California Pizza Kitchen will open its first location in Canada this year. The Edmonton, Alberta, unit is the first of five locations the casual-dining chain plans to open over the next eight years in Canada. Other markets CPK is targeting include Vancouver, British Columbia and Toronto, Ontario.
CPK will enter the Canadian market by working with Alberta restaurateur Samira Shariff. A veteran of the restaurant industry with nearly 40 years of experience, Shariff is a multi-unit franchise owner and operator in Edmonton. Her son Naheed brings more than 25 years of experience in restaurant franchising and will serve as CEO of CPK’s Alberta footprint.
CPK’s global footprint includes more than 240 locations in 10 countries and U.S. territories, which includes 40 international franchise locations as well as 16 domestic franchise locations in airports, casinos and stadiums throughout the U.S.