Pollo Campero, the fast-casual chicken franchise with 80-plus U.S. locations and another 270 around the world, is ready to grow in Alabama. As the brand established itself as one of the most dominant players in the $40.6 billion fast-food chicken franchise segment, the Pollo Campero team has identified Alabama as a prime market for franchise expansion due to the flourishing economic landscape and an unmet demand among both legacy consumers and new fans.

Alabama features a thriving economy and demographics primed for Pollo Campero. According to census data, the population of Hispanic and Latino residents has grown exponentially over the past two decades, including a whopping 144.8% increase between 2000-2010 and a 42.3% increase between 2010-2020. This kind of diverse customer base is ideal for Pollo Campero, which is a major favorite amongst international customers as the world’s largest Central American chicken franchise.

“We have legacy customers — Latin American customers who know the brand from our international footprint — in markets all over the country, and those were the markets we traditionally focused on,” Escarcega said. “Now, what has happened is that we’ve expanded that legacy customer base and realized that the brand has legs to reach more mainstream consumers in the U.S. We want to maintain the legacy piece, while also bringing the opportunity to new customers and developing around the existing markets that we have.”

The Pollo Campero team looks to add new franchise units in Alabama by 2023. Although the state does not currently have any Pollo Campero locations, many neighboring states have already established restaurants, including Florida and Georgia. Escarcega says the team looks to reinvigorate the Pollo Campero brand presence in areas where they already know there is untapped potential. 

“In addition to targeting existing bases in good markets, we also look at consumers and their eating habits,” said Escarcega. “For example, the markets we are looking at in the Southeast have a higher-than-average consumption of chicken. That is why there is such a high concentration of chicken concepts in the Southeast — people love chicken, fried in particular. It really transcends demographics. Everyone just loves chicken in the Southeast, and nobody does chicken like Pollo Campero.” 

The quick-service, grilled and fried chicken restaurant began in Guatemala as a family-owned business with a carefully crafted menu and unique chicken recipe. The Pollo Campero menu was designed to honor the brand’s origins in Latin American cuisine while also making sure that the fried chicken was as good as it could possibly be. 

“We’re talking about marinated to the bone, slow-down-and-enjoy-every-bite chicken,” said Luis Javier Rodas, Managing Director and COO. “A deep, rich and unique taste that can only be obtained by uniting the freshest ingredients with the best, complementary spices. It’s about combining generations of family recipes into the perfect, savory bite.”

Today, the QSR chicken segment has proven to be pandemic-proof in markets all over the country, and Pollo Campero has optimized its business model, innovated the menu and expanded its support infrastructure to ensure franchisees can carve out a lucrative niche and satisfy the demand for delicious chicken in markets like Alabama. 

“We’ve spent the past 20 years figuring out the supply chain requirements in each market we’ve operated in, making sure we can get our high-quality product to restaurants promptly,” said Rodas. “Now, this will allow us to expand to nearby territories outside of those core markets.”

The Pollo Campero team says their expansion efforts will be primarily focused across the Southeast over the next three to five years, including the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, Arizona and North Florida, in addition to Alabama. The brand has also identified a big growth opportunity in Arizona, as well as a few other markets scattered across the country. The brand will open more corporate-owned stores as well, with a particular focus on California. 

Escarcega says Pollo Campero ended the past year with 81 total restaurant units in the U.S., including 60 corporate stores, 17 franchise units and four ghost kitchens. Now, he says the five-year plan is to reach 180 corporate units, 85 franchise locations and 10 to 20 ghost kitchens. 

“The past few years have been incredible for Pollo Campero, and our franchise concept is all about allowing new customers to try an incredible product,” said Rodas. “Now, as we move forward with a strategic growth mindset, we are eager to bring Pollo Campero to more communities by partnering with qualified franchisees who can build locally-owned businesses they can be proud of.”

Initial investments range from $887,250 - $2,126,500*. For more information, visit: https://camperofranchise.com/

*To see the brand’s full reported financials, please reference Pollo Campero’s Franchise Disclosure Document (updated June 7, 2021). 

ABOUT POLLO CAMPERO:

Pollo Campero is a fast-casual restaurant chain focused on delighting guests with better-chicken offerings. Through its flavor and quality, Pollo Campero offers a unique and convenient feel-good eating experience for individual, group/family and catering occasions. Chicken entrees can be ordered either Campero Fried or Citrus-Grilled, bone in or boneless and paired with an array of fresh sides, drinks and desserts for a complete meal. Pollo Campero started as a small family-owned restaurant in Guatemala in 1971, and has grown to one of the biggest chicken chains in the world.