BurgerFuel expanding again in Middle East

Revenue from the Middle Eastern operations helped BurgerFuel post its maiden annual profit in 2011. In the 12 months to March 31 last year the company reported total sales of $16.7 million from its stores in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Iraq.

Although Mason will soon move to the US to spearhead the company's launch there, he says there's plenty of scope for continued growth in the Middle East. "We see a lot of potential in the more fringe markets that we're in or going into." Mason says Iraq has enormous potential, despite sectarian attacks and a resurgent al-Qaeda presence. BurgerFuel operates only one store in Sulaymaniyah, in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, but the company's Iraqi franchisee is scoping out possible sites in Baghdad.

Libya, another politically volatile country that should get its first BurgerFuel store this year, is seen as a lucrative opportunity by the New Zealand brand. And the holiest city in Islam - Saudi Arabia's Mecca - might get a BurgerFuel store in the near future.