{
  "id": 9032985,
  "title": "McDonald’s Launches New Franchise Model in Colombia With Valledupar Debut",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/mcdonalds-launches-new-franchise-model-in-colombia-with-valledupar",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-21T23:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Colombia One",
    "slug": "colombia-one",
    "url": "https://colombiaone.com/2026/09/21/mcdonalds-franchise-colombia-valledupar/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "McDonald's is testing a new franchise model in Colombia, beginning with a restaurant slated for Valledupar. Arcos Dorados, the parent company, has inked its first franchise agreement in the country, leading to the upcoming Valledupar opening. Diego Higuera, Arcos Dorados' LATAM director of CRM, Media, and Merchandising, explained the model mirrors McDonald's established approach globally, where independent franchisees invest their capital while receiving company guidance. Colombia's large population and limited McDonald's presence make it an appealing expansion target. Despite the expansion potential, land acquisition remains a significant hurdle, especially in Bogota and other department capitals. The city's iconic San Pio neighborhood in Bucaramanga is an example of high demand, demonstrating the need for additional restaurants. While the permitting process is more complex and time-consuming in Colombia compared to some other countries, McDonald's sees Colombia leading growth among Arcos Dorados' regional operations. The company's lunch pricing strategy and digital loyalty program, which has nearly 1.5 million registered users in Colombia, contribute to this success.",
  "summary": "Arcos Dorados has signed its first franchise contract in Colombia, with the resulting McDonald’s restaurant set to open in Valledupar as the company introduces a new franchise model in the country. Diego Higuera, the company’s LATAM director of CRM, Media and Merchandising, said the model follows an approach McDonald’s already uses globally, in which an […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}