Houstonians really have taken to the take-n-bake pizza concept.

Papa Murphy's, a nationwide chain that entered the Houston market five years ago, now has 19 franchise locations across the area. Within three to five years, the company hopes to have as many as 60, company Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer Jayson Tipp said.

The stores prepare dough in-house, and ingredients such as vegetables are brought in daily. Employees prepare the pizzas, which customers buy and bake at home.

Various supermarket chains, including H-E-B and Whole Foods, also sell take-n-bake pizza.

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Papa Murphy's is focused on expanding in the Houston area, Tipp said, because it still has fewer locations than the company's more developed markets in smaller cities such as Portland.

"We knew it was a very big market and had plenty of opportunity," Tipp said. "We just look forward to having a lot of success."

Nine future franchises are under development, including one in Tomball, scheduled to open in September at 14071 FM 2920, and another in Katy, scheduled to open in October along Spring Green Boulevard near FM 1463, Tipp said. Additional stores are planned in Conroe, League City and Spring by the end of the year.

Papa Murphy's has 1,500 locations in 130 markets in 38 states.

In a recent survey of 10,000 fast-food customers by Market Force Information, Papa Murphy's was named the best place to get pizza in the $40 billion pizza industry for the third year in a row.