KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 — QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd (QSR), the operator of KFC restaurants, aims to achieve a five per cent sales growth in 2019, to be generated from new stores and partnerships.

Managing Director Datuk Seri Mohamed Azahari Kamil said QSR is looking on the same stores’ sales growth on the average with a reasonable percentage.

"We are very positive with the operations of KFC and Pizza Hut. We believe there are a lot more customers are craving for our menus and new items and we believe that next year will be a good year for both KFC and Pizza Hut.”

He said QSR was planning to open 65 new KFC restaurants and 60 Pizza Hut outlets throughout the country in next two years.

"This will be in addition to the agreement that we’ve got and also with the collaboration with Petronas for additional 50 KFC stores in the next three years,” he told reporters at the launch of the KFC and Socar Partnership here today.

Also present was QSR Brands Chief Executive Officer of Restaurant Division Merrill Pereyra.

Meanwhile, KFC is partnering with South Korean car sharing startup SoCar to expand the multiflex and car-sharing community with introduction 12 SoCar zone in KFC outlets in the Klang Valley and Johor Bahru.

Mohamed Azahari said: "Unique partnership opportunities like this allow us to get creative with our marketing activities and provide our customers with added value, beyond our traditional services.”

SoCar Malaysia chief executive officer Leon Foong said with the support of KFC's 12 new strategic SoCar zones, multiflexers from different neighbourhoods could now connect and enjoy added convenience and increased accessibility.

"Our partnership with KFC demonstrates how easy it is for multiflexers to get their favourite KFC bucket while embracing technology and adopting the car-sharing lifestyle,” he added.

QSR Brands is a franchisee of over 750 KFC restaurants in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Cambodia.

The company is also the operator of Pizza Hut in Malaysia and Singapore, with over 370 restaurants in Malaysia and another 75 in Singapore. — Bernama