New Zealand’s BurgerFuel Opens For Business In Egypt

BurgerFuel has opened its first store in Egypt, a new front in the fast-growing Kiwi chain’s expansion plans for the region.

The Cairo unit, located in the affluent suburb of Maadi, is store No. 20 in the region for BurgerFuel; it also operates outlets in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Two more BurgerFuel stores are slated for the Egyptian capital.

Ahmed Amin, deputy chief executive of Wadi Degla, BurgerFuel’s franchise partner in Egypt, says the firm might open 25 BurgerFuel stores there during the next eight to 10 years.

BurgerFuel founder Chris Mason is optimistic about the 61-unit chain’s global growth. He told the New Zealand Herald, “Cairo is an exciting, dynamic city with around 8 million people, and it’s great to open here. We see this store opening as another key strategic milestone for BurgerFuel and a great opportunity to showcase the brand in the rapidly developing region of North Africa, which has close connections and proximity to Europe.”

BurgerFuel has its sights set on even bigger markets. Earlier this year, it inked a partnership with the founders of the U.S.-based Subway sandwich chain, which the company will use to enter major new markets including the U.S., Britain, China and India.