Taco Bell signs a Japanese powerhouse as a franchisee

An operator of 429 pub-style restaurants in Japan has agreed to become a franchisee in its homeland of Taco Bell, the Yum! Brands holding that is ramping up development overseas.

Yum! already has a huge presence in Asia through its KFC and Pizza Hut operations. It only recently started pushing international expansion of Taco Bell.

The new franchisee, Asrapport Dining Co., is a publicly traded Japanese company. Its operations now are izakayas, a style of bar, and barbecue restaurants.

Neither party revealed how many Taco Bells would be built and operated by Asrapport.

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