US Brands and Energy Firms Expand in Kurdistan Amid Stable Investment Climate
American companies expand across retail, energy, and services in Erbil amid strengthened KRG–US ties and the opening of the largest US consulate in the world.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — A fully American-style retail outlet — from its design to its wide range of products — has opened in Erbil, marking the only such store of its kind in Iraq. Stocking hundreds of US-made food items, beverages, and household goods, the market has quickly become a destination for both locals and foreigners seeking American brands that previously could only be acquired through online orders from abroad.
Manar Munir, the operations director of the new store, told Kurdistan24 that strong demand for American products in the Kurdistan Region encouraged the investment.
“People in Kurdistan, as well as foreigners living here, want access to American brands,” Munir said. “That is why this market was opened, and because of its significance, even the US Consul General in Erbil attended the opening ceremony."
"Customers tell us that when they walk through the store, they feel like they are in the United States,” she added.
The arrival of the new market adds to the expanding presence of American brands in the Kurdistan Region. In recent years, global restaurant chains such as KFC, Pizza Hut, Hardee’s, Subway, Baskin-Robbins, and several US lifestyle and retail brands have established branches in Erbil and Duhok.
Their steady growth reflects not only market demand but also confidence in the region’s stability and its investor-friendly regulatory environment.
Beyond retail and food services, American companies maintain a major footprint in the Kurdistan Region’s oil and gas sector. US energy giants Chevron, HKN Energy, Hillwood International Energy, Hunt Oil, Marathon Oil, and other US-linked service firms continue to operate across multiple exploration and production blocks.
Their presence has been a cornerstone of the region’s energy development for decades.
Earlier this year in Washington, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani signed a series of new energy cooperation agreements with American companies, aimed at advancing natural gas development, expanding power generation projects, and supporting modernization of the Kurdistan Region's energy infrastructure.
The deals were widely seen as a reaffirmation of US economic engagement and an endorsement of the region’s long-term stability.
Economist Dr. Ramyar Rizgar told Kurdistan24 that the Kurdistan Region’s environment offers strong assurances to large American corporations, especially in energy and technology.
“Such confidence encourages even more companies from Asia, Europe, and the US to consider entering the Kurdistan market,” he said, noting that increased investment inevitably boosts job opportunities and expands the local economy.
The Kurdistan Region’s stability, relative to the rest of Iraq, has long been a key factor in attracting foreign investors. The government’s competitive investment laws — offering tax exemptions, guarantees, and straightforward registration processes — have further solidified the region as one of the Middle East’s most appealing destinations for international firms.
A major symbolic boost to these ties came with the opening of the new US Consulate General in Erbil on Wednesday, officially recognized as the largest American diplomatic facility in the world.
Economists and business leaders say the scale of the consulate signals a deep and long-term US commitment and will likely encourage even more American companies and brands to expand into the Kurdistan Region.
“We are proud of our deep and long-standing partnership with the people of the Kurdistan Region,” US Deputy Secretary of State Michael Rigas said during the Consulate's inaugurating ceremony, describing the Kurdistan Region as an “effective, capable security partner and trusted voice” within Iraq and beyond.
He noted that a “strong, stable, and resilient Kurdistan Region” remains a foundational pillar of US policy toward Iraq.
In a speech delivered at the inaugurating ceremony of the new consulate compound on Wednesday, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said the new compound “rises like a mountain—solid and unshakable in Erbil, reflecting decades of close cooperation and friendship."
Prime Minister Barzani emphasized that "the Kurdistan Region remains a proud and reliable ally of the United States and is committed to strengthening ties as both sides enter a new chapter, focused on development and stability."
As new American brands enter the consumer market and fresh agreements reshape the energy landscape, US-Kurdistan economic ties appear poised for further expansion — powered by stability, opportunity, and shared strategic interests.
