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Manitoba KFC/Taco Bell outlets get new Calgary owner

By: Martin Cash

Wednesday, Jun. 20, 2012 at 8:20 AM | Comments: 0

HI-FLYER Food (Canada) Inc. has been awarded the franchise rights for 57 KFC and KFC/Taco Bell restaurants in Manitoba and Alberta.

Based out of Calgary, Hi-Flyer is an affiliate of Wholesome Foods Inc., the company that holds the master franchise rights to operate 220 KFC locations in the Philippines.

KFC is owned by Yum! Brands, based in Louisville, Ken., the world's largest restaurant company with more than 37,000 restaurants in 110 countries and territories, including close to 1,000 restaurants from coast to coast in Canada.

"My team and I are delighted to welcome Hi-Flyer to the KFC team in Canada. We are excited to work with like-minded partners on our journey to building KFC into a success model in Canada," said Sabir Sami, Yum! Canada president.

Last year, Priszm Income Fund, which has been Canada's largest owner of KFC restaurants with 428 locations, filed for bankruptcy protection after a couple of years of sales and profit declines.

Under court protection, it previously sold its restaurants in Ontario, B.C. and Atlantic Canada.

Last month, it received court approval for the sale of 57 restaurants in Alberta and Manitoba.

Wholesome Foods' Philippines operations are recognized as leaders in product innovation, for harnessing technology to enable operational efficiency, and as early adapters in upgrading its stores to latest Yum! Brands standards.

"We are honoured to have been awarded the business in Alberta and Manitoba by Yum! Canada and are excited to leverage on our success and experience in this business over the last 18 years," said Mauro Agustines, WFI president and CEO.

Scott's Real Estate Investment Trust is the landlord at 13 locations, four in Manitoba and nine in Alberta. "This transaction continues the trend of further diversifying our tenant base and reducing our reliance on Priszm," said Kevin Salsberg, chief operating officer at Scott's REIT.

-- with files from The Canadian Press

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca

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