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Its franchisees are expected to open five stores for each country in the next 12 months. Gelatissimo announced that they will open a number stores in Bangladesh and India on September. “Making excellent gelato is a complex task and so is building a brilliant gelato business. With a quality artisan product, a simple in-store production system, local marketing and brand building campaigns and an ongoing training programme, we set all our franchisees up for success. Bangladesh and India represent big opportunities for us and our partners and we look forward to making it a sweet success,” Gelatissimo CEO Filipe Barbosa said in a statement. The expansion will be done in partnership with master franchisees Sangeeta Dumpeta from India and Nilesh Jamnadas from Bangladesh. “The stores will be fitted in the internationally recognisable Gelatissimo branding and serve the brand’s best loved flavours and products,” Dumpeta said. The ice cream chain currently has 45 stores in Australia and another 17 in other countries. India and Bangladesh will join Gelatissimo’s portfolio of international franchises along with Philippines, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and China  

Here is a summary of the most interesting QSR news stories of the week from around the world.

Find out what QSRs have been up to on social media this week.

The Japanese coffee chain was started by a latte art world champion in Kyoto in 2014.

The fast food giant is pressing ahead with its expansion strategy.

They are also adding halal options to their menu.

The brand started in January 2017 at a food park in Pasig City.

The durian-based cafe brand is targeting 100 stores by 2020.

Here is a summary of the most interesting QSR news stories of the week from around the world.

Find out what QSRs have been up to on social media this week.

The fast food giant joins the global movement to reduce plastic waste. The New Straits Times reported that McDonald's Malaysia introduced a 'Say No To Straws' campaign, starting August 1. Although an official statement has yet to be released by the fast food giant, some branches in Bangsar and Penang have already put up signs informing customers that plastic straws will no longer be provided beginning next month, unless specifically requested at the counter.

The agreement seeks to propel the global expansion of Pokéworks. The global restaurant investment powerhouse Toridoll inked a deal Pokéworks, one of the U.S’s largest and fastest-growing poke brands, in a bid to accelerate the poke brand’s market dominance and establish a global network. Toridoll Holdings currently operates 1,028 restaurant locations in Japan and 533 overseas, including the Hawaiian udon restaurant Marugame Seimen. The $1.6 billion-holding company has identified “the Pokéworks investment opportunity as a means to further accelerate the brand's market dominance while setting the bar for quality standards within the poke segment”. The announcement comes just two years since Pokéworks' inception. The brand has seen an aggressive growth trajectory in that time, with nearly 20 locations operating and more than 120 under development across North America. Pokéworks aims to open an additional 400+ locations. "Pokéworks was founded on the idea of bringing high-quality and affordable seafood to the masses and this agreement will no doubt enable us to achieve our long-term vision for the brand and the concept," said Michael Wu, CEO of Pokéworks. "It is no secret that Japan is globally recognized as the leaders in fresh and superior sushi cuisine, and we cannot think of a more sophisticated establishment to partner and further align our values with as we continue to grow." Toridoll Holdings plans to support the fast expansion of the brand's business model by leveraging its expertise in investing and operations through experience working with a diverse range of restaurant businesses within its global network. Heightened by the popularity of the poke trend – which has reached an annual growth rate of 25 percent and growing – Pokéworks looks to strengthen its procedures and propel operations from an execution standpoint, by placing a strong focus on higher standards to ensure a trusted and an authentic experience throughout its momentous growth. "In this emerging market, Pokéworks has become a great success by appealing to the demand for fresh, fast and healthy food at affordable prices," said Takaya Awata, President of Toridoll Holdings. "We are excited to work in tandem with one of the largest and fastest growing poke brands in the United States –where the hottest global trends in the restaurant business emerge." Founded in 2015 with their first store in Midtown Manhattan, Pokéworks is building on momentum largely fueled by its millennial relevance and deep-rooted commitment to sustainability efforts as seen through its certified reclaimed wood building material. Guests of all dietary restrictions, including those maintaining gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan, as well as cooked or raw protein diets can enjoy Pokéworks' build-your-own poke bowls, burritos and salads by selecting a base protein, unique regional mix-ins, flavoring sauces, toppings and crunchy texture. To augment the concept's growth, Pokéworks is seeking experienced multi-unit partners looking to invest in a turnkey franchise with minimal restaurant and labor costs. The opportunity provides comprehensive training programs and dedicated support teams to assist in on-boarding, development, opening and ongoing operations. The initial franchise fee for Pokéworks is $35,000 with the total single-unit investment ranging from $250,000 to $850,000. Founded in 1990, Toridoll Holdings Corporation is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and operates over 1500+ locations of restaurants which include: Marugame Seimen, a specialized Sanuki Udon restaurant; Toridoll Yakitori, a charcoal grilled chicken restaurant; teriyaki Japan, a fast-food restaurant; Crackin' Kitchen, a Hawaiian-Cajun restaurant; Tokyo Table, which serves Japanese and American food; Kaya, a fast-casual restaurant serving food cooked with selected ingredients in South-East Asian style; and Wok to Walk that serves Thai street food.

