Papa Murphy's

{{Short description|Business based in Vancouver, Washington, United States}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Papa Murphy's Holdings, Inc.

| logo = Papa Murphy's 2021.png

| image = PapaMurphysKC.jpg

| image_caption = A Papa Murphy’s located in Kansas City, Missouri (Pictured in 2023)

| type = Subsidiary

| industry = Fast food restaurants

| foundation = {{start date and age|1981}}

| location = Vancouver, Washington

| locations = 1,500+

| key_people = Eric Lefebvre (CEO)

| products = Pizza

| revenue = $800 million

| parent = MTY Food Group

| homepage = {{URL|papamurphys.com}}

}}

Papa Murphy's is a take-and-bake pizza company based in Vancouver, Washington.{{Cite web |url= http://www.pizzamarketplace.com/research.php?rc_id=134 |title= Papa Murphy's Take 'N' Bake Pizza |website= PizzaMarketplace.com |access-date= February 5, 2007 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070205020143/http://www.pizzamarketplace.com/research.php?rc_id=134 |archive-date= February 5, 2007 |url-status=dead }} It began in 1995 as the merger of two local take-and-bake pizza companies: Papa Aldo's Pizza (founded in 1981) and Murphy's Pizza (founded in 1984). The company and its franchisees operate more than 1,300 outlets in the United States, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates. In April 2019, it was announced that the company would be acquired by MTY Food Group for $190 million.{{cite news |last1=Rogoway |first1=Mike |title=Papa Murphy's sells to Canadian firm for $190 million |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=April 11, 2019 |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2019/04/papa-murphys-sells-to-canadian-firm-for-190-million.html |access-date=April 16, 2019}}

History

The chain of pizzerias traces its history back to 1981, when the Papa Aldo's Pizza chain was founded in Hillsboro, Oregon. Three years later, Murphy's Pizza chain began operating in Petaluma, California. Both chains were later acquired and consolidated by Terry Collins into Papa Murphy's. The chain was incorporated as Papa Murphy's International, Inc. In 2003, Papa Murphy's was voted "Best Pizza Chain in America" by Restaurants and Institutions magazine.{{Cite web |title=History of Papa Murphy's International, Inc. |url=https://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/papa-murphy-s-international-inc-history/ |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=FundingUniverse |language=en}} The company was merged with PMI Holdings, Inc. in 2004.{{Cite web|date=2014-09-20|title=Papa Murphy's|url=https://www.cbj.ca/papa_murphys/|access-date=2021-10-28|website=The Canadian Business Journal|language=en-CA}}

File:Papa Murphy’s 64.jpg

In 2010, the chain sold out to Lee Equity Partners of New York City.{{cite news|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/04/papa_murphys_sold_to_ny-based.html|title=Papa Murphy's sold to NY-based Lee Equity Partners|agency=The Oregonian|date=April 1, 2010|work=The Oregonian|access-date=April 1, 2010}}{{cite news|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/05/papa_murphys_sale_completed_1.html|title=Vancouver-based Papa Murphy's sale wraps up|date=May 6, 2010|work=The Oregonian|access-date=May 7, 2010}} Sales for the chain totaled $702 million in 2011,{{cite news|last=Culverwell|first=Wendy|title=Papa Murphy's adds first local store in four years|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/real-estate-daily/2012/11/papa-murphys-adds-first-vancouver.html|access-date=November 18, 2012|newspaper=Portland Business Journal|date=November 16, 2012}} which grew to $800 million in 2012 from 1,350 outlets.{{cite news|last=Culverwell|first=Wendy|title=An IPO for Papa Murphy's?|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/real-estate-daily/2013/07/an-ipo-for-papa-murphys.html|access-date=July 31, 2013|newspaper=Portland Business Journal|date=July 30, 2013}} Reuters reported in 2013 that Papa Murphy's New York parent, Lee Equity Partners, was preparing a public offering for the take-and-bake pizza chain.{{cite news| url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/real-estate-daily/2013/07/an-ipo-for-papa-murphys.html | title=An IPO for Papa Murphy's?}} Official plans for the IPO were announced in March 2014.{{cite news|last=Stevens|first=Suzanne|title=Papa Murphy's announces plans for an IPO|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/morning_call/2014/03/papa-murphys-announces-plans-for-an.html|access-date=March 13, 2014|newspaper=Portland Business Journal|date=March 12, 2014}}

Papa Murphy's (FRSH) was added to the Nasdaq May 2, 2014, raising $64.1 million in shares.[http://nrn.com/corporate-news/papa-murphys-shares-rise-modestly-public-debut Papa Murphy's shares rise modestly on public debut | Corporate News content from Nation's Restaurant News]

Following a loss in the third quarter of 2016, the company announced that it would launch its first national advertising campaign in 2017.{{cite news|last1=Jennings|first1=Lisa|title=Papa Murphy's to launch first-ever national ad campaign in 2017|url=http://nrn.com/quick-service/papa-murphy-s-launch-first-ever-national-ad-campaign-2017|access-date=November 4, 2016|date=November 2, 2016}}

By 2017–2018, the franchisor was struggling, dipping in and out of losses and profitability. In May 2019, it was taken over by Canadian private food conglomerate MTY Food Group, and removed from the NASDAQ.{{cite news|last1=Sniegowski|first1=Don|title=Canada's MTY Buys Troubled Papa Murphy's|url=https://www.bluemaumau.org/story/2019/05/24/canadas-mty-buys-troubled-papa-murphys|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524182846/https://www.bluemaumau.org/story/2019/05/24/canadas-mty-buys-troubled-papa-murphys|url-status=usurped|archive-date=May 24, 2019|access-date=March 25, 2020}}File:Papa Murphy’s Employees.jpg In October 2022, Papa Murphy's was sued in a class action lawsuit alleging the company had been secretly wiretapping the private conversations of everyone who had communicated via the company's online chat feature.{{Cite web |title=Papa Murphy's Hit With Privacy Suit Over Website Chats - Law360 |url=https://www.law360.com/articles/1539112/papa-murphy-s-hit-with-privacy-suit-over-website-chats |access-date=2022-10-28 |website=www.law360.com |language=en}}

Operations

Orders are available by walk-in, online order, or call-in. Some stores have a drive-thru window where customers can pick up call-in orders. As part of the take-and-bake concept, the pizzas are made at the store but are not baked there. According to Nation's Restaurant News, take-and-bake pizzerias typically have lower costs because they require less restaurant space and equipment. As a result, they are often able to undercut the national pizza giants.[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_27_32/ai_50152705 "Take-n-Bake Pizza Concepts Expand East; Papa Murphy's Leads the Way"]. Papa Murphy's also offers salads, dessert items, and soft drinks in various sizes.{{Cite web|title=Nutrition Facts {{!}} Papa Murphy's Pizza|url=https://www.papamurphys.com/nutrition/menu|access-date=2021-10-28|website=Papa Murphy's Take N' Bake Pizza {{!}} Order Pizza Online & Signup For Pizza Deals|language=en}}

File:Creation of a Papa Murphy’s Pizza.webm