Yang’s Braised Chicken Rice, the wildly popular international one-dish chain, has announced a strategic plan to expand in California through franchising. The brand is kicking off its expansion with a multi-unit deal that will bring three new franchise locations to Orange County, including one in Lake Forest, Santa Ana and Aliso Viejo.
The franchise development strategy will allow the company to provide its signature one-item menu, braised Huang Men chicken with rice, to more communities across the state through franchising while also adding additional corporate-owned locations.
“The response to our first location has been overwhelmingly positive, and we’re ready to add more locations in California, starting with our first multi-unit deal and by offering other qualified franchisees the chance to open a location in their own community,” says Xinyu Zhang, CEO of Yang’s Braised Chicken Rice USA. “The simplicity of our menu and the high quality of our product has quickly turned customers into loyal fans at our corporate-owned location in Tustin. Now, we’re eager to begin connecting with qualified entrepreneurs to open franchise locations across California and continue to make memories for more families.”
The new expansion strategy comes as the brand announced that will be opening three franchise locations in Orange County, including in Santa Ana, Lake Forest and Aliso Viejo, Yang’s is targeting key California markets for additional expansion including Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County and San Diego.
The brand has gained a loyal following in Orange County after its first U.S. location opened to enthusiastic acclaim in Tustin, Calif., in September 2017.
The celebrated restaurant’s single menu item got its start when founder Xiao Lu Yang’s grandmother created the secret recipe for the sauce and began serving it at the family’s many well-known independent restaurants. With years of culinary training under his belt, Yang began lovingly adapting the sauce of the braised chicken recipe and added rice before launching it at his fast casual restaurants.
“My goal has always been to bring the flavors of my childhood to as many customers as possible around the world. The way the local community has embraced us in Tustin, at the first U.S. Yang’s Braised Chicken Rice restaurant, proves that the appeal of our signature dish is universal,” adds Yang, who opened the first Yang’s Braised Chicken Rice in 2011. “I know that our concept will attract many experienced restaurateurs who will become ambassadors for our brand, bringing franchised Yang’s locations to key California markets.”
Future Yang’s locations in the United States will feature the same signature one-item menu in three varieties of spice level: regular, authentic and spicy. The brand is dedicated to ensuring the quality of its signature dish starting with the consistent flavor of the sauce and simplifying the dining experience for customers. The dish is a treasured memory of Yang’s own childhood, and Zhang aims to help families and children across the United States experience these special flavors and create their own cherished moments together through comforting, home-style cooking.
Yang’s Braised Chicken Rice USA is accepting inquiries from qualified franchisees to bring the brand to targeted markets across California. Candidates should be enthusiastic brand ambassadors with operations experience and a minimum net worth of $350,000 to 500,000. The initial franchise fee to open a Yang’s Braised Chicken Rice is $35,000, with discounts available to those who open the first 30 U.S. franchise locations. Initial investment varies from $300,000 to $500,000 depending on numerous factors, such as restaurant size and location.
