The First Of 25 Carl's Jr. Restaurants Planned For Vietnam Opened This Week In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. (Photo: Business Wire)

CKE Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: CKR) opened its first Carl’s Jr. ^® restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam this week. This marks the first of at least 25 Carl’s Jr. units to be opened in Vietnam over the next six years and is the first major Western quick-service hamburger chain to open in the market. The restaurants in Vietnam will be operated by Mesa Asia Pacific Trading Services Company Limited, whose parent is a successful holding company specializing in consumer goods distribution, restaurant operations, media and real estate development.

CKE’s entry into the Vietnam market is part of a strategic plan to accelerate franchise development in international markets and grow our system as a whole. The 25 restaurant development deal is part of a greater development plan that CKE Restaurants has for Asia. In addition to existing operations in China, Singapore, Malaysia, American Samoa and Vietnam, CKE plans to enter Indonesia later this year after recently signing a commitment agreement with PT Fortune Foods Limited to open 25 Carl’s Jr. restaurants in Jakarta, Indonesia. CKE continues to expand its presence in the region and is actively seeking new franchisees.

”We are very pleased to welcome Mesa Group Inc. as a part of the CKE team. The strength of our brand matched with Mesa’s expertise and knowledge of the Vietnamese market gives us confidence that we will have a bright future in the market,” said Andrew F. Puzder, CEO of CKE Restaurants, Inc. “The growth in the Vietnamese consumer market is truly remarkable and we wanted to take this opportunity along with the Mesa Group to employee a ‘first-mover’ strategy in our segment. In this regard, we are happy to introduce real, American-style charbroiled burgers to the market.”

"We are very excited to launch Carl’s Jr. in Vietnam with our great partner CKE Restaurants. We are determined to make Carl’s Jr. the leading QSR brand in Vietnam by providing premium, high-quality menu items, premium facilities, and exceptional customer service,” said Ms. Luu Tuyet Mai, CEO of Mesa Group. “We have aggressive growth plans for Vietnam, and plan to bring Carl’s Jr. to major cities over the next few years. We hope to make Carl’s Jr. the destination of choice for hungry Vietnamese consumers.”