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There’s been some interesting news over the last few days from two of the world’s biggest franchises.

There’s been interesting movements from both Burger King and McDonald’s over the last week, with one franchise making some interesting soundings in the boardroom and the other announcing interesting developments to their menu.

Burger King, if you haven’t heard, has been purchased by 3G Capital, a private equity firm with roots in Brazil. The deal, rumored at around $4billion plus debt, is the “largest-ever leveraged buy-out of a corporate chain. Beyond the heavy price tag, the interesting thing here for franchise watchers is the home of the buyers. Given their South American roots, we can definitely that they will be targeting international markets, and the New York Times says as much in their profile on the transaction.

“The iconic Burger King brand, its solid franchisee network and great product offerings make this a perfect fit for 3G Capital,” Alexandre Behring, 3G’s managing partner, said in a statement.”

It will be interesting to see where Burger King stands when the next Top 100 Global Franchises from Franchise Direct is released.

Meanwhile, McDonald’s are showing no signs of slowing down. Their new breakfast items, including frappes and smoothies, are driving new sales. I enjoyed this audio report from Marketplace on the Golden Arches’s new hiring blitzes, which were inspired by a huge spike in smoothie sales.