CKE Restaurants Inc., the Carpinteria, Calif.-based operator of Carl’s Jr. restaurants, has entered into a five-year development agreement with Airport Shoppes Corp., a subsidiary of International Meal Company, to open approximately 50 Carl’s Jr. restaurants in four new markets: Colombia, Dominican Republic, Panama and Puerto Rico.
“Latin America and the Caribbean have a wealth of untapped market potential for a restaurant brand like Carl’s Jr.,” says Ned Lyerly, executive vp, global franchise development for CKE Restaurants.
CKE Restaurants’ global network includes 3219 restaurants in 26 countries with annual sales of $3.4 billion. The company is focusing on expanding its international presence with more than 420 franchise restaurants outside of the U.S. Its more than 3000 franchised, licensed or company-operated restaurants operate under the banners Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s.