas) | 2.61% | 852,754 | 70,522,756 | -50,908 | -5.63% |
Stephens Investment Management Gr… | 2.59% | 845,110 | 69,890,597 | +21,385 | +2.60% |
Jackson Square Partners LLC | 2.31% | 753,177 | 62,287,738 | -67,731 | -8.25% |
Who Owns Majority Shares of Papa John’s?
T. Rowe Price Investment Management, Inc. owns the majority of shares in Papa John’s, holding 3,726,173 shares, which is 11.38% of the company on August 24, 2023.
Does Shaq Own Papa John’s?
No, Shaq does not own Papa John’s. However, he owns 9 franchise units of the pizza chain. He is also the ambassador of Papa John’s and has been on the pizza company’s board of directors since 25 February 2019.
What Is The Net Worth Of Shaq?
Shaquille O’ Neal has always been more than just a dominant basketball player. Shaq mainly built up his net worth during his playing days in the NBA.
According to Celebrity Net, the net worth of Shaq is $400 million. He made an estimated $286 million as an NBA player.
Interesting Facts About Papa John’s
Here are a few interesting facts that you must know about Papa John’s:
1. Papa John’s Invented Pizza Dipping Sauce
Yes! You read it right. Just like Pizza Hut introduced the chain pizzeria to people and Domino’s is known for their fast delivery, Papa John’s invested in pizza dipping sauce.
Nowadays, pizza dipping sauce has no limits; from Buffalo sauce to mango habanero to honey mustard, everything counts. But all this started at Papa John’s when it introduced its first-of-a-kind garlic dipping sauce in 1984.
2. Papa John’s- The first pizza chain to offer nationwide online ordering
Back in the days when people used to pick up a phone, dial a pizza outlet number, and order their pizza, Papa John’s was the first pizza chain that offered nationwide online pizza ordering.
The pizza chain rolled out its online ordering system in 2002, and later, its rival also followed the chain. Pizza Hut expanded online ordering in all its stores in 2003, and Domino’s followed in 2007.
3. The Ugly Fight With Its Biggest Rival-Pizza Hut
Yes! Papa John’s and Pizza Hut got into a fierce fight back in 1994. This all started when the co-founder of Pizza Hut left the pizza chain for good but wanted to get back into the business.
The co-founder Frank Carney decided to switch teams and joined hands with Papa John’s franchisee in 1994. Later in the year, Papa John’s decided to have Carney in the national commercials in 1997, claiming he had found ‘Better Pizza’.
This was when things got ugly, and both the pizza chains ended up seeing each other for false advertising. According to CBS, it was the stupidest case ever to be heard by the judiciary.
4. Papa John’s Used To Be A Horrible Place To Work Under John Schnatter
Schnatter was always known for its focused and determined behavior, but not until 90’s. As by the mid 90’s, Schnatter developed a reputation of a tough boss with a rigid management style.
It was also reported that Schnatter had a habit of checking the emails of the workers in his constant effort to protect himself and his reputation.
Conclusion
Papa John’s has very peculiar controversies, but it is the third-largest pizza delivery restaurant in the world that is still running on profit.
Well, as an entrepreneur, the very first question should be how much a Papa John’s franchise costs and what is the Papa John’s failure rate and owner’s salary. These are the two things that are very crucial if you are looking for a profitable venture.
Overall, who owns Papa John’s is still an interesting subject after its founder and ex-chairman spurred some controversies.
FAQs
Did Papa John's got sold?
Papa John’s is selling its interest in the restaurants to Sun Holdings, which has assumed control of the restaurant.
How many Papa John's are franchised?
The Papa John’s franchise system has approximately 5300 units operating and around two-thirds of which are based in the USA.
How much does Shaq owns in Papa John's?
Shaq owns about 9 Papa John’s Pizza franchise locations, which equals a holding of $7 million. He also acts as a celebrity endorser and a board member. He recently signed an endorsement deal of $5.63 million.