Randy Chandler
Papa John's is a pizza chain with thousands of stores worldwide. The company has built its brand on the idea of superior ingredients, with the slogan Better Ingredients. Better Pizza. However, Papa John's has been criticized for not fully disclosing its ingredients, which has led to questions about the authenticity of its cheese. While the company claims to use '100% real cheese MADE FROM mozzarella, its cheese blend contains ingredients like modified food starch, whey protein concentrate, and sodium citrate, which are not typically found in real cheese. The cheese for Papa John's is supplied by Leprino Foods, a company that also supplies cheese to other major pizza chains like Pizza Hut and Domino's. Despite the controversy, Papa John's maintains that its ingredients are fresh and additive-free, setting it apart from standard fast food fare.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cheese Type | Mozzarella, Parmesan, Romano, Provolone, Fontina, Asiago, Cheddar, Monterey Jack |
| Cheese Supplier | Leprino Foods |
| Cheese Blend | Unique to Papa John's |
| Cheese Additives | Modified food starch, whey protein concentrate, sodium citrate, cellulose, natamycin, sodium propionate |
| Cheese Freshness | Not frozen |
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What You'll Learn
Papa John's cheese ingredients
Papa John's uses a variety of cheeses in its products, including mozzarella, parmesan, romano, provolone, fontina, and asiago. The company has stated that its cheese is "100% real cheese MADE FROM mozzarella". However, there has been some controversy surrounding the ingredients used in Papa John's cheese.
While the company claims to use only simple, fresh ingredients, it does not disclose a full list of ingredients on its website. According to some sources, the ingredients in Papa John's cheese include modified food starch, whey protein concentrate, sodium citrate, and the preservative sodium propionate, which are not typically found in real cheese. These additional ingredients may be used to improve the functionality of the cheese, such as by preventing caking and clumping, inhibiting mould, and allowing the cheese to be frozen.
The cheese used by Papa John's is supplied by Leprino Foods, which also supplies cheese to other large pizza chains, including Pizza Hut, Domino's, and Little Caesars. Leprino Foods is the world's largest mozzarella company, with sales of over $3 billion annually. Papa John's uses a unique blend of cheeses that is different from those used by its competitors, despite sharing a supplier.
While Papa John's does not provide a complete list of ingredients for its cheese, it does disclose some of the potential allergens that may be present in its products, including wheat and dairy. Overall, while the company claims to use "100% real cheese," the presence of additional ingredients has led to some skepticism and criticism.
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Leprino Foods supplies Papa John's
Leprino Foods is an American company that was founded in 1950 by Mike Leprino, James Leprino's father. It is headquartered in Denver, Colorado and produces cheese, lactose, whey protein, and sweet whey. The company has facilities in several US states, including New York, Michigan, Texas, New Mexico, California, and Colorado, as well as international facilities in Brazil, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Singapore.
Leprino Foods is the world's largest maker of mozzarella cheese and supplies cheese to 85% of the pizza market. The company's cheeses include mozzarella, reduced-fat Monterey jack, provolone, reduced-fat cheddar, and various cheese blends.
Leprino Foods is the exclusive supplier of cheese to Papa John's, as well as other pizza chains such as Pizza Hut, Domino's, Little Caesars, and Digiorno. The company has been supplying Papa John's since 1991, when the pizza chain launched in 1985.
While Papa John's claims to use "better ingredients" for its pizzas, the company does not fully disclose its ingredients. According to a former employee, the ingredients in Papa John's "100 percent real cheese" include modified food starch, whey protein concentrate, sodium citrate, and preservatives, which are not typically found in real cheese.
Despite this, Papa John's maintains that its ingredients are fresh and additive-free, and their dough does not contain chemical dough conditioners commonly found in commercially produced bread products.
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Papa John's cheese blend
Papa John's has long advertised its pizza as being made with "better ingredients" than its competitors. However, the company has been criticised for not disclosing the full list of ingredients in its products.
According to Papa John's, its cheese is 100% real cheese made from mozzarella. However, the company's real" designation refers only to the actual cheese, not the cheese blend recipe, which includes modified food starch, whey protein concentrate, sodium citrate and the preservative sodium propionate. These are not ingredients that would be found in real cheese, whether it be mozzarella or otherwise.
