Agreement Calls for 19 Locations Throughout the Country Over the Next
9 Years
GLENDALE, Calif. & KARACHI, Pakistan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 18, 2019--
Dine Brands Global Inc. has announced a deal with several principals of
Gerry’s Group, a leading Pakistan-based logistics and Food and Beverage
group, to bring the IHOP brand to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
The deal calls for 19 IHOP locations throughout the country over the
next 9 years, 9 of which will be franchised by the principals of Gerry’s
Group with the other ten sub-franchised. The first location is expected
to open in Karachi by the end of 2019 and continues the brand’s
expansion into the Asia Pacific market. IHOP, which was founded in 1958,
has been a global brand since 1969. IHOP already has a presence in
India, Thailand and Guam as well as 11 other countries and Puerto Rico
“My commitment as CEO of Dine Brands Global was to return it to a growth
company, and our international development is certainly a major
component of that growth,” said Steve Joyce, Chief Executive Officer,
Dine Brands Global, franchisor of IHOP® and Applebee’s Grill
+ Bar® restaurants. “Key to our international strategy is
identifying and entering new markets, such as Pakistan, that have a
rapidly growing economy, are contiguous to existing markets to offer an
economy of scale, and above all, have an appetite for IHOP’s unique
guest experience of warm hospitality with world famous pancakes,
breakfast and other menu items.
“The opportunity to partner with principals from Gerry’s Group as
franchisees was also a major factor in our decision,” Joyce continued.
“Under their ownership, Gerry’s Group is an experienced, established
company based in Pakistan with multinational experience across a broad
number of industries as well as Food and Beverage, including operating
and owning 40 Costa Coffee locations in the United Kingdom.”
“The principals of Gerry’s Group bring a strong track record of success
with global brands. They bring an infrastructure—and the shared values
and commitment to excellence—that will be key to introducing IHOP in
this exciting new country for us,” said Gary Moore, Regional Vice
President and General Manager, Asia Pacific and the Middle East, Dine
Brands Global.
“We are delighted to be bringing the world famous American IHOP
experience to our country and to our portfolio of successful companies,”
said Akram Wali Muhammad, Managing Director for Gerry's Group. “While
IHOP will be a new brand in Pakistan, there is already significant
awareness of and excitement about IHOP and we look forward to the
opening of our first location later this year.”
Asia Pacific has been targeted as a key area of growth for Dine Brands,
along with Latin America, Canada and the Middle East. The company has
already signed deals to bring the IHOP brand to South America in 2019 in
Peru and Ecuador, and to expand its presence in Canada to Atlantic
provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and
Newfoundland and Labrador.
Dine Brands is also actively exploring opportunities to bring the IHOP
brand to the United Kingdom.
“We have had a lot of interest in Pakistan from potential franchisees
and while it fits perfectly with our expansion strategy in the region,
we wanted to be sure we found the strongest partner in the country to
take that step,” said Dan Lecocq, Executive Director, International,
Development, Dine Brands Global, Inc. “Gerry’s Group brings exactly the
qualities and qualifications we look for in every franchisee as we look
to continue our expansion here and in our other international areas of
opportunity.”
Statements contained in this press release may constitute
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual
results to be materially different from those expressed or implied in
such statements. You can identify these forward-looking statements by
words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “expect,” “anticipate,”
“believe,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal” and other similar
expressions. You should consider our forward-looking statements in light
of the risks discussed under the heading “Risk Factors,” as well as our
consolidated financial statements, related notes, and the other
financial information appearing elsewhere in our most recent Form 10-K
filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and our
other filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
The forward-looking statements contained in this report are made as of
the date hereof and the Company assumes no obligation to update or
supplement any forward-looking statements.
About Dine Brands Global, Inc.
Based in Glendale, California, Dine Brands Global, Inc. (NYSE: DIN),
through its subsidiaries, franchises restaurants under both the
Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar and IHOP brands. As of December 31,
2018, with approximately 3,700 restaurants combined in 18 countries and
approximately 380 franchisees, Dine Brands is one of the largest
full-service restaurant companies in the world. For more information on
Dine Brands, visit the Company's website located at www.dinebrands.com.
For more information on international franchise opportunities, click here
or contact Dan.Lecocq@dinebrands.com.
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES, LLC
For 60 years, IHOP has been a leader, innovator and expert in all things
breakfast, any time of day. The chain offers 65 different signature,
fresh, made-to-order breakfast options, a wide selection of popular
lunch and dinner items as well as meals under 600 calories. IHOP
restaurants offer guests an affordable, everyday dining experience with
warm and friendly service. As of December 31, 2018, there were 1,831
IHOP restaurants around the world, including restaurants in all 50
states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam as well as
Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Lebanon, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Thailand and India.
IHOP restaurants are franchised by affiliates of Glendale, Calif.-based
Dine Brands Global. (NYSE: DIN).
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190318005075/en/
Source: Dine Brands Global Inc.
Craig Hoffman
Craig.Hoffman@dinebrands.com
+1
818.637.3603