That unmistakable aroma of baking brilliance will soon be under the noses of more people thanks to the acquisition of a new store in Sale. More openings in the north are also planned, proving that Papa John's meant every word of its expansion promise last month.

An investment plan to grow from 95 stores to more than 300 by 2016 is under way and the Sale acquisition comes at the perfect time, ahead of the British Franchise Exhibition at the nearby GMEX centre on January 25th 2008.

EARNING A CRUST
Franchisees are earning their crust as well, forming the perfect base for continued growth. Grant Wiszniewski (pictured, bottom) did his sums and calculated that a career with Papa John's was preferable to his job in accountancy. Since making the dramatic switch in professions in 2003, he has never looked back.

The 33-year-old Geordie is in charge of his hometown store in Newcastle and he is loving every minute of it: "Becoming a Papa John's franchisee is one of the best things I have ever done. I have so much job satisfaction. I feel like I am making a far bigger impact on the community and that has got to be a good thing. It was a big decision to make such a radical career change but I don't regret the decision for a second."

Raheel Choudhary (pictured, top) is another franchisee not afraid to get his hands dirty, after taking on six pizza delivery units in East London. Raheel opened his first outlet in 2003 and his aim is to eventually have 12 to his name. He says: "Competition in the food sector is very high, so you must work constantly to maintain a consistent, high quality product. Being a franchisee is easier than running a food outlet on your own. The food industry has more regulations than most, but the franchisor keeps us up to date with them, leaving us free to make money. You have to dedicate quality time to the business, especially at first. I still help out on busy Friday and Saturday nights." Papa John's was established in the USA in 1984 and currently operates more than 3,000 restaurants in 29 markets around the world. CEO Nigel Travis concludes: "I said when I started that I felt the company's best days were ahead and even though we've had a lot of success already, I still believe strongly that the best is yet to come."

Financial information

Investment level: It costs around £170,000 (based on an 800sqft store) to set up a standard Papa John's store. Of this a franchisee needs around £70,000 liquid capital. Papa John's will offer advice and assistance to potential applicants seeking bank finance.

What you get: The 'Turnkey' package that the company is now promoting normally includes everything to get a store built and running. The company will handle all the building and project management and will be responsible for sourcing suitable, profitable locations.