The Wendy’s Company today announced an agreement with The Wissol Group to develop 25 restaurants in Georgia and the Republic of Azerbaijan over the next 10 years.

Wissol, which is one of the largest business groups in Georgia, is expected to open its first Wendy’s location in Tbilisi in 2013.

“Georgia is a dynamic market with long-term growth potential for the Wendy’s brand, and it plays an important role in our continued expansion in Eastern Europe,” says Darrell van Ligten, president, international, The Wendy’s Company. “We’re privileged to have the opportunity to team with a strong, highly capable organization like The Wissol Group, which shares our passion for quality and exceptional customer service.”

“We are very proud to bring Wendy’s to the Georgian market, where we will focus our development efforts over the next several years,” says Dr. Samson Pkhakadze, president, The Wissol Group. “Wendy’s has a well-established global brand image and standardized business practices that will be immediately attractive to Georgian customers.

“We are also excited that, through Wendy’s, The Wissol Group, will bring additional jobs to our local economy. After French oil giant TOTAL and Italian API, we expect Wendy’s to become one of the most important brands in our growing business portfolio.”