---
title: "Pollo Campero Franchise Sees Incredible US Development"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/b041a27d-332f-4f3b-a3b8-37bf9eee89d3
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/pollocampero/ceo-spotlight-guatemalan-chicken-is-sweeping-the-us-2726668
category: "Chicken"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Chicken"
published: 2024-07-12T18:13:37.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T01:07:24.531Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/889af34a43e37623857fdd74ba27aac22215.jpg
---

# Pollo Campero Franchise Sees Incredible US Development

**TL;DR:** Pollo Campero, a global Central American chicken franchise, has expanded to over 100 US locations and 400 globally. The brand is targeting new markets beyond its existing customer base, focusing on building brand awareness and sharing its story on social media.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2024-07-12. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/pollocampero/ceo-spotlight-guatemalan-chicken-is-sweeping-the-us-2726668).*

## Story

Pollo Campero, the global Central American chicken franchise, has seen strong growth in the United States, with over 100 restaurants across the country and 400 around the world. When it first began development in the U.S., Pollo Campero focused on establishing a footprint in markets where legacy customers existed, but it soon realized that the potential in the country grew beyond just guests who already knew of the brand.

Now, Pollo Campero has grown into many markets nationwide, familiarizing all kinds of guests with its flavorful chicken meals.

“One of our biggest challenges right now is to build brand awareness, but let me say this: For us, our most important customers right now are still the Guatemalans and Salvadorians,” Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director LJ Rodas said on the CEO Spotlight podcast. “Every time we find a spot where Guatemalans and Salvadorians are, we will bring Campero. But the nostalgia in the next generation is not going to be the same. Guatemalan kids born in the United States will not have the same roots, so we’re chasing and competing against big brands.”

Focusing on both prime locations for restaurants and sharing the Campero story on social media grabs the attention of non-legacy guests and has helped the brand successfully reach beyond its traditional fanbase.

“One try — that’s all we need,” Rodas said. “I’ve been with this company 24 years, and I have never heard anyone tell me, ‘I don’t like this.’ Everyone loves our chicken and sandwiches. The only thing is to get [the guests to give us] one try, and that’s it.”

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- unit expansion (topic)
- QSR (sector)
- social media marketing (topic)
- brand awareness (topic)
- Pollo Campero US (company)
- LJ Rodas (person)
- customer base growth (topic)

---
Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/pollocampero/ceo-spotlight-guatemalan-chicken-is-sweeping-the-us-2726668). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/b041a27d-332f-4f3b-a3b8-37bf9eee89d3).