Leading QSR brand, Chopstix has announced plans to open at least four sites in Wales this year as the high performance of existing stores and market mapping outlines significant opportunity for growth for the Pan-Asian group, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.
With thriving stores in Cardiff, Swansea and Bridgend, Wales has been identified by Chopstix as a region where demand for its offering is markedly high. Kicking off a busy period of expansion in Wales, Chopstix opened its second site in the capital this month, with the St David's Shopping Centre store (pictured) launching to a fanfare from Cardiff diners.
Set to follow the St David’s Shopping centre store is a new opening in Cwmbran this summer, with Chopstix eyeing two further openings in North Wales by the end of the year.
The new locations will include striking design elements the brand has become renowned for such as its iconic ‘living wall’, natural wood finishes and its winking anime character that features across all Chopstix locations.
Commenting, Jon Lake, Managing Director for Chopstix, noted, “We recognise there is a huge appetite for Chopstix in Wales, both customer feedback and turnover has been remarkable across the Cardiff, Bridgend and Swansea stores.
'The clear popularity of the brand in Wales has given us real impetus to identify additional locations across the country and I’m delighted we’ve found such a great site for our second Cardiff store and for our first in Cwmbran.
'The next step for us will be moving into North Wales, with two openings in the pipeline which we’re looking forward to revealing before too long.”
The expansion across Wales is the next step in a busy year of growth for the QSR group, having already announced the appointment of the company’s first Franchise Director and a new partnership with leading UK holiday operator, Haven.
This year, Chopstix plans to open at least 12 new stores, through a mix of directly owned and operated stores (equity stores), and also in concert with partners, building on its successful and established franchise operation.
Established in Camden Market in 2002 by entrepreneurs Sam Elia and Menashe Sadik, the Chopstix group comprises over 90 locations across the UK and Ireland through a mix of company-owned and operated locations and franchise sites run through partnerships with the likes of Welcome Break and Applegreen.
In addition, the business also has relationships with delivery partners Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats, as well as several brand extensions including a grocery sauce range, plus further innovations in the pipeline.