Bernama

Berjaya Corporation Bhd via its 70 percent-owned unit, Berjaya Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Sdn Bhd (BKK), has secured the rights from Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation to develop and operate Krispy Kreme stores in Malaysia.

BKK plans to open 20 Krispy Kreme stores in Malaysia within the next five years with the first store to be opened in Kuala Lumpur by early 2009, said Berjaya Corporation in a statement Friday.

Development will continue in the Klang Valley region before expanding into the other major cities and towns throughout the country, it said.

Berjaya Corporation has extensive experience in developing and operating well known international food and beverage brands as it currently holds the franchise for Starbucks Coffee, Kenny Rogers Roasters, Wendys and recently in June 2008 also acquired the Papa Johns pizza franchise.

"The addition of Krispy Kreme will strategically complement and widen Berjaya Corporations existing food and beverage operations," said its chairman and chief executive officer Tan Sri Vincent Tan.

The business is expected to contribute positively to the future earnings of Berjaya Corporation, said the company in a statement to Bursa Malaysia.

There are about 490 Krispy Kreme stores operating in the United States, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, the Philippines, South Korea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.