Business

Tuesday February 3, 2009

Marrybrown targets 90 outlets in the Middle East

By ZAZALI MUSA


Nancy Liew

JOHOR BARU: Marrybrown Fried Chicken Sdn Bhd will have between 80 and 90 fast-food restaurants in the Middle East by year-end compared with 47 currently.

Managing director Nancy Liew said despite the uncertain global economy, countries in the region still offered good franchising business prospects.

She said the number of the group’s franchised outlets there would increase to at least 80 by year-end.

“The Middle East has one of the fastest growing economies in the world with disposal income levels generally much higher than other regions,’’ Liew told StarBiz in an interview recently.

She was speaking at the launch of the Prosperity Combo meal in conjunction with the Chinese New Year.

Presently, Marrybrown’s Middle Eastern outlets are in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and United Arab Emirates.

This year, its franchised outlets will open in Indonesia, Maldives, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt and Oman.

Marrybrown has over 250 company-owned and franchised outlets in Malaysia, China, India, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan and Tanzania.

Liew said countries in the Middle East offered free or flexible tax facilities that made it conducive for many foreign companies and investors to business there.

With over 300 million population and high disposable income, it was a big market for any fast food operator, she said.

For years, consumers in these countries had known only of fast-food restaurant products and brands from Europe and the US and not from Malaysia.

“Being a halal Malaysian brand also helps the company to market it (the business) and convince master franchisees in the Middle East to take up the franchise,’’ said Liew.

She said Marrybrown’s next target was the African continent as many big boys in the fast-food business were not keen to go there.

Locally, Liew said the company would open four new outlets this year: one each at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang and Kuching’s Satok next month, Penang Times Square in March and Ivory Tower Penang in April.

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