Restaurant Brands says it may launch a pilot Taco Bell in Auckland in six months if further analysis of the suitability of the Mexican-style food chain is positive.

Chief executive Russel Creedy told its annual meeting yesterday that executives and directors had been examining the Taco Bell chain at its Californian base and in British and Canadian stores.

"We believe that the brand does have legs in New Zealand," he said.

It would take Restaurant Brands at least six months to do the study before a decision was made. "We would see that trial store first opening in Auckland," chairman Ted van Arkel said.

The company was anticipating a profit somewhere between the past two years' net profits, possibly an average of those two results, Mr van Arkel said.

The 2010-11 financial year was very good for the company.

Despite the poor economic climate, Restaurant Brands continued to perform strongly to produce a net profit of $24.3 million, up from $19.5m in the year to February 2010.

Mr Creedy said the company wanted to see another couple of months of results within the first half of the financial year before issuing further guidance.

Mr van Arkel said the company had thought about investing into KFC stores in Australia, given its low bank debt of $12.2m.

"So what is the next step? Well, obviously our close neighbour [is there]. We'd have to go through quite an intensive discussion with Yum! International based in Australia and understand how you can control that market over there."

Parent Yum! is a United States-based Fortune 500 corporation which licenses Taco Bell and KFC. Pizza Hut International is the owner of the brand.

KFC has remained the engine room of Restaurant Brands growth, helped by strong sales of the new product the Double Down, a bun-less chicken burger. In the fiscal year to February 28 an upgrade of KFC stores lifted sales to a record for the company of $324.4m, offsetting lower sales at Pizza Hut and Starbucks Coffee outlets.

Pizza Hut stores were being sold off in a franchise arrangement.

"From our current store numbers of 82 we expect to sell 10 to 12 stores each year over the next two to three years, with our strengthened residual core remaining around the major urban centres," Mr van Arkel said.