Craveworthy Brands affiliate has reached an agreement to acquire New England Authentic Eats (NEAE), the Massachusetts-based parent company of Papa Gino’s Pizzeria.
Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. The deal is expected to close by 31 December 2026, subject to standard closing conditions.
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The purchase will add more than 160 restaurants and roughly $160m in annual revenue to Craveworthy’s portfolio.
With this addition, Craveworthy will expand its overall footprint to nearly 500 locations while widening its reach across New England. The company generated more than $300m in systemwide sales prior to the agreement.
Following completion, Craveworthy plans to introduce its Wing It On! concept into every Papa Gino’s outlet across the region.
Founded in Connecticut in 2011, Wing It On! specialises in wings, sauces, and house-made dips.
This co-branding plan is expected to increase the Wing It On! network from 45 restaurants to more than 145 sites.
Meanwhile, Papa Gino’s will retain its name, menu, and brand identity under the new ownership.
Craveworthy said it will collaborate with the existing NEAE team to support restaurant and franchise operations through shared purchasing, technology, training, and backend systems.
Moving forward, the business intends to pursue additional acquisitions of a similar scale every six to nine months.
Craveworthy founder and CEO Gregg Majewski said: “Papa Gino’s is a New England institution. People grew up on this pizza, and we’re going to honour that.
“We protect what makes a brand special, then put our full platform behind it. With Wing It On!, we can build on that foundation and bring something new to the table.”
