A&W Malaysia, which boasts the distinction of being the first fast food outlet in Malaysia, today entered into a development agreement with A Great American Brand International (AGABI) to expand its footprint in Malaysia by increasing the number of locations nationwide to 124 within the next five years. Eyeing greater expansion nationwide, A&W Malaysia has allocated RM22 million as capital expenditure to strengthen the brand and its operations in the country. The agreement calls for 20 new outlets in 2020 and a total of 124 outlets by 2024.
Signatories to the agreement were George Ang, Chief Executive Officer of A&W Malaysia and Martin Lim, Managing Director of A Great American Brand International. The event was witnessed by Mr. Dean Thompson, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of the United States of America as well as Kevin Bazner, Global Chief Executive Officer of A&W Restaurants, Inc.
Speaking at the event, Kevin Bazner commended A&W Malaysia for the company’s commitment in rejuvenating the brand following the change of hands of A&W Malaysia to Inter Mark Resources Sdn. Bhd. from KUB Malaysia Berhad in September 2018.
“Having celebrated 100 years globally was a commendable milestone. I am proud to see A&W Malaysia has now conceptualised plans to leverage on its rich heritage and legacy in Malaysia for a successful comeback. I must acknowledge that A&W Malaysia should be applauded for its commitment to reinvest and grow the brand.”
“We see that the consumer affinity towards A&W is strong in Malaysia. We hope that this addition to the long-term development plans of A&W Malaysia will contribute positively to the top and bottomline moving forward. We will continue to offer direct support to A&W Malaysia in reinforcing A&W’s presence across Peninsula Malaysia,” he added.
In his speech, A&W Malaysia CEO, George Ang said, “The signing with A Great American Brand International represents a major leap forward for A&W Malaysia’s plans to make the country’s first fast food chain great again. This is in line with our vision of becoming the number one quick-service restaurant (QSR) that Malaysians crave for.”
To-date, there are 49 A&W outlets in Malaysia. The expansion plan targets a young new generation of discerning consumers in addition to the older consumers who grew up with fond memories of A&W.
Customers nationwide can enjoy a wide variety of signature food from the menu including RB Float, Golden Aroma Chicken, Coneydogs, Waffles, Mozza Burger and a vast selection of new offerings. More menu choices will be rolled out in stages to satisfy today’s young, savvy and sophisticated customers. A&W is all geared up to chart a new course for the brand in Malaysia and it certainly looks like Malaysians are set to create many more stories and memories at A&W, truly making the brand a taste to remember.