LOUISVILLE Ky. Papa John’s International said Monday it has named Andrew Varga senior vice president and chief marketing officer. Varga, who joins the parent of more than 3,400 pizza restaurants worldwide after 21 years with Brown-Forman Corp., will report to president and chief operating officer Jude Thompson.
“We are excited to welcome Andrew Varga to Papa John’s,” Thompson said. “Andrew is a savvy marketing veteran who understands the power of branding and has done an outstanding job during his career at Brown-Forman. He has significant retail and branding experience in a highly competitive environment, and I am confident in his ability to move Papa John’s forward by keeping our brand on message and on strategy.”
Since 2007, Varga had been senior vice president and director of marketing for Brown-Forman, responsible for the company’s wines and spirits portfolio in North America, which encompassed 30 brands with annual sales of more than $1 billion. Before that, he was senior vice president and managing director of wine marketing, with global responsibility for Brown-Forman’s wine portfolio.
Currently celebrating its 25th anniversary, Louisville, Ky.-based Papa John’s has embarked on its “Papa’s in the House” branding campaign, featuring brand founder and chief executive John Schnatter. Papa John’s is the nation’s third-largest pizza chain and had revenues of $1.13 billion in fiscal 2008.
Contact Mark Brandau at [email protected]