Latest news with #AzzurriGroup
The Sun
11 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Fast-food chain from the US that's ‘better than KFC' to open TWO more locations in weeks – check if they're near you
A POPULAR US fast food chain is set to open more branches in the UK after its debut store found success in London. The brand is expanding its presence in Britain's major cities after its debut store went down well with customers. 2 Dave's Hot Chicken is now set to launch stories in Birmingham and Manchester following its success in the capital. The chain opened its first-ever British restaurant on Shaftesbury Avenue, London on December 7. Following a strong reception in London, it is set to spread its wings across the country. Steve Holmes, CEO of Azzurri Group, which owns the chain, said seven new locations will open by the end of the year. "We've had queues at the London site three to four months after opening," he said. "The volumes are still phenomenal. "Dave's gave us the opportunity to move into a new segment with a young consumer, a fast growing part of the market, and a different proposition." The new site in Birmingham will take over a site on New Street that was previously operated by ASK Italian. An outlet in Manchester is expected to open shortly after that. Dave's Hot Chicken was founded in 2017 in the US by Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan and Tommy Rubenyan as a late-night pop-up. It now has more than 200 sites across America. The brand is aiming to open as many as 60 venues across the UK and Ireland over the coming years. Jim Attwood, Dave's Hot Chicken UK managing director, said in January: "From an operational simplicity perspective Greater London is easier initially. "At some point we're going to have to launch in another city though. "And if we're confident, which we are, then we should take that step sooner rather than later." US FAST FOOD EXPANSION INTO THE UK Dave's Hot Chicken is far from the only American chain looking to make the transition across the pond. The burger joint Wendy's is already a hit in the US with over 6,000 restaurants. Now the chain that "blows McDonald's out of the water" has plans to open 400 locations. The chain returned to the UK high street in 2021 after a 20-year hiatus. Wendy's is most famous for its square-shaped hamburgers, which are designed to maximise the amount of meat in every bite. Fast food giant Chick-fil-A is set to bring its beloved chicken sandwiches to our high streets next year. The Sun exclusively revealed the exact locations of their first five permanent UK restaurants. Tex-Mex brand Velvet Taco will also make its UK debut next spring. Popeyes entered the UK market in 2021 and has proved to be a hit with ravenous customers ever since. In just 30 months, the brand opened over 38 restaurants across the UK. It has plans to reach the 60-restaurant milestone by the end of 2024. Shake Shack, which started out as a hotdog cart, recently opened its first restaurant inside a UK train station. Brits commuting in St. Pancras International Station can now grab their favourite burgers before jumping onto their train. The new spot marks the fast food giant's 16th location in the UK since it was launched in Covent Garden in 2013. While most of Shake Shack's UK sites are based in London, bosses have expanded into other locations in recent years, including Essex, Oxford, and Cardiff. Shake Shack's humble beginnings trace back to a New York hot dog cart helmed by Randy Garutti. Wingstop currently operates 39 sites across the UK and will open 15 more in 2024. Lemon Pepper Holdings, which runs the fast food chain's UK portfolio, said the move would create up to 750 jobs. The US hospitality brand said it is its biggest year of expansion since launching Wingstop in the UK six years ago. Dunkin' Donuts, which currently has 30 stores in the UK, hopes to open 30 new branches over the next couple of years as part of a major expansion plan. The chain is huge in the US, with almost 9,500 stores spread across the country. It sells a range of doughnuts, other sweet treats, and hot and cold drinks.
