Papa John's CEO Credits Tasty Food With Turnaround

Pizza chain Papa John's Int'l, Inc. PZZA reported second-quarter results that showed that signaled a continuation of its recent growth and momentum.

The secret ingredient behind a 28% North America same-store sales growth is quite simple, Papa John's CEO Rob Lynch said on CNBC's "Mad Money."

What Happened: The basis for Papa John's turnaround over the past few months is "our food," Lynch said. The simple formula for creating the best pizza is to use the best ingredients.

"Better ingredients, better pizza is our tagline -- we try to live up to that every day," Lynch said. "We invest a lot in the ingredients that go in it."

Why It's Important: Making a pizza out of superior ingredients means nothing unless customers are willing to buy it. The company hasn't had any issues convincing clients to order its pizzas, especially the Shaq-a-Roni that sold more than 2 million units in the first month since its launch.

In fact, the retired NBA superstar isn't just a paid spokesperson for Papa John's, he is a member of the board and speaks with Lynch on an almost weekly basis. Shaq presents new product ideas and discusses how the company can better serve the communities it operates in.

What's Next: Papa John's noted in its earnings report preliminary estimated July comparable sales rose 30.3% in the U.S.

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