HispanicBusiness

Name: Pollo Campero
Revenues (2006): $300 million
Founded: 1971
CEO and president of Campero USA Corp.: Roberto Denegri

With Pollo Campero restaurants in the U.S., Latin America, Europe, and Asia, Roberto Denegri realizes that people from different countries and different ways of life, really enjoy his company's product.

"We believe that people are looking for new alternatives. People are willing to try new things," said Mr. Denegri, president and CEO for Campero USA Corp. "It's just the way we cook it, the passion our people put in the product. We start with a great product and great service."

A restaurant chain known for its affordable fried chicken meals, Pollo Campero was first established in Guatemala in 1971 and in six other Central American countries soon after.

In 1994, a new period began for Pollo Campero as it launched a franchise program that would take the Campero concept around the world. The company decided to expand to the U.S. in 2002.

In April of that year, Pollo Campero opened its first U.S. restaurant in Los Angeles. The restaurant broke industry records when the 90-seat restaurant with no drive-thru or delivery service, served over 30,000 guests in its opening week.

Today, Pollo Campero has 17 locations in California, New York, Maryland, Texas, Virginia, Washington D.C., and Chicago, and overall annual sales average $1.9 million per U.S. restaurant. Pollo Campero also has outlets in El Salvador, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico and Spain.

In February 2007, Pollo Campero opened in Jakarta. "We decided to open in Asia because when we opened in the U.S., a lot of people from other countries, especially from Asia, were interested and wondered why there weren't any in Asia. We decided to go ourselves because we saw lots of potential," said Mr. Denegri.

The second opening in Asia is scheduled at the end of May 2007 in Shanghai.

"We have evolved into an international franchise that is reaching people throughout the world," said Mr. Denegri. "Our menu offers something for everyone and were always looking for innovative ways to cater to our guests."

Jose Cofino, president and chief operating officer of Adir Restaurants Corp., the master franchiser for Pollo Campero, added, "Franchising has opened the doors of opportunity for people from every walk of life, giving them the chance to realize the American dream of owning their own business.

"Successful franchisees also need to embrace diversity if they are to grow and thrive in today's marketplace."

"Our growth is the direct result of the commitment that we have to our customers by offering an excellent product and service, backed by the work of an outstanding team whose strength is based on the values and principles of our company," said Mr. Denegri.

Recently, the company opened its first U.S. headquarters office in Dallas, as part of an ambitious expansion plan across the country.

"After observing the tremendous popularity of our Pollo Campero restaurants in the U.S., we confirmed our belief that Americans crave the type of flavorful, top quality food that we offer," said Mr. Denegri. "We hired a team of experienced restaurant professionals to lead the development of the concept and created a base for our operations in the U.S. in order to facilitate our expansion plan."

The U.S. success in recent years is what has led Pollo Campero to launch its recent expansion effort. "As part of the strategy to expand the restaurant chain in the U.S., we expect to have 500 restaurants in the U.S. by December 2012," said Mr. Denegri, "World-wide, we plan to have over 1,000 locations."

The rapid expansion has been due to Pollo Campero's popularity with both general and Hispanic consumers. "Being Hispanic has played a great role in the process, especially in the U.S. market," said Mr. Denegri.

Despite that, "We don't look at ourselves as a minority business. We came to the U.S. and we hired a U.S.-based team. We're growing internationally."