CPK To Debut In Taiwan

California Pizza Kitchen will be introducing its menu in Taiwan. The chain has announced a franchise agreement to expand into Taiwan and will open a minimum of six new CPK restaurants there over the next five years. The Los Angeles-based chain is partnering with Quanta Foods, previously a joint-venture partner in Taiwan with such brands as McDonald’s and T.G.I. Friday’s. Currently, Quanta Foods is the exclusive franchisee for Outback Steakhouse in Taiwan, as well as the operator of other independent restaurants in the market.

Among California Pizza Kitchen’s 265 restaurants, 205 are company owned and 60 operate under franchise or license agreements. The brand has 35 restaurants outside of the United States in China, Japan, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Mexico, South Korea, Guam, India, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates.

In May, CPK announced a merger agreement with Golden Gate Capital, which is acquiring the company’s outstanding shares. Since then, CPK’s board has approved the agreement.