Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia’s largest home-grown pizza chain US Pizza aims to open 42 new outlets nationwide this year to bolster its presence in the local market.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Chief Operating Officer Deric Yeo stated that the fast food chain also plans to strengthen its presence in the Indonesian and Singaporean markets. As of the first quarter of this year, the company has successfully opened five to six new branches around the Klang Valley, with another 15 in the planning and lease agreement stages.

In Singapore, US Pizza has already opened around three outlets this year within the first two months and is targeting to open another eight. Meanwhile, in the Indonesian market, the company aims to open two more branches by the end of this year.

Yeo made these remarks during the ‘Agihan Berbuka Puasa’ programme at Wisma Bernama, where Bernama news services executive editor Mohd Haikal Mohd Isa and Bernama broadcasting sales senior manager Mohd Farhan Mustafa Kamal distributed 200 boxes of US Pizza to Bernama staff.

US Pizza, a favorite brand for Malaysians for well over two decades, currently operates over 70 outlets in the local market, Singapore, and Indonesia. Yeo noted that the halal certification obtained, particularly from the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM), provides the fast food chain an advantage in expanding its business overseas, especially in Middle Eastern countries where its presence is easily accepted.