Sub shop Blimpie announced plans for its first location in Kuwait. In partnership with International Famous Franchises Co. (IFF), Blimpie’s parent company Kahala announced it entered into a licensee agreement aimed at opening 18 stores in Kuwait by 2014.

The first location in Kuwait is slated to open in the spring of 2010. While only minor changes have been made to the Blimpie menu for the Kuwait debut, it’s expected regional flair will eventually be added to the concept in the coming year based upon customer feedback and market research.

IFF was formed to provide a platform for catering a leading diversified group of companies with a strategic objective for growth and expansion locally, and within the MENA region. IFF assembled a team that embraces different disciplines, accomplished professionals with expertise in all areas of the business. IFF’s management team has over 35 years of combined experience in the foodservice industry, over 30 years of combined business approach and tactics experience in the region, involvement in over 50 restaurant openings, and deep involvement with all cross-functional aspects of the foodservice business.

“IFF is a fantastic fit for overseeing Blimpie’s expansion into the Middle East,” says Dan Beem, Kahala’s president of international. “The IFF team, supported by Kahala’s international team, is committed to the brand’s success. There’s a detailed approach in everything IFF does from operations, marketing, and customer relationship management and that’s extremely important to maintaining the brand image abroad.”

The recent agreement with IFF is the first international agreement for the Blimpie brand overseen by parent company Kahala. Continued international growth is a key business factor in developing the Blimpie brand in the coming years. Development efforts for the brand overseas include targeted markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council, focused on countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar, as well as other major regions of the world.