Yum Brands, owners of the Pizza Hut and KFC names, has seen an 18% rise in profits for the first quarter, helped in part by a boost in its Chinese business.

The firm made net earnings of $399m (£237m) for the three months to 22 March, up from $337m a year ago, helped by sales at outlets in China which rose 9% from a year ago, with those at KFC up 11%.

This represents a bounceback from a sales dip in 2012 after it was reported that some of its suppliers in China were providing chickens with high levels of antibiotics, followed by a bird flu scare in the region. Yum's chief executive, David Novak, said the latest numbers and the recovery in China indicated the firm was "clearly on its way to a strong bounce-back year".

"Given the strength at both KFC and Pizza Hut, we expect to open at least 700 new restaurants in China this year as we further capitalise on our leading position in the number-one retail opportunity in the world.”