Sphera Franchise Group opens a new KFC restaurant in Pitesti
<p class="paragraph"><strong>Sphera Franchise Group, the largest food service operator in Romania, continues to invest in expanding its restaurant portfolio and inaugurates the third KFC unit in Pitesti, in the city’s newest mall.</strong></p>

<p>“We are constantly looking for new expansion opportunities for the KFC network, and at the same time, we have in mind the premises offered by a new mall, especially in a city with potential, such as Pitesti. The opening of the third unit in this city aligns with both our financial and development goals and, at the same time, allows us to respond to ever-changing consumer habits by investing in new technologies and digitization,” says <strong>Marian Gogu, General Manager, KFC Romania</strong>.</p>

<p>The investment in the new KFC unit amounts to approximately 550,000 euros. This represents the second inauguration for Sphera in 2024, after the one in February, a Drive-thru unit, in Sibiu. Moving forward, this year’s investment plans include the total allocation of 69 million lei for the opening of 4 more new units, as well as for the remodeling of existing restaurants and investments in technology, such as the implementation of digital ordering solutions.</p>

<p>KFC Arges Mall is on the premises of the new mall in Pitesti, situated at 37 Tudor Vladimirescu Street, and is 170 sqm. The restaurant is located in the food court area and will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The restaurant is structured according to the latest international KFC design and equipment standards, offering customers access to menus and digital ordering kiosks.</p>

<p>Also, in the new restaurant, customers benefit from the free refill system for soft drinks. The products can be served both inside the mall or purchased in the take-way system, through online ordering platforms, and the Click &amp; Collect option, available in the KFC Romania app.</p>

<p>Through the new facility, KFC is creating 35 new jobs in an environment that supports evolution and increased performance. Employees benefit from a net salary of over 3,100 lei starting from the third month of collaboration, which includes the basic salary, meal vouchers, and various bonuses and gratifications, according to KFC's remuneration policy. One of the values of the brand is the trust given to employees, which is confirmed by providing a well-defined career path and by offering numerous opportunities for professional advancement. The team also gets free access to an online platform with over 750 training courses, covering a wide range of skills and interests, useful for both professional and personal development.</p>

<p>Sphera Franchise Group is the largest group in the food service industry in Romania, owning the companies that operate in a franchise system the KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell brands in Romania and KFC in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, and in certain areas in Italy. The group owns over 160 restaurants in the three markets and employs aprox 5,000 people. Sphera Franchise Group has been listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange since 2017, under the symbol SFG, being the only HoReCa company included in the main BET index, as well as in the FTSE Global Microcap, MSCI Frontier and Romania Markets Small Cap.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>* This is a press release.</em></p>