Fast Casual: Dickey's entering Republic of Georgia

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Dickey's Barbecue Pit is expanding to the Republic of Georgia with the location set to open soon in the country's capital, Tbilisi. Tibua Shalva, owner of the DS Group, inked the deal with the Dallas-based barbecue concept in November and is adding the Texas-style eatery to his portfolio of restaurants, according to a company press release.

"Dickey's Barbecue Pit, like Georgia, is rich with tradition and a true, culturally-authentic experience," Shalva said in the release. "I'm proud to be the chosen partner to represent this iconic American brand as it expands to Eurasia."

This marks the fifth international location for the 79-year-old barbecue franchise with locations open in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and soon to open in Brazil and Egypt. Jointly, Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants Inc. is investing in the expansion of field operations personnel to meet the rapid growth in the region and help train international owner operators in-stores.

"As Dickey's takes its next global leap to the Republic of Georgia, we are proud to share this experience with such a terrific partner,” says Jim Perkins, Dickey's VP of international development. "I look forward to working with Tibua Shalva and introducing Dickey's slow-smoked barbecue to the citizens of Georgia.'

Dickey's has two international locations in the UAE and operates over 500 locations in 44 states.