Flynn Group LP (“Flynn”) the largest franchise operator in the world, announced the acquisition of Wendy’s New Zealand, further strengthening its international reach and bolstering its ever-expanding portfolio of consumer facing, franchise businesses, both domestically and abroad.  

Operated by the Lendich family since 1988, the Wendy’s New Zealand franchise has grown to include more than 20 Wendy’s restaurants from Auckland in the north to Dunedin in the south. With the purchase, Flynn is now the sole franchisee for The Wendy’s Company in Australia and New Zealand and will be working closely with the brand’s team to scale and develop in both countries.  

The strategic acquisition is Flynn’s third international investment over the past year. The business expanded internationally for the first time in June 2023 with the purchase of the Master Franchise license for Pizza Hut in Australia and then quickly expanded its presence in the market, announcing in August that it had entered into a Master Franchise agreement with Wendy’s in Australia to develop 200 restaurants over the coming decade. The Wendy’s Company and Flynn Group have identified both countries as high-priority, strategic growth markets with great potential for the iconic American hamburger brand.  

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“The acquisition of Wendy’s New Zealand represented a compelling opportunity to continue our growth ambitions  internationally and to expand our strong partnership with the much-loved Wendy’s brand,” says Ron Bellamy, Chief Operating  Officer for Flynn Group. “Wendy’s New Zealand has a proud 35-year track record of delighting customers, and we are honored to carry that tradition forward. Our immediate priority will be to collaborate with the existing team to determine how we can best leverage our scale and capabilities to build on their success as we enter this next chapter of growth together.”  

With the acquisition, Phil Reed will step into the role of President for Flynn ANZ, overseeing operations in both Australia and  New Zealand. To help ensure strong continuity for all 500 of Wendy’s New Zealand’s employees as well as its partners and  suppliers, Flynn plans to retain the current operations and support teams and looks forward to creating job and career advancement opportunities as the Wendy’s brand expands in this market.  

“This was an incredible milestone for Flynn as we advance our mission to expand internationally,” says Phil Reed, President of Flynn ANZ. “We now have multiple brands across two key markets and see a clear opportunity to build on an already strong foundation established by the Lendich family and the talented team at Wendy’s New Zealand. There’s strong momentum and we’re keen to support the local team in every way possible with ambitions to double the number of Wendy’s restaurants across the country.”  

“Flynn Group has incredible experience in the restaurant space, and we are thrilled to expand our relationship with them in New Zealand,” says Abigail Pringle, President, International and Chief Development Officer of The Wendy’s Company. “They have a strong leadership team, great culture, vast industry knowledge, and success with our brand in the U.S. We are confident that Flynn Group is the right partner to propel the brand forward in New Zealand.”