South Korean fast food chain Mom's Touch is set to establish its first restaurant in Uzbekistan, marking the start of its expansion into Central Asia and the Middle East, as reported by The Korea Times.

The company's CEO, Kim Dong-jeon, has signed a master franchise agreement with the CEO of food and beverage brand One Food, Khodjaev Zafar Zalulovich, for the rights to operate the brand in the city of Tashkent.

One Food, a subsidiary created by logistics firm UHL for this partnership, will be responsible for launching the inaugural Mom's Touch outlet in Uzbekistan's capital within a year of the agreement.

The aim is to increase the presence of the chain to 60 locations across the country.

Mom's Touch, known for its Korean fried chicken, burgers and pizza offerings, views this franchise agreement as the first step towards entering other Central Asian markets, such as Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia and halal-focused markets in the Middle East.

The brand operates a network of fast-food restaurants in Korea, with a total of 1,460 outlets.

Zalulovich, who has prior experience with Korean cuisine due to his work in logistics in Korea, recognised the need for a diverse menu to appeal to Uzbekistan's fast-food consumers.

The chain's fried chicken is seen as a strong selling point in Uzbekistan, where the majority of the population is Muslim.

This strategic move follows Mom's Touch's previous international ventures into Laos, Japan, Mongolia and Thailand.

A company spokesperson stated: “Our latest deal is the first case a Korean fast-food company debuts in a Central Asian nation through a master franchise deal instead of direct management.”