ZUG, Switzerland — The Popeyes® brand and Centras Group have announced new plans to develop and open dozens of Popeyes® restaurants across Kazakhstan in the coming years.
Founded in New Orleans in 1972, Popeyes has more than 50 years of history and culinary tradition. Popeyes distinguishes itself with a unique New Orleans style menu featuring the iconic chicken sandwich, spicy chicken, chicken tenders, fried shrimp, and other regional items. Popeyes uses proprietary seasonings and techniques developed by an in-house culinary team of chefs that make its fried chicken a point of reference for Michelin chefs and celebrities, the company notes.
The company adds that this new expansion news means that guests in Kazakhstan can look forward to enjoying Popeyes world-famous products, such as the signature chicken sandwich, which was the subject of one of the most successful launches in quick service restaurant history when it was released in the U.S. in August 2019.
The brand’s passion for its Louisiana heritage has allowed it to become one of the world’s largest chicken quick service restaurant companies with more than 3,900 restaurants in over 30 countries around the world, the company added.
“We’re excited to introduce our iconic Louisiana-style chicken to guests in Kazakhstan with Eldar Abdrazakov, a highly reputable local investor,” said Thiago Santelmo, president RBI EMEA, parent company of Popeyes. “This is the first deal for Popeyes in Central Asia, representing a gateway for the region and opening-up new expansion opportunities for the brand in the coming years.”
The Popeyes launch in Kazakhstan is expected to lead to major investment in market-leading talent. Centras Group’s Popeyes business in Kazakhstan plans to create thousands of new jobs, spanning critical operational roles in construction, supply chain and distribution as well as provide a direct boost to the Kazakhstan hospitality sector by hiring talent to prepare and serve Popeyes products to guests, the company noted.
“We are extremely proud to announce the signing of the agreement granting us the exclusive rights to operate Popeyes in Kazakhstan, a beloved brand that has brought moments of celebrations to guests globally,” Eldar Abdrazakov, owner of Centras Group, said. “Chicken is one of the largest and fastest growing categories in the country and is expected to grow rapidly in years to come, and we are confident that guests will love their fried chicken from Popeyes.”
The company added that this announcement reflects the global appeal of Popeyes and contributes to the ambitious brand expansion plan in the region. Popeyes has previously entered into agreements to enter France, Poland and Czech Republic in 2023.
