Papa Johns Launches Garlic Flavored Sauce in Grocery Stores
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: May 13 2026
0mins
For the first time, Papa Johns (PZZA) is bringing the flavors of its iconic Special Garlic Dipping Sauce to grocery stores nationwide with the debut of Papa Johns Garlic Flavored Sauce. The bottled Garlic Flavored Sauce will begin hitting select U.S. grocery and retail stores nationwide this summer, including Walmart (WMT), Kroger (KR), Albertson's (ACI), Safeway, and H-E-B. Availability may vary by retailer.
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Analyst Views on PZZA
Wall Street analysts forecast PZZA stock price to rise
9 Analyst Rating
3 Buy
6 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 34.650
Low
42.00
Averages
49.14
High
60.00
Current: 34.650
Low
42.00
Averages
49.14
High
60.00
About PZZA
Papa John’s International, Inc. operates and franchises pizza delivery and carryout restaurants and, in certain international markets, dine-in and delivery restaurants under the trademark Papa Johns. The Company operates through four segments. Its Domestic Company-owned restaurant segment consists of the operations of all domestic Company-owned restaurants; the North America commissaries segment comprises approximately 11 full-service regional dough production and distribution quality control centers in the United States; the North America franchising segment consists of franchise sales and support activities, and International operations segment principally consists of distribution sales to franchised Papa John’s restaurants located in the United Kingdom and its franchise sales and support activities. The Company operates approximately 6,030 Papa John’s restaurants in operation, consisting of 552 Company-owned and 5,478 franchised restaurants operating in 51 countries and territories.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Marketing Strategy: Papa Johns will roll out the product line across Canada and 42 international markets, promoting it through social media and its app, showcasing its commitment to high-quality ingredients while enhancing consumer engagement.
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- Limited Edition Products: The campaign introduces Toy Story 5 personal pizzas priced at $9.99, featuring limited-edition collectibles of Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie, which is expected to attract a large fanbase and enhance brand visibility.
- Marketing Strategy: Papa Johns will roll out the product line across Canada and 42 international markets, promoting it through social media and its app, showcasing its commitment to high-quality ingredients while enhancing consumer engagement.
- Brand Image Enhancement: This collaboration not only highlights Papa Johns' dedication to quality ingredients but also elevates its brand image by associating with the iconic Toy Story franchise, likely attracting more family customers and driving sales growth.
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- Stock Fluctuations: Although Papa John's stock rose over 7% last week and more than 10% over the past week, Saleh emphasized that such acquisition rumors typically surface when the stock price dips to the low $30s, lacking substantial progress.
- Leverage Concerns: Saleh highlighted that Papa John's current debt-to-adjusted EBITDA ratio stands at approximately 3.5x, leaving little room for a suitor to incur additional debt in a take-private transaction, implying that the acquirer would need to pay the entire purchase price upfront.
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See More
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- Same-Store Sales Drop: Same-store sales fell 3.9% year-over-year, compared to a 1.3% decline in the same quarter last year, underscoring significant challenges in customer attraction exacerbated by severe weather and promotional pressures.
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See More
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- Potential Acquisition for Papa John's: Shares of Papa John's rose 5% following news that its largest franchisee, Nadeem Bajwa, plans to support Irth Capital in a takeover bid, with Bajwa controlling about 10% of domestic stores and expected to make a significant investment in the $47-per-share offer, although no deal is guaranteed.
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