Taco Bell in NZ: 'Watch this space'

Restaurant Brands chairman has told shareholders to 'watch this space' in response to queries about whether there were plans to bring the Mexican-themed chain to New Zealand. Speaking at a meeting in Christchurch, he said, 'With three established brands all performing at a very high level, and Carl's Jr. now beginning to gain some traction, we are now starting to get to a position where we can begin to evaluate another brand opportunity.'

It's a regular question for Restaurant Brands, which owns the rights to Taco Bell's sister brands KFC and Pizza Hut in New Zealand. Taco Bell has found it difficult to gain traction in any market outside North America, with failed attempts in markets as diverse as China, Poland, Singapore, the UK and even Mexico itself. Taco Bell opened in Australia in 1997 with a stand-alone store and a few store-within-a-store concepts in KFC branches, but by 2005 they had all gone. However, Mexican is a fast-growing sector in the eating-out market in New Zealand and, as Carl's Jr. has proved, Restaurant Brands' financial muscle means that it can afford to come late to a trend.