US fast food group Wendy’s to enter Irish market and create 300 jobs

About 300 jobs are to be created with the opening of 10 Wendy’s restaurants across the country over the next three years.
The US fast food restaurant chain first opened in 1969 and has grown to more than 7,200 restaurants. About 1,200 of these are located in more than 30 markets outside of the United States.
Corrib Oil, which runs a network of service station and energy distribution providers, has reached an agreement with Wendy’s to become its franchise partner in Ireland.
Corrib confirmed that as part of the first phase of the agreement, it plans to open the restaurants across the country between 2025 and 2027.
The initial site locations, which will be announced early next year, will be a blend of stand-alone restaurants as well as new Wendy’s offerings at existing Corrib service station locations.
The company has hired commercial property firm Cushman & Wakefield to advise on the site selection process.
The partnership will lead to the creation of about 300 new jobs in the first phase with a recruitment campaign to be launched in early 2025.
Wendy’s also anticipates sourcing ingredients locally wherever possible as part of its Irish roll-out, and said all Wendy’s fresh beef would be Irish sourced and certified.
Corrib Oil operates 38 convenience stores with forecourts across 17 counties. The company said the partnership represented an “important next step” in its Irish growth strategy.
Combined with its energy division, which has 18 depots across the country, Corrib employs 1,150 people, which will grow to 1,450 as part of the first phase of its Wendy’s partnership.
Corrib Oil chief executive Eugene Dalton said the group’s engagement with Wendy’s over the past number of months had been “very positive”.
“Wendy’s is a brand with a rich heritage that aligns with our own,” he said. “For more than 50 years, Wendy’s has been a leader in the quick-service restaurant sector, with a commitment to quality, freshness, customer and community.”
Wendy’s international president, EJ Wunsch, said Ireland and Corrib Oil were “a perfect fit” for the brand.
“Ireland is a great market for long-term growth for Wendy’s,” he said. “Corrib Oil has a deep understanding of the local communities and a long-standing reputation for excellence. We are thrilled to welcome them to the Wendy’s family.
“With a proven track record of outstanding operations and a significant growth history, we are confident that Corrib Oil is the right partner to drive Wendy’s expansion in Ireland.”