CKE Inc : Bilka to Open First Carl’s Jr.® Restaurant in Denmark

CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. Inks Agreement with Dansk Supermarked

"For five decades, Dansk Supermarked has grown their iconic business into successful, well-known brands in Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Poland. Their expertise and knowledge of the Danish market make them the perfect partner to bring Carl's Jr. to the Denmark consumer."

CARPINTERIA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.announced today that they have entered an agreement with Dansk Supermarked to open the first Carl's Jr. restaurant in Denmark. The restaurant is scheduled to open fall of 2013 inside one of Dansk Supermarked's popular Bilka hypermarkets in Naestved.

CKE's partnership with Dansk Supermarked marks the first expansion of the Carl's Jr. brand into the Northern European market. As Denmark's largest retail group, Dansk Supermarked operates more than 1,200 stores in four countries and employees 43,000 people. Everyday Dansk Supermarked's brands Bilka, Fotex, Netto and Salling, provide groceries and non-food items to approximately 2 million customers.

"We are very pleased to welcome Dansk Supermarked as a part of the CKE team," said Andy Puzder, CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. CEO. "For five decades, Dansk Supermarked has grown their iconic business into successful, well-known brands in Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Poland. Their expertise and knowledge of the Danish market make them the perfect partner to bring Carl's Jr. to the Denmark consumer."

"We are very excited to launch the first Carl's Jr. in Denmark," said Thorbjørn Sejer Jensen, marketing director at Bilka. "We believe that the Danes will appreciate the brand's high quality food, exceptional customer service, and inviting restaurant décor. Carl's Jr.'s large quality burgers are a perfect match with our Bilka concept and the restaurant in Naestved will be a welcomed shopping break for our customers."

Danish-born supermodel Nina Agdal recently appeared in an ad campaign for Carl's Jr. (and sister chain Hardee's®) promoting the Charbroiled Atlantic Cod Fish Sandwich. The campaign was a huge success and generated more than 1 billion earned media impressions. The ad, which can be viewed here http://youtu.be/VyuT-spwH8s, has been seen in 190 countries worldwide.

Currently, CKE franchises 500 international restaurants between both its Carl's Jr. and Hardee's brands, in 28 foreign countries and U.S. territories. The company has strategic development plans to double its international presence within the next five years.

CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.

CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. is a privately held company headquartered in Carpinteria, Calif. As of the end of fiscal 2013, the company, through its subsidiaries, had a total of 3,318 franchised or company-operated restaurants in 42 states and 28 foreign countries and U.S. territories worldwide, including 1,369 Carl's Jr.® restaurants and 1,944 Hardee's® restaurants. For more information about CKE Restaurants Holdings, please visit www.ckr.com or its brand sites at www.carlsjr.com and www.hardees.com.

About Bilka/Dansk Supermarked

Bilka is part of the Danish chain of hypermarkets owned by Dansk Supermarked. The first hypermarket opened in 1970 in Tilst, a suburb of Aarhus. Today, the chain consists of 17 hypermarkets located all around the country. Bilka has a wide range of groceries and non-food products at competitive prices. Dansk Supermarked has over 1,200 stores across Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Poland.