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FinanceApollo Group acquires Norway's Fly Chicken to launch KFC brand
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KFC franchisor Apollo Group, in partnership with MM Group, is acquiring Norwegian fast-casual chain Fly Chicken to introduce the KFC brand in Norway. The plan includes converting most of Fly Chicken's 19 locations into KFC restaurants and opening additional sites over the next five years. Apollo Group will invest €20 million ($22 million) in the Norwegian market during this period. Fly Chicken's co-founder and CEO Ronny Gjøse will remain in his role to lead the transition and rebranding. The acquisition makes Norway the fifth market where Apollo Group operates KFC under a franchise agreement. Apollo Group CEO Toomas Tiivel highlighted the strategic expansion in Northern Europe, combining Fly Chicken's local expertise with Apollo's international experience. The deal is subject to standard regulatory approvals.
Source report
By Umesh Ellichipuram Mon, July 27, 2026 at 7:47 AM PDT | 2 min read
KFC franchisor Apollo Group, in collaboration with MM Group, is in the process of acquiring Norwegian fast casual restaurant chain Fly Chicken to launch the KFC brand in the country.
Key Details
- Apollo Group plans to convert most of Fly Chicken's 19 locations across Norway into KFC restaurants.
- In addition to conversions, the franchisor intends to open further KFC sites in Norway over the next five years.
- Norway will become the fifth market where Apollo Group operates KFC restaurants under a franchise agreement.
- Apollo Group plans to invest €20 million ($22 million) in the Norwegian market over the coming five years.
Leadership and Transition
Following completion of the deal, Fly Chicken's co-founder and CEO Ronny Gjøse will remain in his role. He will lead the transition, oversee the rebranding, and drive further development of the Norwegian operations.
Ronny Gjøse said:
"We built Fly Chicken into Norway's leading fried chicken concept, scaling to 19 restaurants with a small, efficient team and strong systems, without compromising on quality. This transaction brings together complementary strengths, an established Norwegian platform and local know-how on our side, and one of the world's strongest restaurant brands with Apollo Group's international experience and resources behind it."
Strategic Context
The transaction supports Apollo Group's long-term growth targets and strategic expansion plans.
Apollo Group CEO Toomas Tiivel said:
"This acquisition marks another important milestone in Apollo Group's international expansion and further strengthens our position in Northern Europe. We see considerable opportunities to further develop the KFC brand by combining Fly Chicken's local expertise with Apollo Group's extensive experience in operating and expanding international restaurant concepts across multiple markets."
Regulatory Status
Completion of the acquisition remains subject to standard approvals and procedures.
"Apollo Group to acquire Norway’s Fly Chicken chain to roll out KFC brand" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand.
Source
Yahoo FinanceNeutral / independent
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Apollo Group to Acquire Norway's Fly Chicken Chain to Launch KFC Brand