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South American Food Chains Use Florida As US Gate

MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) — Latin American restaurant chains are taking their business to Florida to test out the waters before planning to expand in the United States.

Colombian coffee house Juan Valdez, hamburger chain El Corral and Brazilian chain Giraffas are among the companies that have opened stores in Florida.

America's fast-food and fast-casual restaurants generate a combined $231 billion annually in sales, so these chains see a big opp ortunity.

And they are courting Americans across the board, not just Latin American immigrants.

(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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