Slim Chickens, the fast-growing national “better chicken” franchise with almost 70 units open and another 250 locations under development in the U.S. and Middle East, has officially announced plans to develop in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Boparan Restaurant Group, a restaurant ownership organization based in England, signed a franchise agreement with Slim Chickens to open locations in the United Kingdom and Ireland, starting with a location scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2018. Slim Chickens will be providing guests in London something they have not yet had the luxury of enjoying: fast-casual chicken.
“This is another landmark moment in our brand’s growth,” says Tom Gordon, co-founder and CEO of Slim Chickens. “We’re spreading our wings and bringing our second-to-none chicken to another international market and are excited about continuing our international growth.”
Boparan Restaurant Group, which employs 2,500 people is one of the U.K.’s fastest growing companies. The brand’s portfolio includes various restaurant concepts including Giraffe World Kitchen, Burgers & Cocktails, FishWorks, Ed’s Easy Diner and additional chains. After researching and meeting with a number of American fast casual chicken chains, Boparan Restaurant Group landed on Slim Chickens as its next restaurant partner because of its superior product and modern approach to branding and design.
“In the U.K. there’s a big opportunity in the fast-casual chicken segment with little existing competition in the marketplace,” said Tom Crowley, CEO of Boparan Restaurant Group. “We were looking for a progressive concept that would fill this gap and Slim Chickens was the perfect fit. We loved the product and the design and branding have a modern approach. We feel confident that Slim Chickens will be successful in the UK due to our connections here, paired with the brand’s strong leadership team helping fuel growth through strong operations.”
“It’s clear that our brand’s offering has been a hit stateside and we have no doubt that we will see this same reception as we continue our international growth,” says Slim Chickens COO Sam Rothschild. “Boparan is the right partner to lead the charge of introducing better chicken and making Slim Chickens a household name in the United Kingdom and Ireland.”
Fast-casual chicken concepts have seen tremendous success in the United States, but haven’t made the leap into the UK. As an innovator in the space, Slim Chickens is up to the challenge of becoming a familiar name in a new international territory, and then grow consistently in neighboring countries, providing quality chicken in a convenient setting. Under the Boparan Restaurant Group partnership, Slim Chickens plans to grow rapidly in the United Kingdom and Ireland in the next ten years, fueling momentum for further international development.
From its roots in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Slim Chickens has grown at an incredible clip since its first restaurant opened in 2003. With nearly 70 locations in 14 states in the U.S. and Kuwait, Slim Chickens is well on the way to achieving its goal of 600 restaurants.
With fresh ingredients in every restaurant, Slim Chickens honors a commitment to homemade recipes and strong supplier partnerships, ensuring guests feel good about what they eat. The down-home Southern brand offers diners 100% All Natural, Buttermilk marinated, hand-breaded southern fried or grilled chicken tenders made fresh when ordered with a choice of 17 house-made dipping sauces for exceptional flavor that has earned admiration from both customers and critics. For guests that are looking to switch it up, Slim Chickens also offers fresh salads, chicken and waffles, and chicken sandwiches. To offset the savory side of the menu, rotating dessert flavors served in Mason jars are available.
