UK expansion for US chicken restaurant firm

- Published: 04 June, 2009

Chicken fast-food firm Texas Chicken has announced it is to expand its operations in the UK to offer an alternative to restaurant giant KFC.

The international brand of Atlanta-based Church’s Chicken will open stores in Walsall and Huddersfield this year to operate alongside existing stores in locations such as Northampton and Luton.

Church’s Chicken CEO Harsha V.Agadi said: “As we grow, we remain committed to putting care and attention in preparing our food – we love introducing our freshly prepared chicken to new communities across the country.

“This works in tandem with our other key priority, which is to maintain the highest standards of food quality, exemplified through our home-style fried chicken that is freshly prepared with a unique crunch and accompanied with our signature side items.”

Texas Chicken opened its first restaurant in the UK in February 2008, as part of its drive to enter new markets in Europe using a franchise model and has a global chain of fried chicken fast food with over 1,650 locations worldwide in 21 countries, and system sales exceeding £800m.

New Huddersfield franchisee Rab Nawaz said: “Right now, we are all watching our budgets, and we are happy that our restaurant will be a place that the people of Huddersfield can visit and know they are getting real value for the money. In addition, I am pleased to be helping the local economy by creating new jobs in the community.”

Texas Chicken began expanding internationally in 1979 plans to open ten restaurants this year with an additional 50 committed for 2010 and beyond.