Papa John’s ditches artificial flavors, colors

papa johns pepperoni pizza

Not long after announcing its shift to antibiotic-free chicken, Papa John’s said that it has removed artificial flavors and synthetic colors from its full menu, including all pizza toppings and ingredients, as well as desserts.

The chain said it is the first national pizza brand to take this step, noting that efforts to clean up its menu cost the chain more than $100 million a year.

“We’re so proud to be able to show our customers how much we care about what they’re eating,” Sean Muldoon, Papa John’s senior vice president of research and development, said in a statement. “This exemplifies Papa John’s continued efforts to deliver high-quality products. It’s the right thing to do.”

Papa John’s joins a large chorus of chains working to remove additives from their products, including Panera Bread, which last week announced its line of soups is now free of artificial preservatives, flavors, sweeteners and colors.

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