Wendy’s has signed two new franchise agreements to open up to 190 restaurants in Italy and Armenia, part of its plan to reach 2000 international locations by 2028.

In Italy, Wendy’s is partnering with Your Food SRL to develop 170 locations by 2035, with the first two openings in Milan next year. The Milan-based company has experience across the food, real estate, construction, and hospitality sectors.

Wendy’s will enter Armenia through a deal with Wen Restaurant LLC, planning to open 20 restaurants by 2030. The first location is slated for central Yerevan. Wen Restaurant is a key player in Armenia’s food, retail, and distribution industries.

“These agreements are yet another example of the success of our accelerated growth strategy,” said EJ Wunsch, president, international, The Wendy’s Company. 

“With each new partnership, our momentum increases. Together, we will bring our fresh, famous food and world-class hospitality to communities all across Italy and Armenia. With the strength of the Wendy’s brand and the local expertise of our new partners, we will build high-performing restaurants that reflect our ‘globally great, locally even better’ mindset.”

The news comes shortly after Wendy’s CEO, Kirk Tanner, announced he will step down later this month to lead Hershey.