The firm will change its registered business name to "Golden
Arches (China) Co Ltd", a spokeswoman confirmed to Reuters on
Thursday, adding though that its brand name in China - a
transliteration of McDonald's - would be unchanged.
The shift comes after the chain agreed earlier in the year to
sell most of its China and Hong Kong business to CITIC Ltd
<0267.HK> and Carlyle Group <CG.O>. The business plans to nearly
double the number of its outlets in mainland China to 4,500 by
2022.
"It will still be clearly 'McDonald's' when diners come to our
stores," the chain said on its official China microblog.
"Our restaurant name will remain the same, the change is only at
business license level," spokeswoman Regina Hui added in emailed
comments to Reuters. She declined to comment further on the
reason for the change.
McDonald's in China and Hong Kong is 52 percent owned by CITIC,
while Carlyle has a 28 percent stake. McDonald's itself retains
a 20 percent interest in the business.
The structure is aimed at improving sales at existing stores and
expanding outlets. Fast-food firms including McDonald's and
rival Yum China's <YUMC.N> KFC are bouncing back from a series
of food-supply scandals in China that had dented performance.
McDonald's reported robust sales on Tuesday, including
better-than-expected growth in the United States and strong
performances in Canada, Britain and China.
(Reporting by Adam Jourdan; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
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