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chicken chain Popeyes ready to open its 100th UK restaurant next week, indicating its continued rapid expansion across the country.
founded by usa brandwhich was launched in the UK in 2021, has experienced a boom DevelopmentThis surge is attributed to increasing consumer demand for fried chicken, especially as chicken is gaining popularity as a protein source,
The historic London Bridge station outlet will be backed by private equity firm TDR Capital.
The 3,000 sq ft site at the busy commuter station will take the business to 27 sites across London.
The owners have said the opening is part of a strategy to target more travel centers in its continued growth plans.
Popeyes has opened 45 restaurants so far this year and expects that number to grow to 50 by the end of 2025.
Popeyes UK chief executive Tom Crowley told the PA news agency there is “no public target” for the new restaurant but he believes it “could open at a similar pace” next year.
“We’ve had success across the country as well as in London because I think people have really appreciated the authenticity of the brand,” he said.
“We have been able to grow faster than first anticipated, but there is still a lot of opportunity, so I don’t see any reason why we can’t start at the same pace.
“I think there are definitely opportunities in Greater London but not by any means.”
It comes amid a flurry of activity for chicken brands in the UK, partly driven by the launch of a range of US chains in the UK, including Popeyes.
Rival Wingstop UK, which was bought for around £400 million late last year, has also expanded rapidly in recent years, while other competitors including Dave’s Hot Chicken and Chick-fil-A have entered the market.
Mr Crowley rejected suggestions Britain could reach “peak levels” and said he believed there was still a strong opportunity for further growth.
“I often hear the question of when we will reach peak chicken, but I think the continued growth in customer demand shows there is plenty of room to grow.
“And if you look at the US for example, we have almost double the number of chicken restaurants per capita here, so there’s still room for more in the market.”