ATLANTA — Texas Chicken, the international brand of Atlanta-based Church's Chicken, will open its first restaurants in the United Kingdom in February, with plans to open 36 restaurants by the end of March and 50 before the year's end. The planned openings will make the U.K. the fourth-largest international market for Texas Chicken, and will make the brand the second-largest QSR chicken concept in the U.K. marketplace.
With more than 1,700 QSR chicken restaurants, the U.K. is one of the largest QSR chicken markets in the world. Texas Chicken aims to provide customers with an alternative to KFC.
"Currently in the U.K., there are no strong players to compete with KFC," said Harsha V. Agadi, CEO of Church's Chicken. "We are entering this market to grow aggressively and provide an alternative to KFC with home-style, freshly prepared fried chicken with a unique crunch and signature side items. We feel confident that customers will try and love the taste and flavor of our chicken."
The brand will have an office in the U.K. to support training, operations and day-to-day business.
With this expansion, Texas Chicken enters its second European market, following restaurant openings in Russia, which took place in December 2007. The company also plans expansion into India later in 2008.
