Vancouver-based Papa Murphy's International achieved the third-highest growth in estimated sales per unit among the country's 100 largest food service chains, according to the 36th annual Nation's Restaurant News Top 100 census report.
That means Papa Murphy's sales grew more than four times that of its nearest pizza competitor, according to the take-and-bake chain. Among the nation's six largest pizza chains, Papa Murphy's saw the greatest growth in U.S. system-wide sales in 2008.
The company operates more than 1,100 franchised locations in 32 states and Canada, now boasts the fifth-highest sales volume in the pizza segment in the country.
Papa Murphy's CEO John Barr pointed to economic pressures that have tested the company's ability to stay the course in some areas of the business, while becoming nimble in others. In addition to new marketing strategies, Papa Murhpy's continues to attract new franchise owners because of the relatively low initial investment and easy-to-operate platform, he said in a news release.
