Cinnamon roll bakery Cinnabon has announced that it has signed a historic deal with the Innovative Union Company (IUC) to bring 130 new Cinnabon bakeries to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) within the next five years. 

The new bakeries will be added to the 120 Cinnabon locations that IUC currently operates in KSA.  Once the additional units open, IUC will be the largest Cinnabon franchisee in the world with 250 bakeries. The first new location under the most recent development deal opened its doors earlier this week in the Alawali District in the Dan Plaza Makkah, one of the largest retail and entertainment malls in Mecca.

“We’re thrilled to partner with IUC to expand Cinnabon’s footprint across KSA,” says Beto Guajardo, president of Focus Brands International, a division of Focus Brands LLC. “At a time of revolutionary development for Saudi business owners, we are confident that IUC is set-up to provide the financial tools, resources and support for budding entrepreneurs to operate a successful franchise business.”

“We’re passionate about Cinnabon and driving entrepreneurship in KSA. We really want to help prospective business owners accomplish their dreams,” says Mohammad Alohaly, Sub Franchise General Manager of IUC. “We’re looking forward to increasing Cinnabon’s footprint and accessibility throughout the region. More importantly, we’re excited to bring employment opportunities to a growing number of eligible professionals who are looking to enrich their careers and achieve financial prosperity.”

In addition to the deal with IUC, Cinnabon continues to grow internationally, this year signing multi-unit deals for bakeries in Bahrain, Indonesia, Kuwait, Pakistan, Singapore, Turkey and United Arab Emirates. The brand also continues to grow in Europe with EG, with 150 locations set to open in EG convenience stores over the next five years.