Papa John's Just Unveiled This New Gluten Free Pizza to Appease the Millennial Generation
Papa John's Int.'l Inc. (PZZA) - Get Report is launching pizza made with gluten-free crust, with a caveat, to its restaurants nationwide.
Beginning on Monday, Aug. 7, Papa John's said customers in the U.S. can order its pizza with never-frozen, gluten-free crust made from "ancient grains," which, according to the fast-food chain, include sorghum, teff, amaranth and quinoa. A two-topping pizza made with the gluten-free crust will cost $9.99.
To be sure, Papa John's warned that its new crust should not be consumed by customers with serious gluten intolerance, such as those with Celiac disease, an autoimmune disease that can damage the small intestine when gluten is ingested. The disease affects one in every 100 person worldwide, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation.
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"Eating a gluten-free crust doesn't have to mean eating a bland, tasteless product," said Sean Muldoon, Papa John's chief ingredient officer, in a statement on Monday. "Our gluten-free crust took more than two years to develop and perfect because taste and texture were key factors in the dough development."
On April 4, Papa John's announced that it was testing its gluten-free crust in the Los Angeles, Phoenix, St. Louis, Houston and Nashville markets.
"Operationally, Papa John's employs procedures to prevent contact with gluten, and while the crust is prepared in a separate, gluten-free facility before being shipped to stores, it is possible that a pizza with gluten-free crust could be exposed to gluten during the in-store, pizza-making process," Papa John's said.
The gluten-free nationwide launch is part of a renewed commitment by Papa John's to strengthen its "better ingredients" image. Last year, the pizza chain "went clean" by eliminating all artificial flavors and synthetic colors from its food and transitioned to using antibiotic-free chicken and cage-free eggs.
Both of Papa John's biggest competitors, Yum! Brands Inc.'s (YUM) - Get Report Pizza Hut and Domino's Pizza Inc. (DPZ) - Get Report , offer pizza with gluten-free crusts.
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