Famous Brands has officially entered the Asian market, opening its first Steers and Debonairs Pizza restaurant in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

This marks a major international milestone for the South African group as it pushes to grow its brands beyond Africa.

Famous brands take fast food brands to Asia

The move comes after Famous Brands, which owns Wimpy, Steers, Mugg & Bean and Debonairs in SA, signed a master licence agreement with Mesra Retail & Café, a subsidiary of Petronas Dagangan Berhad.

The deal gives Mesra exclusive rights to expand Steers and Debonairs Pizza across Malaysia, starting with the newly opened dual-brand store.

According to Business Day, Famous Brands CEO Darren Hele said Mesra’s strong local presence makes it the ideal partner to introduce South African favourites to Malaysia’s competitive fast-food market.

Famous Brands will support operations, product quality, menu localisation and technology, while Mesra builds a local supply chain backed by Famous Brands’ experience.

The expansion into Asia comes as the group seeks growth outside South Africa, where economic conditions vary across regions.

During the 2025 financial year, the group opened 153 new restaurants, revamped 289 and now operates 2 979 outlets in 20 countries. While South Africa remains its biggest market, Famous Brands says expanding into regions such as the SADC, Africa and Middle East, and now Asia is key to building long-term growth.