Food Retailing / Supermarkets

Smashburger Signs Deal for Middle East Expansion

Taking ‘better burger’ brand to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait

Published

13 years ago

September 19, 2011

VMSD Staff

Fast-casual chain Smashburger signed a development agreement that will take the brand to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait.

The Denver-based company had been looking into international expansion for the last year, says Dave Prokupek, chairman and ceo of Smashburger. The deal will place Smashburger into some “high-traffic, high-acceptance” locations, he says in a QSR magazine article.

“Our overall goal is to be the No.1 brand in better burgers around the globe in the next 10 years,” Prokupek told QSR. “The demand for burgers is generally very high around the globe, and the success of Smashburger – we’re in 30 markets here in the U.S., 120 stores – fairly well proved that at this point.”

A deal with multi-unit operator Al Musbah Group calls for eight airport locations to open in Saudi Arabia. A deal with development firm Georgetown Advisors (Bahrain) will open six Smashburger units in Kuwait and three in Bahrain.

Smashburger is also exploring expansion opportunities in Canada, the U.K., Western Europe, Australia, South America and Southeast Asia.

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