ZUG, SWITZERLAND — Affiliates of the private investment firm McWin acquired exclusive master franchise and development rights to develop Restaurant Brand International’s (RBI) Burger King and Popeyes brands across Eastern Europe.

McWin plans to expand the Burger King brand in Czech Republic, Poland and Romania and to bring the fried chicken restaurant brand Popeyes to Czech Republic and Poland, with 600 restaurants set to open throughout Europe over the next 10 years. Restaurants are scheduled to open as soon as 2023.

“We are excited to continue to strengthen McWin’s leadership position in Europe, where we see significant growth opportunities and incorporating strong premium brands in our 1,300 and growing restaurant portfolio, such as Burger King and Popeyes,” said Henry McGovern, co-founder of McWin, “Following the acquisition of BK SEE Poland S.A. in August, this is the second investment made through our €525 million (US$550 million) McWin Restaurant Fund and demonstrates our commitment to helping brands reach the next level with operational excellence as we unlock sustainable long-term value for customers, employees, communities and the local economies where we operate.”

McWin added that it is committed to serving customers both in-restaurant and online through personalized digital innovation. The new Burger King and Popeyes locations will feature digital ordering screens, mobile ordering, table service and delivery.

“We’re thrilled to have reached this milestone with McWin, and we are confident that their strong experience in developing businesses will translate to successful expansions of our iconic brands in Eastern Europe,” said David Shear, RBI president international. “This announcement highlights our commitment to serving more guests with our iconic flame-grilled Whopper sandwich and our bold Louisiana style chicken, among other favorites. This is a big step in our ambitious expansion journey for these brands, and we're excited to keep growing our footprint across Eastern Europe.”

Currently, Burger King operates in more than 19,000 locations across more than 100 countries, including 33 European countries. The Popeyes brand has more than 3,800 restaurants in over 30 countries, with recent successful European launches into the United Kingdom, Romania, Spain and Switzerland.