The company’s total revenues increased 12% year over year in the second quarter of 2018. Yum China Holdings, Inc., which reported its unaudited results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2018, posted a 12% increase in its total revenues year over year, from $1.8 billion in the comparative period last year to to $2.1 billion. Total system sales, meanwhile, grew 3% year over year, with the 5% growth at KFC being partially offset by 1% decline at Pizza Hut. Same-store sales slipped 1% year over year, on the back of flat same-store sales at KFC and a 4% decrease at Pizza Hut. Restaurant margin was 15.1%, as compared with 16.6% in the prior year period. Operating Profit for the company jumped 13% year over year to $193 million from $171 million, and net Income rose 14% to $143 million from $125 million in the prior year period. "KFC achieved 5% system sales growth in the second quarter as a result of solid business fundamentals and accelerated new store development. We are on track to add 600-650 new stores, led by KFC, by the end of the year. This growth strategy will set us up for long-term growth in both profitability and market share. We are confident in the sustainability of KFC's leader position in the QSR market in China,” Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China said. “While Pizza Hut continued to face challenges in China's competitive casual dining space, we added new talent to our team and made progress repositioning the brand with our target customers. We remain dedicated to revitalizing the brand and strongly believe that our initiatives including delivering more innovative products and introducing new store formats will restore the brand to the level of consistent growth that our shareholders expect." "Yum China reported total revenues and operating profit growth of 12% and 13% respectively in the second quarter. We will continue to invest in strengthening our core competencies as well as building delivery, digital and data capabilities to capture online and offline opportunities and drive future growth," added Wat. "In an increasingly competitive environment, we stepped up food investment and promotional activities, which inevitably had some pressure on our margins. This reflects our strategic decision to invest in our brands for long-term market share gain. Our business continues to generate substantial free cash flow, and during the second quarter, we returned over $110 million of cash to our shareholders through share buyback and dividends. We remain committed to creating enduring value for our stockholders," Jacky Lo, CFO of Yum China said. As of June 30, 2018, the KFC loyalty program had more than 135 million members and the Pizza Hut loyalty program had over 45 million members, an increase of 50 million and 20 million, respectively, year over year. Mobile payments accounted for approximately 63% of Company sales in the quarter, an increase of 21 percentage points year over year. Delivery contributed to 16% of Company sales in the second quarter of 2018, an increase of 3 percentage points year over year. Delivery services now available in over 1,000 cities, up from 800 cities in the prior year period.  

The pizza brand is running a two-week trial of Dilly Plate.

The doughnut chain becomes one of only a few Western brands in the country. Krispy Kreme plans to open the doors of its first shop in Myanmar in September 2018. The brand partnered with a Myanmar franchisee to become one of only a small number of Western restaurant brands that have a presence in the country. The brand plans approximately 10 more shops to launch in Myanmar in the coming years. Krispy Kreme is a global retailer of premium-quality sweet treats, including its signature Original Glazed doughnut. Headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C., the company has offered the highest-quality doughnuts and great-tasting coffee since it was founded in 1937. Krispy Kreme doughnuts can be found in approximately 12,000 grocery, convenience and mass merchant stores in the U.S., operating nearly 1,400 retail shops in 32 countries across the globe.

Here is a summary of the most interesting QSR news stories of the week from around the world.