Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc., the franchiser and operator of Popeyes US:PLKI fast-food chicken restaurants, has some ambitious growth plans.
“For the last eight years we put this brand on a trajectory to double in size in the U.S. and more than double in size internationally,” Chief Executive Cheryl Bachelder told MarketWatch.
Popeyes, which has a menu that includes fried chicken and french fries, is growing at a time when healthy eating has become a bigger priority for many in the U.S. and when fast-casual restaurants like Chipotle CMG, -0.27% have become more popular with diners. These shifts don’t concern Bachelder, who said consumers are looking for convenience, differentiation and good food.
“The rule has been the same for a long time and we’re just living it,” she said. With its Louisiana flavors, Popeyes is in a good position to stand out from the competition—and there are low-calorie options on the Popeyes menu to choose from, she said.