Burger King Corp. (BKC) today announced the refranchising of 96 company-owned Burger King restaurants in the Orlando/Daytona market to Magic Burgers, LLC, a subsidiary of Sun Holdings, LLC and wholly-owned and operated by long-time franchisee Guillermo Perales. This acquisition makes Perales the fourth largest franchise operator in the U.S. and the largest minority franchisee with 167 restaurants throughout Florida and Texas.
“Guillermo Perales is an experienced restaurateur and has been an instrumental franchisee within the Burger King system for more than 10 years,” said Steve Wiborg, president of North America, BKC. “He is an exemplary Burger King franchisee with a passion for the Burger King brand and a drive for success. His keen business sense and operational know-how have been key elements in the successful turn-around for us in the Dallas market and he continues to invest in the brand with his acquisition and remodeling efforts. With his new restaurants in Orlando and Daytona, we are proud that Guillermo is now our fourth largest franchisee and the largest minority franchisee in the U.S.”
Born in Saltillo, Mexico, Perales founded his restaurant company Sun Holdings, LLC in 1997 and joined the Burger King family in 1999. Guillermo is President of the International Hispanic Franchisee Association and represents this association on Burger King Corp.’s Inclusion Advisory Council, a group of diverse franchisees and community leaders that helps integrate diversity and inclusion into all aspects of the Burger King business strategy. Perales is widely-regarded as one of the leading business leaders in his community and has received many accolades for his accomplishments. In 2008, he was bestowed with the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award and International Business Achievement award by the Dallas Regional Chamber. Last year, he was awarded the Developer of the Year award from Burger King Corp. along with the Hispanic Business Man of the Year award by the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce. Perales has been featured on four occasions in Latino Leaders Magazine’s 101 List as one of the most influential Latinos in the United States.
“My continued investment in the Burger King system demonstrates my confidence in the company’s ability to grow this great brand and make owning and operating Burger Kingrestaurants more profitable for franchisees,” said Guillermo Perales, president and CEO, Sun Holdings, LLC. “My company will remodel 69 restaurants with the company’s global 20/20 design in the next three years in the Orlando/Daytona market and 40 restaurants in Dallas. I also plan to continue to expand my business by opening seven more Burger Kingrestaurants in Dallas this year and 10 more restaurants in the next five years in Orlando.”
All Central Florida BURGER KING® restaurants will continue to serve the brand’s signature fire-grilled menu items, including its flagship burger of more than 50 years, the WHOPPER® sandwich. Additionally, guests can now enjoy more than a dozen new best-in-class BK® menu items, including a variety of Garden Fresh Salads, Chicken Wraps, Crispy Chicken Strips, Real Fruit Smoothies and Frappés, all freshly-prepared and made-to-order with fresh new flavors that live up to the brand’s signature great taste.
Founded in 1954, Burger King is the second largest fast food hamburger chain in the world. The original HOME OF THE WHOPPER, the Burger Kingsystem operates in more than 12,500 locations serving more than 11 million guests daily in 81 countries and territories worldwide. Approximately 90 percent of Burger Kingrestaurants are owned and operated by independent franchisees, many of them family-owned operations that have been in business for decades. Burger King Corp. is privately-held by 3G Capital, a multi-billion dollar, global investment firm focused on long-term value creation. For more information on 3G Capital, please go to http://3g-capital.com. To learn more about Burger King Corp., please visit the company’s website at www.bk.com.
In 1997, Mr. Perales founded Sun Holdings, LLC and opened his first Golden Corral restaurant. In just 15 years, Mr. Perales has guided his company through rapid growth by instilling a strong foundation for strategic business development. His expertise in restaurant operations and his development choices quickly vaulted Mr. Perales to become the largest Latino franchisee in the United States, with more than 330 restaurants in his portfolio. In 1999, Mr. Perales decided to diversify his company’s brand portfolio and began acquiring Popeye’s and BURGER KING® restaurants. Sun Holdings, LLC now operates 167 Burger King restaurants, 72 Popeye’s franchises, 33 Golden Corral restaurants, 46 CiCi’s restaurants, 4 Del Taco restaurants and 5 Denny’s restaurants.
