CARPINTERIA, Calif. — CKE Restaurants Inc., parent company of the Hardee's and Carl's Jr. restaurant brands, has announced the sale of 59 restaurants as part of its ongoing strategic refranchising program. To date, the company has sold 195 restaurants to franchisees and secured commitments for 94 new franchise restaurants under development agreements for those markets.
The company sold 51 restaurants primarily in the Champaign, Ill., Paducah, Ky., and Louisville, Ky., markets to MJKL Enterprises Midwest LLC. MJKL operates 58 Carl's Jr. restaurants in Arizona.
With the purchase of these additional restaurants, MJKL now owns 109 restaurants under the Hardee's and Carl's Jr. flags. MJKL also has committed to build a minimum of 35 new Hardee's restaurant locations over the next eight years in these markets.
Earlier this month, the company also completed the sale of eight restaurants in the Little Rock, Ark., market to Saddle Peak LLC., which has committed to build a minimum of five new Hardee's locations in the market over the next four years.
