McDonald's operator Premier Capital is to partly finance its strategic expansion in Malta, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania through a planned bond issue, managing director Melo Hili tells The Times Business in an interview.

Marsa-based Premier Capital is currently setting up a financing arm, Premier Finance plc, which will issue the bond in a few weeks' time, subject to regulatory approval.

The company operates 30 McDonald's restaurants serving 60,000 meals a day in four markets. It plans to open eight new restaurants over the next two years, Mr Hili said.

Last year, Premier Capital's turnover exceeded €50 million, up from €10 million five years ago. It currently has an international headcount of 2,400. The Maltese operation has 600 staff.

In Malta, McDonalds could venture further in the south of the island where it currently has one restaurant, the 24-hour drive-through outlet at Malta International Airport, Premier Capital's best performer.

Premier Capital is also examining the potential of the north of Malta and of other major cities in the Baltic markets.

The company was named development licensee for McDonald's in Malta in 2005, and for Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia where 19 restaurants were already operating, in 2007.

Mr Hili said Premier Capital's continued investment strategy will focus on infrastructure, human resources, products and marketing plans.

"We believe in the brand and in the success of our operation," Mr Hili said. "We believe now is the time to expand... Our entire operation is focused on the customer. We have four core values: quality, service, cleanliness and value. They are the drivers of the business. Everything we do is centred round those values."

The McDonald's brand - a global network of 31,000 restaurants in 119 countries - is performing "extremely well", particularly in European markets like France, Germany and the UK, Mr Hili added.