According to a report by ECO newspaper, RBI Iberia is to invest in a chalet style restaurant concept offering delivery and takeaway food while creating 1,000 jobs and representing an investment of €50 million.

Popeyes will be entering Portugal in 2022, following its successful introduction to Spain two years ago.

“Portugal is a strategic market for us and that is why we have an ambitious growth plan with our own and franchised restaurants. To carry it out, we want to find local partners with whom we can make the brand grow and develop in the country”, says Maria Jimenez, director of RBI franchisees, to ECO.

In Spain, not even the pandemic prevented the expansion of the chicken specialist brand: “Acceptance in Spain has been very good. An example of this success is that our goal was to end the year with around 30 restaurants and, after all, we expect to end the year with around 50. Our goal is to become the first choice when it comes to eating chicken”, Maria Jimenez told ECO.

Despite the health crisis, which imposed strong restrictions on the restaurant industry, the operation of RBI Ibérica, which is a master franchiser of several brands including Burger King, managed to stay afloat. “The restaurant sector has been one of the most affected by the pandemic, but our results have not fallen as much as the sector average and this is due to the sustained recognition in recent years and the development of alternative channels for restaurants such as self pick up and delivery. In Portugal we didn’t close any restaurants. In 2020, we opened about 20 restaurants and by the end of 2021 we plan to open 30 restaurants and create 1,000 jobs.”