In partnership with an experienced Canadian franchisee, California Pizza Kitchen plans to head to the Great White North.
California Pizza Kitchen (CPK), a global-spanning pizza restaurant with locations in 10 countries and U.S. territories, has added Canada to its exponentially growing portfolio.
The inaugural Canadian franchise locations will be opened in partnership with Alberta restauranteur, Samira Shariff, who brings nearly 40 years of experience to the table having built successful brands in Alberta as a multi-unit franchise owner and operator in Edmonton.
“On behalf of Samira and our team, we couldn’t be more excited and proud to be partnering with California Pizza Kitchen as their first franchisee to bring the brand to Canada,” said Naheed Shariff, Samira’s son, who will serve as CEO of CPK’s Alberta footprint. “We think CPK’s creative California vibe and innovative menu will resonate with Albertans and offer something completely new in the market.”
The first location to come from this new agreement will open in the coming months, and will be followed by four more planned sites to open over the next eight years. As part of its consistent growth, CPK intends to further expand into Canada, including in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Toronto.
“At CPK, we take great pride in sharing our passion for California-style pizza, fresh and creative ingredients and best-in-class hospitality with our guests around the world,” said Jim Hyatt, CEO of CPK. “We’ve had our sights set on expanding into Canada for many years now, to bring CPK a little closer to home for all of our Canadian guests who’ve become loyal regulars at so many of our U.S. locations, whether joining us on vacation or business travel. Now, we’re confident we have the right, deeply experienced partner in Samira Shariff to spearhead our entry into the market.”
Canada is just the tip of the iceberg for CPK’s future expansion plans, as the pizza brand plans to target Asia, the Middle East, Australia, and Europe.
