KZN, South Africa – 10 February 2026 – Pedros has acquired South African fast casual brand, Bird & Co, bringing the nine-store chicken and pizza business into the Pedros Group as part of its strategic national expansion strategy. The deal adds an established KZN brand to the Group’s portfolio at a time when scale, supply chain resilience and pricing discipline are becoming critical for food businesses operating in South Africa’s tough consumer environment.

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Franchising continues to offer South African SMEs a comparatively lower-risk path into business ownership in 2026, particularly in a constrained economic environment where failure margins are thin and access to capital remains uneven.The sector contributes an estimated 15% of national GDP and supports around 500,000 jobs across food, retail and services. According to the Franchise Association of South Africa, franchising has the potential to accelerate job creation and economic recovery.

Multi-unit franchising is expanding across South Africa, with growth no longer limited to the restaurant sector. Franchisees in grocery, liquor, retail and education are increasingly considering adding more outlets, but industry specialists warn that success with one store does not guarantee success with several. Henk Botha, franchise specialist at FNB South Africa, says established brands are increasingly favouring existing operators.

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As South Africa enters a new business year, franchise expansion is firmly back on the agenda. From grocery and liquor outlets to education, retail, and service-based brands, more franchisees are exploring multi-unit ownership as a pathway to growth. But while the appetite for expansion is growing, industry experts warn that success in franchising is no longer about scale alone — it’s about strategy, discipline, and timing.

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