The Cheesecake Factory entered the Middle East through a partnership with which Kuwaiti company?

The Cheesecake Factory entered the Middle East through a partnership with Kuwait’s M.H. Alshaya Co.

The agreement was part of The Cheesecake Factory’s international expansion through licensing arrangements, rather than a company-owned rollout of every overseas restaurant. M.H. Alshaya Co., commonly known as Alshaya Group, is a Kuwait-based retail and franchise operator with a large portfolio of international brands.

The partnership led to The Cheesecake Factory’s first location outside the United States, which opened at The Dubai Mall in August 2012. The restaurant’s opening followed the January 2011 announcement of the Middle Eastern expansion partnership.

The other options are major Kuwaiti or regional companies, but they are not the franchise partner identified in the chain’s expansion history. Alshaya has also operated other restaurant and retail brands across the Middle East.