OLIVE BRANCH (AP) — Pizza-lovers across the United States now have access to a Southern original, thanks partly to local Domino’s franchisee Jason Shifflett.

As founder of Shifflett Enterprises that owns 30 Domino’s stores in DeSoto County and the Memphis and Nashville areas, the 32-year-old created a pizza years ago that is now included in Domino’s American Legends line.

‘‘They tweaked it,’’ Shifflett said about Domino’s turning his locally offered pizza into the Memphis BBQ Chicken pizza available nationwide.

The pizza features chicken, barbecue sauce, onions and parsley with provolone, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses on a cheesy cheddar crust, in comparison with the original featuring pulled pork.

It is one of eight in the American Legends line and one of the most popular.

‘‘It’s done very, very well,’’ Shifflett said about local response in particular.

The pizza, however, did not surpass fellow American Legends Philly Cheese Steak in a national poll and led to Shifflett’s losing a contest among Domino’s franchisees featured in commercials for the line.

‘‘I had to ride a low rider around town,’’ Shifflett said about his consequence.

And, what about the consequence for Los Angeles, Calif., franchisee Kery Minor who was featured, opposite Shifflett, promoting the Cali Chicken Bacon Ranch pizza in a national commercial?

Minor had to sing the blues on Memphis’ Beale Street, which was the backdrop for Shifflett’s portion of the commercial.

According to Shifflett, he was selected for the commercial, in part, because his original pulled pork barbecue pizza was the inspiration for the Memphis BBQ Chicken pizza as well as his success with the Domino’s brand in the Mid-South.

‘‘I think they said what would be better than a guy who pioneered in the market,’’ he said.

Shifflett began his career with Domino’s at age 14 by answering phones at the Olive Branch location, next to which Shifflett Enterprises is now headquartered.

He managed his first store while still in college, turning a profit at the Senatobia location that had been on the edge of closure.

‘‘A lot of those funds I saved to purchase my first store two years later,’’ he said.

By 2006, Shifflett had grown his franchising company to 20 stores and earned recognition including the Stevie Award for best franchisee in the country from American Business Awards, the Memphis Business Journal’s Small Business of the Year and Top 40 Under 40 awards and induction into Domino’s Chairman’s Circle Hall of Fame.

The company today employs more than 1,000 and remains one of the most successful Domino’s franchises in the U.S., having received Gold Franny awards for performance for nine consecutive years.

‘‘The Olive Branch location is generally in the top 10 to 15 in the country week after week,’’ Shifflett said, contributing the success to staff members that have been properly educated and groomed for leadership and community support such as school fundraiser nights.

That’s why he said he has plans to soon renovate the Olive Branch location into a flagship store with modern design elements including a computer ordering system for customers and televisions that will give people the opportunity to watch their pizzas being made.

‘‘This is where it all started, and this is where it will all continue,’’ Shifflett said.

Plans also call for growing Shifflett Enterprises to 50 stores in five years and 100 in 10 years, he said.

———

Information from: DeSoto Times Tribune, http://www.desototimes.com