KUALA LUMPUR: Secret Recipe Cakes & Café Sdn Bhd has signed a partnership agreement with Darden Restaurants Inc yesterday to develop and operate Darden restaurant brands of Red Lobster, Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse in Malaysia.

“The signing of the agreement with Darden Restaurants Inc will be a good boost for Secret Recipe’s portfolio, in line with our expansion plans for the group,” said Secret Recipe group CEO, Datuk Steven Sim at Darden Restaurants in Florida, US.

Secret Recipe will operate Red Lobster, Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse in stages with an initial target of 13 outlets in Malaysia, starting in the first half of 2014.

“With a further injection of Darden’s Red Lobster, Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse, we will expand and scale up our group portfolio very quickly,” said Sim, adding that Darden’s restaurant brands and values fit well with Secret Recipe’s operating principles, which include fine-quality food and service.

Red Lobster is an iconic American seafood restaurant specialising in fresh lobster and wood-grilled seafood, while Olive Garden specialises in Italian dining offerings.

LongHorn Steakhouse is known for its great steaks and feel of the American West.

It recently launched a modern vegetarian dining concept in Malaysia named Beyond Veggie.

Kim Lopdrup, president of Darden International said in a statement: “We are extremely excited to be represented in Asia and to work with a remarkable partner, Secret Recipe group in Malaysia, on our expansion plans for the region.

“We believe Secret Recipe group is an ideal partner and local chain restaurant operator with strong infrastructure, market knowledge and ready market penetration in Southeast Asia.”

Darden Restaurants is a full-service restaurant listed on the New York Stock Exchange, with over 2,100 restaurants generating over US$8.5 billion (RM27 billion) in annual sales.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on September 25, 2013.