Entry into India Part of Burger King Worldwide, Inc.'s Global Growth Strategy

MIAMI - November 19, 2013 - Burger King Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: BKW) and Everstone Group, a leading private equity and real estate firm in India and South East Asia, today announced the establishment of a joint venture to develop the BURGER KING® brand presence in India.  Under the terms of the partnership, the joint venture has signed a long-term master franchise and development agreement which includes sub-franchise rights for all of India.


"After a very thorough process, we chose Everstone as our partner based on its history, business acumen and command of the massive and complex India market," says Elias Diaz Sese, president, BK AsiaPac Pte. Ltd.  "Everstone's operating capabilities and significant experience within the food and beverage space make it the ideal partner."


Over the next few months, Everstone will work together with BK AsiaPac Pte. Ltd. to set up the supply chain in India and execute a roll-out plan to establish BURGER KING® restaurants across the country.

"India is a market with huge potential for BURGER KING® restaurants and we have the chance to offer the unique BURGER KING® brand proposition to its consumers with our own local twist to the menu.  I am very excited about this venture and have no doubt that with Everstone's management expertise and hands-on experience, this venture will be a tremendous success," adds Diaz Sese.


"BURGER KING®, one of the world's most popular and iconic brands, has yet to establish its presence in India. We are very excited to partner with BK AsiaPac Pte. Ltd. and become the master franchisee for India, "says Sameer Sain, co-founder and managing partner, Everstone Group. "Everstone will bring its vast consumer insights, extensive retail real estate expertise, experience of food & beverage operations as well as requisite capital to bear to build the BURGER KING® brand into India's leading quick service restaurant." 

About Everstone Group

Everstone is one of the leading private equity and real estate investors in India and South East Asia with approximately USD 2 billion under management. It was founded in 2006 by Atul Kapur and Sameer Sain and has more than 135 people working across five offices (Singapore, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Mauritius). Everstone is also one of the largest developers of shopping malls and industrial warehouses in India with developments across 17 cities in India. Within its private equity business, Everstone has investments in several companies across various sub-sectors such as consumer products and services, food & beverage, education, healthcare, financial services and logistics. Everstone is a very long term investor and follows a highly active and operational approach towards Investments. Everstone was also awarded the best private equity firm in India by PE Asia two years in a row (2011 and 2012).

About Burger King Worldwide

Founded in 1954, BURGER KING® (NYSE: BKW) is the second largest fast food hamburger chain in the world. The original HOME OF THE WHOPPER®, the BURGER KING® system operates in over 13,000 locations serving more than 11 million guests daily in 91 countries and territories worldwide. Approximately 99 percent of BURGER KING® restaurants are owned and operated by independent franchisees, many of them family-owned operations that have been in business for decades. To learn more about Burger King Worldwide, please visit the company's website at www.bk.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release  includes forward-looking statements, which are often identified by the words "may," "might," "believes," "thinks," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "intends" or similar expressions and include statements regarding the expectations of Burger King Worldwide, Inc. ("BKW") regarding the growth opportunities in India and the ability of the joint venture to capitalize on these opportunities and rapidly expand the BURGER KING® brand's presence in India. These forward-looking statements may be affected by risks and uncertainties in BKW's business and market conditions.  This information is qualified in its entirety by cautionary statements and risk factor disclosure contained in filings made by BKW with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including BKW's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. BKW wishes to caution readers that certain important factors may have affected and could in the future affect BKW's actual results and could cause BKW's actual results for subsequent periods to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement made by or on behalf of BKW, including the risk that the joint venture will not be successful in opening BURGER KING® restaurants in India, that the BURGER KING® will not become India's leading quick service restaurant or that the opportunities to open restaurants in India will decline. BKW undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. 

###

CONTACT:

mediainquiries@whopper.com

305.378.7277




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


This announcement is distributed by Thomson Reuters on behalf of Thomson Reuters clients.

The owner of this announcement warrants that:
(i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and
(ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the
information contained therein.

Source: Burger King Worldwide Inc via Thomson Reuters ONE

HUG#1744219



Source: Thomson Reuters ONE (November 19, 2013 - 8:55 AM EST)

News by QuoteMedia
distributed by