NEW YORK — Tims China recently announced that it would be the exclusive operator of Popeyes brand franchisees on mainland China.

In the all-share transaction, Tims China acquired PLKC International Limited (Popeyes China), which holds the exclusive rights to develop and sub-franchise the Popeyes brand in mainland China and Macau. 

Popeyes China said that it would bring $30 million into the deal, with Tims China earmarking an additional $60 million to develop its Popeyes China business.

“We are very excited about growing the Popeyes brand in China as part of our broader global growth strategy,” said David Shear, president of RBI International, the parent company of Popeyes. “We have strong confidence in our partner who has a deep understanding of the Chinese market, and we believe it will position us well for success in the country.”

Another Restaurant Brands International company, Tim Hortons, entered the Chinese market during 2019.

“This is a landmark day,” said Peter Yu, Chairman of Tims China. “With this transaction, Tims China gains a tremendous additional pathway for growth in the world’s most compelling consumer market. The track record of our team, who led the development of Tim Hortons in China from a standing start to over 600 stores in under five years, highlights the strength of our well-honed store development platform and infrastructure. We are excited to leverage what we’ve built to launch and grow the Popeyes business rapidly and efficiently.”