Heart Evangelista is Wendy’s Philippines newest brand ambassador

Wenphil Corp., the Philippine licensee and operator of the Wendy's hamburger chain, is moving forward the new image activation thrust of the international restaurant with the participation of Kapuso star Heart Evangelista as brand ambassador.

Globally, the Wendy's Corp. had consolidated revenues of $592.4 million, declining from $629.9 million in 2012.

“The decrease resulted primarily from a reduction in the number of company-operated restaurants due to the company's System Optimization Initiative,” Wendy's Corp. said in 2013 fourth quarter results report.

Wendy's Corp had 42 international franchise openings and 16 closure last year. In 2014, the company has programmed 57 openings and 28 closures outside of North America.

After 30 years of serving great-tasting food to Filipinos, Wendy’s Philippines is poised for a relaunch in 2014 with the award-winning Heart Evangelista as its public endorser.

The Image Activation Strategy of Wendy's has been rolling out worldwide these past three years. The strategy is now in its second phase, which the company said is expected “to sustain top-line growth and expanded restaurant margin through 2017.”

Wendy's Corp, as of December 29, 2013, had 6,558 restaurants worldwide, “including 6,158 in North America and 400 outside of North America.” It is accelerating investment of $440 million to $500 million from 2013 to 2015 on its Image Activation Strategy.

Wendy's has had new restaurant development announcements in Singapore, the Middle East and North Africa, the Russian Federation, the Eastern Caribbean, Argentina, the Philippines and Japan since 2009 and has set an expansion goal of “over 8,000 Wendy’s restaurants outside of North America.” -- ER/FRJ,GMA News