Wayback Burgers has signed a master franchise agreement in Japan with the publicly traded WB Burgers Asia Inc. (WBBA). The brand plans to open 60 locations within two years. In addition to the master franchise agreement, Wayback Burgers has also partnered with Next Meats Co. (NXMH), a Tokyo-based venture dedicated to creating alternatives to meat products. Both of Wayback’s new partners will be led by Koichi Ishizuka.
As a part of the master franchise agreement, WBBA will open the first location in Tokyo in early 2022. WBBA has also acquired the first right of refusal to become the master franchisee for Eastern Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, China, India, Korea, Thailand and Singapore. WBBA and Wayback have created a collaborative advisory board to support all critical components of the expansion with an emphasis on business operations, franchise development, brand strategy, menu creation and more.
Wayback tested a series of meat-free alternatives at the Sacramento Vegan Food Festival in California to trial a number of new products made with Next Meats Co.’s plant-based meat. Wayback will continue to closely collaborate with Next Meat’s Co. to create more new products and menu items.
“We are pleased to officially announce our latest international partnerships with WBBA and Next Meats Co., which will create a tremendous opportunity to introduce the Wayback Burgers experience to both traditional and alternative burger lovers in Japan,” said William Chemero, chief development officer of Wayback Burgers.
“We are excited to collaborate with both companies, under the impressive leadership of Koichi Ishizuka, officially bringing one of America’s favorite burger brands to market across Asia.”
Read more about Wayback’s franchise offering here.
