Chiktopia relaunches after liquidation

Chiktopia, the American chicken concept from Abokado founder Mark Lilley, has relaunched as a dark kitchen, after the original business went into liquidation earlier this year, MCA has learnt.

The kitchen has launched in Wandsworth, with delivery available to Putney, Earlsfield, Wimbledon and Clapham via Deliveroo and Uber Eats.

One of Chiktopia’s sites in the food court in intu Lakeside is also due to relaunch towards the end of August.

Under the relaunch, Chiktopia is part of a new business, Red Shed, which Mark Lilley is the sole director.

The previous business was liquidated with total liabilities of £1.13m, owing creditors £325,957, included landlord intu, which was owed £125,864.

At the time, Chiktopia said the financial strain of a prolonged shutdown “simply became too great”, with Steven Ross and Matthew Higgins of RSM appointed as liquidators.

RSM estimated £10,500 in assets would be available for preferential creditors, in a statement of affairs published in June.

The New Orleans-inspired, tech-forward concept was originally developed by Dan Einzig, founder and CEO of hospitality concept creation agency Mystery.

It included a number of well-known industry figures, including Alistair Gordon, formerly of Ole & Steen, who was MD before stepping down, and former Greene King CEO Rooney Anand, who served as a non-executive director.