TL;DR
Wetzel's Pretzels plans to open 50 locations in China by 2021, with the first location opening in Shanghai by mid-2018. The expansion is led by master franchisee Will Zhu and his company, Golden Wheel Investment & Management.
Today, QSR Magazine announced that the iconic West Coast pretzel chain, Wetzel's Pretzels, is planning to open its first location in China by mid-2018. The pretzel franchise has 340 locations in the U.S. and is focusing on growth in Shanghai, Beijing and South China with a goal of opening 50 locations by 2021.
“With a growing middle class, consumer passion for foreign brands, and the uniqueness and freshness of our pretzel products, the timing is right to enter this market,” says Jennifer Schuler, Wetzel’s Pretzel’s President. “The high-traffic venues in China are looking for new, fresh concepts that resonate with consumers. Wetzel’s Pretzels is simply a great fit, and we’re looking forward to opening our first location in Shanghai, and continuing our growth both domestically and internationally.”
The expansion is the brainchild of Wetzel’s Pretzel’s master franchisee Will Zhu, his company, Golden Wheel Investment & Management, and its China branch, Bakery (Shanghai) Restaurant Management Co., Ltd.
In this story
This story was originally published in 1851 Franchise on April 27, 2018. Burnaze summarizes and links to the original reporting.
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