Papa John's cheese is supplied by Leprino Foods, which also supplies cheese to Pizza Hut, Domino's, and Little Caesars. Leprino Foods is the world's largest mozzarella company, with sales of over $3 billion annually. The cheese supplied to Papa John's is a blend unique to the chain, comprising Parmesan, Romano, Provolone, Fontina, and Asiago cheeses.
Papa John's has also been accused of using frozen cheese, a claim that the company has not addressed.
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Papa John's cheese quality
Papa John's uses a variety of cheeses in its products, including mozzarella, Parmesan, Romano, provolone, fontina, and Asiago. The company sources its cheese from Leprino Foods, a large-scale mozzarella company that also supplies cheese to other pizza chains like Pizza Hut and Domino's.
While Papa John's emphasizes its use of "better ingredients," the company has been criticized for not fully disclosing its ingredients. In particular, the claim of using "100% real cheese" has been questioned, as the cheese blend contains ingredients like modified food starch, whey protein concentrate, sodium citrate, and preservatives, which are not typically found in pure cheese.
The company's website provides some information on ingredients but does not offer a comprehensive list. Papa John's has defended its partial disclosure by stating that its recipes and formulas are proprietary, and that revealing all ingredients would cross a line in terms of transparency and the protection of trade secrets.
Despite the lack of complete ingredient transparency, Papa John's cheese quality can be assessed through its sourcing and preparation methods. The company uses cheese from Leprino Foods, which has a focus on quality and has never had to recall a product. Leprino Foods supplies "Quality Locked Cheese," which is shredded and individually frozen to ensure consistency and scalability.
Additionally, Papa John's takes pride in its fresh ingredients and has certain practices in place to maintain freshness. For example, their dough is not frozen, and they use fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes in their sauce. The company also offers a range of signature dipping sauces, with garlic sauce being a popular choice among customers.
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Papa John's cheese quantity
Papa John's uses a variety of cheeses on its pizzas, including Parmesan, Romano, Provolone, Fontina, and Asiago. The company's website lists "part-skim mozzarella cheese (pasteurized milk, cultures, salt, enzymes), modified food starch, cellulose (added to prevent caking), whey protein concentrate, and sodium citrate" as ingredients in its cheese.
The company has been criticized for its lack of transparency regarding the ingredients in its cheese and other products. While Papa John's emphasizes the freshness and quality of its ingredients, it does not provide a full list of ingredients on its website or elsewhere. According to one source, the company's "100 percent real cheese" claim refers only to the actual cheese content, not the cheese blend recipe, which includes ingredients not typically found in real cheese, such as modified food starch, whey protein concentrate, and preservatives.
The cheese used by Papa John's is supplied by Leprino Foods, which also supplies cheese to other major pizza chains like Pizza Hut, Domino's, and Little Caesars. Leprino Foods is the world's largest mozzarella company, with sales of over $3 billion annually. The company's focus on large pizza chains has allowed it to dominate the market for pizza cheese, achieving an estimated 7% net margin, which is significantly higher than the dairy industry average.
Papa John's has worked closely with Leprino Foods to ensure the cheese meets their specifications. For example, when Papa John's requested cheese without fillers, Leprino initially provided a new blend that the founder, John Schnatter, was not satisfied with. Leprino quickly switched back to the previous blend, but at a higher price, demonstrating the leverage he had due to his position in the market.
While the exact quantity of cheese used on each pizza may vary depending on the type and size, Papa John's is known for its generous toppings, with cheese being a key component. The company's Pan Pizza, for instance, features a "cheese ring" where the cheese is spread all the way to the crust. Additionally, Papa John's offers extra cheese as an optional topping, allowing customers to increase the cheese quantity on their pizzas if desired.
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Frequently asked questions
Papa John's uses real cheese, but it is not 100% cheese. The company's "100% real cheese" includes modified food starch, whey protein concentrate, sodium citrate, and the preservative sodium propionate, which are not ingredients found in real cheese.
Papa John's uses a blend of Parmesan, Romano, Provolone, Fontina, and Asiago cheeses.
Leprino Foods is the exclusive supplier of cheese for Papa John's.
Papa John's does not list its full ingredients on its website. However, the company claims that it discloses ingredients and that the incomplete snippets of information available on its website are due to the proprietary nature of its recipes and formulas.
