US burger chain Wendy’s has announced that it is “actively seeking” out Irish franchisee candidates as it plots an entrance to the Irish market.
The Ohio-headquartered company announced on Monday that it plans to continue its expansion into the European market following on from the success of its return to the UK in 2021. Wendy’s, which has around 7,000 restaurants worldwide, currently owns 25 in the UK, 10 of which are operated by the main company behind the brand and 15 of which are franchised out.
The chain said that it is seeking “well-established franchisee candidates in Ireland that have strong operations experienced, local development expertise, ambition to grow quickly and a proven track record of growing brands in Ireland”.
Abigail Pringle, Wendy’s international president and chief development officer, said: “As we continue to expand our international footprint, we are focused on building long-term relationships with franchisees in Ireland who want to grow with us, share our values and reflect the communities in which we operate.”
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The Nasdaq-listed company, which had generated revenues of $1.9 billion (€1.8 billion) last year, said it has partnered with consulting firm Platinum Wave to support its search for candidates.
Wendy’s is the latest US fast food chain to seek expansion into Ireland. Virgina-headquartered Five Guys first opened in Northern Ireland in 2015 before opening stores in the Republic soon after. North Carolina-based doughnut chain Krispy Kreme has also opened an Irish business in recent years.
