Slim Chickens to Expand in United Kingdom

Slim Chickens, the “better chicken” franchise with almost 70 units open, has officially announced plans to develop in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Boparan Restaurant Group, a restaurant ownership organization based in England, signed a franchise agreement with Slim Chickens to open locations in the United Kingdom and Ireland, starting with a location scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2018. Slim Chickens will be providing guests in London something they have not yet had the luxury of enjoying: fast-casual chicken.

“This is another landmark moment in our brand’s growth,” says Tom Gordon, co-founder and CEO of Slim Chickens. “We’re spreading our wings and bringing our second-to-none chicken to another international market and are excited about continuing our international growth.

“In the U.K. there’s a big opportunity in the fast-casual chicken segment with little existing competition in the marketplace,” added Tom Crowley, CEO of Boparan Restaurant Group.

“We were looking for a progressive concept that would fill this gap and Slim Chickens was the perfect fit. We loved the product and the design and branding have a modern approach. We feel confident that Slim Chickens will be successful in the UK due to our connections here, paired with the brand’s strong leadership team helping fuel growth through strong operations.”

Boparan Restaurant Group, which employs 2,500 people is one of the U.K.’s fastest-growing companies. The brand’s portfolio includes various restaurant concepts including Giraffe World Kitchen, Burgers & Cocktails, FishWorks, Ed’s Easy Diner and additional chains. After researching and meeting with a number of American fast-casual chicken chains, Boparan Restaurant Group landed on Slim Chickens as its next restaurant partner because of its superior product and modern approach to branding and design.

“It’s clear that our brand’s offering has been a hit stateside and we have no doubt that we will see this same reception as we continue our international growth,” says Slim Chickens COO Sam Rothschild. “Boparan is the right partner to lead the charge of introducing better chicken and making Slim Chickens a household name in the United Kingdom and Ireland.”