KFC is poised to become the first major US fast food retailer in Myanmar, the company's local business partner announced Tuesday, as the long-isolated nation braces for an influx of international food outlets. The fried chicken retailer, one of the world's largest restaurant chains, plans to open its first branch in downtown Yangon, according to a statement by Myanmar franchise holder Yoma Strategic. It will become "the first major American quick service restaurant to establish a foothold in Myanmar", the statement said, without giving an exact date for the opening.
Yoma said it planned to open "several more" restaurants in the country's bustling commercial hub by the end of the year. Myanmar has seen a flood of foreign brands since the end of outright military rule in 2011, which prompted the lifting of many Western sanctions.