Chicken Cottage opens first restaurant in Malaysia as its international expansion continues

Fast food chain and cult favourite Chicken Cottage is rolling out its international expansion, opening the first of a planned 50 restaurants in Malaysia.

The Croydon-based company, which operates Britain's largest halal fast food chain, welcomed the first customers at its Kuala Terengganu branch on Thursday.

It has also struck a partnership with local university Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin for research and development of new products, including recipes for grilled chicken and burgers.

The move follows its takeover by Malaysia's TI Global Food Holdings in February last year and a brand overhaul, which was completed earlier this year.

Chicken Cottage said expects to open in another 49 sites in Malaysia in the next five years.

It also has agreements in place to open restaurants in Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates. A spokeswoman for the company said those will likely open in early 2016.

The company, established in 1994 with a first location in Wembley, now has 90 branches in the UK and a further 40 overseas, including in Algeria, Iraq, Belgium and Canada.