The first Carl's Jr. restaurants to debut in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, will open in April under an exclusive development agreement with the Mesa Group, CKE Restaurants Inc. has announced. The agreement calls for the opening of 25 Carl's Jr. restaurants in Vietnam.
Mesa Group has operated a range of successful businesses in Vietnam, including distribution, food and beverage, media and real estate development.
The 25 restaurant development deal is part of a greater development plan that CKE Restaurants has for the Asia region. In 2009, CKE Restaurants signed a development agreement with Star Food F&B Management Co. Ltd. to open Carl's Jr. restaurants in Shanghai and Beijing. The company is now actively seeking to expand its presence throughout China and Southeast Asia. CKE operates Carl's Jr. restaurants in China, Singapore and Malaysia and American Samoa. Additional franchise deals in the region also are planned.
"We are very pleased to welcome Mesa Group Inc. as a part of the CKE team of operators," said Andy Puzder, CEO of CKE Restaurants, in a news release. "Mesa's expertise and knowledge of the Vietnamese market, along with their extensive experience in supply chain management, distribution, and real estate, make Mesa Group the perfect partner to bring Carl's Jr. to Vietnam."
"We are very excited to launch Carl's Jr. in Vietnam with our great partner CKE Restaurants," said Luu Tuyet Mai, CEO of Mesa Group. "We are determined to make Carl's Jr. the leading quick-service restaurant brand in Vietnam by providing premium, high quality menu items, premium facilities and exceptional customer service. We have aggressive growth plans for Vietnam with plans to open Carl's Jr. in major cities over the next few years and pride ourselves in making Carl's Jr. the destination of choice for consumers."
CKE Restaurants franchises 340 international restaurants between both its Carl's Jr. and Hardee's brands. The company has strategic development plans to double its international presence within the next five years.
