Burger King has spent this decade changing up its business model and potentially the way the entire fast food business works. Part of their bold strategy has been rapid international expansion with the help of their franchisees. What’s the next big growth market for the chain? Africa.

Africa? Yep. Sub-Saharan Africa is a hot growth market for all sorts of globalized businesses, from fast-food chains to Walmart. The middle class in that part of the world is growing, and apparently with greater income comes a greater taste for cheeseburgers.

Since new management took over in 2010, Burger King has undergone a massive international expansion in partnership with franchisees. They opened their first restaurant in South Africa in 2013, and there are now 60 outlets in that country. While there are restaurants in the northern part of the continent in Egypt and Morocco, Sub-Sahran Africa is currently Whopper-free. That’s going to change this year: the chain’s franchisee in South Africa has the rights to open restaurants in other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and they plan to begin that expansion this year.

Burger King isn’t alone: Yum Brands, parent company of Pizza Hut and KFC, is taking the lead in expanding in Africa, with new restaurants planned in Angola and Zambia later this year.

Whopper Meals for Zambia by Year-End as Burger King Expands [Bloomberg Business]

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