MTY adding Baja Fresh, La Salsa to its lineup of restaurant brands

MONTREAL – MTY Food Group Inc. (TSX:MTY) is adding two more restaurant brands to its extensive list — Baja Fresh Mexican Grill and La Salsa Fresh Mexican Grill — and their 185 franchised or corporate locations outside Canada.

The Montreal-based company says the US$27-million purchase is part of its international expansion plans.

The purchase of BF Acquisition Holdings, LLC, would add 162 Baja Fresh and 23 La Salsa locations in the United States, Dubai and Singapore. All but 16 of the locations are franchised operations.

The headquarters for the BFAH business would be moved to Scottsdale, Ariz. — MTY’s U.S. base since this year’s acquisition of Kahala Brands Ltd. in a friendly deal valued at US$300 million.

Kahala added more than a dozen brands and 2,800 stores worldwide to MTY’s holdings.

MTY’s brands include ManchuWok, Villa Madina, Country Style, Mucho Burrito, Vanelli’s and Thai Express.