Three franchise agreements have been signed to bring the Papa Murphy’s and Pinkberry brands together under one roof for the first time. Both brands are owned by Montreal-based MTY Food Group.
The company said the new model brings together the take-and-bake brand with the premium frozen yogurt brand to maximize real estate, labor, and operational efficiencies, provide franchisees with multiple revenue streams, and appeal to a broader consumer set.
The first co-branded model will open in early November in Sunriver, Oregon, operated by Joshua and Samantha Kimzey. Longtime franchisee John Perea will add a Pinkberry to his existing Papa Murphy’s restaurant in Santa Fe, New Mexico, expanding a location he has owned since 2010. Existing franchisee Casey Kauer, who operates five Papa Murphy’s restaurants in Utah, is also expanding with a new co-branded location in West Haven, Utah, scheduled to open in summer 2027.
In a statement, Ray Zandi, vice president of U.S. development at MTY Food Group, said early responses to the co-branded concept “reinforce the strength of the brands individually and the even greater potential they have together.”
“By combining Papa Murphy’s and Pinkberry … or some of the other less labor-intensive concepts, we’re creating a differentiated concept that gives owners greater flexibility while delivering a convenient, high-quality experience for guests. These brands in particular pair well together and also offset each other seasonally, which will greatly assist in growth and a faster ROI in the future for candidates that wish to explore co-brands as ways to develop new stores with either brand,” he said.
In a statement, Joshua Kimzey said the model creates “obvious financial benefits, like shared overhead costs and the ability to cross-train employees.”
“Just as valuable is being able to offer something for everyone, at any time of the day. It really becomes a destination,” he added.
MTY Food Group owns and franchises a portfolio of more than 80 restaurant chains with more than 7,000 locations worldwide, including Wetzel’s Pretzels, Cold Stone Creamery, Sweet Frog, Planet Smoothie, Blimpie, TacoTime, and more.
Papa Murphy’s, with nearly 1,000 locations across the U.S., Canada and United Arab Emirates, is its largest brand, but it has been struggling of late. The chain’s footprint is more than 20% smaller than it was in 2020, according to Technomic, and in July, MTY CEO Eric Lefebvre said the company will close another 45 to 50 locations.
Meanwhile, in 2025, Pinkberry’s U.S. sales grew 3.2%, while its unit count grew by 5.1%, per Technomic data.
Notably, MTY is no stranger to co-branding. The company also owns Kahala Brands, which announced a plan to open 17 co-branded Wetzel’s Pretzels and Cold Stone Creamery units this year.
MTY reported its third quarter results last week, with Lefebvre hinting that the company could offload some of its weaker-performing chains to “optimize its portfolio of brands.”
“Everything is for sale if the price is right,” he said. “But there’s no strong desire to divest of good brands.”
Same-store sales at the company declined 1.9% in the third quarter, including 2.7% in the U.S., which accounts for a majority of its sales.
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