The American fast food giant, Wendy’s, is set to establish its operations in the Republic of Ireland, according to a recent announcement. The Ohio-headquartered food chain revealed a development agreement with Ireland-based franchisees. Wendy’s anticipates launching its first outlets in the country within the coming year.
In 2022, it was publicly made known that Wendy’s was in pursuit of potential franchise candidates within Ireland as part of its international expansion strategy. EJ Wunch, the International President of Wendy’s, emphasised the company’s ambition to become globally significant. He noted Europe as a priority market for strategic growth, and outlined that building relationships with ambitious franchisees is a critical aspect of the company’s global expansion plan.
Interestingly, Wendy’s re-entry in the United Kingdom happened three years ago, a move which was seen as a stepping stone for growth across Europe. The company aspires to establish 50 outlets in the UK by year-end, with a long-term target of 400. Beside Ireland, the American fast food chain also entered into a franchise agreement in Romania.
Wendy’s, famed for its square-shaped burgers, inaugurated its first outlet in 1969 and has around 7,000 eateries worldwide, with approximately 1,000 stationed outside the United States. The latest move to navigate into Ireland follows in the footsteps of other American chains like Five Guys and Krispy Kreme, which opened outlets in Dublin in 2016 and 2018 respectively.