Wendy’s Plots Major Expansion in Mexico

With 30 years of history in Mexico and 28 locations in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Monterrey and Mexico City, the iconic hamburger brand Wendy’s plans to significantly expand its presence in Mexico and believes it is a market that should have hundreds of Wendy’s restaurants across the country.

Recent research by Wendy’s revealed that Mexican quick-service restaurant consumers want more access to Wendy’s high-quality, great-tasting food. The survey also suggested that Wendy’s is well-poised to win over Mexican consumers with its commitment to serving high-quality, made to order food using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and offering a wide range of craveable menu options that are affordable and competitively priced.

“We’re answering the call from Mexican consumers to bring more Wendy’s to more people across the country,” says Carlos Ribas, Wendy’s VP & Managing Director, Latin America & Caribbean Region. “We are actively seeking world-class, well-established franchise partners with strong operations experience, local development expertise and a proven track record with growing brands in Mexico to help Wendy’s reach its full potential.”

Growth in Mexico

Mexico is a high priority, strategic growth market for Wendy’s. To accelerate expansion plans across the country, the Company is planning to support this growth, including the launch of a new national marketing campaign, “Different Inside and Out” (aka “Diferente por Dentro y por Fuera”). The Company is also developing a new national menu for Mexico with limited-time-offers that tap into local consumer flavor preferences. The menu will deliver on the high-quality, freshly made food that sets the brand apart, like the signature Wendy’s Frosty, our iconic square burger made with fresh Mexican beef, oven-cooked Applewood Smoked bacon and new Hot & Crispy fries. To ensure more consumers can access the brand, Wendy’s is also investing in its digital and delivery business, including partnerships with a variety of delivery providers.

Wendy’s is also focused on offering Mexican customers a variety of ways to access the brand anytime, anyplace, anywhere. The Company is building scale with innovative restaurant designs and combining traditional, brick-and-mortar restaurant development with non-traditional development and innovations, such as drive-thru only platforms, curbside pick-up, and mobile ordering, to name a few. For example, last year, Wendy’s franchise partner, Grupo Refran opened a drive-thru only restaurant in Escobedo and a delivery kitchen in Monterrey City, offering customers quick, convenient channels to access Wendy’s fresh-made, craveable food.

A successful brand that is committed to its franchisees

Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas opened the first Wendy’s restaurant with an unwavering commitment to serve fresh, high-quality food, at a fair price, in a comfortable atmosphere. He introduced the franchise model to Wendy’s, with a vision to help entrepreneurs become successful independent business owners. Today, with more than 50 years of success in the quick service restaurant industry and approximately 7,000 restaurant locations around the world, Wendy’s remains committed to honoring Dave’s long-standing legacy.

“We are focused on building long-term relationships with partners who want to grow with us, share our values and reflect the communities in which we operate,” Ribas says. “Ultimately, we know our success depends on our franchisees’ success, and we support them at every turn, starting on day one.”

The Company is also focused on increasing the representation of underrepresented populations among Company leadership and management, as well as the diversity of Wendy’s franchisees. For example, Wendy’s recently announced the launch of a new franchise recruitment initiative in the United States, Own Your Opportunity, that will create pathways for entrepreneurs who want to grow with the Wendy’s System through franchising. 

“To be the best Wendy’s we can be, we must make opportunities available for everyone who wants to grow with us,” says Abigail Pringle, Wendy’s President, International and Chief Development Officer. “We believe that increasing diversity of thought and experience will bring new ideas and innovation to Wendy’s, which will help us continue to grow together for decades to come, and to achieve our vision of becoming the world’s most thriving and beloved restaurant brand.”