Burma Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in burma, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
Select Country Guide
Franchising
Last published date:

Before February 2021, food and beverage franchise chains from Asian countries made significant inroads in Burma. In addition to those from Asia, U.S. franchises such as KFC, Bonchon Chicken, Pizza Hut, the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, and Krispy Kreme successfully entered the country and still operate with multiple outlets.  

Since February 2021, some Asian and two American food and beverage franchise brands announced their exits from the Burmese market. Restrictions on foreign currency, import licenses, and logistical challenges due to the ongoing conflict add layers of complexity for businesses. The remaining foreign chains continue to operate and have adopted a wait-and-see approach, experiencing modest growth recently.  

Leading Sub-sectors

The key sectors with good prospects for franchise opportunities in Burma are food and beverage, coffee shops, ice cream parlors, and vocational and executive-level education.  

Opportunities

Burma’s franchise sector started with a couple of local and international fast-food franchise chains in 2013.  By the end of 2020, the country had nearly 95 foreign franchises operating in Yangon, Mandalay, Taunggyi, and Naypyidaw. A large youth population in major cities such as Yangon and Mandalay has driven demand for international F&B franchises.  

U.S. companies are advised to conduct proper due diligence on local franchisees and potential partners. The U.S. Commercial Service Office offers customized services that help U.S. businesses find reputable local business partners. These include Initial Market Check (IMC), International Partner Search (IPS), and Virtual Single Company Promotion (SCP) that help U.S. businesses find reputable local business partners.

Resources:  

Contact Information  
U.S. Commercial Service  
U.S. Embassy, Burma  
Email: Office.Burma@trade.gov

×

Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

Privacy Program | Information Quality Guidelines | Accessibility