EQT, a leading private equity group in Northern Europe, has acquired a majority stake in China F&B Group, to accelerate the latter’s expansion plans. China F&B, founded in 2003, has more than 500 foodservice outlets in China and is the largest franchisee of both the Dairy Queen and Papa John’s Pizza brands outside the United…

As supply chains expand into global markets, food businesses need to find new ways to stay on top of the latest food regulations and industry requirements. Globalization is leading to heightened awareness of food safety standards, and a broader sweep of information sharing—both face-to-face and digitally. Last fall, for example, Intertek, the global testing, auditing…

Philippines-based quick-service giant Jollibee has expanded into Texas and Virginia, the seventh and eighth states in its American footprint. The Houston store offers the typical Jollibee menu of burgers and fried chicken, as well as more atypical (in American quick-service) noodle and rice meals. Jollibee has more than 780 stores in the Philippines, and 90…

Is India—where the fast-food market is expected to double in size to $1.1 billion over the next three years—the final frontier for burgers, coffee and doughnuts? Chains such as Burger King, Taco Bell, Starbucks, Krispy Kreme and Dunkin Donuts started expanding in the country last year. Burger King joined forces with Everstone Group, an India-focused…

Just a month after announcing plans for 160 new restaurants in the United States and Canada over the next five years, Dubai-based Just Falafel is looking at expanding into Asian and European markets. “We will be looking at certain parts of Asia and may be looking at two or three new European markets for this…

American chains have been expanding south and north of the border for years. In December, Brazil’s 161-unit Vivenda do Camarão restaurant chain made its American debut in South Florida. Its most notable adaptation to the U.S. market was the signage: in its two new Florida stores, the restaurant is known by its name in English,…

Global Chains Target India As Growth Picks Up The foodservice market in India is growing rapidly, thanks to many of the same demographic and economic factors that have driven foodservice growth in other markets: a growing middle class with rising disposable incomes; a surge in two-earner households as more women enter the workforce; rapid urbanization;…

The owner of the 400-unit Huddle House chain is branching out and acquiring Checkers Drive-In Restaurants. Sentinel Capital Partners, a private equity firm, has inked a deal to purchase Checkers and its stablemate Rally’s from Wellspring Capital Management. The Tampa, Fla., company has about 800 drive-in outlets in more than two dozen states. The deal,…

Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, already one of the nation’s fastest-growing chains, just got a boost to its nationwide expansion plans. The Dallas chain has struck a 100-store development deal in Southern California, the largest development deal in its history. Two former KFC franchisees, Kevin Roche and Bryan Roche, along with partner Phil Fontes, head up the…

The healthy-eating focus that underlies Saladworks’ name and concept is moving into new territories overseas. The Conshohocken, Pa., fresh-tossed salad franchise concept has signed four international master franchise agreements for more than 50 stores in major markets in Canada, Qatar, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. Fifteen stores, including one that opened last summer, are…