Brazilian steakhouse restaurant concept Viva Brazil is looking at a number of sites in Nottingham and Bristol for openings in 2016, M&C Report has learnt.
Andy Aldrich, managing director, told M&C he hopes to secure venues in the towns as part of plans to grow the estate to nine restaurants by the end of next year.
Meanwhile the company is preparing to open in Newcastle and Birmingham later this year with a new industrial-style look inspired by the streets of Brazil.
Aldrich said both restaurants will include large bars to place a greater emphasis on the drinking culture that accompanies Brazilian food.
The new look, which has been designed by former Changing Rooms interior designer Laura McCree, will be used at the Newcastle restaurant that is due to open in July and Aldrich said would be retrofitted to existing restaurants.
“It’s a basement restaurant so what we have done in the other restaurants would not have suited Newcastle. We have gone for a smart carnival-inspired theme that could have looked overbearing in a basement.”
The 140 cover restaurant in the heart of Newcastle’s leisure quarter will be followed by a 200 seat restaurant due to open in Birmingham’s commercial district in October. Close to the Bull Ring and New Street Station as well as the commercial area, Aldrich is confident the restaurant will enjoy a healthy lunch trade and said it could become the flagship for the company.
The three existing restaurants are each trading well with strong year on year growth at Glasgow and improved EBITDA in Cardiff - despite sales having dipped from the previous year. Aldrich added Liverpool has been flat but held its ground in the face of strong competition in the area.
