{"id":1836153,"date":"2026-11-13T11:58:43","date_gmt":"2026-11-13T10:58:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lexpress-franchise.com\/en-us\/news\/craveworthy-papa-ginos-acquisition-wing-it-on-co-branding\/"},"modified":"2026-11-13T11:02:44","modified_gmt":"2026-11-13T10:02:44","slug":"craveworthy-papa-ginos-acquisition-wing-it-on-co-branding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lexpress-franchise.com\/en-us\/news\/craveworthy-papa-ginos-acquisition-wing-it-on-co-branding\/","title":{"rendered":"Craveworthy Acquires Papa Gino&#8217;s and Plans Co-branding Push With Wing It On"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Texas-based <em>Craveworthy Brands<\/em> is acquiring New England Authentic Eats, parent company of <em>Papa Gino&#8217;s Pizzeria<\/em> and <em>D&#8217;Angelo Grilled Sandwiches<\/em>, in its largest deal to date. Announced at the Restaurant Finance &amp; Development Conference, the transaction brings more than 100 pizza locations into Craveworthy\u2019s portfolio and sets up immediate co-branding with its<a href=\"https:\/\/lexpress-franchise.com\/en-us\/franchise\/wing-it-on\/\"> Wing It On chicken wing concept<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The deal centers on New England Authentic Eats, the holding company for <strong>Papa Gino&#8217;s Pizzeria<\/strong> and <a href=\"https:\/\/lexpress-franchise.com\/en-us\/\">franchise brand <\/a><strong>D&#8217;Angelo Grilled Sandwiches<\/strong>, which private equity firm Wynnchurch Capital acquired in 2019 for approximately <strong>$20 million<\/strong> after the chain filed for Chapter 11 protection in November 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Around 100 locations closed during and after that restructuring. The transaction, expected to close by December 31, 2026, would bring Craveworthy&#8217;s total brand count to 23. <strong>CEO Gregg Majewski<\/strong> founded the company in late 2022 in partnership with FG Financial Group&#8217;s merchant banking division, with <strong>Wing It On<\/strong> as its first acquisition.<\/p>\n\n\n        <div class=\"lf-gut-franchise-slider-wrapper\" data-slider-id=\"lf-gut-franchise-slider-6af9137b4a0eb\">\n            <div class=\"lf-gut-franchise-slider swiper\">\n                <div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">\n                                            <div class=\"swiper-slide lf-gut-franchise-card\">\n                            <div class=\"lf-gut-franchise-image-wrapper\">\n                                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/hands-binoculars-480x188.png\" class=\"lf-gut-franchise-image\" alt=\"D\u2019Angelo Grilled Sandwiches\">\n                                                                    <div class=\"lf-gut-franchise-logo-center\">\n                                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lexpress-franchise.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/dangelo-grilled-sandwiches-logo.png\" alt=\"Logo\">\n                                    <\/div>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                            <div class=\"lf-gut-franchise-content\">\n                                <div class=\"lf-gut-franchise-title-content\">\n                                    <div>\n                                        <a class=\"lf-gut-franchise-header-link\" href=\"https:\/\/lexpress-franchise.com\/en-us\/franchise\/dangelo-grilled-sandwiches\/\">\n                                            <p class=\"lf-gut-franchise-title\">D\u2019Angelo Grilled Sandwiches<\/p>\n                                        <\/a>\n                                        <p class=\"lf-gut-franchise-tag-line\">Hot Grilled Sandwiches, New England Tradition Since 1967.<\/p>\n                                    <\/div>\n                                    <ul class=\"lf-gut-franchise-info-list\">\n                                        <li data-field=\"category\">\n                                            <span class=\"lf-gut-icon\"><?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?> <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M12.5852 21.9314H4.92807C3.01378 21.9314 2.05664 20.9355 2.05664 18.9438V10.9771C2.05664 8.98542 3.01378 7.98957 4.92807 7.98957M12.5852 21.9314C10.6709 21.9314 9.71378 20.9355 9.71378 18.9438M12.5852 21.9314H18.3281C20.2424 21.9314 21.1995 20.9355 21.1995 18.9438V5.00205C21.1995 3.01037 20.2424 2.01453 18.3281 2.01453H12.5852C10.6709 2.01453 9.71378 3.01037 9.71378 5.00205M4.92807 7.98957H9.71378M4.92807 7.98957V5.99789C4.92807 4.90247 5.7895 4.00621 6.84235 4.00621H9.81905C9.74248 4.30496 9.71378 4.63359 9.71378 5.00205M9.71378 7.98957V18.9438M9.71378 7.98957V5.00205M9.71378 18.9438V5.00205M13.5424 7.98957V12.9688M17.3709 7.98957V12.9688M5.88521 12.9688V16.9521M16.4138 16.9521H14.4995C13.9731 16.9521 13.5424 17.4003 13.5424 17.948V21.9314H17.3709V17.948C17.3709 17.4003 16.9402 16.9521 16.4138 16.9521Z\" stroke=\"#E53B12\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><\/svg> <\/span>Restaurant                                        <\/li>\n                                                                                                                                                            <\/ul>\n                                <\/div>\n                                                                <a class=\"lf-gut-franchise-button\" rel=\"follow\" href=\"https:\/\/forms.lexpress-franchise.com\/en-us\/form?version_id=franchise_enseigne_en_us&#038;franchise_id=1836175&#038;tracking_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Flexpress-franchise.com%2Fen-us%2Fnews%2Fcraveworthy-papa-ginos-acquisition-wing-it-on-co-branding%2F\">I want more info<\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                        <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"lf-gut-franchise-slider-nav\">\n                <div class=\"swiper-button-prev\"><\/div>\n                <div class=\"swiper-button-next\"><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        \n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1\">A 65-Year-Old New England Chain Enters a Growing Multi-Brand Portfolio<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Papa Gino&#8217;s Pizzeria<\/strong> has operated in Massachusetts for more than 65 years, with the bulk of its remaining locations concentrated in New England. <strong>D&#8217;Angelo Grilled Sandwiches<\/strong>, the sibling brand, shares a similar regional footprint. Majewski cited the system&#8217;s stability following its post-bankruptcy restructuring as a central factor in the acquisition decision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Their sales have been steady,&#8221; he said of the pizza chain. He also pointed to Craveworthy&#8217;s 2024 acquisition of Fresh Brothers Pizza as the operational template: after stabilizing food and labor costs at the California chain, Majewski said the experience gave him the confidence to commit to a larger pizza deal in a comparatively more demanding labor environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-2\">Wing It On Co-branding as the Revenue Strategy at Papa Gino&#8217;s<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/lexpress-franchise.com\/en-us\/news\/papa-murphys-and-pinkberry-sign-three-co-brand-deals-across-three-states\/\">co-branding plan<\/a> builds on a test Craveworthy launched at its Fresh Brothers Pizza units in August 2026. Each location began offering <strong>Wing It On<\/strong> bone-in wings and boneless bites through a virtual brand setup, without adding crew. