OAK BROOK, Ill. — McDonald's Corporation announced that McDonald's Bulgaria has transferred to a Developmental Licensee (DL) structure. The DL structure is a form of franchising used by McDonald's for about 20 years that enables local ownership to develop the brand.
President of McDonald's Europe Denis Hennequin said the Bulgaria the decision makers will impact the future of the brand.
"We have every confidence in the commitment and entrepreneurial skills of the DL franchisees we have chosen for Bulgaria. Our new DL franchisees are a reflection of our key European strategy of preserving local relevance as they understand the market, the people and the opportunities," Hennequin said.
The new Bulgarian franchisees include a former employee and two Macedonian franchisees.
Early in 2006, McDonald's Corporation announced its intention to find 15 to 20 countries (about 1,500 restaurants) over the next three years to convert to a DL structure.
There are currently 35 such DL structures around the world. Bulgaria has 21 McDonald's restaurants that employ more than 1,000 Bulgarians and serve 6 million customers a year. The first McDonald's restaurant opened in Plovdiv in 1994.
