Wendy’s held festivities Thursday at its flagship restaurant in Moscow’s historic Arbat District to celebrate the quick-service burger brand’s entry into the Russian Federation this month.
That location is scheduled to open to the public on Friday.
The flagship unit actually marks the second Wendy’s location to open in Russia this month. Wendy’s franchisee in Russia, Wenrus Restaurant Group, had opened the first Wendy’s there June 4 in the food court of Kapitoloy Vernadskogo, a shopping mall in Moscow.
Wenrus reiterated its development goals for 180 Russian Wendy’s locations over the next 10 years, a target the company announced last August when it won the right from Wendy’s/Arby’s Group to franchise in the Russian Federation.
According to an online report in The Moscow News, Wendy’s/Arby’s Group’s senior vice president of international, Andrew Skehan, told reporters that the company considered Russia “the most important market to enter” because of its “growing economy, rich culture and people who like to eat meat.”
With the addition of Russia, Wendy’s system of nearly 7,000 quick-service restaurants now extends to 26 countries, including the United States and Canada, said Bob Bertini, spokesman for the chain’s Atlanta-based parent, Wendy’s/Arby’s Group.
The Wendy’s/Arby’s Group, which recently agreed to sell its Arby’s division to Roark Capital and focus solely on the Wendy’s brand, has said in investor presentations that there could be room for as many as 8,000 international units in the Wendy’s system. In addition to the 180 locations in Russia, Wendy’s has long-term plans for 100 units in Turkey, 79 in the Middle East, 50 in Argentina, 35 in Singapore and 24 in the eastern Caribbean.
This year Wendy’s signed master franchise agreements for the Philippines and Japan, and the brand said a significantly large portion of international units would be built in China and Brazil.
Wendy’s is based in Dublin, Ohio.
Contact Mark Brandau at [email protected].
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