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Indonesians are set to welcome another American food experience with the opening of the first Johnny Rockets restaurant in Bali.  Johnny Rockets serves hamburgers, sandwiches, salads, sides and shakes. The franchise owner is the Sahid Group through its subsidiary Riyanti Investama International.  Sahid Group CEO Wiryanti Sukamdani says the new restaurant will open in April at the Beach Walk Center in Kuta, Bali.   The second outlet will open in September in South Jakarta.  The franchise agreement calls for the opening of five Johnny Rockets restaurants in five years.  The agreement was finalized through a contract signing during a US Commercial Service Trade Mission to Indonesia in December as reported by the Jakarta Post.  The Sahid Group has numerous interests in various businesses such as hotels, real estate, food and beverage, media and textiles.

Indonesian food lovers will be able to enjoy traditional hamburgers in an all-American style restaurant next year following the signing of a franchise agreement between the US-based restaurant chain Johnny Rockets and the Sahid Group in Jakarta on Monday.

Speaking to reporters after signing the agreement, Sahid Group CEO Wiryanti Sukamdani said that the first Indonesian Johnny Rockets restaurant would be opened in April, 2012, at the new Beach Walk Center in Kuta, Bali.

“We will open the first restaurant in Bali near the Sahid Resort Lifestyle in April while the second one will be opened in South Jakarta in September,” Wiryanti said.

She said that under the franchising agreement, the Sahid Group, an Indonesian hotel chain, would open five Johnny Rockets restaurants in Indonesia within the next five years — two restaurants in Bali and three others in Jakarta.

Investment needed for each outlet is estimated to reach between Rp 3 billion and 5 billion (US$550,000) and each outlet can employ at least 25 people, said Wiryanti, who is also the chairperson of the Indonesian Tourism Board.

Johnny Rockets has a special dining concept featuring visible grills, jukeboxes, dancing servers and dynamic full service with both a dining room and counter seating.

In addition, the restaurant would sell other American favorites such as cheese steak, sandwiches, salads, onion rings, sides and milkshakes.

“The thing that makes Johnny Rockets such a unique international brand is that although people can get a hamburger anywhere, we actually provide the decor, music, dancing, food and fun that signifies the best America has had to offer throughout the past 100 years,” Johnny Rockets senior vice president of International Development Steve Devine said.

According to Wiryanti, Johnny Rockets had the most delicious milkshakes and onion rings in the world. “We are optimistic that each restaurant will break even in three to four years because we choose strategic locations,” she said.

The agreement signing on Monday is part of the US Commercial Service Trade Mission’s two day visit to Indonesia. Some 16 franchisees who joined the mission are set to meet Indonesian business players to discuss potential business cooperation.

Most of the franchisees are engaged in the restaurant business, including Applebee’s Grill, Round Table Pizza, Cinnabon, Which Wich, Great American Cookies and Denny’s.

US Commercial Service Officer Brent Omdahl, who led the trade mission, said that the appetite for US franchise brands in Southeast Asia was strong.

International Franchise Association (IFA) vice president of Strategic Initiatives and Industry Public Relations Beth Solomon said that the opening of Johnny Rockets restaurants in Indonesia was a collaboration that brought together the best of America with the best of Indonesia.

“This is a win-win for the American and Indonesian people. In the franchise model, local small business entrepreneurs own and operate individual units of the franchise brand, generating jobs, tax revenue and training opportunities where they are located,” Solomon said.

Photo by NCinDC