Moe’s Southwest Grill Opens First International Location in Turkey

 Leading restaurant franchisor partners with seasoned entrepreneur to

Open First of 40 Locations in Turkey

 

ATLANTA, GA (March 9, 2011) – Moe’s Southwest Grill, the fast growing restaurant franchise best known for its flavorful southwest fare and distinct brand culture, has opened its first overseas location in Turkey.

Master licensee and president and CEO of DOTS Foods, David Ergisi opened the first Turkey location in Istanbul’s popular Sapphire Towers, the tallest building in the center of the country’s tourism capital. The new location is jumpstarting the global expansion of Moe’s Southwest Grill that currently has more than 420 locations throughout the United States and Canada.

 “Moe’s appeals to consumers in Turkey because of the restaurant’s speed of service, value, customization, price point and health consciousness,” says Ergisi. “The new restaurant concept will become an essential part of life for families with kids, as well as the business crowd looking to grab a quick bite for lunch.”

Moe’s parent company FOCUS Brands, the franchisor and operator of 3,300 Carvel®, Cinnabon®, Auntie Annes® Pretzels and Schlotzsky’s® locations, has a robust international infrastructure that currently supports more than 820 locations in 53 countries and is poised to support significant international growth for Moe’s. At the same time, the Moe’s domestic development team is prepared to support 65 openings in 2011.

“Moe’s exudes high quality standards that are sure to gain the acceptance and adoration of Turkish consumers and grow rapidly in the market,” explains Paul Damico, president of Moe’s Southwest Grill. “Our confidence with Moe’s-Turkey is through the roof, especially after our research with EuroMonitor International revealed the great opportunity for consistent growth over the next five years in the Turkish fast casual segment.”

The second Moe’s Southwest Grill to launch in Turkey will open its doors on March 31, 2011 at Marmara Forum Mall. From there, Erigisi will open 21 locations in five years and 40 locations over the next seven years, bringing approximately 500 jobs to the area.