Papa Johns franchisee Nadeem Bajwa is ready to start his next chapter with Papa Johns after signing a new deal to open 50 new restaurants over the next five years. Building upon his team’s existing operations and leadership, Papa Johns will partner with Nadeem to expand and maximize his business footprint by strategically targeting areas – down to the block – where the Papa Johns value proposition will be most welcomed.
This new agreement will grow Nadeem’s existing markets across the Midwest and in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Florida, adding to the over 200 restaurants the franchisee and his team currently operate. And he’s not stopping there – Nadeem’s goal is to own 500 Papa Johns restaurants.
Nadeem Bajwa inspires other franchisees during the 2023 Papa Johns Franchisee Conference.
“Papa Johns is an iconic brand that has a solid foundation,” Nadeem said. “The business proposition offers strong returns and there’s a lot of opportunity to grow.”
Nadeem is a particularly deep expert on the Papa Johns business. Starting as a delivery driver in 1992, more than 30 years later Nadeem is now Papa Johns largest North America franchisee. While he’s experienced changes along the way, one thing has stayed the same: the consumer’s love of the product.
Nadeem at the beginning of his Papa Johns journey, circa 1992.
Following in Nadeem’s footsteps, his franchise field leadership team has also learned the business from the ground up. Nadeem prioritizes building a sense of community throughout his business because he recognizes how important it is to cultivate a welcoming, winning culture.
“You have a responsibility to determine what people get out of their job,” Nadeem said. “It’s important to develop future leaders and surround yourself with people who have a desire to grow like you. If I slow down, that impacts their goals and dreams too.”
Looking forward, Nadeem remains hopeful for the opportunities that Papa Johns presents, including the new franchise development incentive announced as part of the company’s Back to Better 2.0 plan. This, coupled with the brand’s emphasis on business analytics that give insight into unclaimed whitespace ripe with opportunity, are a recipe for success. In the meantime, you can find him enjoying a Garden Fresh Pizza – his favorite menu item – in one of his newest locations.
