The YO! Sushi restaurant chain, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary this week, has signed agreements with franchise partners in Malaysia, Ireland and Russia as part of its overseas expansion plans.
Robin Rowland. the chief executive, who led a venture capital management buyout of the chain in 2003, said this would ensure the company hits its target of 50 overseas outlets and 50 UK outlets by 2010.
YO! Sushi currently operates 36 restaurants including three in Paris, three in Dubai and one in Kuwait. All are based on the Japan-ese fast-food “kaiten-zushi”, or revolving sushi, model and feature hot and cold dishes that revolve on conveyor belts around the customers.
Mr Rowland said the company’s success was, in part, due to the fact that it offered something different but said it had also benefited from the healthy eating boom in the UK. Like-for-like sales at the chain grew 16.5 per cent in 2005-06.
The YO! Sushi founder Simon Woodroffe, who retains a 22 per cent stake in the company, is currently focusing on his next entrepreneurial venture, Yotel, based on the Japanese “capsule” hotel concept.
Two Yotels are due to open at passenger terminals at Gatwick and Heath-row airports in the next couple of months.
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