About 190 Papa John’s stores are still open in Russia, according to a New York Times report released Monday, despite the announcement by the international pizza chain that it will suspend its corporate activities in the country due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Papa John’s restaurants are mostly owned by Russians under a franchise agreement with a company controlled by Colorado native Christopher Wynn, who told The Times that Russians “are good thinkers and understand the grim seriousness of the situation they are in” and that “at the end of the day they appreciate a good pizza.”
“The best thing I can do as an individual is to show empathy for the people, my employees, franchisees and clients, without judging them because of the politicians in power,” Wynn told the newspaper.
The Hill has reached out to Papa John’s for comment.
Last week, Papa John’s announced the suspension of its corporate activities in Russia, joining other well-known international companies such as Starbucks and McDonald’s.
The international pizza chain, which has 8% of global stores located in Russia, also said it would donate food and financial donations to help Ukrainian refugees.
Papa John’s The Times said in a statement that its decision to suspend operations in Russia was “supported by the vast majority of our team members, franchises, clients and communities around the world.”
But while franchised stores, common among large companies operating in a large number of outlets, may be supported by their parent companies, they are mainly run by franchisees who have a greater financial interest in keeping individual stores open, the Times notes.
The dynamic has also complicated efforts to suspend operations in Russia for other fast food brands such as Restaurant Brands International, owner of Burger King, which has 800 franchised locations in the country, and Yum Brands, which operates KFC but only owns about 70, according to the Times. , of the approximately 1,000 KFC restaurants located there.
Wynn, whose wife is Russian, told the Times that when Papa John’s announced it was suspending support for Russian businesses, including it, “our views diverged pretty quickly.”
“I have a point of view that I am primarily interested in my employees and franchisees, and also in keeping open lines of cultural exchange with the Russian people,” he told the newspaper. “Papa John’s is worried about the corporate and political wind that I can’t focus on day in and day out.”