Menchie’s, the American self-service frozen yoghurt concept that operates 360 sites across the world, is planning a major push in the UK with an ambition to open 100 sites here over the next five years, M&C Report has learnt.
Chief executive Amit Kleinberger told M&C Report that its first multi-unit franchisee has been signed up and there are plans to open a first store in Britain in 2014.
The company hopes to secure a lease at the Bluewater centre in Kent in the next few weeks. It also has a franchisee looking at real estate opportunities across the country.
Kleinberger said: “We are looking to develop lots of locations. We want to have 100 locations within the UK in the next five years.
“The UK market is a healthy market. There’s been a good recovery from the last couple of years. It’s similar to the US - on the rise.”
He said the company hoped to secure a site in London. “We fit within a suburban environment as well as a city environment,” Kleinberger added. “We are looking at both in London.”
Eventually the company would like to have a master franchisee in the UK, he said.
Menchie’s, which was founded by husband and wife team Danna and Adam Caldwell, opened its first store in Valley Village, a suburb of Los Angeles, in 2007.
The business began franchising in 2008 and now operates in several countries including Canada, India, Australia, Israel and Japan. Openings have been lined up for countries including China, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the Dominican Republic. Menchie’s has also named Egypt, Singapore and Qatar among its future targets.
Kleinberger said: “There’s a lot of players in frozen yoghurt but we are very different. We are all about the experience; we are a highly interactive experience. It’s much more about customer service. It’s about the product, the theme of the occasion.”
