Peppes Pizza

Peppes Pizza is associated with the Norwegian-American married couple Louis Jordan (born 1931) and Anne Jordan (born 1944). He was an insurance agent, but had a desire to find a new livelihood when his family moved to Norway. Anne Jordan suggested pizza because she thought the ingredients would suit the Norwegian taste.

Louis Jordan took a job at the pizza restaurant "Pepe Pizzeria" in Hartford, Connecticut. There he used his time well and brought with him important knowledge of American pizza. The knowledge and notes from the pizza restaurant were to form the basis for the pizzas he would later launch in Norway.

With $10,000 and American pizza recipes, after six months in Norway, he started to realize his goal. His wife Anne followed up on the financial and legal obstacles they encountered along the way.

They took over a room at Solli Plass in Oslo where Ben Youcéf had started one of the first international restaurants in Oslo.

"Peppes Pizza Pub", as the restaurant was first called, opened its doors for the first time in May 1970.

Development

In recent years, Peppes Pizza has expanded beyond Norway and established a presence in other countries, including Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland.

The pizza chain franchised restaurants in Kuwait and China a few years ago, but these have since closed.

The Chinese restaurants had some different items on the menu that Chinese people are more used to, such as soups and pastas. The first restaurant opened in Beijing, China because of Pizza Hut's success in the country. The restaurant ran a "Pizza & Film" promotion which included a large pizza, a large cola, and an animation DVD.

A restaurant in Sanlitun located in Beijing had a children's play area. Despite being known in Norway as having good food, eChinacities said "Although not renowned for its excellent food Peppes is fairly reasonably priced". National Arabic Company operated six locations in Kuwait.

There was also a restaurant in Leytonstone High Road, London E11 during the 1980s and perhaps the 1990s, owned and run by a brother and sister.