Smashburger To Make A Splash Across The Pond

Smashburger, the “better burger” chain, soon will have a footprint in eight countries. The Denver chain has announced its initial foray into the U.K., with 35 restaurants expected to open under a new franchise partner agreement with the MSG Group. No timetable for the rollout was announced.

“The United Kingdom is hungry for better burgers and presents a significant opportunity for us to meet the global demand in the category,” said Smashburger CEO Scott Crane. “We are excited to grow our international presence in the United Kingdom with such a seasoned franchise partner who will help us bring Smashburger to a rapidly growing fast-casual market.”

MSG Group currently owns more than 120 Domino’s outlets in the U.K. The launch will be led and managed by Tim Lowther, the group’s managing director, who most recently introduced Shake Shack and Five Guys in the U.K.

Smashburger likely will expand into Europe and Asia soon as well. In 2014, the chain saw 22% new-unit growth; it opened 65 restaurants, raising the total to 315 units across the U.S., Kuwait, Canada, El Salvador, Panama, Costa Rica and Saudi Arabia.