To celebrate the launch of its 300th store in the UK, popular pizza chain Papa John’s Ltd (UK) has smashed the Guinness World Records title for the Most people tossing pizza dough simultaneously.
With a a target of 300 participants required to set the record, they exceeded expectations after an incredible 338 people successfully completed the challenge and left London in a cloud of flour.
Papa John’s was founded in the USA in 1984 and there are now more than 4,600 stores in 37 different countries – but the 300th store in the UK was definitely a milestone that deserved a history-making event.
The pizza giant hired Potters Field Park, beside Tower Bridge in London to hold the huge mass of pizza-makers, led by the one-and-only Papa John himself: John Schnatter (founder and CEO).
The event kicked off at 8.00am when Papa John’s eager staff and volunteers began arriving and took their places at the pizza-tossing stations.
Official Guinness World Records adjudicator Justine Tommey was at the event to verify the record. Under the rules of the record, the attempt had to take place in a single location with participants required to toss their portion of pizza dough for a minimum of one minute. At the end of the attempt, each portion needed to measure at least 30.5cm in diameter."
Justine was thrilled to confirm that the 338 participants had tossed aside Italy’s Istituto Nazionale della Pizza which previously held the record with 278 people: "It was a fantastic effort and achievement by everyone involved.”
To increase the buzz around the event and encourage the participants, Strictly Come Dancing’s Natalie Lowe took to the stage to motivate the crowd with come Fit Steps and classic dance steps, including the Salsa and Jive.
Papa John Schnatter, whose company philosophy is “Better Ingredients. Better Pizza”, said, “Today has been a fantastic way to showcase the passion we have at Papa John’s for pizza and to demonstrate how much skill goes into making pizzas. I am delighted that we have broken the record today – a great way to begin our 300th store opening celebrations in Wimbledon tomorrow.”
Not only did the record celebrate the store's launch but it engaged hundreds of employees and renewed their enthusiasm for the brand.
The official opening of the pizza giant’s 300th UK store took place in Wimbledon the following afternoon, with famed Papa John making a special visit and personally handing out pizzas.
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