The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc., the premier fondue restaurant franchise, announces plans to bring its unique fondue dining experience to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through a five-unit franchise development agreement with Dr. Mazen Almugbel of Albabteen United Foods Company, LLC.
“With its long history of success and unique fondue dining experience, The Melting Pot will elevate the standards of American casual dining in Saudi Arabia,” said Dr. Almugbel. “I’m proud to partner with The Melting Pot to bring five locations to Saudi Arabia.”
As part of the five-unit deal, the first Melting Pot location in the Middle East is slated to open in Riyadh in late 2012. Additional locations are slated for development in Jeddah and the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.
“We’ve received tremendous interest in our brand worldwide because it’s a unique and interactive concept,” said Dan Stone, vice president of franchise development for Front Burner Brands, restaurant management company for The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc. “The Melting Pot experience transcends cultural differences and is especially attractive to cultures that place great value on spending time with family and friends around a table of food.”
The Melting Pot began researching international expansion opportunities a few years ago as a credit crisis hit the U.S. The first international location (with seven units committed in Canada) opened in Edmonton, Alberta, in 2010 followed by the first Mexico location in Mexico City as part of a seven-unit deal in Mexico.
With 36 international locations open, signed or committed for development in Canada, Mexico, the Middle East and Asia, the company is also looking to Australia, China, India, Brazil and other provinces in Canada for further expansion opportunities.
For more information about franchising opportunities, please visit http://www.meltingpot.com.