The Sun
07-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Adored Italian restaurant with 66 branches across the UK closes in city centre after serving customers for over 10 years
A BELOVED Italian high street icon with nearly 70 sites across the UK has shut its doors in a major city centre after 10 years of service. The popular chain on Birmingham 's busy New Street closed down after a decade of serving up pizzas, pastas and salads. 2 A sign in the window of Ask Italian - on the corner unit where New Street meets Bennetts Hill - told customers that it would be closing for good. The same sign also advised customers that their nearest branch is at Merry Hill - and that movers were already clearing the space. The message to its loyal customers read: "Thank you. Your Ask Italian Birmingham is closing on May 5." They added that it had been a "pleasure to be part of your community". "We hope you've enjoyed it as much as we have," the chain said. "Your local Ask Italian is now Merry Hill Shopping Centre." It is unclear what the plans are for the unit's new space. Ask Italian is part of the Azzurri Group. The group also operates chains Boojum, Zizzi, Coco di Mama and Dave's Hot Chicken. Viral chicken chain Dave's Hot Chicken announced it would be expanding into the UK market last year. Beloved steakhouse chain to shut ALL its restaurants after collapsing into administration with no explanation According to reports, the growing chain could potentially fill up the empty space Ask Italian has left behind. A Boojum location opened on New Street last year. If Dave's Hot Chicken opens, it will become one of five chicken shops on the stretch of New Street now referred to by some locals as the "Chicken Quarter". It comes after another beloved restaurant closed down after 10 years of service in Sheffield. Koko had what locals labelled the city's best sushi, but announced its closure from April 14 last month. Also in late April, a popular steakhouse closed all its branches after going bust. The chain went into administration without any explanation according to reports. 2
Scottish Sun
07-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Adored Italian restaurant with 66 branches across the UK closes in city centre after serving customers for over 10 years
The closing of the Azzurri Group chain may make way for a viral chicken shop CLOSING TIME Adored Italian restaurant with 66 branches across the UK closes in city centre after serving customers for over 10 years A BELOVED Italian high street icon with nearly 70 sites across the UK has shut its doors in a major city centre after 10 years of service. The popular chain on Birmingham's busy New Street closed down after a decade of serving up pizzas, pastas and salads. Advertisement 2 An adored Italian restaurant with 66 branches across the UK has closed in Birmingham city centre Credit: Google Maps A sign in the window of Ask Italian - on the corner unit where New Street meets Bennetts Hill - told customers that it would be closing for good. The same sign also advised customers that their nearest branch is at Merry Hill - and that movers were already clearing the space. The message to its loyal customers read: "Thank you. Your Ask Italian Birmingham is closing on May 5." They added that it had been a "pleasure to be part of your community". Advertisement "We hope you've enjoyed it as much as we have," the chain said. "Your local Ask Italian is now Merry Hill Shopping Centre." It is unclear what the plans are for the unit's new space. Ask Italian is part of the Azzurri Group. Advertisement The group also operates chains Boojum, Zizzi, Coco di Mama and Dave's Hot Chicken. Viral chicken chain Dave's Hot Chicken announced it would be expanding into the UK market last year. Beloved steakhouse chain to shut ALL its restaurants after collapsing into administration with no explanation According to reports, the growing chain could potentially fill up the empty space Ask Italian has left behind. A Boojum location opened on New Street last year. Advertisement If Dave's Hot Chicken opens, it will become one of five chicken shops on the stretch of New Street now referred to by some locals as the "Chicken Quarter". It comes after another beloved restaurant closed down after 10 years of service in Sheffield. Koko had what locals labelled the city's best sushi, but announced its closure from April 14 last month. Also in late April, a popular steakhouse closed all its branches after going bust. Advertisement The chain went into administration without any explanation according to reports.
Telegraph
19-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Net zero ‘grocery tax' will drive up pub prices, bosses warn
A net zero 'grocery tax' on food and drink manufacturers will push up prices in the nation's pubs and restaurants, bosses have warned. Industry chiefs from the hospitality sector have written to Steve Reed, the Environment Secretary, pleading with him for an exemption from the incoming Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) levy. EPR was designed to simplify how Britain recycles as it pushes towards net zero, and will see the burden of paying for recycling shifted from consumers through their council tax bills to the manufacturers themselves. However, businesses have warned it will encumber them with extra expenses at a time when the cost of doing business is already high. Jonathan Neame, the chairman of brewer and pub company Shepherd Neame, said: 'It is a tax cost that needs to be passed back to the customer and all the way through the system, so undoubtedly it will drive costs up. It's a very poorly implemented, ill-thought-through piece of legislation.' The letter to Mr Reed, signed by the chief executives of companies including Ask Pizza owner Azzurri Group, Burger King, Marston's and St Austell Brewery, said: 'Bills from suppliers are now being received, resulting in significant cost increases as a result of EPR. 'Hospitality businesses will be forced to pass at least some of the additional cost of this EPR fee onto their customers, as their suppliers have done to them.' They argued that bottles of beer, wine and spirits sold in their venues were being incorrectly classified as household waste through the scheme, despite never leaving their premises. They said: 'Hospitality businesses are being double-charged. They are being passed on an EPR charge, levied on a product incorrectly determined as household waste, and they're also paying for that same product to be disposed of commercially. 'The logic appears to be that a bottle of beer or wine could be served to the customer and end up in the household waste system. This is not the reality for the vast majority of hospitality businesses that collect any packaging served to their customers. This is common sense for any of our customers.'
