Leading Italian eatery Sbarro has entered into a franchise partnership agreement with Casual Restaurants, a leading diversified business group in the region, to open its outlets at 20 locations across the UAE.

Headquartered in New York, Sbarro features a menu of popular Italian food including pizza, pasta dishes and other hot and cold Italian entrees, salads, drinks and desserts.  

The multi-location franchise partnership agreement will help grow the Italian brand's presence in the emirates, said a senior official, with the first outlet set to open in Dubai by year end.

As per the agreement, Sbarro will launch its outlets at 20 locations in the UAE over the next ten years. The partnership further expands Sbarro's footprint throughout the Middle East which includes eateries throughout Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

"Since it first opened its doors as an Italian Salumeria in 1956, Sbarro has been a leader in driving the growth of the Italian restaurant category," remarked Randy Jones, the chief operating officer of Sbarro.

"Casual Restaurants are tremendous restaurateurs and will be terrific partners as we further expand Sbarro's presence in the Middle East," he stated.

"The UAE, in particular, is an area of opportunity for Sbarro and the team at Casual Restaurants is perfectly suited to help lead our continued growth in this region," he added.

Over the past year, Sbarro has significantly expanded its international presence forging franchise agreements across the globe including Canada, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and the Philippines. The award-winning franchise organization currently operates more than 1,000 eateries across 40 countries.

"Sbarro has been very warmly received throughout the Middle East and we see a great opportunity for this brand in the UAE," said a spokesperson of Casual Restaurants, an associate company of UAE-based Geap International, a leading diversified business group which has been operating in the Middle East for over 40 years.

"Sbarro is also a great business partner that brings a tremendous level of support and knowledge, not to mention a terrific concept with a proven track record of success," the official added.-TradeArabia News Service