Stealth Pacific Northwest Pizza Brand Outranks Big Boys!

Cinderella stories don’t only happen on the basketball court these days. Papa Murphy’s, the under-the-radar take ‘n’ bake pizza concept unknown in some parts of the country, scored an upset victory in the food world, ranking #1 with consumers in two recently-released, prestigious consumer surveys. The big surprise: This underdog brand beat out full-service brands without having ovens, table service, delivery drivers, or bars! Instead, they relied on their dough made fresh daily in stores, 100% real mozzarella cheese, fresh veggies cut by hand and the premium meats that amply top every pie.

Just like Starbucks, Nike, and Costco, Papa Murphy’s is a cult brand that started in the Pacific Northwest and is quickly sweeping the nation as take ‘n’ bake becomes customers’ preferred pizza.

“Just like other 1st Choice brands out of the Pacific Northwest, as we expand our national footprint and more people try our fresh, high-quality pizza served hot out of their home oven, they get hooked and become fans for life,” says Ken Calwell, CEO of Papa Murphy’s, the world’s largest take ‘n’ bake pizza chain with 1,350 locations.

Technomic Survey:

• Consumers rate Papa Murphy’s the #1 food chain over all full-service and limited-service chains in the just-released 2013 Consumer Restaurant Brand Metrics ranking by Technomic, the most recognized and experienced food industry consulting and research firm.

• The surprising results come from a two-year study, polling 80,000 people. By a wide margin, Papa Murphy’s ranked first - rated the highest in service, hospitality, convenience, takeout and value among all of the chains studied.

• Papa Murphy’s beat out well-known top chains scoring well ahead of second place Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, and topping Chick-fil-A, McAlister’s Deli and Firehouse Subs.

2013 Consumer Picks Survey:

• Papa Murphy’s also ranked #1 pizza chain in the 2013 Consumer Picks survey by Nation’s Restaurant News and WD Partners, a global strategy firm.

• Papa Murphy’s ranked #3 overall, way ahead of all other pizza franchises, including Papa John’s (ranked 46), Pizza Hut (ranked 65), Domino’s (ranked 76) and Little Caesars (ranked 88).

• The survey asked consumers to rank brands on atmosphere, cleanliness, craveability, food quality, likely to recommend, likely to return, menu variety, reputation, service and value.

“Pacific Northwest brands have a very loyal following because they give customers a product or an experience they can’t get anywhere else,” explains Calwell. “In all of our stores, we come in early to make the pizza dough by hand, grate the 100% mozzarella cheese and slice our fresh vegetables. We help our customers create the highest-quality pizza to take home, bake and serve to their families fresh out of the oven. That difference is what makes us the best kept secret in restaurants. We are very thankful to be named #1 and proud that our owners invest in these extra steps so families can enjoy their perfect pizza.”

Recipe for Success – one slice at a time!
Papa Murphy’s has been steadily winning consumer-confidence polls because of unique offerings and brand positioning.

Customer’s #1 Choice: For the third straight year, customers ranked Papa Murphy’s #1 Rated Pizza Chain in Zagat’s Fast Food Surveys.

Unique Target Customer and Offering: While competitors battle it out for the young male customer who may switch brands for the lowest price or the value customer on-the-go, Papa Murphy’s core customer is the mom looking for fresh, high-quality ingredients she can be proud to bake in her own oven and feed to her family, bubbly and hot. Unique Pizza Offerings: Papa Murphy’s has a variety of products on its menu, even a pizza for the health-conscious. The thin and crispy delite® line of pizzas is packed full of flavor, with toppings like grilled chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts and even bacon. But with 40% less fat and 30% fewer calories than their usual Signature pizzas, consumers love that they can enjoy this pizza without any of the guilt and without giving up amazing taste. High Quality /Low Overhead: The company can offer higher quality pizzas without high prices because of the unique business model with low overhead. Stores close by 10 p.m. and there are no delivery drivers, freezers or ovens. Plus, square footage is smaller than most competitors because there’s no in-store dining. “We put all our money into our food,” says Calwell. “We may be the underdog in size, but not in flavor and customer satisfaction. We create our pizzas right in front of customers with the freshest ingredients to take home and bake in their ovens. We bring families together with food people love.”