From Newfoundland to Pakistan: How Mary Brown’s adapted its global menu

Founded in 1969 in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Mary Brown’s is one of Canada’s most established quick-service restaurant brands. Today, it operates hundreds of locations across Canada and has steadily expanded internationally in markets like the United Kingdom, Mexico, and India.

The brand is known for its fresh, made-from-scratch food, from hand-breaded chicken to freshly cut potatoes, and for staying true to its roots as a 100% Canadian-owned company.

“Newfoundland values really do run through the brand,” says Dylan Powell, Vice President of International Development at Mary Brown’s. “It’s about being genuine, treating people with respect, and doing things the right way.”

Mary Brown’s began engaging with Trade Commissioners in 2014 to support the exploration of different international markets, like Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait.

Early discussions covered topics like market readiness, navigating regulations, and adapting to different business cultures. This helped the company understand how international expansion differs from market to market, and how valuable on-the-ground insight can be.

“We don’t treat it as a one-off conversation,” Powell says. “It’s an ongoing relationship.”

When Pakistan emerged as a serious opportunity in 2022, Mary Brown’s naturally turned to our team at the Canadian High Commission in Islamabad.

For Mary Brown’s, Pakistan stood out as a market with strong long-term potential.

The country has a large, young population, a vibrant food culture, and a growing appetite for international brands, particularly those associated with quality and trust - like those found in Canada. In cities like Lahore and Islamabad, food is central to social life, and well-designed restaurant spaces often serve as gathering places, not just quick stops.

“There’s a real appreciation for food quality and experience,” Powell explains. “And there’s also a strong connection to Canada through family ties and the diaspora.”

That existing familiarity with Canada helped position Mary Brown’s as a credible and appealing brand from the outset.

But enthusiasm alone doesn’t guarantee success. Entering Pakistan also meant navigating unfamiliar regulatory systems, supply chains, currency volatility, and cultural nuances that don’t always appear in market reports.

That’s where early engagement with Trade Commissioners became critical.

Early support from our team in Islamabad focused on market intelligence and risk awareness. Trade Commissioners provided briefings on Pakistan’s fast-food sector, consumer trends, regulatory frameworks, and practical considerations like taxes, import duties, and trademark protection.

“That early context helped us decide not just whether Pakistan made sense, but how to enter,” Powell says.

Rather than operating directly, Mary Brown’s chose a master franchise model, partnering with Prime F&B, a Pakistani company with experience operating international brands locally.

The Trade Commissioners helped validate the franchise partner’s reputation and track record through its local network, an essential step in a market where relationships and credibility matter.

Soon after plans to open restaurants were in place, external events tested the expansion.

Pakistan experienced severe flooding, a sharp decline in the value of its currency, and government restrictions on imports, all of which affected costs, timelines, and access to equipment and ingredients.

Throughout this period, Trade Commissioners remained actively engaged, helping Mary Brown’s navigate changing conditions, understand regulatory shifts, and anticipate challenges before they became roadblocks.

We also supported visa facilitation, enabling Prime F&B staff to travel to Canada for training, a key step in transferring operational standards and brand culture.

“That support helped us avoid costly mistakes,” Powell says. “Sometimes it’s not about solving the problem for you, it’s about pointing out the potholes before you hit them.”

Rather than exiting the Pakistani market, the company chose to adapt by adjusting timelines, reworking supply plans, and continuing to work with its local partner through the uncertainty.

Bringing Mary Brown’s to Pakistan wasn’t just about opening restaurants. It meant making sure the brand truly worked for local customers.

Before launch, the company invested heavily in product testing and localization, working closely with its local partner to adapt the menu while protecting the brand’s core identity.

“You can’t just copy and paste what works in Canada,” Powell says. “You have to listen to the market.”

A local test kitchen was established, and while core menu items like the Big Mary sandwich remained central, spice levels, sauces, and marination techniques were adjusted to better match local preferences.

Mary Brown’s also drew on Canada’s multicultural workforce during development, testing products with South Asian team members in Canada before finalizing recipes locally.

Ingredient sourcing required equal attention. Fresh chicken logistics, potato specifications, oil quality, and halal certification all had to meet Mary Brown’s standards. Trade Commissioners helped flag potential import and certification challenges early, allowing the company to adjust sourcing plans and avoid delays.

The result was a menu that felt authentically Mary Brown’s, but clearly designed for Pakistan.

Mary Brown’s Pakistan locations also look different from many of the brand’s Canadian stores.The restaurants are larger, architecturally striking, and designed to be destinations.

One Lahore location spans multiple storeys and features bold lighting, open layouts, and prominent branding, reflecting local expectations for premium dining spaces.

“In cities like Lahore, you really have to make a statement,” Powell says. “If you don’t go big, you get lost.”

Location strategy was equally deliberate, focusing on high-visibility malls and standalone restaurants. 

“We’re not rushing,” Powell explains. “Each site is chosen carefully.”

When the first Mary Brown’s location opened in Lahore in May 2025, the response exceeded expectations. Customers lined up. Social media engagement surged. Influencers shared their first impressions.

Through the High Commission, Trade Commissioners helped facilitate introductions to build a guestlist, supported outreach ahead of the event, and participated visibly at the opening itself. Daniel Arsenault, Senior Trade Commissioner, representing the High Commission, played an active role during the launch.

Arsenault helped amplify the event through social media (link to video on Instagram) , which generated strong engagement with “Canada” trending locally, helping frame Mary Brown’s as a trusted Canadian brand from day one.“Being backed publicly by Canada sent a signal,” Powell says. “It showed this was the real brand, and that it was here to stay.”

Since the Lahore opening, Mary Brown’s has expanded into Islamabad, with additional locations planned as the market continues to develop, that we plan to continue to support.

The company is deliberately building clusters of locations, combining mall stores, standalone restaurants, and drive-through formats to strengthen brand visibility and operational efficiency.

Each opening builds on lessons learned, from menu refinement to supply chain optimization, with the long-term goal of sustainable, profitable growth.

For Mary Brown’s, Pakistan represents a long-term investment built on relationships, trust, and adaptability.

From early market intelligence and partner validation to visa facilitation and visible advocacy at launch, we played a role at every stage.

And for other Canadian companies considering international expansion, Powell offers straightforward advice:

“Don’t rush it, don’t do it alone, and don’t underestimate the value of having people on the ground who understand the market.”

From Newfoundland to Pakistan, Mary Brown’s story shows what’s possible when a Canadian brand combines strong values, thoughtful adaptation, and the right support - and arrives ready to do things the right way.

Looking to diversify your exports? We help Canadian companies of all sizes succeed in international markets through export advisory services, funding, accelerator programs, and tailored support at trade missions and events.

A solid diversification strategy can help you build long-term stability and global success. You can expand your client base and navigate challenges such as:

• unexpected changes in market access
• exchange-rate fluctuations
• shifts in foreign-government policies

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