Delivery kitchens will become a cornerstone of Wendy’s expansion after the company announced plans to partner with Reef and open between five and 10 dark kitchens in the UK before the end of the year. Reef will become Wendy’s first franchisee in the UK and will initially focus on opening delivery kitchens in central London.
Globally Wendy’s has announced its intention to open 700 delivery kitchens in total across the US, Canada and the UK by 2025.
Wendy’s aim is to grow its brand’s footprint by benefitting from ongoing consumer demand for delivery.
Abigail Pringle, chief development officer at Wendy’s, said: “The demand for convenient delivery solutions means we must look for opportunities beyond our traditional restaurant formats, especially in dense urban areas.”
“We are creatures of habit and we like convenience and I think that will be at the heart of what people are looking for,” added Pringle. “Delivery is here to stay and what better way to capture that than through a delivery kitchen.”
Pringle said that the proportion of the 700 delivery kitchens in the UK would be “meaningful” and that its partnership with Reef would be its only delivery-focused franchise agreement. It is currently exploring franchise arrangements for restaurant sites with 30 other candidates.
Reef currently operates a delivery kitchen in London’s Canary Wharf with plans to utilise vacant shopping centre space for further expansion.
In terms of Wendy’s site openings in the UK, the brand is hoping to open five company-owned sites during 2021. It has plans to open a site in Brighton as well as in London’s Camden and Wood Green. The brand is also planning to open a drive-thru site in Peterborough.
Globally, Wendy’s also announced a 16 per cent rise in comparable sales growth during the second quarter.
Precis
NEWS
Wendy’s to expand via delivery kitchens
Delivery kitchens will become a cornerstone of Wendy’s expansion after the company announced plans to partner with Reef and open between five and 10 dark kitchens in the UK before the end of the year. Reef will become Wendy’s first franchisee in the UK and will initially focus on opening delivery kitchens in central London. Wendy’s is currently exploring franchise arrangements for restaurant sites with 30 other candidates.