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The result was an additional <strong>$4,000<\/strong> per week in sales per store. At <strong>Papa Gino&#8217;s<\/strong>, the arrangement will go further: full exterior signage changes and interior remodels are planned under the Wing It On brand, rather than a virtual-only channel. The combined rollout would make Wing It On Craveworthy&#8217;s largest individual brand, at approximately <strong>145<\/strong> locations.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"lc-gut-blog-post-author-quote\" style=\"--color: #e74c3c; \"><div class=\"lc-gut-blog-post-author-quote__content\"><div class=\"lc-gut-blog-post-author-quote__quote-wrapper\"><div class=\"lc-gut-blog-post-author-quote__svg-wrapper\"><svg class=\"lc-gut-blog-post-author-quote__svg\" width=\"56\" height=\"40\" viewBox=\"0 0 56 40\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M40.6 16.52H46.06C51.38 17.64 55.3 21.14 55.3 27.58C55.3 34.72 49.84 39.2 42.98 39.2C34.72 39.2 29.54 32.62 29.54 23.24C29.54 9.52 38.64 0.699999 55.58 0V5.04C46.62 6.3 41.3 9.52 40.6 16.52ZM10.92 16.52H16.52C21.84 17.64 25.76 21.14 25.76 27.58C25.76 34.72 20.3 39.2 13.44 39.2C5.18 39.2 0 32.62 0 23.24C0 9.52 9.1 0.699999 26.04 0V5.04C17.08 6.3 11.76 9.52 10.92 16.52Z\" fill=\"#e74c3c\"\/><\/svg><\/div><blockquote class=\"lc-gut-blog-post-author-quote__text\">You pay your food costs and your delivery fees, and everything else goes to a profit because you&#8217;re not adding any other labor.<\/blockquote><\/div><div class=\"lc-gut-blog-post-author-quote__author\"><div class=\"lc-gut-blog-post-author-quote__author-details\"><p class=\"lc-gut-blog-post-author-quote__author-pre-text\">A QUOTE FROM<\/p><p class=\"lc-gut-blog-post-author-quote__author-name\">Gregg Majewski<\/p><p class=\"lc-gut-blog-post-author-quote__author-title\">CEO, Craveworthy Brands<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-primary-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-3\">A Portfolio Strategy Built on Concentration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Craveworthy has set a target of one acquisition every six to nine months. The Papa Gino&#8217;s deal, the company&#8217;s largest to date, was funded in part by a recent multimillion-dollar capital raise with new institutional backing, though Majewski declined to disclose the terms. At the same time, the CEO signaled the portfolio may contract before it expands further. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Craveworthy narrows its focus to the brands it considers most scalable, some concepts could be divested. Majewski said the company now sees five or six brands as having clear long-term potential. &#8220;Now we think that number is probably five or six,&#8221; he said. The strategic direction of <strong>D&#8217;Angelo Grilled Sandwiches<\/strong> within the new ownership was not addressed publicly at the conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, financial, or professional advice. Laws and regulations vary by state and individual circumstances and may change over time. Readers should consult a qualified attorney, tax professional, or other licensed professional regarding their specific situation. Nothing herein creates an attorney-client relationship.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Texas-based Craveworthy Brands is acquiring New England Authentic Eats, parent company of Papa Gino&#8217;s Pizzeria and D&#8217;Angelo Grilled Sandwiches, in its largest deal to date. Announced at the Restaurant Finance &amp; Development Conference, the transaction brings more than 100 pizza locations into Craveworthy\u2019s portfolio and sets up immediate co-branding with its Wing It On chicken [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":788,"featured_media":1836157,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"1629693,1804379,1649109,1782297,1833342,1629275","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3594],"tags":[],"type-de-post":[2066],"class_list":["post-1836153","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-franchise-networks","type-de-post-articles-actualite"],"acf":[],"permalink_manager":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lexpress-franchise.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1836153","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lexpress-franchise.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lexpress-franchise.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lexpress-franchise.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/788"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lexpress-franchise.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1836153"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lexpress-franchise.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1836153\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1836179,"href":"https:\/\/lexpress-franchise.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1836153\/revisions\/1836179"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lexpress-franchise.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1836157"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lexpress-franchise.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1836153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lexpress-franchise.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1836153"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lexpress-franchise.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1836153"},{"taxonomy":"type-de-post","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lexpress-franchise.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/type-de-post?post=1836153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}