CKE Restaurants Inc. announced that it has entered into a five-year development agreement with Airport Shoppes Corp., a subsidiary of International Meal Company (IMC), with plans to open approximately 50 Carl’s Jr. restaurants in four new markets: Colombia, Dominican Republic, Panama, and Puerto Rico.
IMC is a leading multibrand casual and quick-service restaurant operator in Latin America with more than 200 company-owned restaurants and 8,000 employees in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Brazil.
“Latin America and the Caribbean have a wealth of untapped market potential for a restaurant brand like Carl’s Jr. that offers best-in-class products, services, and facilities,” says Ned Lyerly, executive vice president of global franchise development for CKE Restaurants. “With its collective knowledge of these markets, established presence, and track record of successful growth, IMC is the perfect partner to bring the quality of the Carl’s Jr. brand to these regions.”
“Carl’s Jr. will be warmly welcomed in the Caribbean and Latin America,” says Francisco Javier Gavilán Martin, CEO of IMC. “The company’s heritage in premium-quality, great-tasting products and amenities such as all-you-can-drink beverages and partial table service make them impossible to resist.”
CKE Restaurants’ global network has expanded to 3,219 restaurants in 26 countries with annual sales of US $3.4 billion. CKE continues to place a major emphasis on expanding its international presence and now operates more than 420 franchise restaurants outside of the U.S.
