Five Guys looks to expand to 28 countries in the next five years
The burger chain eyes Europe, among other regions.
Five Guys announced that it is accelerating international franchise expansion with plans to nearly quadruple its global footprint from eight countries to 28 over the next five years. The company's immediate focus is on continued expansion throughout Europe and the Middle East and entering the markets of Australia, Japan and South Korea.
"We always knew international was going to be a strong opportunity but the results have outpaced even our most optimistic projections," Five Guys Chief Operating Officer Sam Chamberlain said.
Five Guys opened its first restaurant outside of North America in 2013 in London. In three years, Five Guys has grown to more than 50 locations in the UK, and in the past year has successfully entered five new markets – Ireland, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and France. Average unit volumes in international markets are running as much as 5-7 times that of domestic locations.
"The demand from international consumers has been overwhelming and we are applying resources to meet this demand," Chamberlain said.
Senior executives from Five Guys are traveling to Asia in October to meet with prospective partners. Those interested in international franchising opportunities should visit www.fiveguys.com/franchising.
