Baygo, the contemporary Caribbean grab and go concept, is looking to reach 10 sites in the next three years, MCA has learnt.
Founder Chris Morris told MCA he was looking to fill the gap in the market for a Caribbean version of brands like Leon and itsu.
Former itsu managing director David Haimes is working as advisor on the concept, which has one site in Eastcheap.
Morris said he would look to open one or two more lunchtime grab-and-go sites in the City, with the possibility of a more fast-casual restaurant model in subsequent central London sites.
Morris, a former management consultant, who has already established contemporary Caribbean restaurant Lime House in Singapore, told MCA: “In the UK you have itsu, Pret and Leon, but there isn’t there a Caribbean version.
“Baygo was born with an idea of making Caribbean food aspirational and pushing the boundaries.
“With our site Eastcheap we wanted a prominent location with significant footfall. We wanted to make it accessible and reach out to a broader audience, rather than go to marginal locations like Brixton.
“We will look at another site or two in the City then maybe the wider London area. It will be driven by the idea of trying to bring fast-casual Caribbean to new areas of London.”
Morris said consumers did not think of Caribbean food as fast, a perception he was looking to change with Baygo, with all dishes aimed to be ready in less than three minutes.
He has secured private investment to open three sites, and said he has built the concept to be scalable.
The menu, which features rice pots, wraps and burgers, is optimised for grab and go, and available on delivery platforms City Pantry, Deliveroo and Seamless.
