Wendy’s/Arby’s Group Inc. is ramping up international expansion plans with a proposed re-entry into the Japanese market, the company said Wednesday.
The proposed restaurants are to be co-branded Wendy’s/Arby’s locations and feature menus offering signature dishes from both brands, the company said.
Wendy’s/Arby’s International, a division of Atlanta-based Wendy’s/Arby’s Group Inc., which operates and franchises the Wendy’s and Arby’s quick-serve chains, expects to partner with an international franchisee to re-establish its presence in Japan, where the company operated 70 Wendy’s restaurants for 30 years before exiting the market last year.
“Japan is an important market for us and we see significant long-term opportunities for growth there as well as throughout the Asia/Pacific region,” said Bob Bertini, a spokesman for Atlanta-based Wendy’s/Arby’s Group. “We have been formulating a re-entry strategy and we now are actively looking for operating partners in Japan.”
“Neither brand currently has a presence in the country,” he added. “Our goal is to re-enter the market as soon as possible, but we have not announced a specific timetable.”
Wendy’s/Arby’s has pursued international expansion more aggressively in recent months. It opened its first co-branded Wendy’s/Arby’s restaurant in Dubai in May and inked a deal in June to develop 100 Arby’s restaurants in Turkey over the next 10 years.
Wendy’s/Arby’s Group currently owns or franchises more than 10,000 restaurants worldwide.
Contact Elissa Elan at [email protected].