Pollo Campero expanding; to more than double U.S. footprint by 2028

Quick-service chicken restaurant Pollo Campero is celebrating a major milestone.

Pollo Campero opened its 100th location, in Miami Gardens, Fla. on April 10 as part of a $190 million commitment by parent company CMI Foods to grow the brand.  Founded in 1971 as a family-owned restaurant in Guatemala, Pollo Campero opened Its first U.S. location in 2002. CMI Foods is planning to open at least 25 new U.S. restaurants by the end of this year, and aiming to grow its U.S. footprint to a total of 250 locations by 2028.

"This is just the beginning – if we can do 100, we can open 1,000," said Campero USA managing director and chief operating officer Luis Javier Rodas. "It's an exciting time for the brand as we continue to grow our fan base and spread the passion that so many people in Latin America have for our unique flavors in the competitive U.S. market."

Pollo Campero’s U.S. expansion is part of a larger $1.8 billion CMI investment strategy, much of which will go toward its expansion in Central America. The company will invest in wheat flour mills, packaged goods and meat production operations, and technology and sustainability projects. The investment is expected to create more than 40,000 direct jobs globally.

Pollo Campero operates nearly 400 locations worldwide in countries that include El Salvador, Honduras, Spain, Belize, Brazil, Italy and more. CMI will soon open its 150th Pollo Campero restaurant in Guatemala.

"Each step forward in our growth plan helps to realize the dream of our founders and is the result of the passion for the brand that we all share," said CMI Foods chairman Juan Jose Gutierrez. "Pollo Campero's expansion in new communities across the U.S. reflects our larger commitment to creating opportunities that change lives and delivering exceptional flavors to families across the globe.”