W
ith more than 1,200 restaurants in the U.S., Chili’s Grill & Bar is well established domestically and continues to grow its presence globally, with 375 locations across 32 countries. Its
parent company, Brinker International, is a U.S.- headquartered enterprise with one other brand in its portfolio, Maggiano’s Little Italy, which operates exclusively in the U.S. “Chili’s was born and raised here in Dallas,
Texas, and we’re still based here,” says Gary Null, director of strategic projects — global, Brinker International. “You’ll find our Big Mouth Burgers™
and, of course, a full line of margaritas.” This year, as the company re-established
,
Sizzlin’ Fajitas, famous Baby Back Ribs, Chicken Crispers™
itself in Europe, it opened a new restaurant in Romania. “This is our first franchise back in the European market and we are very excited about the partner we have found. This is the first of many that are coming,” says Null. When Brinker looked to Europe and needed an equipment partner, Welbilt®
stood ready.
“Once a chain like that decides to go international, the number-one priority is to find the right partner. And once they find a partner that can be a serious master franchisee and wants to open restaurants, then speed is of essence,” says Pere Taberner, former vice president of sales and marketing for Welbilt EMEA and current senior vice president of sales for Ali Group EMEA. “The minute they find the money, the resources and the partners, they really need to speed up and we can make life a lot easier now, considering that we can put a lot of brands together, coordinate the brands, and put a lot
of services together before they open and after they open. Basically, that’s been the beauty of this project,” he adds.
More brands, more options While Welbilt’s 30-year partnership with Brinker has been highly successful, the merger with Ali Group has taken it to another level, giving the operator direct access to the manufacturer’s international team, supported by Welbilt’s network of distribution hubs. As part of the Ali Group, Welbilt can draw on
a global network of manufacturing, distribution and technical expertise — something that has proven particularly valuable in supporting Brinker’s international growth “We have worked with Welbilt for more
than 30 years and the merger with Ali Group [in 2022] really strengthened it for us,” says Null. “It opened up on the brands we were purchasing on the domestic side and brought in some different brands that were not yet being used by franchisees at the time.” The company has used many of the same brands over the years, including Convotherm® Garland® Lincoln®
, and Frymaster® , and recently added . “Others are coming into play, especially
for the European market, including Williams Refrigeration,” adds Null. Welbilt is confident in the equipment it supplies. “In almost every category we can offer something that’s really top. I think technology-
When U.S. chain Chili’s Grill & Bar made the decision to go international, its number-one priority was to find the right partner
Aliworld 17
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