Casual-dining grill and sushi bar chain Kona Grill Inc. is to franchise in the U.S. and also in China.
President and CEO Berke Bakay said, “We have filed franchise registration statements in certain states where required to expand the Kona Grill brand domestically through franchising.”
Kona Grill’s board was recently augmented by Alex Zheng, chairman of the Chinese Plateno Hotel Group, preparatory to the chain’s expansion into China through a master franchise agreement. The chain presently operates 46 restaurants in 23 states and Puerto Rico, along with three franchised restaurants in Monterrey, Mexico, Dubai and Vaughan, Ontario.
