Freddy’s has signed its first development agreement in Southeast Asia, a five-unit deal for the Philippines announced on 5 October 2026. The steakburger and frozen custard chain, based in Wichita, Kansas, names OMG Holdings OPC as the developer and expects the first restaurant to open in 2027, as it widens its international plans.
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers was founded in Wichita in 2002 and sells cooked-to-order steakburgers, shoestring fries and frozen custard. According to its own release, it now runs more than 580 sites across the United States and Canada, and it names the US, Canada, Mexico and Asia as its international focus heading into 2027.
The Philippines agreement is the first the brand has signed in Southeast Asia. The release makes no reference to the United Kingdom, so the announcement carries no direct UK implication.
What the Philippines agreement covers
The agreement is for five units in the Philippines, with the first restaurant anticipated in 2027. The developer is OMG Holdings OPC. The release gives no description of that company, no quote from its representatives and no city or region for the sites, and it states no investment figure and no schedule for the remaining four units. In franchising, a development agreement normally commits a developer to open an agreed number of units over an agreed period, a period the release does not specify. Five units is less than 1% of the more than 580 sites the brand reports in the United States and Canada.
The brand’s case for experienced local operators
Andrew Thengvall, chief development officer of Freddy’s, called the Philippines expansion “an exciting milestone for our brand” and an important step in its wider international development strategy.
He added that the brand looks for experienced operators who understand their local consumers and have a record of growing global brands, a profile the release presents as the basis for choosing a developer, and an entry bar higher than most fast food brands recruiting UK operators set.
What the release does not say
The release names no investment figure, no opening dates beyond the first unit, no site or city within the Philippines and no background on OMG Holdings OPC. It also gives no plans for the United Kingdom.
Where the brand stands today
Beyond the United States and Canada, the release lists Mexico and Asia among the markets it is focusing on as it heads into 2027, with Asia described as an important growth area. In its closing boilerplate, the brand also cites a No. 6 position on Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers + Shakers ranking and points prospective franchisees to its franchising website. The ranking and the site count are both the brand’s own statements, and neither has been checked against an independent source.
What comes next
The first Philippines restaurant is the only milestone with a date, and it falls in 2027. The release does not say when the remaining four units are due or whether further agreements in the region are planned. Any update on openings, sites in the Philippines or additional Asian markets would come from the brand directly.
