Chicken and burger franchise chain Oporto is on the brink of its Chinese launch, taking the taste of Bondi to the city of Xiamen and its population of 1.25 million.

China’s fast food market is estimated to be worth more than $68 billion this year.

The Xiamen Oporto franchised store (see artist’s impression here) is the first of many planned openings across China over coming years and will take place just after the Chinese New Year.

Oporto CEO Jeff Fisher said “We’re confident Oporto will be a hit with Chinese customers, who are very quick to adopt new Western-style foods and concepts. Our unique flavour profile, which has been the cornerstone of our success to date, will keep them coming back for more.”

Fisher highlighted KFC’s success in China as a model for growth. Over the last 10 years, KFC has opened more than 2000 stores in China, with another 400 in the pipeline.