Louisiana’s iconic Popeyes to open 350 restaurants across the UK in the next ten years

The US fried chicken restaurant, Popeyes, has detailed its plans to open 350 restaurants across the UK over the next ten years, as its ambitious European expansion starts to take shape over the course of 2021.

Founded in New Orleans in Louisiana in 1972, Popeyes is a global player in the fried chicken market with 3,400 restaurants across 29 countries to its name. The announcement of the restaurant’s plans to expand across the European market follows successful roll-outs in Spain in 2019 and in Switzerland last year.

Popeyes will enter the UK market as part of an agreement between PLK Europe GmbH, a subsidiary of Restaurant Brands International, Ring International Holdings, and the industry veteran, Elias Diaz Sese. The first Popeyes restaurant is expected to open in the UK by the end of the year and will represent the brand’s 11th country in EMEA.

Today’s news means that UK guests can soon look forward to enjoying Popeyes’ world-famous products, such as the brand’s signature Chicken Sandwich, which was the subject of one of the most successful launches in Quick Service Restaurant history when it was released in the USA in August 2019.

Popeyes launch into the UK market is expected to lead to major investment in market-leading talent and digital innovation. Popeyes UK will create a number of new jobs, spanning critical operational roles in construction, supply chain and distribution as well as provide a direct boost to the UK hospitality sector by hiring talent to prepare and serve Popeyes world-famous products to UK guests.

David Shear, president international of RBI, said: “We are excited to announce that we are going to be bringing the Popeyes brand to the UK. Popeyes has established itself as an international brand, famed for the creation of authentic, Louisiana-inspired fried chicken products.

“Our UK launch will build on other successful international expansions in Spain, Switzerland, China, the Philippines and most recently in Sri Lanka. We are confident that our UK guests will love their fried chicken from Popeyes and we look forward to offering an alternative product in a major international market that we believe is ripe for disruption. We can’t wait to get started.”

Elias Diaz Sese, co-founder of Popeyes UK, added: “We are very pleased to launch Popeyes, a brand that has brought moments of celebration to guests globally, something we believe is important more now than ever. It allows us to contribute in hardship moments for the country by creating hundreds of career opportunities.

“We truly aspire to become an employer of reference for big-hearted talent through care, service and supporting the neighbourhoods in which we operate.”

Louisiana’s iconic Popeyes to open 350 restaurants across the UK in the next ten years

The US fried chicken restaurant, Popeyes, has detailed its plans to open 350 restaurants across the UK over the next ten years, as its ambitious European expansion starts to take shape over the course of 2021.

Founded in New Orleans in Louisiana in 1972, Popeyes is a global player in the fried chicken market with 3,400 restaurants across 29 countries to its name. The announcement of the restaurant’s plans to expand across the European market follows successful roll-outs in Spain in 2019 and in Switzerland last year.

Popeyes will enter the UK market as part of an agreement between PLK Europe GmbH, a subsidiary of Restaurant Brands International, Ring International Holdings, and the industry veteran, Elias Diaz Sese. The first Popeyes restaurant is expected to open in the UK by the end of the year and will represent the brand’s 11th country in EMEA.

Today’s news means that UK guests can soon look forward to enjoying Popeyes’ world-famous products, such as the brand’s signature Chicken Sandwich, which was the subject of one of the most successful launches in Quick Service Restaurant history when it was released in the USA in August 2019.

Popeyes launch into the UK market is expected to lead to major investment in market-leading talent and digital innovation. Popeyes UK will create a number of new jobs, spanning critical operational roles in construction, supply chain and distribution as well as provide a direct boost to the UK hospitality sector by hiring talent to prepare and serve Popeyes world-famous products to UK guests.

David Shear, president international of RBI, said: “We are excited to announce that we are going to be bringing the Popeyes brand to the UK. Popeyes has established itself as an international brand, famed for the creation of authentic, Louisiana-inspired fried chicken products.

“Our UK launch will build on other successful international expansions in Spain, Switzerland, China, the Philippines and most recently in Sri Lanka. We are confident that our UK guests will love their fried chicken from Popeyes and we look forward to offering an alternative product in a major international market that we believe is ripe for disruption. We can’t wait to get started.”

Elias Diaz Sese, co-founder of Popeyes UK, added: “We are very pleased to launch Popeyes, a brand that has brought moments of celebration to guests globally, something we believe is important more now than ever. It allows us to contribute in hardship moments for the country by creating hundreds of career opportunities.

“We truly aspire to become an employer of reference for big-hearted talent through care, service and supporting the neighbourhoods in which we operate.”