MarketWatch:
Golden Spoon, the largest frozen yogurt chain in California by sales volume, has accelerated its international expansion with the announcement of two additional stores for Japan in the month of December. The new stores will be located within Tokyo Station and the Kansai International Airport. Recently opened locations include Universal Studios City Walk in Osaka, Roppongi-Tokyo and Shonan-Enoshima. An additional 30 locations for 2009 will be announced in the coming months as a direct result of the success of these initial stores. All of these stores are part of an aggressive, three-year, 100-store franchise agreement signed by Golden Spoon Franchising and TMP Asia, Co., Ltd., in March of 2008.
“As a leader in the global market, Japan is an ideal locale for Golden Spoon’s first international stores because of its influence on Asia and the other markets worldwide,” said Roger Clawson, CEO of Golden Spoon Franchising. “We are pleased to be working with TMP Asia to introduce our product in Japan and throughout Asia.”
This expansion is part of the company’s plans to grow the frozen yogurt operations into multiple international markets outside of its current U.S. domestic base. The chain recently announced a 30-store expansion in the greater San Francisco Bay Area and plans to have an additional 500 stores under contract by early 2009. Including the new international locations, there are nearly 100 Golden Spoon stores located in Northern and Southern California, Southern Nevada, Southern Utah and Arizona.