George Bukhov, one of the founder of Burger & Lobster, believes that the brand could fulfil its potential in the UK by 2017.
He told M&C that the brand will increasingly look overseas, citing Asia and the US as key growth markets, for future expansion of the format.
He said: “With our format, which we would call luxury diner there is only so many places we can go, we are very much like say Jamie’s Italian in that regard. At present Asia, places such as Malaysia, Thailand and China, and the major US cities, are where we see are main growth coming from.”
He said that the group’s three UK regional sites in Manchester, Bath and Cardiff where performing well, although the latter had proved more challenging in regards to sustaining its initial performance. At present the group’s sites in Cardiff and New York sell the most burgers across its estate.
Bukhov said that the group would now allow all three to stablilise performance before looking at further regional openings and that the company had pulled back on a possible opening in Leeds.
It is also exploring the possibility of opening a live lobster storage facility in Manchester to help with logistical issues.
The Goodman Restaurants-owned brand will open at the Fairmont Dubai in Sheikh Zayed Road before the end of the year, which will mark its debut in the country.
The company will open its debut site in the Middle East in Kuwait’s The Avenues in five days time.
B&L has signed a deal with Global Hospitality Asset Management (GHAM) to open in Dubai.
It opened its first franchise site in Stockholm earlier this summer and is looking at opportunities in Oslo and Copenhagen.
