Costa Mesa-based California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) announced it will open its first Canada location in Edmonton, Alberta on August 1 marking its first entry into the market.
The pizza brand currently counts almost 200 restaurants across eight countries with plans to ramp up franchise growth in the U.S.
CPK Alberta Chief Executive Naheed Shariff is leading the new market expansion along with his mother and CPK franchisee Samira Shariff, counting 25 and 40 years of franchising experience, respectively.
“We’re honored and excited to bring this iconic, forward-thinking brand to Canada for the first time, while simultaneously attributing to job creation here in Alberta,” CEO Shariff said in a statement.
CPK’s Executive Vice President of Global and Franchise Operations Giorgio Minardi said, “This milestone for our brand serves as a testament to the innovative business model we’ve created and will further propel our franchise growth efforts on a global scale.”
California Pizza Kitchen also has upcoming franchise deals in Costa Rica and Chile. The company ranked No. 8 on the Business Journal’s list of local restaurant chains reporting $490 million in systemwide sales for 2021 and nine stores in OC.
