Fatburger, the California-based chain, has confirmed it is exploring a launch in the UK for later this year.
Warren Christiansen, the brand’s vice president franchise sales told M&C Report that the group had secured a master franchisee, “a high-net worth individual” to oversee the brands launch inside Greater London, with further franchise opportunities available outside the capital.
He said: “We have been looking for our first site in the UK and hope to have one secured and opened before the year end.”
Fatburger, which is backed by the Fog Cutter Capital Group and led by chief executive Andrew Wiederhorn, currently operates c150 sites across 12 countries.
Last September, it signed a partnership deal to launch in Asia and said that it had 225 locations under development in the Middle East, Africa and the UK.
It has new locations sets to open in Canada, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, China and Indonesia.
The company, which has developed cult status in California for its marketing references to hip hop music, has signed a partnership deal with Puji Capital Limited, a Shanghai investment bank and asset management firm, to expand the burger brand in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore.
Rival chains Five Guys and Shake Shack will make their UK debuts this summer.
