Fast growing QSR brand Chopstix is continuing its impressive programme of growth, with long queues greeting the launch of its first site in Bracknell this month.
The new restaurant, located in The Lexicon Shopping Centre, is owned and operated by the company, and continues a period of rapid growth for the Asian QSR business.
Earlier this month the company announced the acquisition of competitor Chozen Noodle Bar, adding 27 motorway service area restaurants to the Chopstix Group estate. Last year, the company opened 15 equity stores, and expansion through both company-owned and franchised sites is set to continue through 2023.
Jon Lake, Managing Director, said, “The growth we have achieved over the last 12 months has been remarkable and a testament to the hard work of our teams in identifying new locations with high potential, such as Bracknell, and by perfecting our operational processes, so that new sites are delivering payback on investment at an industry-leading speed.
“The business proposition is now in a place where we believe we can scale at pace and grow the brand into a true household name.”
With over 90 stores in the estate, Chopstix is already considered the largest Asian-inspired restaurant brand in the UK, outstripping the likes of Itsu, Wasabi and YO! However, Chopstix has set its sights on becoming the largest pan-Asian QSR on the continent, ramping up its growth trajectory this year with further site openings in the pipeline, building on the 26 new restaurants launched in 2022.
The new Lexington Shopping Centre site 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.
A growing proportion of sales are coming via the Chopstix app, launched in summer 2022, which has already received over 150,000 downloads. App users spend £1 more per transaction than non-users, delivering an 8 per cent increase in average transaction value across the month of December.