(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, September 2. South Korean fast-food chain Mom's Touch has signed a master franchise agreement with Uzbek company One Food and plans to open its first restaurant in Tashkent later this year, Trend reports.

The contract was signed by Kim Dong-jong, CEO of Mom's Touch, and Zafar Khodjaev, head of One Food, at the headquarters of Mom's Touch and Company in the Chung-gu district of Seoul. One Food, created by the Uzbek logistics company UHL, was established specifically to implement the franchise in Uzbekistan.

Under the agreement, Mom's Touch is set to spread its wings and open 60 restaurants across Uzbekistan, doubling the number of outlets currently run by KFC, which holds the lion's share of the local fried chicken and burger market.

This South Korean company views the Uzbekistan agreement as a springboard for expansion across Central Asia, including Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as into Russian and Middle Eastern markets, with a focus on halal offerings.

Mom's Touch operates the largest fast-food network in South Korea, with 1,460 outlets nationwide, and has already established a presence in Thailand, Mongolia, Japan, and Laos.

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