CHARLOTTE, NC--(Marketwired - October 20, 2015) - Chanticleer Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOTR) (Chanticleer Holdings, or the "Company"), owner and operator of multiple restaurant brands internationally and domestically, announced today that the Company has closed a transaction to increase its investment in its five Hooters stores in Australia from 60% to 80%. The Company has increased ownership in the Parramatta, Penrith, Campbelltown, Surfers Paradise, and Townsville locations.
Led by Mike Messler, newly appointed Chief Operating Officer of Hooters Australia, Chanticleer has implemented a new management team to oversee the region and its five locations. Mr. Messler was formerly Franchise Business Development Manager and served in various operational leadership roles at Hooters of America. In addition, Ron Dufficy has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer of Hooters Australia. Ron is a Certified Practicing Accountant in Australia with over 20 years of finance and operations leadership experience, most recently as General Manager of Global Shared Services and as CFO of the Americas with Aristocrat Leisure Limited.
"With this increased ownership position in Hooters Australia, we have heightened our control over the day to day operation of our restaurants in that country, which we expect to be beneficial both financially and operationally," said Mike Pruitt, CEO of Chanticleer Holdings, Inc. "Mike, Ron and our new management team are already on the ground to engage with our guests, employees and business partners. We are excited about the opportunity to fully leverage the Hooters brand in this important growing market."
With more than 17,000 Hooters Girls around the globe, several Australia locations are currently part of a global "Give A Hoot" fundraising initiative during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. After a record-setting fundraising campaign in 2014, raising more than $650,000 in the fight against breast cancer, Hooters Girls are setting the bar even higher with a goal of $1 million this year. Guests are encouraged to visit participating Hooters Australia locations or http://give.hooters.com for more information.
Chanticleer Holdings has 61 locations worldwide including fifteen Hooters restaurants, five American Burger Co. restaurants, seven Just Fresh locations, twenty-two BGR the Burger Joint locations (including 13 franchise locations), four BT's Burger Joint locations and eight Little Big Burger locations.
About Chanticleer Holdings, Inc
Headquartered in Charlotte, NC, Chanticleer Holdings (HOTR), together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates restaurant brands in the United States and internationally. The Company is a franchisee owner of Hooters® restaurants in international markets including Australia, South Africa, and Europe, and two Hooters restaurants in the United States. The Company also owns and operates American Burger Co., BGR the Burger Joint, BT's Burger Joint, Little Big Burger, and owns a majority interest in Just Fresh restaurants in the U.S.
For further information, please visit www.chanticleerholdings.com
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