News

Kazakhstan Hardee’s marks international milestone for CKE

July 1, 2014

CKE Restaurants, parent company of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s brands, has announced its 600th international restaurant location. The location, a Hardee’s restaurant in Astana, Kazakhstan, opened June 23 via franchisee The Caspian International Restaurants Company, a division of Kuwait Food Company.

According to a news release, the company’s expansion plan is to reach 1,000 international Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s locations by 2017.

"Around this time last year we celebrated the opening of our 500th international restaurant in St. Petersburg, Russia. In just over one year, we’ve grown our international portfolio by another 100 units, an incredible achievement that’s as much a testament to the strength of our brand and business offering as it is to the commitment of our franchise partners in developing Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s abroad," CEO Andy Puzder said in the release.

The new Astana Hardee’s location is the 10th in the country and the 271st location operated by franchisee Kuwait Food Company and affiliates. With the opening of the new Kazakhstan restaurant, the CKE system is now 75 percent franchised, with international locations representing 17 percent of the system, the release said.