Chanticleer Holdings announces expanded franchise agreement in Brazil

Charlotte-based Hooters franchisee Chanticleer Holdings said Wednesday it has signed an agreement that expands the number of Hooters it and a partner can open in Brazil.

Chanticleer, an investment company, said the new franchise agreement involving partner Wings Brasil Restaurante allows it to open Hooters in five states, up from three. Also, the number of Hooters to be opened has grown from five to seven.

Chanticleer and Wings Brasil Restaurante are partners in Chanticleer & Wings Brasil Foods Participacoes, of which Chanticleer holds a 60 ownership interest. Wings Brasil Restaurante manages three Hooters in São Paulo. The agreement announced Wednesday is between the partners and Hooters of America, the privately held parent company of the Hooters brand.

The first of the seven planned Hooters is set to open in April in Rio de Janeiro.

Chanticleer owns and operates Hooters in other countries, but none are in the U.S. Its other Hooters are in Australia, Hungary, South Africa and the U.K.

While Chanticleer continues to grow Hooters restaurants internationally, that has no longer been its sole focus since its purchase this year of Charlotte-based American Roadside Burgers and a majority stake in the companies that own the Charlotte-based Just Fresh restaurant chain.

Earlier this week, Chanticleer said it has become an investor in Beacher’s Madhouse, a nightclub operator with a location in Los Angeles and one set to open in Las Vegas.