International Franchise Deals Pick Up from Asia to Africa to Europe
By: Eddy Goldberg
Published: June 18th, 2021
After more than a year of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, business activity and the economies of many countries are picking up worldwide, though unevenly. That includes international franchising. Here are 10 recent deals global brands have announced.
- 7-Eleven plans to open stores in Laos and Cambodia in the next 12 months. The first Cambodian store will open in the capital, Phnom Penh, later this year. In Laos, the first store is slated to open in Vientiane in 2022.
- Chestertons, an international real estate services firm, announced the expansion of its operations in Spain, Greece, Cyprus, and Morocco through its franchise division, Chestertons Global Franchise Holdings.
- Chuck E. Cheese has signed a franchise development agreement with EWAS Management Solutions to bring the brand to Romania. EWAS is owned by Gabriel Teodorescu and his wife Anda Teodorescu, who also operate Deziclean and are distributors for Gusto.
- Domino’s Pizza says it is set to create 350 jobs across Ireland, including new management positions, team members, and delivery drivers. The company already employs almost 2,000 staff and contract workers across its 85 Irish stores.
- Herfy Food Services Company, Saudi Arabia’s largest fast-food chain with 385 units, has signed an agreement with EatRite Food Services, granting it franchise rights to open up to 50 outlets in Nigeria.
- Realty One Group announced that Istvan Pasku has acquired the franchising rights in Spain. Pasku is an established businessman in multiple countries with a record of success as a marketer, entrepreneur, and franchisor.
- School of Rock has opened its first location in Europe, in Madrid. Paulo Portela, the brand’s master franchisee in Brazil, Spain, and Portugal, intends to open 28 schools throughout Spain and Portugal over the next 10 years.
- TNI King Coffee, a Vietnam-based coffee shop, has opened in Anaheim, California, 10 minutes walking distance from Disneyland. The brand, with more than 50 units in Vietnam and South Korea, plans to add 100 more stores this year and expand into the Middle East, Europe, Russia, and China.
- Wendy’s is re-entering the U.K. after shutting its stores there more than 20 years ago. The U.S. burger brand opened its initial location there on June 2 in Reading. Wendy’s operates just over 6,800 restaurants, but only about 950 are outside the U.S.
- Wingstop announced a minority investment in its U.K. franchisee, Lemon Pepper Holdings (LPH). Wingstop entered into a 100-restaurant agreement with LPH in 2017 as the sole franchisee for the U.K. market.
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