Wendy's New Zealand has been bought out by Flynn Group, an American-based global franchise operating company, for an undisclosed sum.
The chain was put up for sale in 2022 by the Lendich family of West Auckland, who had originally launched it in New Zealand in 1988. The sole franchisee of the Wendy's Brand in New Zealand, Wendco, was purchased by Flynn Group.
Flynn Group has expanded its global presence in recent years, most notably the acquisition of Wendy's and Pizza Hut restaurants in Australia. The group currently owns and operates over 2700 consumer-facing businesses across Applebee's, Arby's, Taco Bell, Panera, Pizza Hut, Wendy's and Planet Fitness in the USA, Australia, and New Zealand. Annually, Flynn Group generated more than USD 4.5 Billion in sales, and has recently announced plans to open 200 additional Wendy's restaurants across the Tasman by 20234. Globally, Flynn Group employs over 75,000 people.
"The acquisition of the Wendy's New Zealand business represented a compelling opportunity to continue our growth ambitions internationally and to expand our strong partnership with the much-loved Wendy's brand," Flynn Group chief operating officer Ron Bellamy said.
"Wendco New Zealand has a proud 35-year track record of delighting customers and we are honoured to carry that tradition forward. Our immediate priority will be to collaborate with the existing team to determine how we can best leverage our scale and capabilities to build on their success as we enter this next chapter of growth together."
Flynn Group has also strongly committed to continuity for all 500 of Wendco New Zealand's employees, as well as its partners and suppliers. The company has plans to retain the current operations and support teams, as well as create further employment opportunities as the Wendy's brand continues to expand in the New Zealand market.
Bellamy said the immediate priority will be to collaborate with the existing team to determine how it can best leverage its scale and capabilities to build on the brand's success as it enters the next chapter.
To read more QSR news, click here.
