London-based gourmet fast-food Street Kitchen is exploring funding options to enable further London acquisitions, M&C understands.
Street Kitchen, created by Jun Tanaka, Michelin-trained executive chef at Pearl Restaurant & Bar, and Mark Jankel, founder of The Food Initiative, is looking for venues to open its second permanent location in 2016.
Jankel said he and Tanaka are exploring growth accelerator schemes via The Business Growth Service and would consider angel investment, bank loans or private equity.
The duo have designed the concept to be fully scalable so will able to move quickly once funding and premises are secure to roll Street Kitchen out to 15 units over the coming five years.
Jankel said landlords have approached Street Kitchen to open units in new developments across London including at St James Park and at Battersea Power Station.
Early stage discussions are also underway to relocate the production kitchen from Battersea to Bermondsey to better service units in central London.
The first bricks and mortar Street Kitchen opened in early June at Broadgate Circle serving Michelin-quality sandwiches by the inch.
All fresh, seasonal produce is sourced from sustainable, organic farms, fisheries and producers in the UK, while everything from food waste and energy usage to furniture and staff uniforms will adhere to Street Kitchen’s ecologically-sound ethos.
The group has operated a pop-up at Broadgate since 2011 as well as a stand in Battersea and cater for corporate events and weddings with a custom made Airstream mobile unit.
Meanwhile Tanaka is preparing to open his first solo, stand-alone restaurant in September. The Mediterranean restaurant will be more relaxed than the restaurants where the chef made his name at, including Pearl, Le Gavroche, The Square and The Capital.
