The delicious pizza restaurant Papa Johns is branching out into the hemp industry with the addition of its new limited-edition Hemp Sticks, which are pretty similar to mozzarella sticks but contain the high protein hemp seed. 

The Hemp Sticks will launch in two growing markets, the United Kingdom and Russia. According to QSR Magazine, the new items from Papa Johns impressively mark the first global quick-service restaurant to add hemp to its menu. 

Last year, the pizza restaurant announced its “Better Ingredients. Better Pizza.” initiative as a part of a rebranding model to source and use healthier ingredients to serve, well, better pizza. With the younger generations leaning towards a wellness-oriented lifestyle and choosing healthier food options, Papa Johns felt inclined to offer plant-based and more nutritious options on its menu. 

The new Hemp Sticks perfectly align with Papa Johns’ rebranding efforts. They’re made using six-ingredient dough that’s always fresh, never frozen. The items will be a tad different between the UK and Russia; the latter will see the sticks with a special Papa Johns’ garlic sauce and a generous dash of shelled hemp seeds.

In The UK, the recipe uses garlic butter sauce instead of special garlic sauce and also comes with delicious mozzarella. Papa Johns is launching the products with an integrated marketing campaign that teams up with a handful of individual influencers and nutritionists to make the launch more personable to consumers in both the UK and Russia.

The main goal of the marketing campaign is to destigmatize hemp and promote its use as a great source of plant protein, vitamins, and essential nutrients. QSR Magazine reports that social media, paid promotion, and PR will all roll out during the Hemp Sticks launch in both regions.

In The United Kingdom, PR plans to emphasize the wellness of natural food highs, presented by the one and only stuntman Matt Pritchard, who, in recent years, has become a plant-based chef. The advertisement will see him descending from a cliff on a rope to supply Hemp Sticks to the earthbound. 

On the other hand, Russia is calling on its two ‘roofer’ influencers, Angela Nikolau and Ivan Berkus, to participate in an ad that sees them getting a delivery of Hemp Sticks at the peak of a building via drone. 

In a recent Papa Johns press release, VP of International Marketing Jo Blundell was thrilled to announce that Papa Johns is the first global quick-service restaurant to have hemp featured on its menu. He says it “will offer pizza fans a new way to enjoy our iconic breadsticks and help to dispel some of the misunderstandings surrounding this 100% legal, delicious seed.”