Wendy's/Arby's International Inc., a subsidiary of Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc., plans to re-enter the Japanese market and is looking for operators. WAI is pursuing an aggressive international growth plan and sees the long-term potential for a large restaurant presence in Japan. WAI, with regional offices in Hong Kong, currently has a presence in six markets in the Asia-Pacific region.
Former Wendy's franchisee Zensho Co. Ltd., which had operated 71 Wendy's units in Japan, ended its contract with Wendy's/Arby's Group on Dec. 31, 2009. The first Wendy's opened in Japan in 1980, and Zensho had operated its stores since 2002 after taking over the stores from Daiei Inc.
The company is now seeking to partner with a major national entity or a small number of regional entities with an existing food service or retail infrastructure.
Some of the elements of WAI’s re-entry plan include:
- Co-branded locations featuring an expanded menu with signature choices from both Wendy's and Arby's
- New restaurant designs
- Dedicated R&D resources to help meet local consumer needs
- Local WAI personnel with industry and market experience to provide assistance and guidance in operations, marketing and development efforts
Walter Hawes, regional vice president, WAI said in a news release: "We now have a re-entry strategy in place, and we are looking for experienced operating partners who want to share in the potential for significant growth that we see in the coming years in Japan."
WAI opened its first international dual-branded Wendy’s and Arby’s restaurant in May 2010. The restaurant is located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In addition, WAI announced in June a major development agreement for 100 Arby's restaurants to open in Turkey over the next ten years, including 50 in the next five years.
