McDonald's marks milestone in continued expansion in China
Updated: 2014-04-18 17:20
By ZHENG CAIXIONG in Guangzhou (chinadaily.com.cn)
|
|||||||||||
McDonald's will open its 2,000th mainland restaurant by the end of April, amid high expectations about further expansion of the chain in the Chinese market.
It's a milestone in the growth of the US fast-food company, Kenneth Chan, CEO of McDonald's China, said.
"In 2013, we opened a record 275 restaurants in the mainland, and that makes the country the fastest growing market in terms of restaurant openings in the McDonald system," Chan told a press conference in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, on Friday.
The McDonald's expansion in China will also have a franchising focus over the next few years, Chan said.
"Franchising first started in China in 2008 with three franchisees, and at the end of last year, McDonald's has 46 new franchisees with total franchised units representing 12 percent of its restaurant base. The target is to grow that number between 20 and 25 percent by 2015," Chan said.
"Franchising takes the brand right into the heart of China's local entrepreneurship. And with local ownership and local pride, we are building the long-term sustainability of both the brand and the business," he said.
McDonald's that opened its first restaurant in the Shenzhen special economic zone of Guangdong province in 1990 had more than 1,900 restaurants in the Chinese mainland at the end of 2013, employing more than 100,000 people.
In 2013 alone, McDonald's restaurants in China attracted more than 1.5 billion diners.
McDonald to l open fast food chain in Guiyang
McDonald's opens first mainland campus canteen
Chinese fast food firms challenging McDonald's
Related Stories
Vietnamese get first taste of McDonald's fast food 2014-02-10 10:08
McDonald's sees smaller sales in Asia in July 2013-08-09 15:30
McDonald's to open 200 more Mcafes 2013-05-07 16:45
McDonald's to open on Zhangjiajie mountaintop 2013-03-01 16:03
McDonald's opens vegetarian-only restaurant 2012-09-05 14:07
Today's Top News
Three dead in Ukraine, Putin warns of 'abyss'
Ferry's captain under probe
Nobel laureate Marquez dies at 87
Quality of arable land 'worrying'
Families praying for a miracle
US says Ukraine not on brink of civil war
China's next 5-year plan eyes deepening reforms
Li says economy can continue growth
Hot Topics
Lunar probe , China growth forecasts, Emission rules get tougher, China seen through 'colored lens', International board,
Editor's Picks
Beijing integrates with Tianjin, Hebei |
Enemies share eternity together |
Expats flee big, smoggy cities |
Life after an only child dies |
Parents put kindergartens to the test |
White Crane dance takes flight |