Food & Beverage
Papa Johns unveils space-themed pizza range
September 15, 2022
Papa Johns has unveiled the world's first space-inspired pizza in England. The pizza features chorizo, the world's furthest traveled sausage — having gone into space with Spanish astronaut Pedro Duque in 1998, according to a press release.
Chris Welch, a "spaceologist" and former vice president of the International Aeronautical Federation, uncovered some similarities between the textures, appearances of chorizo and space findings:
- Jupiter's extreme 35,000 degrees Celsius temperatures create epic solar cyclones — such as the Great Red Spot — which look just like a piece of chorizo.
- In 2016, when the NASA Juno spacecraft orbited Jupiter, it discovered that the planet bears a striking resemblance to a chorizo-topped pizza.
- There is evidence that the same carbon compounds produced during the drying process of paprika — used to give chorizo its classic red hue — may also be found in space. This explains why astronauts often smell grilled meats after a spacewalk.
- The effects of microgravity in space mean that astronauts' sense of taste is dulled, which is why they often crave spicy flavor-packed foods — and may be the reason why Pedro Duque took a chorizo with him to space.
"Spicy flavors like chorizo have long been a favorite space food among hungry astronauts, which is why it has enjoyed such a rich space heritage," Welch said in the press release. "But surprisingly, as recent evidence has revealed, its flavors and distinct aromas could really be considered out of this world – with traces of the same aromatic compound thought to be found in both space and chorizo."
The space-inspired pizza range is supported by a multi-channel global marketing campaign, running in China, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Poland, Germany and in selected LATAM markets this fall.
"Papa Johns is a brand that is synonymous with delicious flavor experiences," Jo Blundell, VP of international marketing at Papa Johns said in the press release. "So, our new space inspired chorizo pizza range and intergalactic marketing campaign will take our fans on an epic taste journey into totally new dimensions."
Papa Johns operates more than 5,500 restaurants in 50 countries and territories.
