Burger King 2008 Annual Report Download - page 4

Bold. Innovative. Committed. Those are just a few of the words we and others have used to describe
Burger King® in fi scal 2008. As we refl ect upon our second full year as a publicly traded company, we
see success at every turn—in every corner of the world. We met or exceeded each of our long-term
growth targets. Worldwide revenues climbed 10 percent to a record $2.46 billion and profi ts grew a
whopping 24 percent. Average restaurant sales globally increased 9 percent, surpassing the $1.3
million mark for the fi rst time. And restaurants grew by a net unit count of 282, bringing our
restaurant portfolio to 11,565, the highest number in the brand’s history.
Our record fi nancial performance was driven by our new adventures in every aspect of our business:
ADVENTURES—AND SUCCESS—
AT EVERY TURN
Adventures in Global Growth: We entered new territo-
ries such as Eastern Europe and expanded in existing ones,
raising the number of countries and U.S. territories we serve
to 71. In Latin America, our restaurant count hit 1,000. In the
U.S. and Canada, we had positive net restaurant growth for the
fi rst time in six years. And throughout Asia Pacifi c, we continue
to project our brand presence via gateway airport locations,
including Beijing and Hong Kong. Our 350,000 company and
franchise employee ambassadors proudly served countless
SuperFans and SuperFamilies around the world.
Adventures in Dining: The 50th anniversary of the
Whopper® sandwich produced new spinoffs, like the Angry
Whopper® sandwich with zesty onion rings in the United
Kingdom and the adventurous Indy Double Whopper® sand-
wich in the U.S. and Latin America. Tasty new menu offerings
tempted guests everywhere—from exciting new value items
like the Spicy Chick ‘N Crisp® sandwich and the Cheesy Bacon
BK WrapperTM to tasty indulgent products like the Steakhouse
Burger and Homestyle Melts. We also promoted our new
kids meal with options that include such inventive items as
BKTM Fresh Apple Fries and nutritionally fortifi ed Kraft®
Macaroni and Cheese. Concepts tested in fi scal 2008 will
arrive in force in fi scal 2009. Look for Dessert Bars that serve
ice cream, mini-burger packs called BK Burger ShotsTM, and
the mega Angus burger.
Adventures in restaurant Design: At Burger King®,
innovation is a constant. In fi scal 2008, we revealed a new
concept—the Whopper BarTM
. Focused on serving up America’s
favorite hamburger, our signature Whopper® sandwich, the
Whopper BarTM restaurant is designed to reach new guests
in unique locales, with the fi rst one expected to debut at
Universal Studios Florida®, during fi scal 2009. Others will soon
follow on college campuses, cruise ships and casinos, just
to name a few.
On a larger scale, we, along with many of our franchisees, are
investing in new restaurant design concepts that are contem-
porary and more environmentally friendly. In fi scal 2008,
we invested tens of millions of dollars in fresh looks for
company-owned restaurants, and our plans call for a similar
level of investment in fi scal 2009. Guests love the new look,
with many reimaged restaurants experiencing double-digit
sales growth.
2 :: Burger King